Author: Dr. K

Movie Night: Captain America: Brave New World

Dr. K2 Comments

Released: 14 February 2025
Director: Julius Onah
Distributor: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Budget: $180 million
Stars: Anthony Mackie, Harrison Ford, Danny Ramirez, Shira Haas, Giancarlo Esposito, and Tim Blake Nelson

The Plot:
Now shouldering the mantle of Captain America, Sam Wilson (Mackie) navigates a political minefield after an assassination attempt against President Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross (Ford) threatens to spark world war!

The Background:
After some initial resistance, the United States finally joined the War against the “Axis powers” of Germany, Japan, and Italy in 1939. With patriotism running high in America, Joe Simon and the legendary Jack Kirby created Captain Steve Rogers/Captain America and his kid sidekick, James Buchanan Barnes/Bucky to encourage readers to support the war effort. Cap saw a resurgence when he joined the Avengers and has long found a home outside the comics, featuring in cartoons, serials, a botched big-screen debut, and three critically lauded entries in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). After Steve Rogers (and actor Chris Evans) retired from the role, MCU head honcho Kevin Feige sought to expand the MCU with Disney+ shows, with one pitch being a “buddy comedy” series focused on the dysfunctional friendship between Sam Wilson and James Buchanan “Bucky” Barnes/The Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan). Echoing the comic books, where Sam took up the Cap mantle, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (Skogland, 2021) was universally praised for its depiction of racism and the dynamic between the two leads. This success directly led to the production of a fourth Captain America movie, initially titled New World Order, that sought to be a more grounded political thriller. This was soon offset by the casting of Harrison Ford, who replaced the late William Hurt and was thrust into the spotlight when the film’s marketing heavily relied upon his transformation into the Red Hulk as much as commenting on real-world politics. Reshoots saw the plot shuffled round and some characters be excised, with Giancarlo Esposito given additional screentime as a trade off and placing more emphasis on the conspiracy sub-plot. Captain America: Brave New World grossed over $370 million worldwide, but was met with somewhat negative reviews that criticised the political narrative, especially in the face of real-world events. The narrative and characterisations were also called into question, with critics being divided over the visual effects, though Mackie remained hopeful for future solo ventures for the character.

The Review:
Captain America: Brave New World depicts the United States as a country in turmoil. Following the many strange, destructive, and harrowing events of the previous MCU films, the nation is more divided and afraid than ever. Thus, former “Hulk Hunter” and decorated military General Thaddeus Ross completes his evolution from Senator to President of the United States after running a successful campaign based on one, unlikely word: together. Though Ross captures the majority vote with his promises to unite Americans and repair the relationship between the American government and the country’s various costumed defenders, some still question Ross’s newfound appreciation for the Avengers and his push for unity considering his historically short fuse and previous aggression in upholding the Sokovia Accords. None are more aware of Ross’s shortcomings than Sam Wilson, the former Falcon who now operates independent of the government (yet still in a military capacity) as Captain America. Sam’s wariness of Ross’s promises is echoed by aged veteran Isaiah Bradley (Carl Lumbly), the prototype super soldier who spent thirty years locked away and being experimented on and who is reluctant for Sam to work with the government. However, Ross is eager to build bridges not just with Sam, but the entire world, especially as scientists from across the globe have discovered a rare and particularly versatile mineral (dubbed “Adamantium”) on “Celestial Island”, the remains of a titanic Celestial that tried to emerge from the Earth. The staggering potential of Adamantium is enough to have Ross set aside personal grudges and encourage the world’s governments to co-ordinate their mining efforts. He makes significant headway with this after Captain America and his enthusiastic, hacker partner, First Lieutenant Joaquin Torres/The Falcon (Ramirez), recover a stolen sample of Adamantium from Seth Voelker/Sidewinder (Esposito), an expert marksman and enigmatic leader of the Serpent Society, a group of mercenaries working for the mysterious “Buyer” to upset the political climate.

Amidst a political minefield, Sam discovers a plot to discredit the President and spark worldwide conflict.

Celebrated for their heroics, Sam and Joaquin are invited to attend Ross’s special presentation on Adamantium at the White House and, eager to coax the distrustful Isaiah out of his shell, Sam invites him along. However, during Ross’s speech, Isaiah and a handful of other attendees suddenly open fire on the President, with Isaiah appearing little more than a confused old man after Sam talks him into custody. Angered by these events, Ross rescinds his offer for Sam to rebuild the Avengers and orders him not to investigate, instead handing the task to his personal security advisor, former Black Widow Ruth Bat-Seraph (Haas). Naturally, Sam disobeys this order and works with Joaquin to review security footage of the attack, learning that Isaiah and the others were compelled through a form of mind control. Sam’s investigation sees him cross paths with and apprehend Sidewinder, whose phone leads him and Joaquin to a military black site, where they find Gamma-mutated biologist Doctor Samuel Sterns (Nelson) has been held captive for over a decade. Gifted an upgraded suit by the Wakandan people, Sam is more than capable as Captain America thanks to his Vibranium wings protecting him, absorbing the impact of any attack and redirecting it as kinetic blasts. Sam has the same skills he showcased as the Falcon (skills he’s extremely protective of as he hesitates to share them with Joaquin) but has vastly improved his skill with a shield. Unlike Steve Rogers, however, Sam doesn’t have the benefit of the super soldier serum, though his suit helps dull any injuries he does receive and a pep talk from Bucky allays Sam’s doubts about his abilities after Joaquin is injured defusing a conflict between American and Japanese forces. In a nice change of pace, Sam is seemingly universally accepted in his new role; the military respect and admire him, jeopardising their careers to aid him after Ross demands he and Joaquin be apprehended. Sam’s also as charismatic and confident as Steve, easily befriending those around him and championing world peace and cooler heads over violence. Far from a naïve optimist, Sam plays his cards close to his chest and gives Ross the benefit of the doubt, but becomes determined to investigate the complex deception at work after Isaiah is imprisoned and faces the death penalty.

Sterns manipulates events to brainwash assassins and push Ross to breaking point!

Obviously, it’s a shame that William Hurt never got to complete his story as Thunderbolt Ross but, if you’re going to recast an actor, who better than Harrison Ford to pick up the slack? Shaving his trademark moustache and campaigning on a platform of unity, Ross is desperate to convince the world that he’s a changed man. However, while he’s convinced the majority of Americans, Sam and the others remain skeptical and his estranged daughter, Doctor Betty Ross (Liv Tyler) refuses to take his calls. Eager to void conflict, Ross is adamant about pushing forward a treaty to share the Adamantium, but soon finds his temper tested after he’s shot at and accused of shady dealings by the equally sceptical Japanese prime minister, Ozaki (Takehiro Hira). Although Ross genuinely wants Sam onboard and the rebuild the Avengers to atone for his previous aggressive ways, he burns bridges with Sam over Isaiah and quickly mobilises the Navy to secure Celestial Island, his stress only compounded by Sterns’ influence and his reliance on mysterious pills. It turns out the Sam’s right to be suspicious of Ross as he worsened Sterns’ condition and used his superhuman intellect to manipulate his way to the White House, then incurred the hyper-intelligent doctor’s wrath by refusing to free him. This sees Sterns concoct an elaborate plan to discredit Ross using mind control triggers, which easily turns the President’s secret service into his unwitting soldiers and sees him escape custody. Sterns’ scheme also extends to hiring Sidewinder and kick-starting the plot, which tips the world to the brink of war and sees Sam and Joaquin desperately rushing to calm tenses between the world’s superpowers once they uncover this plot. Determined to keep his dealings with Sterns from leaking, Ross surreptitiously tries to tie up loose ends, unwittingly turning the petite Ruth’s loyalties towards Sam after she discovers evidence that Isaiah and the others weren’t in control of their actions. Though Ross was saved from certain death from a heart condition thanks to Sterns’ research, he’s been unknowingly digesting Gamma-laced pills for years, which make him quick to anger and susceptible to Sterns’ mind control, resulting in Ross transforming into a crimson-hued Hulk before a terrified press conference and forcing Sam to test his mettle in the most dangerous way possible.

The Nitty-Gritty:
Captain America: Brave New World certainly gives itself a lot of balls to juggle. It finally addresses what happened to that gigantic Celestial and lays an interesting foundation for the MCU’s version of the X-Men, finally ties up the loose end of Samuel Sterns, presenting him as an embittered puppet master looking to publicly disgrace President Ross, teases Bucky’s new life as a Congressman, and continues Sam’s evolution as Captain America. Thanks to Sam having worked through many of his doubts and insecurities in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Sam has fully embraced his new role here, only questioning his ability after Joaquin gets hurt. Even then, Bucky offers him some advice that gets him back on track and, while I think it’d be totally believable that a man as good as Sam could handle the super soldier serum, Sam’s perfectly capable without it thanks to his skill as the Falcon. In fact, Sam may be a little too good as he shrugs off wounds and performs nigh-superhuman feats during fights, though the film makes an effort to show him visibly exhausted from the effort. His status as a “normal” man doing the right thing contributes to the respect he earns from his peers; even Ross has a begrudging respect for Sam, even if it’s strained as the film progresses. I’m glad that Brave New World didn’t waste time questioning Sam’s ability or showing undue negativity towards him. Instead, he kicks ass as Captain America and showcases his stubborn determination as he works to clear his friend’s name, even if it goes against what the President thinks or wants. It was a shame, however, that Giancarlo Esposito was essentially wasted here. He gets a couple of action scenes and steals the show with his usual silky-smooth cool, and is presumably being set up for more later down the line, but his role got a lot of hype prior to the film so I couldn’t help but be disappointed by how small his role was in the end.

Despite some predictable elements, the film was an action-packed political thriller.

Instead, most of the film’s marketing was focused on the Red Hulk and his fight against Captain America. On the one hand, I understand this as you want to capture people’s attention and get people in the cinema to see how Sam can stand against such a creature, but it was a touch misleading since the Red Hulk doesn’t appear until the finale. Instead, most of the film is an action thriller following Sam and Joaquin as they work to uncover who’s behind Isaiah’s mind control. There’s nothing wrong with this and it makes for a decent adventure, but it’s pretty obvious that Isaiah and the others were triggered by lights and music, something we’ve seen in the MCU before (and which Sam even notes), so it’s weird that Ross was so quick to condemn Isaiah. Of course, a significant sub-plot regarding the President is his trustworthiness and it’s clear he’s hiding a lot, leading to an emotional showdown between him and Sam where Ross reveals how close he came to death and how poorly he treated Sterns. Once Sam confronts Sterns and he escapes, it’s pretty clear what’s gone down, but the key parties (Sam and Ross) remain clueless. There’s even a moment where Sterns callously murders Sam’s ally, Dennis Dunphy (William Mark McCullough), to keep him from revealing the truth of Ross’s pills to Sam…only for Sterns to relate that information to Sam shortly afterwards. While some have picked about Brave New World’s CGI and reshoots, I had a great time with the action sequences. Sam looks amazing in his new suit, which is a vast improvement over his last one, and is a whirling dervish as Captain America, cutting through the air, blasting along with his jetpack, slicing up foes with his wings, and tossing his shield in ways that would make his predecessor proud. Sam’s Wakandan enhancements make up for his lack of superhuman strength, though Sam remains vulnerable, sporting wounds and exhaustion, and yet being strong enough to turn to his allies for help and to take the high road during conflicts. Joaquin made for a fun counterpart to Sam; he’s equally talented as the Falcon and a tech whiz, but overly enthusiastic and too eager to prove himself to his hero at times. They work well together on equal terms and I enjoyed their high-speed action sequences, with Sam even proving his worth without the suit and emphasising disarming and subduing his foes rather than blindly blundering in.

Cap ultimately overcomes the odds and brings a measure of peace to the misguided President.

With Ruth on-side and Sam and Joaquin having discovered Sterns is mind controlling targets with light and sound triggers, Cap and Falcon barely quell a conflict between the US and Japan. Though Joaquin is severely wounded when defending Celestial Island, Sterns’ plot is ultimately scuppered and Ross’s treaty regains traction, leading Sterns with no choice but to surrender himself, arrogantly believing that Ross’s true nature cannot be suppressed. Indeed, when addressing the press outside the White House, Sterns’ pills and the stress of the whole situation (and the Sterns’ testimony to the media) see Ross lose control of his emotions. Thus, he painfully and forcibly transforms into the Red Hulk, a mindless and enraged giant who immediately goes on a rampage. Despite being hopelessly outmatched, Captain America flies into battle with the Red Hulk, barely protected by his Vibranium wings and destroying most of the White House. Remembering Ross’s wish to take his daughter to the city’s cherry blossom trees, Captain America has Ruth get the crowd to safety and leads the Red Hulk to the garden, only for the creature’s rage to boil out of control. Badly hurt and with his suit damaged, Captain America charges his remaining wing with the Red Hulk’s unbridled strength and delivers a concussive blast that momentarily puts the beast down. When the Red Hulk returns for more, Sam takes a major gamble and appeals to Ross’s humanity, finally calming the troubled President down and ending the threat. Realising the extent of his actions, Ross relinquishes his post and allows himself to be incarcerated at the Raft, where he finally reconciles with Betty. Ross and Sam part with a mutual respect and Sam’s delighted to see Joaquin on the road to recovery, especially as he’s decided to rebuild the Avengers after all, though Sam’s left rattled when the imprisoned Sterns mocks him and delivers a vague, suitably ominous warning about future threats from other worlds…

The Summary:
Captain America: Brave New World faced an uphill battle, for many reasons. Despite Sam being Captain America in the comics for years, the idea of someone else taking up the mantle is always going to irk some, especially a very vocal and toxic minority of bigots. However, Anthony Mackie takes to the role admirably, exuding a cool confidence that sees him command the screen and throw the shield with admirable gusto. I loved how Sam was presented as a friend to all, talking to people in their native language, saluting the military, and sticking to his guns, even if it means going against the President of the United States. He’s a natural leader and an efficient fighter, even without the super soldier serum, and attacks the conspiracy at work with a stubborn determinism that showcases the strength of will and loyalty that make him the right choice to be Captain America. Harrison Ford was equally captivating in the film. It’s awful that William Hurt died before he could see this arc through, but Ford really threw himself into the whole MCU circus and brought his all to this role, being gruff, commanding, and pained as the script dictated. I definitely felt like Ross was genuinely trying to make amends for his past, but he had too many skeletons in the closet, had made too many enemies, and ultimately was faced with forces beyond his control, leading to his Hulk-out. The Red Hulk looked fantastic, exuding rage and danger and delivering by far the best and most impressive CGI rendition of a Hulk yet. While it was misleading to base so much of the marketing around the character, I can see why they did it and the sequence absolutely delivered, more than making up for the wasting of Giancarlo Esposito. I was also thrilled to see Tim Blake Nelson return and deliver a suitably hammy, menacing version of the Leader, finally paying off one of the MCU’s most notorious plot threads. While the plot felt a little predictable and bare bones at times, the action and performances and nice balance of drama and comedy made up for it and resulted in a solid first solo effort for the new Captain America, who I hope to see have a prominent role as an aspirational leader in the MCU for years to come.

