Developer: Konami Publisher: Ultra Released: September 1990 Released: Action
Konami picked up some very obscure and strange licenses toward the end of their NES run. Bucky O’Hare might have been an obscure comic book and cartoon but made perfect sense for a video game. More people are familiar with the Lone Ranger but I certainly never expected Konami to do the honors. But we won in the end as the game was dope. Now Zen the Intergalactic Ninja? Even with the internet at our disposal only true nerds have heard of it. Rollergames is even more obscure and if you were really cynical would assume to be another cheap cash in like most of LJN’s output. However this is Konami we are talking about, and the game turned out better than you would expect.
Rollergames is loosely based on the 1989 TV show. In it six teams of three competitors fought inside a figure 8-track. This simple premise was elevated by the presence of personalities as the teams were divided into two divisions, the Western Alliance and Eastern Empire. It had a strong wrestling vibe as there ongoing feuds and rivalries that played out over the season. The game carries over some of this. The Eastern Empire (the Maniacs, Violators, and Bad Attitude, clearly the bad guys) have kidnapped the Rollergames commissioner and challenge the Western Alliance to save him. If you ask me this is a job for the cops but for some god forsaken reason a bunch of middle-aged roller skating “athletes” decide to take this delicate hostage situation into their own hands.
Rollergames is part brawler, part racing game. Each team in the Western Alliance matches the beat em up clichés to a tee. The T-Birds dump you in the skates of a burly man who is slow and can’t jump high but can knock out enemies in few hits. Hot Flash are the stereotypical fast but weak women of the bunch. Except in this case their speed and leaping prowess make them the ideal team for the game. The Rockers are the every man, jack of all trades, master of none. To be fair their individual characteristics don’t make as much of a difference. Also, you can switch between levels so it doesn’t matter.
Although I call this part brawler that is only semi true. Combat is only a small portion of the game. True, there are enemies, but most of them go down in a single punch. Mostly they are there to ambush you and knock you on your ass. There is no penalty for simply skating by, and in most cases that is the best option. At the end of each section you’ll face a wave of tougher enemies and eventually a boss. These segments highlight how bare bones the combat system in Rollergames is. Its serviceable and not much else.
Luckily that isn’t Rollergames’ focus. Platforming comprises the majority of the game. While it is more involved than fisticuffs it too has problems. Your characters move around on skates and so momentum and physics play a large role. Unfortunately, both are pretty wonky. It is easy to build up speed but hard to control it. Combined with the viewpoint and many of the game’s platforming segments will result in cheap deaths. It’s a shame too, as there is some strong level design that is let down by less than ideal controls.
The difficulty in Rollergames skews a little higher than normal. The platforming is already frustrating as is but the clock doesn’t help either. The timer creates a sense of urgency that the game doesn’t allow. You can’t rush any of the game’s many leaps, especially when they come in rapid succession. The game leans heavily on it towards the end where it becomes the most aggravating. Death sends you back to the beginning of the current level, and, considering their length, is a bitter pill to swallow.
Two of the six stages are forced scrolling skating levels. For the most part they are fun but come with a few quirks. The controls are very slippery. I guess it makes sense since you are skating at full speed. But the precision moves the game asks of you are hard to pull off. These levels rely heavily on memorization like the Turbo Tunnel in Battletoads. Thankfully it isn’t as bad although you might punch a wall once or twice. They tend to run long unfortunately which makes any death that much worse. Once again though, as frustrating as it is the game still remains fun.
In Closing
Rollergames has its flaws but still makes for an fun afternoon. I can honestly say I was not expecting much from it but came away surprised. A little more work could have made Rollergames great but Konami deserve props for making something so obscure entertaining.
