Developer: Sunsoft Publisher: Sunsoft Release: 01/31/92 Genre: Action
Sunsoft next to Konami and a few others pushed the NES harder than most. Artistically they released stunning titles like Batman and Gremlins 2. Technically they achieved things I never thought possible with Batman: Return of the Joker. One of their last titles pushed boundaries in a different way. Gimmick is a little known gem with an advanced physics engine that is more fun to play around with than it has any right to. While the game itself is not without flaws it is still a fantastic low profile title deserving of your time.
Gimmick looks like a typical platformer at first glance, namely Kirby’s Adventure. However the gameplay is as far from that as could be. The main mechanic of Gimmick is the star attack. Holding B will build a quick charge and produce a star. This star once unleashed becomes a bouncing projectile. This is your sole attack but it has plenty of other uses. The star will bounce off any surface, the floor, walls, and even the ceiling. You can ride on it as a substitute platform as well. Bottles turn it in to a flame and a bomb but these are rare. It sounds simple but what truly makes it an incredible mechanic is the game’s physics.
The physics engine in Gimmick is one of the most advanced for an 8-bit console. Height and momentum are calculated in real time and affects the star’s motion. Drop it on a slope and it will build speed. Throw it downward it a tall height and it will realistically bounce even higher. If it hits a wall it will rebound with greater force. Watching it bounce into a tight space and slide to a stop is a sight to behold. Playing around with the physics is endlessly fun. Being chased by a group of enemies, tossing a star at a wall and watching it rebound and take them out without stopping is just one of many creative scenarios possible.
With such a rich physics engine the level design is apt to take advantage of it. Enemy placement is routinely set up to test your mastery of the star mechanic. It does not always hit the mark but for the most part provides a meaningful challenge at all times. The platforming can be tricky; the star is subject to physics but your direct control is a little slippery. Unfortunately the game does require pinpoint platforming and the game can be frustrating in that regard. Most levels have multiple paths and shortcuts accessed by being creative with the star that lessen this somewhat at least. Once you view each stage as a playground to explore rather than a straightforward level you will have a good time.
As a result of its unconventional mechanics Gimmick is a very difficult game. Unlike most platformers enemies here are aggressive and will chase you around. They attack in groups and are as agile as you as well. Due to the star mechanics physics attacking directly is difficult with landing hits feeling random. Enemy placement is also not the greatest and a bit cheap. The first stage eases you in to the mechanics of the star but from there it ramps up fast. In short order you will have to bounce it off walls to hit difficult to reach enemies and ride it as a makeshift platform to clear gaps.
It reaches its nadir in the boss battles. The boss of stage three is a sea slug who slowly advances up a slope. You need to perfectly time your shot to avoid bouncing it to knock it back into the water lest you get hit by its fast bubble barrage. Stage four features a newly hatched baby bird that is adept at avoiding your attacks. Perfect timing is needed to line up a shot and trick it into moving into the appropriate position. Stage five is even more intense; here you to calculate the trajectory of the star’s bounce to even hit the boss. It can be frustrating I will admit but the satisfaction of finally nailing it is immense.
Gimmick is a tough bastard due to its difficulty curve. But to see all of its content will require elite skill. In every stage is an item necessary to unlock the game’s true final stage and the real ending. To find these items will require a mastery of the physics that most will probably never attain. Most of the time their placement is obvious when unique enemies and puzzles appear. How you actually access them is the conundrum. And between the cheesy enemy placement and aggressive enemies it is hard to muster the willpower to want to scour each map as it is. Oh and you have to do this without continuing. I suppose it is incentive to replay the game multiple times to master it but it is a bit much. I like the game and all but this is one challenge I did not rise to.
In Closing
Gimmick is a great game that is still unique within the platforming genre today. The high difficulty might push some away but perseverance feels rewarding. With its fun mechanics action fans should seek this one out. Unfortunately it is hard to find; as a late release it had a small print run and only released in Scandinavia outside of Japan.