My Rating:

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Great Stuff

Did you enjoy Captain America: Brave New World? What did you think Anthony Mackie’s first big-screen solo outing as the character and Sam’s status as a more human version of the Avenger? Did you enjoy Harrison Ford’s performance and Ross’s attempts to turn over a new leaf? Were you satisfied with the way the film tied up loose ends regarding Sterns and the Celestial? Do you think it was misleading to put so much focus on the Red Hulk or did you enjoy his eventual appearance? Where do you want to see Captain America go next in the MCU? Whatever you think about Captain America: Brave New World, or Captain America in general, drop a comment down below, support me on Ko-Fi, and go check out my other Captain America content.

Screen Time & Knuckles: Knuckles

Dr. K2 Comments

With the release of Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (SEGA Technical Institute, 1994) in February 1994, gamers were introduced to Knuckles the Echidna. This mischievous, dreadlocked antagonist was created by Takashi Yuda and is my favourite of Sonic’s supporting cast so I dedicated every Sunday to Rad Red!

Air Date: 26 April 2024
Network: Paramount+
Stars: Idris Elba, Adam Pally, Rory McCann, Scott Mescudi, Ellie Taylor, and Cary Elwes

The Background:
As one of the main players in the aggressive Console War between Nintendo and SEGA, Sonic has seen his fair share of adaptations over the years, starring in multiple comic books and cartoons, but various legal and creative issues kept Sonic from the big screen (beyond an awesome original video animation (OVA)). However, once Paramount Pictures acquired the franchise rights, it produced a surprising critical and commercial hit. Sonic the Hedgehog’s (Fowler, 2020) success was followed by an equally successful sequel, one that not only incorporated more elements from the videogames but also cast Idris Elba as Knuckles the Echidna. Having also featured prominently in comic books and some cartoons, Knuckles was pegged for a spin-off live-action/CGI hybrid series during Sonic 2’s development. Elba reprised his role and the producers approached the series with the same care and attention as they would a big screen venture. Set between Sonic 2 and Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (Fowler, 2024), the series was pitched as a buddy comedy in the same vein as the first movie. The various visual effects studios thus strived to recreate the same quality of CGI effects seen in the movies (though a hilarious Knuckles puppet was incorporated on-set to give the actors room to improvise). All six episodes dropped the same day on Paramount+ and Knuckles became both the most watched Paramount+ original series and kids/family title ever at the time. Knuckles was met with largely positive reviews as critics enjoyed the fun atmosphere and thrilling action, though it was noted to be derivative of the first movie and lacking in creativity. While a second series hasn’t officially been discussed, Idris Elba and Sonic 3 co-star Keanu Reeves did express interest in doing a team-up series in the future.

The Plot:
Having relocated to Earth, Knuckles embarks on a journey of self-discovery after agreeing to train dim-witted Deputy Sheriff Wade Whipple (Pally) to be an echidna warrior, only to run afoul of an aggressive mercenary (McCann) seeking to steal his power.

The Review:
After being duped by the megalomaniacal Doctor Ivo Robotnik (Jim Carrey), Knuckles, the last of the warrior-like echidna race, joined forces with Sonic the Hedgehog (Ben Schwartz) and Miles “Tails” Prower (Colleen O’Shaughnessey) to defeat the mad scientist and safeguard the all-powerful Master Emerald. In the aftermath, Knuckles chose to stay on Earth and formed a bond with the two akin to a brotherhood, with all three staying at the Wachowski residence in Green Hills, Montana. However, while Sonic and Tails enjoy simply relaxing and enjoying the beauty and comforts afforded by Earth, Knuckles is restless and constantly in search of his next glorious battle. Already somewhat naïve and proud, Knuckles struggles with Earth customs and takes almost everything at face value; when workmen come to renovate the Wachowski home, Knuckles attacks, thinking they’re intruders. Similarly, when Sonic advises him to “make himself at home”, Knuckles constructs an iron throne and sets up a combat arena to test the family dog, Ozzie (Unknown), against his mortal enemy, the mailman (Brian Yansen). This proves a step too far for family matriarch Maddie (Tika Sumpter), who grounds Knuckles and leaves him questioning his place in this new world. While enduring his exile in the attic, Knuckles pleads with the ancient echidna spirits to show him the way and is visited by the spirit of Chief Pachacamac (Christopher Lloyd), here portrayed not as a wise echidna leader rather than an arrogant and destructive warmonger. Pachacamac directs Knuckles to train a protégé in the ways of their warrior tribe so that the echidna race can live on, if only in spirit, and points him towards Wade Whipple, the bumbling Deputy Sherrif who recently lost his place on his local bowling team and is struggling with his sense of self-worth. What follows is, honestly, very much a retread of the first Sonic movie (a buddy comedy/road trip where the two main characters learn the value of friendship and their self-worth while battling a madman with a penchant for mechs), but presented with such whimsical, light-hearted fun that I couldn’t help but chuckle throughout.

Knuckles embarks on a quest to train Wade as an echidna warrior and pass on his life skills.

Thanks to its six-episode format, Knuckles delves much deeper into the titular echidna’s character and past. Stated to be the last of his kind and having lived much of his life alone, bouncing between worlds with his cache of Golden Rings, Knuckles isn’t used to having his feet on the ground and constantly tests his incredible strength and warrior skills in both obstacle courses and self-imposed missions. Although he’s initially sceptical, Knuckles takes training Wade very seriously and constantly gives him pointers on how to improve his confidence and be a better warrior, even if Wade’s ultimate goal is to capture a bowling championship in Reno, Nevada. Knuckles even feeds Wade lines when Wade confronts his superstar father, “Pistol” Pete Whipple (Elwes). However, while Knuckles boasts super strength, the ability to glide and dig, and can easily fight his way out of most situations, Wade is far less capable, relying more on dim-witted luck and slapstick buffoonery in combat situations. Thus, he’s easily apprehended by dramatic bounty hunter (and captain of Wade’s bowling team) Jack Sinclair (Julian Barratt). However, while held captive in Sinclair’s electrified cage in “The Flames of Disaster” (Taccone, 2024), Wade endures an incredibly amusing “low-budget rock opera”, courtesy of Pachacamac and some elaborate pantomime costumes, which delves into Knuckles’ tragic backstory. When Giant Owls eradicated the echidna tribe and left young Knuckles alone after killing his father (Andy Heath), Knuckles embarked on a perilous quest to confront what appears to be Iblis and harness the “Flames of Disaster”, a fighting spirit that engulfs his massive fists in flames. Despite rejecting Sonic’s notion that he’s found a home and a family, Knuckles is fiercely loyal to his friends and goes out of his way to help Wade whenever he gets into a bind. This devotion goes both ways, however, as, when Knuckles is captured by renegade Guardian Units of Nations (G.U.N.) agents Mason (Mescudi) and Willoughby (Taylor), Wade resolves to rescue his friend despite being hopelessly outmatched by their superior weaponry. As is his way, Wade envisions a fantasy where he concocts an elaborate rescue attempt only to fumble with his fireworks and to work the duo’s quill-empowered mech glove, barely surviving when Mason attacks him and only succeeding by pure luck. However, in keeping with his optimistic nature, Wade sees even a flawed victory as a win, a philosophy that wins over the proud echidna.

Bumbling Wade must overcome his insecurities and family troubles to seize personal glory.

There are a couple of unavoidable downsides to Knuckles and the first one is that the show is primarily more focused on Wade’s growth into a more confident character. Troubled by abandonment issues and constantly clashing with his loud-mouthed sister, Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) agent Wanda (Patterson), Wade struggles with his self-worth since he constantly seems to be making a mess of things. Fully aware that his estranged father will be bowling in Reno, Wade hopes to not only prove his worth as a bowler but to reconcile with his father, who’s initially warm and reciprocal to these feelings but soon proves be every bit the arrogant and self-centred “schmuck” that Wade’s mother, Wendy (Stockard Channing) describes him as. Wade’s much closer to his mother, who welcomes Knuckles into her home in “The Shabbat Dinner” (Trost, 2024) and connects with his troubles due to her Jewish heritage. It’s through spending time with “Mother Whipple” and connecting with Wade’s childhood memories that Knuckles becomes more invested in their shared quest and Wade’s desire to be accepted by his father, a goal he’s doomed to fail since Pete willing sells not only Wade but his wife and daughter out to Mason and Willoughby simply to capture his twenty-eighth bowling championship. While Wade may not be much of a warrior, physically, he makes up for it with an enthusiastic gusto and an overactive imagination. Fully aware of his flaws, Wade vows that he’d never abandon his loved ones like his father and proves true to his word in “What Happens in Reno, Stays in Reno” (Banker, 2024) as he tricks Mason and Willoughby into thinking he’s betrayed Knuckles but is, in fact, in constant communication with his friend. Pachacamac’s vision quest also gives Wade the fortitude to overcome Sinclair, humbling his former best friend and relieving him of his coat, bike, and an all-too-familiar cowboy hat that Wade gifts to Knuckles for helping him realise his true worth.

These three are poor substitutes for Dr. Robotnik but they do their part, such as it is.

Another area where Knuckles somewhat disappoints is the villains. Since Dr. Robotnik is presumed dead, we’re mainly left following Mason and Willoughby, two disgruntled G.U.N. agents who have been secretly selling the alien’s quills and G.U.N.’s technology to another former G.U.N. castoff, “The Buyer”. A former underground fighter with a deep love for his mother, Mason relishes the chance to go toe-to-toe with Knuckles and mostly treats Wade as an afterthought, a miscalculation that costs him each time and ultimately ends with him and Willougby being banished to places unknown through the Golden Rings. Frequently exasperated by her partner’s theatrical nature, Willoughby is more concerned with delivering on their promises to the Buyer since she has no desire to be punished by G.U.N. or killed by the mercenary for their failures. The two go to any lengths, including easily threatening Pete and holding Wendy and Wanda hostage to coerce Wade into delivering Knuckles but, despite their formidable weapons and mech harnesses, the two are about as effective as Team Rocket. As for the Buyer, he’s said to have been a former engineer who built weapons and technology for G.U.N. before they started working with Dr. Robotnik. After Dr. Robotnik went bananas, G.U.N. scrubbed any ties to the madman, including the Buyer, who was left scratching and clawing a living on the black market. Thanks to Mason and Willoughby providing him with quills from the aliens, the Buyer has pieced together some formidable tech, resulting in weapons that give even a regular human a fighting chance against Knuckles. Thus, the Buyer’s deep desire is to match his finest creation against the proud echidna warrior. He realises this dream in the series finale, attacking Knuckles with a bizarre, tentacled mech just as Wade out-bowls and humiliates his father. Similar to the finale of the first Sonic movie, Knuckles is initially overwhelmed by the Buyer’s mech and drained of his power, leaving Wade to step up with the madman’s own technology and deliver an impassioned speech about friendship and fighting spirit. This reignites Knuckles, allowing him to wield the Flames of Disaster once more, and sees him and Wade defeat the Buyer and claim the bowling trophy as a team.

Knuckles and Wade’s journey sees them find their purpose against tragedy and heartbreak.

I say these are two “issues” with Knuckles only because Mason, Willoughby, and the Buyer are poor substitutes for Dr. Robotnik and Agent Stone (Lee Majdoub). It might’ve been better to have Agent Stone take the spotlight and sell the quills and the doctor’s tech to Mason and Willoughby. They then could’ve piloted a refurbished mech from the first movie in the finale and taken centre stage as the primary threat, with the rest of the Buyer’s screen time and limited characterisation being absorbed by the far more interesting and enjoyable Sinclair. These are minor issues, to be fair, since the main purpose of Knuckles is to tell an enjoyable side adventure for the titular echidna. The villains are secondary and are treated as such, being external obstacles for both to overcome just as they overcome their insecurities or reluctance to settle down. Knuckles retains the same high-quality of digital effects for its alien characters and fight scenes, with Sonic and Tails popping up in cameo roles and a beautifully designed version of Pachacamac adding additional comedy and wisdom to the show. For the most part, the narrative is heavily borrowed from the first movie but incorporates a father/son dynamic to the main plot that allows it to stand out. Wade’s relationship with his family is complicated; while he may get on well with his mother, Wendy still despairs of his lack of enthusiasm for Jewish traditions and his constant bickering with Wanda. Wendy is deeply concerned when she sees Wade and Pete building bridges, warning that his theatrical father cares only for the spotlight and is a natural deceiver. Wade disregards this since he’s desperate to reconnect with his father, which only strengthens Wade’s loyalty to Knuckles when Pete betrays him. While Knuckles is loyal to his friends, it’s more out of obligation since he swore an oath; he doesn’t feel at home in Green Hills and isn’t used to being in one place. He’s glad for the chance to pass on some of his warrior knowledge and to learn more about Earth, constantly baffled by our customs but curious about subjects like the Jewish faith. The journey ultimately sees Knuckles learn that he has a new home and a stable family (two, in fact, since he’s equally adopted by the Whipples), things he cares for so deeply that he taps into the Flames of Disaster, a power boost too strong for even the Buyer’s heavily armed mech.

The Summary:
I’d heard conflicting reports about Knuckles that mostly criticised it for being too focused on Wade and too derivative of the first movie. It’s true that Knuckles starts strong with the first episode, “The Warrior” (Fowler, 2024), in which we get a cool training sequence in Knuckles’ obstacle course and appearances by Sonic and Tails, but I think it carried this momentum through really well in subsequent episodes. It helps that I’m a big fan of the character and Idris Elba’s portrayal, and that Knuckles is only six episodes long, so it breezes by. I think harkening back to the first movie for some of the narrative and thematic beats was a good idea. Sonic the Hedgehog had some flaws, for sure, but it did a surprisingly good job of reinventing the character for his big-screen debut and who doesn’t love a buddy comedy/road trip? Knuckles is bolstered by some fun needle drops and an adorable opening paper craft animation, and some fun references for franchise fans. When re-enacting Knuckles’ childhood in a comically ill-fitting costume, Wade races through hills and loops, collecting Golden Rings and even bashing Badniks, to say nothing of Knuckles recontextualising one of the series’ most atrocious videogames and bestowing the Flames of Disaster to Knuckles to make him even more unique. Of course, the most obvious Easter Egg is Knuckles’ hat, styled exactly like his OVA counterpart’s, alongside deep cut, obscure references such as Knuckles being partial to grapes. Sure, it would’ve been nice to see Rouge the Bat, Agent Stone, or maybe even Fang the Hunter take the place of the three villains but I didn’t have much of an issue with Mason, Willoughby, and the Buyer since they fulfilled the functions requires of them by the script and added a decent amount of personality to their roles when they could. Sinclair’s overly dramatic delivery trumped them all, for sure, however, which is why I would’ve liked to see Julian Barratt get more screentime.

An enjoyable show with some fun Easter Eggs, action, and amusing performances.

