Despite its misleading moniker, Turok: Rage Wars for the Game Boy Color has very little to do, as far as gameplay goes, with the N64 title of the same name. The GB version is, in actuality, a rather surprising 2D side-scrolling action title, very reminiscent of the 8-bitters of yore.
You play as Turok, champion dinosaur hunter, and you trek through five deadly worlds packed to the brim with bipedal lizards, man-eating plants, and lethal death traps, among other hazards. There is quite a nice mix, as far as the makeup of the levels go: In some, you're given the freedom to roam back and forth and all along the fore and background, slicing up or shooting enemies, leaping over obstacles, and grabbing power-ups. Others levels take more advantage of the game's semi-top-down perspective, as they scroll along, forcing you to move at their pace; if you're unfortunate enough to be caught behind a wall or similar element, you'll suffer a rather crushing demise.
Regardless of the levels' design, their primary objectives remain constant: Eliminate everything that moves, and survive. Enemies are gingerly scattered throughout each level, and some will straight-up bum-rush you, while others will attempt to snipe you from afar.
Luckily, you have access to a miniaturized version of Turok's legendary arsenal, including his slick bow, trusty firearms, and (arguably the game's most versatile weapon) his mean bowie knife. Most weapons can be upgraded, and there are special "mix kits" scattered throughout the game that let you morph different arms together to produce some truly sick hybrids.
Graphically, Turok: Rage Wars looks great. Turok himself is fluidly animated and nicely detailed, considering the hardware. The levels look suitably lush and alive, though it seems as though Acclaim neglected to infuse some of the enemy characters with sufficient life; they often look lame and stiff, in comparison with the game's other elements. Overall, though, the game has a nice, vibrant feel to it, which is very pleasantly surprising.
If you're looking for a high-quality action game, you can't go wrong with this one. The slick visual feel coupled with the tried-and-true gameplay make for a great game to help the in-flight hours melt away.
