Another NES review; Balloon Fight seems to be one of Nintendo's fonder 8-bit memories; and attention well-deserved too.
GAMEPLAY:
We'll review in game order; first is Game A; single player. Here you start off with a few platforms, an ocean underneath, a storm cloud, and a bunch of large birds with sharp beaks suspended by one balloon. You are the balloon fighter; a man with a blue helmet tied to two balloons. You 'fly' by flapping your arms. The goal is to kick out the birds balloons; then finish them off by ramming their parachutes. Once you take out all the birds you go to the next level with more birds and smaller platforms with more obstacles. The game gets harder as you progress obviously. However; the game is not just about dodging birds and kicking balloons; there are obstacles to give the game spice. First off; storm clouds send out homing electrical shocks that seem to always come too close for comfort. Also standing near the ocean is a death zone; as giant fish have a tendency to randomly leap out of the briny blue and swallow you whole. The fun factor isn't through the roof; but definitely worth mention as a great old game.
Next is Game B; multiplayer. This is the same as Game A, only now a second player is onscreen with the first. From here you have a choice; work together or work against each other. This can leave how you play entirely up to the players, and betrayals are always fun. This was a great addition; and very addicting multiplayer even today.
But if you want some immersive single player fun, Game C is where it is at. Balloon Trip is my personal favorite due to how wonderfully challenging it is. You start out on the right side of the screen; and must travel left as far you can. The screen scrolls, and the journey is long and hard. You'll have to make it through mazes of instant kill shocks, giant fish, homing shocks, and the like. This requires pixel perfect accuracy; a challenge for any gamer depending on how far you make it. This portion alone is what garners such a high score by me; it's brilliantly simple gaming, done with a movement pad and one button. 9/10
GRAPHICS:
Average. Most characters only have two sprites of animation; and the style is much like Duck Hunt. The water is shaded; and the fish and electricity look good for the era. The balloon fighter and birds have a Donkey Kong NES-esque feel to it. 8/10
MUSIC/SOUND:
Good catchy NES songs that are certainly worth remembering as many Nintendo games today allude to them. Game C's theme is my personal favorite. Sounds effects are beeps and blips; nothing captivating, but for a NES game, they suffice. 8/10
REPLAYABILITY:
Think on a Super Mario Bros scale. Especially if you have two controllers; this game WILL Be replayed many times, it is just so fun! With a multi-optional two player mode; this game will have you hooked. High scores are recorded; and Game C is fun to see how far you can get.
OVERALL: 8.7/10