While I’m not the biggest fan of Wade’s, he acquits himself well here. He’s a flamboyant and comically bungling character, often lost in fantasy or getting in over his head and suffering pratfalls as a consequence, but he’s got a hell of a heart and never backs down from a challenge even when he’s severely outmatched. I liked that him and Knuckles got along and never fell out; the twist that Wade and Knuckles had their earpieces in was a great way to avoid a cliché falling out and resolution after the conclusion of “Reno, Baby” (Banker, 2024). Knuckles seems genuinely invested in Wade right from the start and even more so after bonding with his mother, and Wade gives his all to try and make Knuckles proud, even if he sometimes misses the point or falls on his ass. None of the episodes felt like filler, which was a relief, though I naturally favoured any scenes with Knuckles in since he’s such an adorable little nitwit at times. Each episode had a decent balance of action, drama, comedy, and pathos, with the human characters mostly offering wry commentary when things go amiss (such as Mason being embarrassed when his mother calls mid-fight) and Knuckles struggling to understand simple concepts like CDs, fast food, and not smashing baddies through walls. Knuckles absolutely continues the momentum from the movies, giving the titular echidna a chance to mirror Sonic’s own journey to acclimatise to his new world and giving him a purpose to help him settle. Given his tragic backstory, it’d be easy for Knuckles to be a sullen, brooding loner but he’s more looking for action, glory, and to bring honour to his tribe, both his long-dead civilisation and his newfound family. While the series is obviously catered more towards a younger audience, I’m okay with that as the action was thrilling and the performances were strong throughout. Cary Elwes shined with his pompous, theatrical character and I thought the running commentary throughout the bowling tournament was terrific. In the end, I was pleasantly surprised by Knuckles as I was expecting a more uneven viewing experience but it was a blast to watch and kept me entertained throughout, so I’d highly recommend it if you’re a fan of the movies.

My Rating:

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Great Stuff

Did you enjoy Knuckles? What did you think to the Flames of Disaster being repurposed into an ability of his? Were you disappointed that it borrowed so heavily from the first Sonic movie or did you enjoy the buddy comedy format? What did you think the the antagonists, specifically the Buyer? Which of Sonic’s supporting cast would you like to see get a similar spin-off series? How did you celebrate Knuckles this month? Whatever you thought about Knuckles, comment below, drop me some love on Ko-Fi, and go check out my other Knuckles content!

Game Corner [Zelda Month]: Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition (Nintendo Switch)

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On 21 February 1986, The Legend of Zelda (Nintendo EAD, 1986) was first released in Japan. The creation of legendary game designer Shigeru Miyamoto and Takashi Tezuka, The Legend of Zelda launched one of Nintendo’s most popular franchises. This year, I’ve been dedicating every Friday to Nintendo’s most famous silent protagonist, Link and his vast and enduring fantasy world of sword and sorcery.

Released: 18 May 2018
Originally Released: 14 August 2014
Developer: Omega Force / Team Ninja
Also Available For: Nintendo Wii U (Original Version), Nintendo 3DS (Legends Version)

The Background:
The Legend of Zelda has consistently been one of Nintendo’s most popular, celebrated, and successful franchises and one of the reasons for this is the consistent quality of its games. While Zelda titles have often included unique gimmicks to separate them from each other, the tried-and-true sword and sorcery formula has remained present throughout the series. Indeed, Nintendo’s few attempts at veering away from this formula have resulted in mediocrity, at best, and ridicule, at worst. It was therefore surprisingly (to me, at least) when Nintendo joined forces with Koei Tecmo to produce a spin-off game, one that incorporated the chaotic hack-and-slash action of Koei Tecmo’s popular Dynasty Warriors series (Omega Force, 1997 to 2018). Long-time Zelda producer, Eiji Aonuma jumped at the chance to do something new with the franchise and the game pulled inspirations from across the entire Zelda series and eventually achieved Koei Tecmo’s president Yoichi Erikawa’s dream of selling of a million copies. Initially released on the Wii U and bolstered by a slew of downloadable content (including a previously cut female version of Link), Hyrule Warriors garnered positive reviews, with critics praising the merging of the two franchises while criticising the repetitive gameplay. In 2016, the game was ported to the Nintendo 3DS as Hyrule Warriors Legends; it included all previous downloadable content, a new Fairy system, and new gear for existing characters as well as a code to upload these additions to the Wii U version. Although reviews still praised the port, the limitations of the 3DS hardware (even when playing on the more powerful New Nintendo 3DS) were highlighted as negatives. Regardless, a newer port later came to the Nintendo Switch; billed as the Definitive Edition, this version included everything from the previous games alongside some new costumes. It was also received much more favourably, perhaps contributing to the release of a sequel title in 2020.

The Plot:
In an alternative timeline, the sorceress Cia seeks to resurrect the King of Evil, Ganon, by waging war against the kingdom of Hyrule. To defend her kingdom, Princess Zelda recruits lowly knight Link, the bearer of the Triforce of Courage, to amass an army of familiar faces against Ganon’s dark forces.

Gameplay and Power-Ups:
This is the Definitive Edition of Hyrule Warriors, a third-person hack-and-slash action//adventure in which players take control of Link (and many other new and familiar faces from across the Legend of Zelda franchise) to plough their way through seemingly endless hordes of enemies, many of them also series staples. Although each character has their own strengths and weaknesses, they share similar attributes, abilities, and control methods, with a couple of exceptions. Players can fully customise their control scheme but, by default, you’ll throw a regular attack with Y, a combo attack with X, a special attack (when your Special Attack Gauge is full) with A, and dodge with B. You can string together presses of Y and end them with X to pull off combos and character-specific special attacks (such as Link’s trademark sword spin), with more being unlocked as you defeat enemies, earn Materials, and level-up. I preferred to mix these buttons up, assigning B to the regular attack, special to Y, combo to X, and dodge to A but it’s entirely up to you. L targets nearby enemies (an occasionally finnicky system that can keep you from targeting the right enemy if larger bosses are around), ZL guards, R unleashes a powerful “Focus Spirit” attack when the Magic Power meter is full, and ZR lets you use sub-items, such as bombs, arrows, or bottles to restore or buff your character. Later on, if you have a Fairy in a bottle, you can press in the right stick to activate Fairy Magic. You can also switch items by pressing left and right on the directional buttons, or switch characters by pressing up and down. Characters are largely differentiated by their stats; Darunia and Impa, for example, are slower but more powerful characters compared to Sheik and Ruto. Their weapons are also a factor, with Wizzro favouring blasts of dark energy, Midna riding and attacking with Link’s wolf form and her malleable hand, and Young Link having a unique Focus Spirit ability that allows him to potentially retain an empowered state indefinitely.

Cut through endless waves of enemies with special attacks and sub-weapons.

As you defeat the game’s near-infinite enemies, your Special Attack gauge will fill; you can also collect Force Fragments from enemies or pots to fill it faster, and increase its length by levelling-up. Similarly, the Magic Power meter fills by collecting Magic Jars, with these collectibles being as abundant as the hearts and Rupees that enemies, pots, and chests drop all over the map. When these meters are full, you can pull off more powerful special, character-specific attacks that change depending on which weapon you have equipped and any elemental effects associated with that weapon. For example, Lana can equip a spell book or a spear and Link can equip both a Magic Rod with fire properties and swords (including the legendary Master Sword), with each weapon unleashing different special attacks (often with cameos by other Zelda staples, such as Dark Link or the Great Deku Tree). Focus Spirit is a little different and more universal; activating it empowers you for a short time, negating any knockback and instantly exposing an enemy’s “Weak Point Gauge” if you perform a special attack. The Weak Point Gauge appears on tougher enemies and bosses; draining this lets you perform a bigger, more devastating attack to dramatically reduce or completely destroy your target. Other enemies, mini boss types like enemy commanders and such, are susceptible to specific sub-weapons. Bombs against shield Moblins, arrows against the Deku Babas, the hammer against the Blins; whatever the case, an onscreen indicator shows which sub-weapon is most effective against your target. Sub-weapons can also be temporarily powered up from random pick-ups and to activate switches, cross gaps, or stun giant bosses. When equipped with a bottle, your character can drink various potions for buffs and restorative effects, or utilise Fairy Magic in much the same way. Finally, activating Owl Statues across each map sets up warp points so you can quickly teleport to different areas using the ocarina.

The sheer amount of objectives and notifications means it’s probably best to play with a friend.

The game’s onscreen map shows the locations of allies, enemies, bosses, and other notable objectives and items. It’ll display which of your allies are talking, flash when Keeps are in danger, and show the many different objectives that pop up throughout each mission. Pressing + pauses the action and accesses a more comprehensive map. From here, you can check mission dialogue and objectives, review the controls, create a manual save point (though checkpoints occur during most missions), and issue orders to your allies. This is crucial as the game progresses and more objectives appear in each mission; ideally, you want four playable characters in each mission, each powerful enough to hold their own in battle, and to order them to different objectives. The AI attacks enemies and bosses, with allies reducing a boss’s health and defence, but they do tend to wander about or stay in place and I often found it difficult to select a specific target from the map. Ideally, you want to play Hyrule Warriors with a friend as the game can get very chaotic; tutorials, dialogue, objectives, and notifications swamp the already messy battlefield. While you can turn some of these and other onscreen effects off to clear things up, it can make it easy to fail missions if you miss an objective. Luckily, mission success is often malleable; you can lose a Keep or have captains and commanders flee and not fail the mission, and you can fail side missions (usually escorting an ally, defending a Mama Cucco, or defeating Messenger enemies) and still continue. However, if a primary ally (usually Princess Zelda) or your main Allied Base falls, you’ll restart from the last save, checkpoint, or the start of the mission.

Combat is fun and satisfying, if chaotic and often repetitive.

“Chaotic” is definitely the best word to describe Hyrule Warriors; enemies spawn (or pop) in constantly, swarming from Outposts and Keeps that must be captured to secure your position on each map. Mission objectives usually always boil down to capturing as many as four Keeps or strategic locations, such as the Fairy Fountain (which you activate with B to weaken bosses or otherwise aid your allies). Sometimes, you’ll intercept giant Bombchus to keep them from damaging or destroying Keeps. Other times, you’ll defend against enemy commanders, searching for allies or the correct enemy in a swarm of doubles, or taking out Transport troops and Keep Saboteurs. Generally, it’s not a massive issue if a Keep falls, but it is inconvenient. To secure a Keep, you must drain its energy bar by defeating the enemies housed there. This spawns the Keep Boss, who’s easily defeated, and secures the Keep for yourself, occasionally spawning a treasure chest containing Rupees, a weapon, a Heart Piece, or other item. If a Keep or Outpost is captured by the enemy, simply retake it in the same manner. Other times, allies will call for aid; you must rush to them and enter the glowing circle around them to rescue them and restore their health, and you must do this for certain allies (again, Zelda, but often Darunia or Impa and the like) for the mission to continue. Often, enemy Keeps are locked, forcing you to find alternative routes or, you guessed it, search for and destroy specific enemies to open the doors. Combat is satisfying and fun; you plough through hundreds and thousands of enemy troops with relative ease when playing on “Easy” mode, especially with a higher level character. However, it can become frustrating and repetitive; when there are four or five different objectives and you’re bombarded by notifications, it can be hard to know what you should prioritise. Things can get very frantic when playing alone as you’re constantly switching characters and warping across the map to put out fires, so to speak.

You’re encouraged to battle over and over to level-up and buff your weapons and skills.

Defeating enemies earns you experience points (EXP), which allow you to level-up and become stronger. It also earns you power-ups, Materials, and Rupees. Outside of battle, Materials and Rupees are used to further improve your character. They unlock “Badges” that gift additional combos, attacks, and increase their stats and meters in the attack skill tree. You can unlock additional bottles and improve their defence against elemental attacks, reduce knockback and stun, and other defensive buffs; or you can speed up how fast your meters fill or how quickly you take Keeps. You can also spend Rupees to quickly level-up any characters you haven’t used much (since AI-controlled characters don’t appear to level-up) or new characters you’ve unlocked, or spend them in the Smithy. Here, you sell or fuse weapons to reduce your inventory and add extra buffs to weapons. Weapons will either have no “slots” or as many as three, allowing them to be empowered to strengthen your regular or special attacks, earn extra EXP, spawn extra Rupees, deal elemental damage, and so forth. Initially, your inventory is quite limited, but it expands as you progress through the story, though I found it easier to stick with the most powerful weapon and sell the weaker ones and rarely saw a benefit of fusing weapons. There’s also an apothecary, where you mix new potions and elixirs, and you’ll gain new items and sub-weapons from treasure chests. After clearing each mission in “Legend Mode”, you can replay it either in this mode or with any character in “Free Mode”. You can play on a harder difficulty to earn more rewards, or search for the elusive and skittish Gold Skulltulas, which add to various portraits and unlocks additional maps and bonuses. On the whole, Hyrule Warriors is quite easy; if you stick to one or two characters as I did (usually Link), you can become very powerful very quickly. However, it’s easy to get caught off-guard when stronger enemies or multiple objectives pop-up. The game obviously gets tougher on harder difficulties as enemies are stronger and deal more damage, and some missions add additional hazards, such as lightning strikes, bombardments, and health-sapping auras.

Presentation:
I first played Hyrule Warriors on the 3DS, where the game was serviceable but the hardware struggled with all the enemies and action, causing some slowdown an pop-up. I specifically bought the Definitive Edition to mitigate these issues and, for the most part, the upgrade is immediate and welcome. The game still suffers from a bit of pop-up and occasional slowdown when there’s a lot happening onscreen or when you’ve completed a mission (meaning many battles abruptly end). There are also noticeable loading times between missions (though tips, fun 8-bit graphics, and story dialogue help to speed them up), but the game performs really well otherwise. Hyrule Warriors mostly pulls its locations and characters from Zelda’s 3D adventures, recreating and reimagining areas such as Hyrule Field and Hyrule Castle, the Twilight Realm, and Skyloft as restrictive sandbox battlefields populated by Keeps, pots, and occasional bridges, dips, and alternate paths. These locations are rather hit and miss; later, you’ll battle in cel-shaded arenas like Windfall Island, which are far more vibrant and fun than the dense, confusing forest or the apocalyptic wastelands ruled by Ganon or the relatively sparse Gerudo Desert. One enjoyable exception was Lake Hylia, which includes not just the lakeside area but the labyrinthine catacombs of the Water Temple. Indeed, with the game’s emphasis on fast-paced, chaotic combat, it’s no surprise that the locations are rather bland. Sometimes, bridges will crumble and you’ll hookshot over gaps, or lightning and other bombardments will fall, or there’ll be plumes of lava or some limited scenery to see (fortifications, usually, or ruins). However, the environments are there to contain you, not distract you, and are largely fun, if limited, nostalgia trips to Zelda’s 3D games.

The game redesigns classic Zelda characters and locations into a new style.

