NES#7: Power Blade

Power Blade has just about everything you'd want out of an NES platformer, especially if you're into frogs committing suicide, big blue heads stuck the wall, and shiny metal pants. Alright so I tend to hear good things about this one, but I think it's a little too goofy for its own good, and it doesn't help that Nova, our main character, is a blatant Arnold Schwarzenegger rip off. Now I know that a lot of games did this during the time period, but this one might be the ultimate Schwarzenegger clone. I think the only thing that truly sets him apart are his shiny metal pants. Or are those legs? It's really impossible to tell. Anyway take a look at the title screen to see what I mean.
This is the best fake Schwarzenegger on the NES. It actually gives the Total Recall title screen a run for its money. As usual though he appears more blond in the actual game. I don't know why these games always had a dark haired guy on the cover and then a blond guy in the game itself.

I guess the whole scenario seems a little goofy to me. The game is called Power Blade but your weapon is actually a boomerang. It does look pretty sharp, but it's not as good as the one Lady Elaine had on Mr. Rogers. So the main computer has been taken over by aliens and you're trying to restore it by sneaking around and killing a bunch of robot animals. Everywhere you go there's a robot bird or a suicidal robot frog coming at you. You don't fight that many aliens outside the boss fights, and the ones you do encounter look suspiciously like humans.

Of course I love goofy so I really should like this game. I guess the main problem I have with it is that it is far to easy. I just picked up this game last year and I'd say it took me about an hour to finish it from the moment I started playing. It only has seven levels in it, and none of them are particularly difficult. A couple of the bosses are tricky but not overwhelming. You can pick the order you play the levels, but it really doesn't make that much of a difference as they all look and play about the same. There are also passwords between each level so you don't have to do it all in one sitting. Even if you'd never played NES before I doubt you'd have a hard time with it. It's probably easier than Rescue Rangers.

So that's about it for Power Blade. This one is fondly remembered by many gamers out there, but I just don't really see it. It's too short, and it doesn't have many original ideas. The main character looks like Schwarzenegger and the level selection and horde of robot animals makes it feel like Mega Man. At least it has big blue heads in it. That's the game's most redeeming quality.