Overlooked, but not forgotten....
User Rating: 8.6 | Three Dirty Dwarves SAT
This title, (developed by Segasoft/Appaloosa) brought back a vinatge brawling beat-em up style of feel back to the Saturn. The game features three dwarves who are practically summoned to rescue a group of intelligent children to whom are kidnapped by an angry military madman and his loyal minions. Consider the dwarves, "The Knights in Shinning Armor." Of course these dwarves don't blindly enter battle without gear. Each equipped with their preferred weapon/s of choice (shotguns, baseballs w/bat, bowling balls w/pins etc) and armor drawn (sportsgear) these warriors are ready for battle. Each dwarf has their own unique fighting style and special attacks. Gameplay- You'll enter battle controlling all three dwarves at once (possible for three players to play at once via six- tap) and are given the option to switch in between dwarves to choose which you'll have leading your squad. You'll also be able to perform double & tripple team attacks for multiple damage on enemies (possibly even a group) as each dwarf has their own short-ranged & melee attacks. There is a decent a amount of enemies, for each stage contains a different variety of enemies. The control mechanics are very easy to get used to, as the game is very player friendly. There also are numerous forms of play that the player will be entangled with (this isn't your average "beat em' up") throughout the game, there are puzzle like missions as well (for instance, on the baseball field stage, repelling balls thrown at your character to hit enemies on bases). There's a lot a humor that you'll run across while playing through the game. From trying to escape the clutches of a duct tape woman, to battling off naked ninjas (yes, they're naked). This game will have you laughing from start to finish. Graphics- For a 2d "beat em' up," the graphics are fairly decent. There's a hint of some 2.5D influence from time to time, along with dazzling clay animated type bosses and enemies. The fully animated cut scenes are alright. The screenplay does show some grain during these scenes (a blurry view) but it surely doesn't tarnish the video quality. All in all, the graphics (while nothing to jump out of your seat over) are sufficient enough to classify TDD as a classic brawler. Sound- This has got to be greatest aspect of the game. You'll hear constant grunts, moans, and groans as enemies are being flattend (in a laughable manner) even when your own characters get stunned, it's hilarious. I personally never imagined myself laughing at my own character for getting flattened, due to such energetic voice overs. Ah yes, the voice-overs are MAGNIFICENT, as each voice clearly fits each & every character & truly creates a comedic perception (just wait till' you get to the loading screens, as even they are amusing). The music is a mixed bag of different tunes (which truly sets the atmosphere) ranging from rock, jazz, to even hip-hop (accapella vocals) . Practically, whatever's the mood of the stage is what type of tune you can expect to hear. Value- Well, if you play & beat the game on the easy setting, you'll then be ask to tackle the normal or hard modes in order to view the game's true ending (completing the game on normal or hard will get you the same ending). The game only takes a couple of hours to complete. So after you've completed the game, there really isn't much else to accomplish (there are no unlockables, with the exception of possible cut scenes to view). However, this game is worth playing through numerous times, just for it's sheer humor alone (you can never get enough of it)! Three Dirty Dwarves is an excellent "beat em up" to which implements several genre's of gameplay into one game. This title was mainly overlooked (back when it was first released) due to it's humor (many assumed the game was "stupid"). Just sit back, relax, and have an opened mind while playing TDD. It's not simply a title that you just play through in a sitting to beat, but more so a game that you can play to have fun with, and in the same process be kept entertained with hilarious humor.
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