Character models far much better, despite constantly being in motion, attacking, or being bashed about. While I’m not a big fan of Link’s weird scarf, he’s well represented, pulling off all his signature attacks with the same gusto I’d expect from his first 3D adventure. This extends to other playable characters, who all exude their own personalities and fighting styles (helped by intro and outro cutscenes): Darunia is a mighty Goron warrior swinging a giant hammer, Fi gracefully flies and dances about, and Ruto conjures water geysers as she attacks. New characters like Agatha, Volga, and Cia also impress, spawning large magical allies, transforming into dragons, and conjuring dark minions, respectively. Each character has a few costumes to unlock and is fully voiced, with the exception of Link (who talks via a fairy appropriately named “Proxie”) and certain cutscenes, furthering the convoluted plot and alerting you to objectives. Outside of battle, the narrative is told through impressive, high-quality pre-rendered cutscenes that show these heroes coming from across all the Zelda timelines to combat Cia’s threat and Ganon’s return, and they were a joy to watch for how lovingly they recreated the 3D Zelda games. Similarly, the game’s soundtrack includes orchestral remixes of classic Zelda tunes, especially those associated with each of the environments, and collecting Materials and weapons plays a remix of the “Get Item” Zelda jingle. The character selection is impressive, with each having different weapons and attack animations, some more elaborate than others to include cameos and references from across the franchise, and I was really impressed by the stability and options offered, alongside the presentation. Things can get very cluttered and frantic, but Hyrule Warriors is a great homage to the entire Zelda franchise, even with its restrictive environments.

Enemies and Bosses:
There are seemingly infinite enemies in Hyrule Warriors, technically speaking, with maps being flooded by monstrous beings recognisable to long-time Zelda fans, most of them being simple cannon fodder to up your combo, EXP, Rupee, and KO count. You’ll cut through swarms of relatively harmless Bokoblins, Miniblins, and Stalchilds (and even Gorons and Hyrulian Soldiers when playing as bad guys or they’re turned against you), which offer only a token resistance. Amongst them, you’ll encounter more formidable commanders, captains, summoners (who quickly become a priority to keep enemy forces down), and the like who target your allies or Keeps and must be prioritised. From there, it only escalates: Dinolfos, Lizalfos, and elemental Poes appear spewing fire, welding stronger weapons, or teleporting and firing elemental or dark projectiles, respectively. Darknuts, Shield Moblins, and Big/Stone Blins put up a tougher fight thanks to their greater armour and more powerful attacks, Gibdos and ReDeads can freeze you in your tracks and spew a heart-sapping poisonous aura, and Aeralfos hover overhead, swopping down and spewing fire. Deku Babas also emit a poisonous aura and are only vulnerable to arrows; Beamos status will blast away unless you explode them with bombs; Cuccos will turn against you if their mother is defeated; Manhandla Stalks burst from the ground to take a bite out of you; and elemental Chuchus need a good whack with your hammer. You’ll also contend with traitorous or mind-controlled forces, restless spirits of dead soldiers, and dark doppelgängers of all the game’s playable characters, with Dark Link being especially notable as numerous versions of him spawn in across maps and must be taken down.

You’ll battle the same boss enemies again and again in a bid to control each map.

These dark doppelgängers often serve as the primary target of a mission, but you’ll also battle the real versions of these on more than one occasion, especially in “Legend Mode”. You’ll battle the likes of Volga, Wizzro, Ghirahim, and Zant more than once, with boss encounters against these often taking place multiple times across a mission. Often, you encounter the boss early on, causing them to flee to the fortified Keep. Defeating enemies or activating a Fairy Fountain draws them out or weakens them, kicking off a rematch, though sometimes you’ll battle two at once or at different times in a mission. One may appear as an ally and then turn against you, adding more enemies to your path, or they’ll summon a Giant Boss to distract you so they can increase their power and send more troops against you, your allies, and your Allied Base. Often, you’ll also battle traditionally heroic characters like Lana, Impa, and Darunia, either because they’ve been corrupted or you’re playing one of Cia’s missions. Either way, these battles aren’t much different than facing regular enemies or their commanders: simply lock on and pummel away, dodging and blocking as needed and unleashing your special attacks whenever possible. Sure, Ghirahim is pretty swift, Volga becomes a gigantic fire-breathing dragon, Wizzro can be a pain in the ass, and Zant can crush you with totem poles, but I never had any issues battling the playable characters when they appeared as bosses. Cia and Ganondorf put up a bit more of a fight, but this was mainly due to them being invulnerable, magically empowered, or hidden behind dark forcefields or fortified Keeps. In these instances, you must cut off the dark power protecting them by, you guessed it, capturing Keeps, defeating enemies, and activating Fairy Fountains. It’s advisable to order your allies to target these bosses to whittle them down and reduce their defences, but I actually had more trouble against Phantom Ganon than regular Ganondorf since the phantom conjured duplicates and did a bit more than aggressively swipe with his swords.

Your allies and sub-weapons are instrumental in besting the game’s Giant Bosses.

As mentioned, these bosses are often joined by Giant Bosses, with multiple sometimes spawning across the map and causing a real headache on the harder missions. These include series staples such as the massive, armoured spider queen Gohma, the fire-breathing dragon King Dodongo, and the monstrous plant-creature Manhandla. These can be some of the most annoying encounters due to having to whittle down their Weak Point Gauge, their high health pool, and the ways you must attack them. Gohma, for example, shields itself from all regular attacks and is only vulnerable when you shoot its laser-blasting eye with an arrow. Similarly, the rolling, rampaging King Dodongo can only be stunned by tossing bombs into its mouth, the Argorok can only be brought down by hookshotting its tail when it glows blue, and you’ll only get to go nuts on the Helmaroc King after whacking its head with your hammer. By far the worst of these for me was the Manhandla, which can only be stunned with the boomerang and, even then, there’s a small window where you can do this. The rest of the time, it spits seeds and bombs about the place completely impervious, making it the most aggravating of the Giant Bosses, especially when it teams up with the others! Another Giant Boss you face (and even control in one mode) is Ganondorf’s true form: the Dark Beast, Ganon. Accompanied by a perpetual lightning storm and attacking with claw and tail swipes, Ganon incorporates the attacks and the associated weaknesses of the other Giant Bosses, meaning you toss bombs when he’s charging a fireball, fire arrows when he charges a laser blast, hookshot his tail when it glows blue, and throw your boomerang after a seed bombardment. You must gather all your allies around Ganon to weaken him, but you’ll only defeat him once Zelda gifts you the Light Arrows in a cutscene. When playing as Ganon in “Ganon’s Fury”, you’ll battle the other Giant Bosses in kaiju fights. However, despite Ganon’s vast size and incredible power, he struggles against these (and, strangely, even regular enemies and commanders) in a straight up fight. Finally, you’ll also contend with the Imprisoned and its smaller minions; this aggravating walking slug can only be brought down by attacking its toes and can send you flying or stun you with paralyzing stomps and a big slam.

Additional Features:
There are 100 Gold Skulltulas to find in Hyrule Warriors, with one appearing for a short time in each mission. Collecting them uncovers a picture; there are thirteen of these to uncover, and completing them adds to the game’s options and maps. Completing each mission in “Legend Mode” unlocks it in “Free Play” mode, allowing you to tackle any mission with any character and grind up their level. Since this is the Definitive Edition of Hyrule Warriors, the DLC missions are available as you play through “Legend Mode”. These see you playing a side mission as Linkle, utilising her unique dual crossbows to prove her worth in recycled maps against recycled enemies and bosses, and secondary side missions as Cia and Ganondorf. These act as a prequel and midquel to the main story and see you cutting down Gorons and Hyrule’s finest and recruiting (or outright controlling) dark allies like Wizzro, Volga, and Ghirahim. Finally, there’s an epilogue to the main story where the cel-shaded world of The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker (Nintendo EAD, 2002) bleeds into that of Hyrule Warriors, resulting in you teaming up with Tetra and battling the Helmaroc King and Phantom Ganon to stave off the incursion. As mentioned, there are three difficulty settings (“Easy”, “Normal”, and “Hard”), with the even harder “Hero Mode” unlocked after beating “Legend Mode”. The game can be played with another player as well, which I think I would recommend given how chaotic battles can get, and you can test your mettle in the game’s “Challenge Mode”. Here, you’ll be tasked with defeating set numbers of enemies against a time limit, though this is easier said than done as not only are the enemies far stronger, but you also often have to content with multiple, far tougher Giant Bosses stomping about the place. You can also customise your fairy setup in “My Fairy” mode, but I couldn’t access this despite acquiring fairies in “Adventure Mode” (I think you may need an empty bottle on hand for this to activate).

Play Linkle’s story, rampage as Ganon, or test your mettle in the comprehensive “Adventure Mode”.

There’s also the aforementioned “Ganon’s Fury” mode, where you rampage as Ganon, wiping out hordes of enemies and battling other Giant Bosses, sometimes without the ability to restore your health or against a time limit. Sadly, I found this mode wasn’t as enjoyable as it could’ve been as Ganon is surprisingly weak. The major source of replayability in Hyrule Warriors, though is “Adventure Mode”. Unlocked after you clear “Legend Mode”, “Adventure Mode” is a series of additional maps and challenges all themed around different games from the Zelda series. There are two maps based on the first game, one for Link’s first Game Boy adventure, a Wind Waker map, and others themed around his other 3D adventures. Generally, these boil down to the same gameplay loop of taking Keeps and defeating enemies, but they carry a few more modifiers. Manual saves appear to be deactivated, for example, as the missions are much shorter. You’re more likely to be fighting against a time limit, for example, or encountering heart-sapping Keeps. Fun new additions include competing with other forces for KOs or Rupees or taking quizzes where you must defeat the right enemy. Map items acquired in this mode allow you to search for and uncover secrets using bombs, candles, and the like, unlocking new Heart Pieces, costumes, and even characters like the Skull Kid and Marin. These maps can get very difficult thanks to additional concerns: the “Master Quest” map includes stronger enemies, for example; the Wind Waker map includes wind elements, the Majora’s Mask (Nintendo EAD, 2000) map resets with a devastating moon strike after you’ve exhausted your turns; and you must watch out for Nightmare’s influence and portals to Lorule on the Link’s Awakening (ibid, 1993) and A Link Between Worlds (ibid, 2013) maps, respectively. As fun as these maps are, though, it’s the same repetitive gameplay loop over and over and you’ll need a decent guide to unlock all the extras, and even need to find all the Skulltulas to unlock all the maps!

The Summary:
I knew that Hyrule Warriors wasn’t optimised for the 3DS when I bought it, but I got it anyway as I’m a big fan of the Zelda series and the gameplay looked fast-paced and hectic. Given I didn’t own a Wii U, this was my only way of playing the game and I remember enjoying it at the time as a bit of mindless fun, so I jumped at the chance to upgrade to this Definitive Edition of the game. The upgrade is readily apparent; the game shines on the Nintendo Switch, performing leagues better and packing all the extra content into one convenient package but still leaving plenty of stuff for you to unlock and discover. The character roster is great, as are the references to the franchise in their appearances, moves, and interactions. While the locations aren’t as impressive, they do what they’re made to do, which is provide a limited, recognisable sandbox for you to plough through thousands of disposable pawns with ease, and the music is absolutely on point. Sadly, the gameplay loop can be very mind-numbing and, at times, aggravating. As the game progresses, the action becomes a chaotic assault on your senses as you desperately try to spread yourself across the map and solve every problem to reap the best regards. This means Hyrule Warriors is probably best played with a friend so you can share the anxiety of having multiple objectives at once, but it’s perfectly do-able alone as long as you know what missions can be prioritised over others. This also means that Hyrule Warriors is probably best enjoyed in short bursts rather than one long session. Missions can get repetitive and annoying as enemies disappear and reappear and the goal posts constantly move, but it’s endlessly satisfying cutting them down with your powered-up character, taking out those annoying Giant Bosses, and snagging new rewards. The sheer variety and content packed into the “Adventure Mode” is daunting, to say the least, and I don’t know if I’ll ever 100% even a single map, much less the entire game, but it’s good to know it’s always there to pick up and bash out a few missions when I need to wind down.

My Rating:

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Great Stuff

Have you ever played Hyrule Warriors? If so, what did you think to this definitive Edition of the game? Which character was your favourite? What did you think to the chaotic gameplay and playable roster? Have you ever played the Dynasty Warriors games and, if so, do you think the formula translated well into the Zelda series? Did you ever find all the Gold Skulltulas? Which of the “Adventure Mode” maps was your favourite? Would you like to see more Zelda spin-off titles? How are you celebrating the Zelda franchise today? Whatever your thoughts on Hyrule Warriors and the Zelda games, feel free to leave them below or on my social media, and be sure to check out my other Zelda content across the site!

Mini Game Corner [PokéMonth]: Pokémon Stadium 2 (Nintendo Switch)

Dr. K1 Comment

Upon the release of Pokémon: Blue Version and Pokémon: Red Version (Game Freak, 1996), a new craze swept through playgrounds. An entire generation grew up either playing Pokémon, watching the anime, playing the trading card game, and watching the feature-length movies as clever marketing saw it become a massively lucrative and popular multimedia powerhouse. Accordingly, February 27th is now internationally recognised as “National Pokémon Day”, which I expanded to an entire month of Pokémon this February.

Released: 12 April 2023
Originally Released: 14 December 2000
Developer: Nintendo EAD
Also Available For: Nintendo 64

A Brief Background:
Pokémon’s status as a cultural phenomenon wasn’t just due to savvy marketing. It was thanks to a slew of merchandise and ancillary media, such as the popular trading card game, that the franchise dominated an entire generation on the Game Boy. Pokémon first made the jump to 3D two years after the original games released with the Japan-exclusive Pocket Monsters’ Stadium, a limited proof of concept initially created for the ill-fated Nintendo 64DD that was quickly followed by Pokémon Stadium (Nintendo EAD, 1999). Impressing with its lauded 3D rendition of the turn-based battles of the mainline games and ability to transfer Game Boy data via the underutilised “Transfer Pak”, Pokémon Stadium became a best-selling Nintendo 64 title. This success naturally led to a follow-up, first showcased at the 2000 Nintendo Space World festival and which expanded the concept to incorporate Pokémon from the second-generation games. Like its predecessor, Pokémon Stadium 2 reviewed well; the game was largely seen as superior to the original, despite including many of the same features and issues, though its sharp difficulty spike was criticised. Like the first game, Pokémon Stadium 2 was stuck on the Nintendo 64 for decades and extremely expensive to buy, until it was finally made available on the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pak in 2023.

