This game doesn't do the TV show justice.
THE GOOD
-The Wall is a fun event
THE BAD
-Poor controls for most events
-Difficulty is more cheap then a challenge
OVERVIEW
American Gladiators is a game that is easily over looked because of its mediocre gameplay. I really enjoyed American Gladiators on TV and thought that this game would be as fun as the show, but alas I was very wrong. You play as the contestants, just like the show, and battle your way through five events (Powerball, Joust, Human Cannonball, Assault, and The Wall) at 4 different difficulty levels. Once you complete all 4 levels you get to play the Eliminator. This sounds like fun but once you play each event you will be disappointed. As you complete each level the difficulty, or should I say computer cheapness, increases which can make the game unfair at higher levels.
GAMEPLAY
For American Gladiators I'll break down the gameplay for each event starting with Powerball. Powerball is played just like the tv show event. You start off at one end of the arena and the object is to try and place as many balls into any of the five baskets within 60 seconds. There are four baskets around the outside and one center basket. You get more points for the center basket. Now the challenge comes when the gladiators try to stop you and knock the ball out of your hands. The controls for Powerball are pretty good. You move using the D-pad and press the A button to pick up and place balls. As you progress to higher levels, the game stays the same so it can get repetitive.
Assault is the next event that you can play in American Gladiators. Again this game is pretty close to the actual event on the show. In the time allotted you have to try and do one of two things. Either make it to the finish line or pick up missiles for your missile launcher and shoot the gladiator. On top of that the gladiator is going to be shooting balls back at you and if you are hit 3 times you fail. The controls are decent for this game. All you do is move around and shoot missiles. The layout of the board changes as you progress through the game so each time you play there is a different setup. On the playing field there will be walls that you can hide behind that also have ammo for the launcher. This event isn't too bad because the controls are ok and the difficulty is challenging but not cheap.
The Joust was one of my favorite events on the show but one of my least favorite in this game. The reason is that the controls are very sluggish and the difficulty is painfully unfair. In the Joust you have to fight four different gladiators in consecutive order. Once you defeat a gladiator you have to try and jump across a few platforms to make it to the next guy. When fighting you can block or attack (high, medium, and low) and between fights you can only jump. As you progress through the game the gladiators in the joust get cheaper and cheaper which makes this event not too much fun.
The Human Cannonball is similar to the Joust in that you go up against four gladiators in consecutive order. Here you start on a platform that moves up and down while a rope moves back a forth. The object is to jump onto the rope and swing towards the gladiator on another platform and knock them off. You controls are simple you can jump and move up and down the rope to change you position. This event is all about timing. If you come in to high you'll fly over the gladiator. If you are to low you hit the platform. Again, just like the Joust and with the same reasons, this game is not much fun.
The wall is the only event that is fun to play. The controls are simple. Just press the B button to move the left hand and the A button for the right hand and use the D-pad to control where you are going to climb. The course is not so simple. Again just like the tv show a gladiator will be trying to push you off the wall and the object is to reach the top with in a certain amount of time. However, this wall is much different then the show because there are obstacles to avoid along the way and higher difficulties have more complex walls to maneuver. There is a good challenge here that isn't unfair like some of the other events.
The final event is the Eliminator. Here you have to jump platforms, dodge balls and maneuver through moving treads while trying to get to the finish line. Nothing to crazy here but a decent finish for the game.
GRAPHICS & SOUND
The graphics for the game are awful. Lack of color and block figures don't make the cut.
Again not too much here.
CONCLUSION
If you really like American Gladiators you may like this game, but this is highly unlikely. For everyone else, this game might be better left to antiquity.