Developer: Rainbow Arts Publisher: Accolade Release: 06/91 Genre: Action
Turrican was an institution in Europe. Some compared it to Contra however the two games are vastly different. With its massive levels ripe for exploration and excellent chip tunes on all the formats it debuted on the series is still beloved today. Personally I do not think much of the game. I realize my perspective is skewed as it comes from the later Genesis port. But even beyond that the game has noticeable problems that are hard to ignore.
Although Turrican resembles a straightforward action game like the previously mentioned Konami title in actuality it is a hybrid between Metroid and Contra. Even though the five worlds have multiple smaller stages each is absolutely gargantuan in size. The world design is excellent; all worlds connect and comprise one long journey through Machine City up to the top of the Machine’s Tower. Secrets abound at every turn with many invisible item boxes hidden in plain sight. You will need the cornucopia of items they drop as the game is brutal.
There are only two primary weapons in Turrican and sadly they lack punch. The default machine gun can upgrade to either a spread shot or laser. The spread shot lacks power but covers a wide spread; the laser is strong but straightforward. The secondary items make up for this slightly. In a further nod to Metroid your hero can roll into a bladed ball to crawl in to tight spaces and drop bombs. Sadly this is limited but awesome nonetheless. One of the coolest weapons is the lightning whip. Holding the attack button produces a beam that you can swing 360°. It is pretty powerful too and can be extended with power-ups. Numerous secondary items round out your arsenal such as bombs, grenades, a shield, and the power line.
The controls are unintuitive. On the different computer formats most had controllers with a single button so relegated jump to the up key. On the Genesis this still applies but jumping also has its own dedicated button. This leads to many unwanted leaps, often in to enemy fire or into bottomless pits. You cycle through the various sub-weapons with a separate button but the fire button still wields them. This is unwieldy and makes using them in tense situations (bosses specifically) a harrowing process. You get used to it but they could have been set up better.
Turrican is not an easy game for a number of reasons. The levels tempt you in to exploring every nook and cranny. But the strict time limit will curve that habit. It is almost impossible to avoid dying to the clock at least once, not just due to item searching but also trying to find the exit. Rarely is the exit ever in a straight line and the graphic design makes the levels confusing. Nearly every surface in the game is hazardous with dripping blood, poison, and my eternal enemy, spikes. Bosses soak bullets like water and every death downgrades your weapons which sucks as you respawn in the same spot. You will find a lot of extra lives but lose them just as quickly due to the game’s biggest flaw.
Unlike most games Turrican has no invincibility frames. This means anything that touches you can sap your health in seconds. This can and will happen unexpectedly and frequently. The lowliest enemy can bring you to death without warning and it is frustrating every time. This one critical flaw ruins the game and makes it a chore to play. If they would have addressed this one flaw the game would be infinitely more playable. God bless those that truly love this game; I have given it an honest to God chance numerous times these last decades and no, I just do not like this game.
One of the reasons Turrican caused a stir was its technical brilliance on its target platforms. The developers of the Genesis version drop the ball on multiple fronts. The parallax scrolling that was so impressive on the Commodore 64 looks flat and lackluster here. The massive bosses still look impressive but that alone cannot save the presentation. Possibly the most disappointing aspect is the soundtrack. The music is sad renditions of the awesome computer soundtrack that does not hold a candle to the original tunes.
In Closing
I can see the good points of Turrican. But it has too many flaws that make it a chore to play. I suppose you had to be there to understand why it was such a big deal. As it is Turrican, while unique for its time, does not hold a candle to the better action adventure titles on the system.