The Review:
Like its predecessor, Pokémon Stadium 2 is a collection of mini games, battles, and various options to gawk at your favourite Pokémon in 3D. In the original release of the game, players could again copy over Pokémon from the Game Boy games (all six versions) to take them into 3D battles against computer-controlled opponents or their friends in single or team-based contests. Of course, this option isn’t available in the Nintendo Switch Online version, but you can still use “rental” Pokémon (though, unlike the CPU’s Pokémon, these can’t be renamed and you can’t change their moves). Although all 251 Pokémon are represented in the game, you won’t get access to Legendary Pokémon Mewtwo, Mew, Lugia, or Ho-oh until you clear each of the game’s various battle modes. Rental Pokémon all come with four moves that have decent Type-coverage and try to accommodate different battle styles. For example, your Pokemon may sport a Physical and Special Attack move, a move to buff their stats (speed, defence, etc), and a move of a different Type (such as Ampharous, an Electric-Type, using Dynamicpunch, a Fighting-Type move). If you pick third-stage evolutions (Typhlosion, Lantern, Houndoom, etc) or Legendary Pokémon, your Pokémon will boast better stats (which you can now view when selecting a Pokémon) and more powerful moves, but these moves may have a greater chance of missing or will have less Power Points (PP). This time around, you can visit Earl’s Pokémon Academy and read through various tutorials (presented as “lectures”) to learn the controls and battle mechanics. You can also view stats and details about each Pokémon in the Library, learning about what each move does and viewing details on Type advantages, making it much easier to pick a diverse team and plan your attack strategies. Type advantages are key to scoring wins and, in Pokémon Stadium 2, you’ll need to factor in the new Dark- and Steel-Type moves and Pokémon. Dark-Types finally level the playing field against the all-powerful Psychic-Types, for example, and Steel-Type Pokémon can cut through Rock-Types.

New Types, items, and moves spruce up the battles but the core gameplay remains unchanged.

As ever, moves deal additional damage if you score a “critical hit”, but your Pokémon may also take recoil damage. You’ll need to be mindful of status effects such as being paralyzed or poisoned, though the game’s still rigged so no two Pokémon can be frozen or asleep per battle. As before, you’ll put together a team of six but only battle with three. You’ll see which Pokémon your opponent has but won’t know which ones they’ve picked, though I did find that Trainers and Gym Leaders tended to favour Pokémon of a certain Type this time (when challenging Falkner, for example, he and his underlings mostly used Flying-Type Pokémon). Still, you need to be mindful of enemy Pokémon surprising you with unforeseen moves and dragging battles out with moves like Protect, Disable, and Attract, which can cost you turns. The battle system has been tweaked here to incorporate items; when selecting you team, you can have them hold a single item that will passively take effect in battle. This will restore some health points (HP), or cure status effects like confusion, paralysis, or poisoning; however, you cannot manually use these items, and your opponent also holds the same items. Winning without receiving any damage earns you a continue should you be defeated (though abusing the save state feature greatly aids in this regard) and conquering the four “cups”, each with their own level restrictions and one of four PokéBall-themed trophies. The Gym Leader Castle returns, now pitting you against the Johto Gym Leaders and your Rival (who battles with Mewtwo, Ho-oh, and Lugia!) This time around, each Gym Leader has a different number of underlings you must battle beforehand, and Team Rocket even gatecrash the castle, forcing you to battle them. Besting all the Johto challengers unlocks the Kanto Gym Leader Castle, where you must face the Kanto Gym Leaders, Elite Four, and resident champion, Red, though you won’t have to battle past their understudies. Sadly, there is no big boss battle against a Legendary Pokémon this time around, though you’ll still unlock a much more challenging “Round 2” mode by winning all the cups and besting the Gym Leader Castle. There is a new cup on offer, Challenge Cup, where you’re forced to battle with a set team of Pokémon, and the “Event Battle!” mode is strictly for players with a game cartridge installed. Battles are as basic as before; since the items are limited, you can still get stuck if you’re hit with status ailments and it’s still way too easy to sweep your opponent’s team in a few hits.

Game modes are slightly expanded but it’s primarily a graphically improved copy of the last game.

There are more options to alter the game’s difficulty and you can even create your own rules for free battles and the expanded move and Type pool does mix things up. However, you’ll still be facing non-stop battles to get to Round 2, which can get tedious. The overly enthusiastic announcer returns, though can again be disabled, and Pokémon still don’t scream their names, which is much more true to the source material than the anime. While the returning 3D models aren’t much different, Pokémon Stadium 2 also brings the Johto Pokémon to life, allowing Lugia to dwarf the likes of Spinarak and even the battlefield. Though the new moves are also represented, the Pokémon still have limited attack animations, however the textures and details have been given a boost thanks to the Nintendo 64 Expansion Pak. Pokémon Trainers are still just profile pictures rather than 3D models but the battle display has been tweaked to include pre- and post-game comments from your foe and even mid-battle statements to better mirror the mainline games. Many of the Pokémon you face will again sport bizarre nicknames and even different palettes, but the arenas are just as empty as before. However, there are more of them and they have more detail and variety going on; even the PokéBall intros and outros have been made more grandiose and the menu screens are far more visually interesting. However, it’s still all very similar to what came before and just feels like a graphical glow-up rather than actually rendering arenas full of animated spectators. Remixes of all your favourite Pokémon themes try to keep battles fun and engaging and the introductory cutscene, title screen, and main map have been spruced up, but again it’s just presenting the same game in a slightly more appealing way instead of addressing the monotonous gameplay flaws. Once again, many game modes are locked off in this version. You can’t visit the Pokémon Lab to organise or bring in Pokémon from the Game Boy games, you can’t visit the “My Room” mode to see a 3D representation of your bedroom from the second-generation games, and you can’t utilise the “Mystery Gift” feature to earn items or decorations for your room.

In the absence of other modes, read up on gameplay mechanics and enjoy some new mini games.

Again, most annoyingly, you cannot access the GB Tower, so you can’t play the first- and second-generation Pokémon games or utilise the speed-up features you unlock through battle. The Hall of Fame and picture mode also seems to be missing, though you can view all 251 Pokémon from the academy, essentially giving you a 3D PokéDex, and take part in quizzes to earn Medals (presumably for bragging rights). A whole new batch of mini games are also on offer here; each has three difficulty levels, with a fourth unlocked by playing on “Hard” mode. There’s another quiz here, too, and you can challenge the “Mini-Game Champion” mode where you play through each mini game, rolling dice beforehand to determine how many “Tokens” are needed to win and competing for the top score. Some mini games are similar to those from before; Pichu’s Power Plant, for example, has you tapping A or B in conjunction with a direction to charge electrodes like Thundering Dynamo and Tumbling Togepi sees you rolling across a treadmill avoiding obstacles, like Run, Rattata, Run. Otherwise, you’ll be tapping A to fly about as Golbats, bashing other players and collecting hearts, tackling rival Hitmontop out of a sumo ring, pressing A at just the right time to slice through falling logs, and dashing various PokéBalls into goals for points. There’s a four-way version of Pong (Atari, 1972) in which you ricochet balls using Mr. Mime’s Barrier, you’ll be running laps around a dirty track with Donphan, counting Pokémon as they march past, and gathering up presents to fill Delibird’s sack. You’ll also be catching falling eggs and avoiding Voltorb with Chansey and playing a version of musical chairs in Eager Eevee, tackling Aipom and avoiding an exploding Pineco when they appear in the middle of the arena. Since I didn’t play Pokémon Stadium 2 as a kid, I have less nostalgia for these mini games but they’re a decent enough distraction. Technically, though, they’re better and more challenging than the last game. As before, you’ll be awarded with special prize Pokémon for beating the game’s battle modes; you’ll even unlock a “Move Relearner” mode, though you obviously can’t take full advantage of any of this since you can’t plug in a Game Boy game.

The Summary:
As I said, I never got to play Pokémon Stadium 2 as a kid. I enjoyed the novelty of the first game, and was still playing the Game Boy games, but I think the game was just too difficult to come by or I was spending my money on more fulfilling Nintendo 64 experiences at the time. However, the second-generation games are my favourites so I was excited to see some of my favourite Pokémon, like Typhlosion and Lugia, come to life in 3D. In this regard, Pokémon Stadium 2 doesn’t disappoint; the new Pokémon all look great and the graphical bump provided by the Expansion Pak spruces up the visuals and makes battles a bit more engaging. Sadly, the arenas are still very bland and the game is basically a carbon copy of the last, flaws and all. Once again, it’s just a constant stream of non-stop battling with little to break the monotony. Incorporating items and allowing players to view details of the Pokémon, moves, and Types was great but it’s again all very limited. You’re limited by moves, by levels, and by your customisation options and these issues are only exacerbated in this version since you can’t access the Game Boy titles. To make matters worse, there isn’t even a big battle against, like, Lugia and/or Ho-oh. Sure, the Rival has these Pokémon but that’s not as epic as facing off against Mewtwo. The new mini games are a step up, for sure, and I liked how the overall presentation was much improved over its barebones predecessor. However, it’s still the same game at its core; you battle over and over for cups and trophies, then do it all over again in Round 2. The Rocket takeover was a fun inclusion; I would’ve liked to see that expanded on, maybe even looped in as a rudimentary story mode. Ultimately, I’d say this is the version of Pokémon Stadium you should focus your time and energy on because of the improvements it brings to the table, but it still falls way off the mark of giving a true 3D Pokémon experience and can’t help but disappoint as a result.

My Rating:

Rating: 3 out of 5.

Pretty Good

Did you ever own Pokémon Stadium 2 back in the day? What did you think to the graphical boost and the inclusion of items? Did you enjoy the new mini games? Were you disappointed that the core gameplay remained unchanged? Did you ever best all the cups and Gym Leaders? Would you like to see another title in the series? How are you celebrating National Pokémon Day this year? Whatever your thoughts on Pokémon Stadium 2, drop them below and check out my other Pokémon content.

Back Issues: Captain America 22-25

Dr. K3 Comments

Story Title: “The Tomorrow Soldier” (Part 1 to Conclusion)
Published: 2 July 2014 (cover-dated: September 2014) to 1 October 2014 (cover-dated: December 2014)
Writer: Rick Remender
Artists: Carlos Pacheco and Stuart Immonen

The Background:
By 1941, Nazi Germany had decimated Denmark and Norway and World War Two was fully underway and, after some initial resistance, the United States joined the War against the “Axis powers” of Germany, Japan, and Italy. Patriotism and national pride was high, especially in America, during those dark days, making it the perfect time for Joe Simon and the legendary Jack Kirby to debut Captain Steve Rogers/Captain America and his kid sidekick, James Buchanan Barnes/Bucky, to encourage support of the war effort. Once the War was over, superheroes saw a decline and Captain America’s solo publication was cancelled in 1954. However, Cap got a second chance when he joined the Avengers as a “man out of time”, battling iconic villains like Johann Shmidt/The Red Skull and even opposing his fellow superheroes during a “Civil War”. After surrendering to the authorities, Cap was seemingly killed and his troubled sidekick, better known as the Winter Soldier, took up the mantle until Steve’s inevitable resurrection. However, in 2014, cybernetic supervillain Arnim Zola’s machinations saw Cap drained of the super soldier serum and rapidly aged into an old man! Thus the battle was on the see who would become the new Star-Spangled Avenger, a battle eventually won by Cap’s long-time ally, Sam Wilson/The Falcon, to much undue controversy, Created by Stan Lee and Gene Colon in 1969, the Falcon was the first Black American superhero in mainstream comic books and was specifically created to challenge social perceptions. After a lengthy career as a bit-player in Marvel Comics, Sam made headlines with his promotion, a story arc that achieved mainstream recognition due to Anthony Mackie’s celebrated portrayal of the character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

The Review:
Sam Wilson’s assumption of the Captain America mantle didn’t come easy, nor without drama. In the leadup to this story, Cap was kidnapped by Arnim Zola and spirited away to Dimension Z, where the mad scientist plotted to drain his super soldier serum to create a race of genetic super-beings! Cap broke free but was trapped in Dimension Z for ten years, during which time he raised Zola’s son, Ian, as his own. Though Cap eventually escaped with Jet Zola/Jet Black, Zola’s daughter, both Ian and Cap’s lover, Agent 13/Sharon Carter, were lost. Cap then spent some time working with Sam to mould Jet Black into a hero but, in a battle with former Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement, and Logistics Division (S.H.I.E.L.D.) agent-turned-madman, Ran Shen/Iron Nail, Cap’s super soldier serum was neutralised and he quickly aged into frail, infirm old man! Our story picks up with Steve sequestered at Avengers Mansion, stewing over sensationalist news reports demanding accountability for Captain America and S.H.I.E.L.D.’s dangerous and destructive antics. Steve’s offered council by S.H.I.E.L.D. director maria Hill and the decidedly Samuel L. Jackson-esque Nick Fury Jr., who assure him that he saved countless lives taking down Iron Nail. Unfortunately, his shield has been left too radioactive to be returned to him and Steve’s aghast when he’s told S.H.I.E.L.D. won’t be destroying Gungnir, the weaponised, Transformer-like Helicarrier Iron Nail hijacked and threatened the United States with. Steve is so angered that he starts to wonder if the reports of corruption within the government and S.H.I.E.L.D. aren’t valid, though Fury simply explains that contingencies such as Gungnir are vital to protect innocent civilians and keep the public from being overly reliant on costumed heroes, especial as the Avengers’ roster has dwindled lately.

When Armin Zola’s mutates invade, the Avengers gain an unlikely ally in Steve’s adopted son!

Over on the upper west side, Sam Wilson wakes up to a hell of a hangover and to find he spent the night with Jet Black! Though he’s not exactly thrilled at having crossed that line, he seems won over by her affections, but their tender moment (and the awkwardness) is interrupted when Jet spots a commotion outside. It turns out that her father, Armin Zola, is so eager for revenge that he rips open a hole in the fabric of reality and his monstrous, “hyperevolved mutates” come pouring into Central Park, followed closely by a mysterious man garbed in a spiked battle suit. Zola quickly contacts the Red Skull to co-ordinate their newest efforts in overthrowing the decadent West, asserting himself as a menacing force in his own right and seemingly earning the Red Skull’s respect with his army of mutates. While Anthony “Tony” Stark/Iron Man and Doctor Robert Bruce Banner/The Incredible Hulk work to find some way of restoring Steve’s superhuman condition, they (along with Thor Odinson and Steve himself) are alerted to the crisis via the mansion’s monitors. Steve immediately recognises the threat as Zola; Stark is incredulous but quickly convinced of the danger when the armoured mutate comes crashing through the wall. Luckily, the Hulk is around to face the stranger (with Banner having more control over the Hulk at this point). Naturally, Iron Man adopts a snarky “shoot first, ask questions later” philosophy, leading to an explosive confrontation as he and Thor try to keep the masked intruder from reaching Steve. However, the masked man easily avoids their attacks and even gets the better of Thor, running rings around them, only to be astonished by Steve’s frail condition. This distraction allows the Hulk needs to strike; ironically, though the stranger deftly evades the Green Goliath, Steve easily subdues the masked man. However, Steve is stunned when the intruder unmasks to reveal himself as Ian Ziola, now Ian Rogers, Steve’s adopted son, who was regenerated from death by one of Zola’s “bio-mass [tanks]”.

Zola manipulates events to coerce his daughter, whom the Falcon rushes to defend.

Overjoyed to see Ian alive and that he’s come to help, Steve proudly introduces him to his fellow Avengers but distraught to learn that Ian’s been fighting Zola alone for the last ten years. Steve then gets a call from the Falcon, who relays the extent of Zola’s attack: thanks to the city’s birds, Sam has seen the monsters rapidly spread throughout New York City. Jet Black then reveals she knows a way into her father’s fortified tower that may help them to stop the invasion and calls upon the Avengers to go along with her father’s plan, which is to face him head-on, to provide a suitable distraction. The Avengers readily accept, taking the fight to the ravenous, near-mindless hoards alongside their new ally, and are initially unimpressed by Zola’s forces. However, they’re soon confronted by Zola’s “hyper-mutates”, warped, monstrous copies of the Avengers that call themselves the “Unvengers”! Meanwhile, Jet Black and the Falcon easily infiltrate Zola’s tower, affirming that her allegiances lie anywhere but with her crazed father and insisting on using her position as the madman’s daughter to throw off his mutate guards. The plan works and they advance through the tower, only to find Sharon held hostage in a pitiful cell! After learning about Sharon’s predicament from Sam, Steve immediately asks Ian to leave the fight to the Avengers and go rescue her; though Sharon warns that such an act was all foreseen by Zola. When Jet confronts her father in his control room, he all-but guarantees the Red Skull that he can win her over to their side, claiming everything she’s done – even her betrayal – was also all part of his manipulative will. The Falcon breaks up the tense family reunion, tackling Zola out the window and sending him crashing to the streets below. Zola recovers near-instantly, however, his patience with his “perfect child” wearing thin, but the Falcon immediately intercepts him in mid-air.

Though the Avengers turn on Jet, Sam survives to take up the Captain America mantle.

Raging at Zola for his ill treatment of Jet, the Falcon fights valiantly even as Zola smashes a bus onto the mis-matched hero. When Jet rushes to his aid and Zola sees how much she cares for the Falcon, Zola vows to murder him to rid her of such weaknesses all while hypocritically declaring his undying love for her! Thanks to Sharon, Steve warns the Falcon that Zola plans to blow up Avengers Tower, though Sam inadvertently kickstarts the detonation when he has Redwing remove Zola’s “telepathic broadcast doohickey”! When the Unvengers keep Iron Man from helping and Ian and Sharon are unable to disarm it, the Falcon bravely and selflessly grabs the bomb and flies high into the sky, bidding an emotional farewell to Steve and urging him and Sharon to enjoy their retirement with Ian before the bomb explodes in his arms. A horrified Steve thinks back to when he and Sam first met, the adversity he fought through, and how hard he worked to be a hero without any superpowers, fancy gadgets, or special serum as Iron Man sombrely retrieves the Falcon’s surprisingly intact body. Though Zola pleads with Jet Black to return to Dimension Z where she can be safe from the Red Skull’s looming threat, she angrily rebukes him. Sharon, Steve, and the Avengers gather in quiet mourning, only to be astonished when he comes to and reveals that Stark made him some Adamantium wings, which absorbed most of the blast! Though everyone’s overjoyed by this, Sharon blames Jet for Zola’s attack and accuses her of being a double agent. To Jet’s dismay, even Sam has his doubts and, when the Avengers try to restrain her to investigate, she angrily rushes to Zola’s tower, believing her father was right that her new allies couldn’t be trusted. One week later, seemingly every superhero around gathers at Avengers Mansion, where Steve announces his retirement from superheroics due to his condition (though he and Sharon plan to aid the Avengers with tactical support). He also reveals that Sam is the new Captain America and proudly hands him his shield, entrusting one of his oldest friends with his legacy, which Sam humbly accepts with a cry of “Avengers Assemble!”

The Summary:
This was a difficult story to just jump into without context. A lot of modern comics are like that, with one series of mini arcs leading to the next, all of it part of a bigger picture. I get it and I accept it and I know there’s some onus on the reader to maybe get some background before diving in feet-first. However, since I’m mostly going on some background reading and what the “Previously…” recap is telling me, there were a few characters and events that I wasn’t very familiar with. Jet Black and Ian Rogers were two main examples; I knew Steve aged into an old man around this time, but I didn’t realise he took a son and a protégé as well. Consequently, Ian’s big reveal didn’t impact me as much as other, more invested readers but I think Rick Remender did a great job of conveying Steve’s shock and joy at seeing his son alive and well. I loved that Steve proudly introduced him to his surrogate family, the Avengers, and that Ian wasn’t some bitter, twisted soul looking to kill his adopted father. Instead, we got a young man who’s actually happy to see and fight alongside his father for a change, something very rare in comics. Ian meshes well with the Avengers, sporting a smart mouth and a capable agility despite his years of fighting against his maniacal father and living in a nightmarish alternate dimension. Similarly, I didn’t have much of a connection with Jet Black but I think the story did a good job of showing her as a character just trying to find her way. I liked her blossoming relationship with Sam (even if his reaction at waking up with her was a little odd) and that she willingly and selflessly opposes her father once he arrives. She does nothing except lash out against Zola, rebuking his offers and voicing her hatred of him even as he tries to win her over with his silver tongue. And, for all her efforts and hard work and personal turmoil, Jet is met with suspicion and accusations from even her own brother. Thus, she’s driven from her newfound allies and retreats back to Zola, devastated to learn that he was right and that she would never be accepted as one of them all because Sharon blew her lid and Sam barely even vouched for Jet’s trustworthiness.

For a story meant to be Sam’s crowning moment, he was strangely portrayed throughout.

Indeed, I hope subsequent issues delved into Sam’s feelings regarding this. He barely says anything when Sharon accuses Jet and gets only one panel where he seems conflicted or upset by what he sees as a betrayal. It’s a weird way to end the conflict, especially considering everyone was just mourning Sam’s loss and celebrating his survival. Sam’s selfless actions and his commitment to justice despite lacking any superpowers are the qualities that make him suitable to take up the Captain America mantle, yet this feels somewhat tarnished since he didn’t showcase any loyalty to Jet or any conviction in defending her. He stood there, stunned, and let everyone run their mouths, which doesn’t scream “Captain America” to me. In fact, this is a bit of an odd story to introduce Sam as Cap in general, really. For most of the issues, he’s not really doing anything except flying around and reporting intel to the Avengers. Sure, this is useful from a tactical standpoint but the mutates were swarming everywhere; I’m pretty sure the Avengers would’ve spotted them without him. The Falcon does take the fight directly to Zola, infiltrating his tower with Jet Black, and he does valiantly fight the cybernetic madman despite clearly being outmatched. During this fight, the Falcon also sticks up for Jet in a way he fails to do once the conflict is resolved and his fighting spirit is certainly commendable, but I feel like any hero would’ve fought just as hard in his stead. The Falcon making the sacrifice play is a great shorthand for the mentality needed to be Captain America but, again, it feels a touch hollow. Like, Iron Man was just about to take care of the bomb before he got interrupted and Sam probably wouldn’t have had to make that call if he hadn’t yanked out Zola’s broadcast device. It just felt a bit rushed and out of nowhere to me and I can’t help but wonder if maybe it would’ve been better to play things a little closer to the ground. Like, have Zola threaten to kill a group of civilians and have Sam shield them with his wings and seemingly be beaten to death, or something like that. Just something a little less random and a bit more in-line with his status as a more grounded, “human” superhero.

I liked that Steve passed on the mantle but the story felt oddly rushed at times.

On the plus side, Carlos Pacheco and Stuart Immonen do good artwork. I liked Iron Man’s darker armour and Ian’s totally nineties emo armour (I mistook him for Robbie Baldwin/Penance at first), though Jet Black felt a bit overdesigned. Similarly, while Sam’s Falcon outfit is a vast improvement over his debut costume, I can’t say I’m a big fan of his Falcon/Captain America hybrid suit. He reckons it’s “sexy” but it looks a bit of a mess to me, with miss-matching colours and a far too “busy” design. Maybe if his chest emblem was just the star, which was an extension of his weird-looking cowl, I’d like it more. I dunno, it just looks uncomfortable to wear and a pain in the ass to draw. I quite enjoyed the passing of the torch, though, in concept. I like seeing Steve rendering incapable of continuing as Captain America and retiring to a more sedentary life, though I do think Bucky is a better choice to take up the mantle. I get the idea that Captain America is a symbol of what a normal man can strive to be, but Steve was at least partially superhuman thanks to the super soldier serum. Then again, considering the Falcon survived having a bus dropped on his head, it’s safe to assume he’s more durably than Joe Public. I really like seeing all the other heroes immediately accept and endorse Sam; there was no question or objection, and he slipped into the role effortlessly. However, I feel he didn’t play a big enough role in this conflict. He fought Zola, sure, but to a standstill and didn’t defeat him; he just stopped his plan, and he lost his girl in the process. It’s a weirdly, tonally confused story for me and a strange way to usher in a new Captain America, though I was left curious to explore how Sam adapted to the role and the fallout from this adventure.

My Rating:

Rating: 3 out of 5.

Pretty Good

What did you think to Sam’s promotion to Captain America? Do you agree that this was a strange story to make that change or did you like the way it went down? What did you think to Sam’s suit, and do you like seeing him in the role? Were you disappointed that the Unvengers didn’t do more, and that Sam didn’t try harder to defend Jet Black? What are some of your favourite moments from Sam’s time as Captain America? Use the comment section below to share your thoughts and go read my other Marvel and Captain America content on the site.

Back Issues & Knuckles: Total Chaotix

Dr. K2 Comments

With the release of Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (SEGA Technical Institute, 1994) in February 1994, gamers were introduced to Knuckles the Echidna. This mischievous, dreadlocked antagonist was created by Takashi Yuda and is my favourite of Sonic’s supporting cast so I’ve been dedicating every Sunday to Rad Red!

Story Title: “Total Chaotix” (Part 1 to 6)
Published: 27 May 1995 (cover-dated: 9 June 1995) to 5 August 1995 (cover-dated: 18 August 1995)
Writer: Nigel Kitching
Artist: Richard Elson

The Background:
After finally knocking Nintendo from the top of the videogame industry, SEGA almost immediately transformed Sonic’s popularity into mainstream success with an influx of ancillary merchandise, mainly cartoons and comic books. Six months or so after Archie Comics published their first Sonic miniseries, United Kingdom publisher Fleetway Editions Limited published “Britain’s Official SEGA Comic”, Sonic the Comic (StC), a fortnightly comic book I collected diligently until its unfortunate end. Largely taking its lore from the now defunct Mobius/Doctor Ovi Kintobor storyline that originated outside of Japan, StC portrayed Sonic as a mean-spirited leader of the rebellious Freedom Fighters. Like the Archie comics, StC included some loose adaptations that recontextualised the videogames to fit its noticeably different lore. After his introduction in a multi-part story loosely based on Sonic 3, Knuckles immediately graduated to his own back-up stories that, after tying up loose ends from his debuted, eventually expanded on Knuckles’s vague backstory. His second solo feature, however, would be this loose adaptation of Knuckles’ Chaotix (SEGA, 1995), a bizarre and obscure title released solely for SEGA’s doomed 32X peripheral, which dramatically reinterpreted the titular Chaotix Crew for StC’s purposes.

The Review:
“Total Chaotix” begins immediately after (or, at least, not long after) Sonic and Knuckles finally rid the Floating Island of Doctor Ivo Robotnik’s forces, bring down his Death Egg space station, and return the all-powerful Master Emerald to the island’s hot-headed guardian. Thus, Knuckles is in high spirits at the start of the story as, for the first time in centauries, the seven Chaos Emeralds and their gigantic master are fully powered, increasing them in size, keeping the Floating Island high in the sky, and protecting the island with an energy barrier to deter unwanted visitors. Speaking of which, Knuckles takes a Zoom Tube to check in on his new guests in the Mushroom Hill Zone. Realising that Dr. Robotnik would turn his wrath on the Emerald Hill Zone inhabitants, Sonic arranged a deal with Knuckles to shelter the Emerald Hill folk on the Floating Island in return for the Master Emerald. While Knuckles isn’t exactly happy with this arrangement since he prefers to live in solitude, he honours the agreement and hopes his new guests won’t bother him. While investigating the damage done to the Floating Island by the Death Egg’s powerful eye lasers, Knuckles is shocked to discover an old echidna relic: a stone ring whose ancient writing apparently reveals it to be a gateway to a “dream country”. Before Knuckles can properly examine the artefact, a portal suddenly opens and sucks him through, depositing the naïve guardian in the Special Zone. Bombarded by the bizarre dimension’s kaleidoscope of colours and surreal imagery, Knuckles realises he mistranslated the stone and prepares for a rough ride since the Special Zone is almost impossible to escape from. At that moment, Knuckles is confronted by the Omni-Viewer, a sentient television screen who watches over the Special Zone and allows for transport to and from the dimension. While the Omni-Viewer is an ally of Sonic’s and was once forced to do Dr. Robotnik’s bidding, his intelligence is massively out of date and he still believes Knuckles is the dictator’s partner. Thus, he ignores Knuckles’ pleas and teleports in the “Guardians of the Special Zone”, the Chaotix (Vector the Crocodile, Mighty the Armadillo, Espio the Chameleon, Charmy Bee (referred to as “Charmee”), and Nack the Weasel) to deal with the perceived threat.

Knuckles runs afoul of the Chaotix and discovers a Metallix plot in the Special Zone.

On Vector’s order, the group’s muscle, Mighty, leaps in to land the first blow, leaving him plummeting into the void when Knuckles glides to safety. Luckily, the peppy “Charmee” is on hand to rescue his cohort, who doesn’t care for the enthusiastic youngster’s commentary on his humiliation. While trying to escape the unreasonable group, Knuckles is blindsided by Espio’s camouflage ability. The chameleon then throttles Knuckles (!) and calls Nack for an assist, only for both to be shrugged off by the echidna’s superior strength. Vector then enters the fray and tries to snap his powerful jaws onto Knuckles’ head; however, Knuckles dodges and lands a solid uppercut to Vector’s chin, causing him to bite his tongue. The fracas is halted by the Omni-Viewer, who does a bit of research and finds that Knuckles is telling the truth. However, just as tensions are beginning to cool, “Charmee” notices some distortion appearing on the Omni-Viewer’s “face” and, to the horror of all, the warping solidifies to show not one, but two Metallixes forming within the Omni-Viewer! Despite recognising Sonic’s robotic doppelgänger from a precious encounter in Sky Sanctuary Zone, Knuckles is as powerless as Vector to keep the Omni-Viewer from being downloaded to a handheld device wielded by one of the Badniks. The Metallix then flee the scene, leaving the Omni-Viewer an empty void and giving the group no chance but to team up to rescue him, despite Nack’s suspicions that Knuckles is still working for Dr. Robotnik. When Vector mentions the ovoid dictator’s abandoned Egg Fortress base, the group makes haste on a rescue mission, unaware that the Metallixes are working under the command of a gigantic Emperor Metallix! Thanks to Mighty flying head-first at the Egg Fortress, the group’s infiltration doesn’t go as quietly as Knuckles wished, though it’s Rad Red who must keep Mighty and Espio from coming to blows when the short-tempered armadillo trips the base’s alarm. After “Charmee” warns of an incoming Metallix, the group squeeze into the base’s ventilation system. However, an errant kick from Nack compromises their position, forcing the wayward weasel to flee when they’re spotted by the Metallix.

Despite a double cross from Nack, Knuckles and the Chaotix defeat the Metallix…for now…

The Metallix attacks without mercy, blasting the group with its chest laser, easily sends them flying with a swing of its clawed arm, then buries them beneath debris by blasting the roof above. Although the Metallix believes it has killed its foes, Knuckles claws his way from the wreckage and flies into a rage. While the Metallix tanks his best shot and its speed throws Knuckles off-balance, Knuckles subdues the robot by hurling a girder through its chest. Though only a temporary reprieve, it’s enough for Nack to come out of hiding and for Mighty to muscle the debris off his team. With the damaged Metallix in hot pursuit and the Emperor Metallix’s plot to create a copy of the Omni-Viewer almost complete, Nack leads the team right into the “lion’s den” (as Vector puts it), betraying his team mates to the Emperor Metallix in return for “money, what else?” Although the Emperor Metallix thanks Nack for giving them the access codes to the Omni-Viewer, it immediately orders its Metallixes to attack him alongside his former allies, double-crossing the opportunistic weasel. Despite Nack busting out a hidden disruptor for just such a double-cross, he’s blasted by a Metallix. Still, Knuckles grabs the weapon and fires it, emitting what appears to be an electro-magnetic pulse that instantly disables the Emperor Metallix and its two minions. With the threat ended in surprisingly anti-climactic fashion, the Chaotix retrieve Nack and the Omni-Viewer and drop Knuckles back on the Floating Island. However, Knuckles can’t shake the feeling that there was something off about the Metallix and the Omni-Viewer finds he’s missing some memory banks from the ordeal. They’re right to be concerned by this for the story ends to show the Emperor Metallix and its brotherhood reactivating, having successfully feigned defeat, and that they now possess a corrupted version of the Omni-Viewer that will allow them to travel through time and space to realise their goal of world conquest!

The Summary:
As is often the case, “Total Chaotix” is bolstered by Richard Elson’s stirring and visually engaging art. Having him work on Knuckles’ early solo strips gave them an air of legitimacy not afforded to other back-up stories in StC and showed that they were just as important to the ongoing storylines (especially StC’s multi-part adaptation of Sonic 3 & Knuckles). Elson draws a fantastic Knuckles, capturing his toothy smirk and temperamental demeanour, and a wonderful Metallix. Unlike the Mecha-Metallix last seen in StC, these Metallix are a return to form, featuring that sleek, sexy aesthetic that’s become so iconic. Knowing how troublesome just one of these Badniks was makes seeing two quite the moment and the Metallix retain their menace by how fast and lethal they’re portrayed. They make mincemeat of the Chaotix, who get no chance to fight back and are nearly killed by just one Metallix. Even Knuckles struggles to go toe-to-toe with the doppelgänger since it’s built to match Sonic’s speed and even a girder to the chest doesn’t put the Metallix down, so seeing a whole army of the robotic doubles ends the story on one hell of a cliff-hanger! “Total Chaotix” also introduces the Davros-like Emperor Metallix, a gigantic robot hedgehog permanently sat in a massive throne and who’s modelled after Metal Sonic Kai (fitting, considering this is a loose adaptation of Knuckles’ Chaotix). Knuckles suspects that the Metallix have split from Dr. Robotnik and that’s revealed to be true. The Emperor Metallix no longer serves its rotund master and has instead commands a “brotherhood” of robotic Sonics to make its own bid for world conquest. Its scheme to facilitate this is to download a copy of the all-powerful Omni-Viewer, a scheme that works despite Knuckles’ best efforts and which ends the story on a cliff-hanger that’s not only picked up in a later Sonic story, but which lays the foundation for future appearances of the Metallix.

It’s nothing like the game but “Total Chaotix” sets up some big storylines for Sonic the Comic.

Naturally, the titular Chaotix make quite an impact in the story thanks, again, to Richard Elson’s artwork, which closely emulates the artwork seen in their debut title. It’s interesting seeing them reinterpreted as the “Guardians of the Special Zone” considering they had no stronger ties to the Special Stages than Sonic and the other characters, but it makes sense in the context given (the Metallix are based in the Special Zone and this story is about introducing their “brotherhood”). Each character gets a little time to showcase their personality but, with so many of them, they’re largely one-dimensional. Vector is the leader (his headphones and love of music don’t come into play here, or ever, as I recall); Mighty is the hot-tempered muscle; and “Charmee” is the annoying little kid who gets on all their nerves. Surprisingly, considering he gets second billing in Knuckles’ Chaotix and is now known as a stoic ninja, Espio is probably the least developed of the group. He turns invisible, which is cool, but doesn’t seem that different a personality from Mighty, with the two almost coming to blows at one point. If course, the odd man weasel out is Nack, who’s less of a disreputable treasure hunter and more of a self-serving sell-out. It’s implied that this group has been together for a while, so it makes me wonder how deep Nack’s infiltration went or if he just decided to betray the team in this story. I guess anyone who had played Sonic the Hedgehog: Triple Trouble (Aspect, 1994) would’ve seen this betrayal coming, but then nothing’s for sure in StC, which plays it fast and loose with fidelity. The Chaotix are seen to be a relatively competent group when faced with a reasonable threat like Knuckles but are ridiculously outclassed against a single Metallix and don’t showcase much of their abilities beyond the basics, which is a shame. Still, the art and the significance of this story in both the wider StC canon and the context of its ongoing Sonic 3 & Knuckles adaptation make “Total Chaotix” a decent story. The new characters add a lot, visually, to Sonic’s extended cast and I enjoyed the ominous nature of the Brotherhood of Metallix, even if the story barely has anything to do with Knuckles’ Chaotix.

My Rating:

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Great Stuff

Have you ever read “Total Chaotix”? What did you think to Fleetway’s version of the Chaotix and the reinterpretation of Nack as a traitor in their ranks? Were you happy to see the Metallix return? Would you have liked to see more elements from the videogame included in the story? Which of Fleetway’s Knuckles and/or Chaotix stories was your favourite and why? Are you celebrating Knuckles this month? Whatever you think about Sonic the Comic, and especially Knuckles and Chaotix, leave a comment down below and go show me some love on Ko-Fi.

Game Corner [Zelda Month]: The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask 3D (Nintendo 3DS)

Dr. K3 Comments

On 21 February 1986, The Legend of Zelda (Nintendo EAD, 1986) was first released in Japan. The creation of legendary game designer Shigeru Miyamoto and Takashi Tezuka, The Legend of Zelda launched one of Nintendo’s most popular franchises. This year, I’ve been dedicating every Friday to Nintendo’s most famous silent protagonist, Link and his vast and enduring fantasy world of sword and sorcery.

Released: 13 February 2015
Originally Released: 27 April 2000
Developer: Grezzo
Original Developer: Nintendo EAD
Original Version Also Available For: GameCube, Nintendo 64, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Wii, Nintendo Wii U  

The Background:
An instant classic upon release, The Legend of Zelda (mostly) went from strength to strength as the concept was refined and expanded throughout Nintendo’s handheld ventures and 16-bit era. Following a long development period, the franchise made a phenomenally successful jump to 3D with The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (Nintendo EAD, 1998). Following its success, Nintendo originally sought to create a remixed version for the ill-fated 64DD peripheral, which would eventually become the “Master Quest” version of the game. Designer Eiji Aonuma was unenthusiastic about this, so series creator Shigeru Miyamoto challenged the team to create an entirely new 3D Zelda adventure using Ocarina of Time’s assets in just one year. Aonuma recruited designer Yoshiaki Koizumi to adapt his concept of a time loop gameplay mechanic; Koizumi also (literally) dreamt up the idea of the impending threat of a falling Moon. Realising that Ocarina of Time’s players would be a little older, Aonuma purposely aimed for a bleaker, more melancholy tone for the game, which was bolstered by the Expansion Pak that allowed the game to run much smoother and boast more complex visuals compared to Ocarina of Time. The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask was a critical and commercial success; reviews praised the new gameplay mechanics and it quickly gained a reputation as one of the darker, more sombre entries in the franchise. Following a handful of re-releases, and the success of Ocarina of Time’s 3D remake, Nintendo and Grezzo immediately began work on giving Majora’s Mask the same treatment. Alongside graphical improvements, the team purposely aimed to make Majora’s Mask 3D more accessible and included numerous quality-of-life features that were criticised by some. Despite this, the game received positive reviews praising the updated visuals, mechanics, and new elements and the game retained its status as one of the franchise’s most under-rated entries.

The Plot:
After saving Hyrule and being returned to his childhood, Link is jumped by a Skull Kid and has his horse, Epona, stolen. Pursuing the thief to the bizarre world of Termina, Link must manipulate a three-day cycle to stop the possessed sprite from destroying the land.

Gameplay and Power-Ups:
The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask is a 3D action/adventure game that’s built upon the same game engine as its predecessor, Ocarina of Time, and therefore shares many of the same controls, gameplay mechanics, and features. In a rarity for the franchise, players control the same Link is in the previous game, though returned to his child body (and you can change his name when starting a new file) and exploring a bizarre new land filled with many familiar, but noticeably different, characters. Link’s goal is simple: he has three days to stop the possessed Skull Kid from destroying Clock Town and all of Termina with a giant, nightmare-fuelled moon. To do this, players journey to four areas adjacent to Clock Town, tackle the dungeons (or “Temples”) found there, and defeat the bosses within to awaken the Four Giants, the only beings physically capable of pushing back the Moon. However, your mission is compounded by the ever-present time limit, the drama and side quests of the various non-playable characters (NPCS) Link meets, and the numerous magical masks he obtains along the way. Link’s abilities will be immediately familiar to any returning Ocarina of Time players: A sees you talk to NPCs, open chests, and interact with the environment while B lets you attack with your sword, swiping, stabbing, and even jumping when used in conjunction with A. The Left Trigger activates “L-Targeting”, allowing you to lock on to enemies, NPCs, and other targets and expands your attacking options by letting you raise your shield to deflect attacks and projectiles with the Right Trigger, side hop, backflip, and leap into action.

Though a child, Link is as competent as he was as an adult with his weapons and items.

You assign different weapons and items to the X and Y buttons, while other items are assigned to the I and II slot on the touchscreen for easy use. By default, your trusty ocarina and, later, the Pictograph Box are selectable from the top and bottom left of the touchscreen, which is also where you’ll find your map, health (represented as hearts), magic meter, and item and mask menu. Though a child, Link eventually acquires many weapons he utilised as an adult. These are found within the game’s Temples and are often necessary to defeat the mini boss and main boss within, as well as being used to solve various puzzles. You can acquire the Hero’s Bow and a variety of elemental arrows, allowing you to attack enemies from afar, hit switches, burn objects, and create ice platforms where indicated. Bombs and Bombchus are used to blow upon walls and discover secrets, Deku Sticks allow you to light torches, Deku Nuts briefly stun certain enemies, and you can snag on to certain targets and parts of the environment with the Hookshot to cross gaps or bring items to you. Magic Beans can be planted to create platforms to new areas, the Lens of Truth will reveal hidden paths and secrets while draining your magic, and you can capture life-restoring Fairies or store various potions in one of Link’s many bottles. Players can also strengthen their sword by following a specific side quest; though the Razor Sword is only temporary and will eventually dull, it can be further (and permanently) upgraded to the Gilded Sword. Similarly, you can earn yourself the massive Great Fairy’s Sword and obtain the light-reflecting Mirror Shield, and eventually purchase large Powder Kegs to destroy larger boulders. Link can also expand his inventory with bigger quivers, bomb bags, and wallets. Though you lose all your Rupees and ammo stock whenever you travels back in time, you can bank your Rupees in Clock Town and will find plenty of ammo by cutting up grass and defeating enemies.

Link’s masks afford him unique new abilities, though the controls can be finnicky and clunky.

The Ocarina of Time is again used to manipulate the flow of time. You’ll need to travel back in time multiple times as you’ll get a game over once you reach the end of the third day. Luckily, you can speed up and slow down the flow of time to give yourself more time to complete tasks or jump to specific time periods to complete side quests. Other ocarina songs warp you to the various Owl Statues across Termina, where you can also manually save your game, call Link’s trusty steed, Epona, once you rescue her, access certain Temples, and heal disturbed or unquiet spirits to obtain new masks. Majroa’s Mask big gimmick is the mask system; Link will assume three distinct forms (a Deku Scrub, a Goron, and a Zora) throughout the game, each with different playstyles and lacking his traditional weapons. Deku Link is small and spritely, spitting bubbles from his nose and using Deku Flowers to launch into the air and temporarily fly about like a helicopter. Goron Link is big, slow, and powerful, smashing foes with his fists, slamming the ground, and barrelling along in a spiked ball to cross gaps. Zora Link is sleek and agile, easily cutting through water, walking across the seabed, and tossing boomerang-like fins from his arms. Well, I say “easily” but Zora Link can be finicky to control, often ploughing into walls and being a pain. Each of these forms has their own musical instrument in place of the ocarina and is used not just in their main Temple, but to solve other puzzles and complete side quests, such as purchasing Deku deeds, competing in high-speed, aggravating Goron races, and racing against beavers. Link’s other masks all have special abilities, too, such as the Bunny Hood doubling his running speed, the Blast Mask exploding like a bomb, the Great Fairy’s Mask attracting Stray Fairies, and the Captain’s Hat allowing you to command Stalchildren. The Stone Mask renders you functionally invisible, the All-Night Mask keeps you awake, and the Giant’s Mask transforms Link into a hulking giant for a kaiju-esque boss battle. With the exception of the three main masks, all these masks are optional and obtained through side quests, but it pays to acquire them all to make your life (and the endgame) so much easier.

Termina is full of NPCs, mini games, and side quests that will reward you handsomely.

Termina is full of NPCs, all of whom have different thoughts on the current situation and different issues to deal with. Over the course of the three days, you’ll interact with them several times, with key events being recorded in your handy-dandy Bomber’s Notebook so you can keep track of what’s going on and when. This functionality is great for new players and for people like me, who like to efficiently complete the game’s side quests as quickly as possible. Because of the time travel and three-day loop, you’ll repeat certain events and trigger certain cutscenes multiple times, requiring you to rescue old ladies and injured witches, follow shady characters, and retrieve certain items to complete side quests. Many side quests are ongoing, requiring multiple steps (such as reuniting Anju and Kafei, which will take you right up to the last minute of game time and sees Link and Kafei working together to solve switch-based puzzles in Sakon’s hideout) or occur at specific times (such as the surreal defence of Romani Ranch against alien invaders!) Other quests are more low-key, such as using the Bremen Mask to engross little chicks, defending Cremia’s milk delivery from the Gorman Brothers, besting the various shooting galleries and fishing holes, and delivering fish to the Marine Research Lab. Other side quests can be quite involved, such as reuniting the frog choir, using all of Link’s transformations to form a band, digging up treasure with Dampé, and challenging the mini bosses to a rematch. You’ll also be using all your weapons and skills in Gold Skulltula Houses, taking pictures with your Pictograph Box, visiting Gossip Stones, and answering the Keaton’s quizzes. Your reward for these endeavours is either a new mask, a Piece of Heart to extend your maximum health, a bottle, or some Rupees, all key items to assist your adventure.

The four Temples are packed with new and familiar puzzles and fitting gimmicks.

Each Temple houses not just a new weapon and the usual map and compass, but fifteen Stray Fairies which must be freed and collected, usually by enticing them with the Great Fairy’s Mask. Find them all and you’ll earn Link’s patented Super Spin Attack (hold B to charge up a magic-draining spin attack), double your magic meter, increase your defence, and earn the aforementioned powerful (if unwieldy) Great Fairy’s Sword. It’s worth collecting these as you explore the Temples to avoid having to return later. Time is always against you in Majora’s Mask, so be sure to play the Inverted Song of Time to stave off Termina’s inevitable doom. Though the game only has four Temples, getting to them is a task in itself: Link must follow cheeky monkeys and sneak into the Deku Palace, feed and soothe the Goron Elder’s son and then use the Lens of Truth and Goron Lullaby to bypass the Biggorn protecting Snowhead Temple with a blizzard, mess about finding seven Zora Eggs to summon a giant turtle to reach the Great Bay Temple, and battle through the undead minions of Ikana Canyon and scale up a puzzle-landed rockface to reach the Stone Tower Temple. While each contains many recycled elements from Ocarina of Time (torches, switches (timed or otherwise), climbable and destructible walls, etc), each also boasts a maze-like structure and fitting gimmick. Woodfall Temple is full of poisonous water and large gaps you must fly over as Deku Link, Snowhead Temple features both lava and ice, ramps to careen over and weighted switches to pound as Goron Link, and a large central pillar that needs to be brought down to reach the boss. The Great Bay Temple is, obviously, water-based, featuring a maze of rushing currents, jet streams, and propellers. You must use the Ice Arrows to create platforms and solve puzzles and pay attention to the helpful colour-based indicators to know where new paths have opened up. The Stone Tower Temple is two dungeons in one, featuring a gimmick where you flip the area upside down to access new areas, light-based puzzles using the Mirror Shield, and plenty of opportunities to use the Elegy of Emptiness to create a soulless duplicate of Link to press down switches. As you’d expect, each Temple also contains a mini boss, a warp point, numerous small keys to open locked doors, and a big Boss Key to access the Temple guardian.

Presentation:
Even in its original Nintendo 64 incarnation, Majora’s Mask had Ocarina of Time beat hands down when it comes to visuals. Although the game always had a bit of a blurry look thanks to it taxing the console (and the Expansion Pak) to its limits, the graphical upgrade was apparent right away in something as simple as Link actually having his sash and his jumping animations being more dynamic. In the 3DS version, the visuals are as improved as they were in Ocarina of Time 3D, reducing the blur in favour of clarity, adding more emotion to Link’s face, and allowing players to immerse themselves in the world (and induce a headache) with the 3D slider. At first glance, Majora’s Mask seems like a smaller sandbox to its predecessor; you spend a lot of time in one central location and there are only four Temples, after all. However, the opposite quickly proves to be true; not only are there more NPCs onscreen at any one time, their personalities, positions, and roles change across the three-day cycle, adding an unexpected level of depth and emotion to this bizarre adventure. In addition to a day and night cycle and each area of Termina sporting different weather effects and seasons, the world is far more diverse than before. Great Bay, for example, is a vast beach home to the Pirate’s Cove, Gerudo Lagoon, and Zora Cape, a coral-like town that puts Zora’s Domain to shame. Similarly, the Southern Swamp sees Koume and Kotake offer a boat ride through the sweltering foliage, a confusing monkey-filled maze, and the nigh-impenetrable Deku Palace, where the woodland folk don’t take kindly to strangers.

Termina is a diverse land with many areas to explore and environmental effects.

Easily the most impressive area, for me, was Snowhead Mountain. Like Zora’s Domain, Termina’s Goron population have been crippled by inclement weather; in this case, a raging blizzard. Snow and ice covers the environment and the weather has claimed many Goron lives and hides many secrets but, unlike in Ocarina of Time, the snow will melt when you best Snowhead Temple, just as the Southern Swamp with become more habitable. Sadly, travelling back in time undoes these actions and you’ll need to beat the Temple bosses again to re-restore the lands, but just the fact that you can undo the damage done to Termina and see NPCs celebrating in their newfound lives adds so much more gravitas to the game. It compels you to journey on and assist more NPCs, which rewards you with more lore and items, and makes Termina so much richer compared to the more stagnate Hyrule in Ocarina of Time. Ikana Canyon is a desolate, dangerous area filled with undead monsters, rolling rocks, an abandoned village, and the forgotten ruins of Ikana Castle, with its light-based puzzles and spooky inhabitants. The Stone Tower that leads you to the Stone Tower Temple is quite the feat, requiring you to scale it in various creative ways, all before you even flip the Temple on its head to tackle it upside down. Even exploring Termina Field is an adventure in itself; all sorts of respawning enemies lurk in the grasslands, and you can visit the observatory, Romani Ranch, and discover numerous hidden areas all by experimenting with your weapons, mask abilities, and exploring the rich and detailed world. Although the Song of Soaring, Bunny Hood, and Goron abilities make traversal simple, you can rescue Epona and race around on her as Young Link to tick off another desire from Ocarina of Time (though I admit that I rarely used her since she can’t access every area).

This is easily one of the darkest and most bizarre Zelda adventures.

Majora’s Mask is easily one of the most bizarre and bleak Zelda adventures. Right from the beginning, the story starts with a melancholy tone, with Link wandering the lands in search of Navi, only to have his horse and ocarina stolen by the Skull Kid and his mischievous fairy companions, lost in a strange land, and transformed into a Deku Scrub! Like in Ocarina of Time, Link is partnered with a fairy, but Tatl is no Navi; she’s rude, obnoxious, and rarely gives much help when searching for an enemy’s weak spot. Over the course of the game, the two find common ground as Tatl’s concern for her friend and her brother, Tael, grow, and Link’s courage is called upon again to aid the aggressive and slightly demonic Happy Mask Salesman in retrieving Majora’s Mask. Most interactions take place using the in-game engine and simple text boxes, but horrific (thankfully skippable) cutscenes play every time you put on a transformation mask, suitably dramatic cutscenes play when Temples rise up or NPCs are laid to rest to increase Link’s abilities, and you’ll get helpful reminders when day turns to night turns to day and the countdown to destruction looms closer. Speaking of which, the grim-faced Moon looms ominously overhead, growing closer and closer and causing small earthquakes. NPCs become more fearful or flee as the game progresses, and woe befall anyone who lets the timer runs out and must watch the Moon obliterate the land! While many of the assets, models, and elements are recycled from Ocarina of Time, they’re all much improved, with characters constantly on the move and doing their own thing, which you can track with the Bomber’s Notebook. Many musical cues and tracks return as well, though the Termina Field Overture is far more bombastic and engaging for me, and each area boasts a fittingly twisted soundtrack that’s both familiar and unique. The 3DS version changes up the presentation a bit, redesigning the countdown timer, area intros, and tidying up the graphics and assets to really make the colours pop, add helpful guidelines to certain areas, and even mixes up the puzzles and locations of certain items.

Enemies and Bosses:
In keeping with the recycling of Ocarina of Time’s assets, Majora’s Mask returns many enemies from the previous game, such as the shield-sucking Like Likes, bat-like Keese (also in fire and ice variants), crab-like Tektites, Poes, Wolfos, crow-like Guays, Peahats, Octoroks (and their larger cousins), Deku Babs, Lizalfos and Dinolfos. Anyone who’s played Ocarina of Time will know how to tackle these enemies, which usually comes down to firing arrows or strategic use of L-Targeting, and the same is largely true of many of the new enemies featured here. You’ve got your normal, smaller foes like beetle-like Hiploops, electrical Dragonflies, Giant Bees, and skeletal fish, but you’ll also contend with strange foes like the Dexihand, Eyegore, and Goron-like Nejirons. Snappers are best taken out by lying in wait in a Deku Flower and exploding up beneath them; snowball-tossing Eenos are susceptible to Fire Arrows; the various ChuChus can be popped to quickly earn health and ammo; and you’re better off simply defending against or firing arrows at the “Real” Bombchus that scurry about. Some enemies will better test your swordsmanship, such as the Garos and returning Gerudos and Iron Knuckles (who attack faster and more aggressively as their armour is destroyed), while you can command the Stalchilds and even avoid or converse with Gibdos and ReDeads with certain masks. Similarly, you can bypass the Death Aros altogether with the Stone Mask, must switch to sub-weapons or play the Song of Storms when touched by a Blue Bubble, and keep an eye out for the vulture-like Takkuri flying around Termina Field to avoid having your items stolen.

Even familiar mini bosses require a bit more strategy to overcome.

Each Temple houses at least one mini boss who must be overcome, sometimes multiple times, usually to obtain the Boss Key or the dungeon’s weapon. Many of these will be familiar not just to players of Ocarina of Time, but also long-time Zelda fans: Dinolfos and Iron Knuckles appear more than once and fit into this category, for example, but Majora’s Mask sees the return of series staples such as Wart and Wizzrobe. Wizzrobe is fought multiple times in multiple Temples, teleporting about, creating illusionary doubles, and attacking with fire or ice magic. Wart appears in the Great Bay Temple and is, as usual, a giant eye surrounded by bubbles that Link must destroy to get a clear shot at its pupil, while being mindful of it firing them as projectiles and bouncing around in a frenzy. The Gekko appears twice in the game, first riding a Snapper and attacked via a Deku Flower and then encased within a giant, gelatinous substance that must be frozen with Ice Arrows and shattered to attack the slippery devil. In the Ikana Graveyard, Link chases the gigantic Captain Keeta, fending off his lackeys and hacking the giant’s legs to get his attention. You must avoid his swipes and flaming barriers and pelt him with arrows to stun him, but the main issue here is keeping up with him so he doesn’t flee (but that’s what Hylia created the Bunny Hood for!) Stone Tower Temple is home to two more tough mini bosses: first up is the Garoa Master, a teleporting assassin who drops from the ceiling and attacks with a charge. Stay away from his attacks to strike back when his guard is lowered, and be sure to keep your distance when he’s beaten as he’ll blow himself up with a bomb! Defeating him earns you the Light Arrows, which are key to dispelling the bats protecting Gomess. Gomess attacks with a scythe that can cut through your shield, so be sure to jump-slash his exposed heart when you see an opening.

Bosses have been redesigned to have new phases and weak spots, which can be aggravating.

Naturally, you’ll have to best each Temple’s boss to awaken one of the Four Giants and acquire their remains. If you played Majora’s Mask on the Nintendo 64, you’ll be in for a surprise here as each boss has been fundamentally changed, somewhat simplifying them and expanding their attack patterns to allow for new ways to beat them. First up is Odolwa, a manic swordman who dances about and strikes with a gigantic blade. Originally, you’d use arrows or bombs to stun him and strike with your sword, but now you must brave being roasted alive as Deku Link to attack from above, exposing a big slimy eye that is a recurring weak spot for the 3DS version’s bosses. I always found Goht one of the more annoying bosses; the fight takes place on a never-ending track filled with ramps and Magic Jars and sees Goht gallop along, tossing bombs, causing rocks to fall, or summoning a thunder bolt. You’re encouraged to race after him as Goron Link, picking up speed to ram him and topple him over to attack his exposed eye, but you can actually just stand by the entrance and pelt him with arrows or even toss a bomb at him to speed things up. Gyorg was initially a pretty simple affair, testing your patience by having you wait on the central platform to shoot him as he jumps over then ram into him as Zora Link. Now, there’s a second phase that’s completely underwater; you must desperately avoid the mines and detach them to stun Gyorg, blasting his giant eye where possible, something made quite troublesome with the clunky swimming mechanics. Similarly, Twinmold is completely different; originally, you’d be forced to don the Giant’s Mask and attack the worm’s heads or tails with your sword while keeping your magic topped up. Now, you only earn the Giant’s Mask after pelting the boss’s first phase with arrows and must stomp about as Giant Link engaging Twinmold in a fist fight, then grab its tail when it’s stunned. Again, this is a much more aggravating boss battle because of this; Giant Link is a slow, lumbering character compared to the slipper Twinmold and your magic drains very quickly, causing the fight to drag unnecessarily.

Majora’s many forms and difficulty are rendered mute with the overpowered Fierce Deity Mask.

Once they’re all beaten, you must return to Clock Town on the final day and play the Oath to Order. This summons the Four Giants and stop the Moon from falling, but causes the Skull Kid to freak out and the demonic Majora to assume full control. You’re then transported to the strangely idyllic Moon’s surface, where you must challenge four short, troublesome obstacle courses themed around each Temple. If you’ve collected every additional mask, you can trade them all in here and gain the Fierce Deity Mask, which can only be worn in boss rooms and transforms you into a hulking adult equipped with a massive sword that fires magic-draining energy beams when L-Targeting. This is the only way I’ve battled the game’s final boss, Majora itself, which has three distinct forms: Majora’s Mask, Majora’s Incarnation, and Majora’s Wrath. You can tackle each using arrows and bombs and traditional tactics, but I never have. I simply L-Target the weird, increasingly grotesque demon and fling sword beams at it until it’s defeated. Its attacks include charging at Link like a buzzsaw, shooting a reflectable beam of fire, circling at super-fast speeds, firing energy blasts, dodging your conventional attacks, and attacking with two disturbingly organic tentacle-like whips. Majora also attacks using the boss’s remains and by summoning spiky, spinning tops and can cut through your shield if you’re not careful, but none of this is a concern with the overpowered Fierce Deity Mask.

Additional Features:
There are fifty-two Heart Pieces to find all around Termina; some are hidden in secret holes, some are up trees or require your weapons to access, some are gifted to you as rewards, and some require you to complete side quests. You’ll be dancing with the Rosa Sisters, giving a weird, disembodied hand some toilet paper, stopping a timer at exactly ten seconds, checking mailboxes, and besting the shooting galleries to acquire these helpful upgrades. Your main objective throughout the game is to acquire all the different masks, which requires interacting with all the NPCs and keeping an eye on their routines with the Bomber’s Notebook. While some masks are more useful than others, each has a specific function and will allow you to get other masks, Heart Pieces, or rewards depending on who you interact with when wearing them. Similarly, it’s worth seeking out the upgrades to Link’s sword, wallet, and items, if only to further explore the world, and making sure you bank your Rupees before resetting the three-day cycle. You’ll also find many Gossip Stones placed all over that will give you hints if you interact with them while wearing the Mask of Truth, and the Sheikah Stones return from Ocarina of Time 3D to provide you with more detailed directions if you get stuck. The manual save system has been revamped, with additional Owl Statues appearing in the game (though you can’t warp to all of them), and some of the rewards and side quests have been changed. Most notably, Link can now acquire seven empty bottles (which is, admittedly, a little excessive), with the last gifted after completing a new side quest involving the Gorman Troupe. Another new feature is the inclusion of two fishing holes, which you can either pay to use or acquire a pass to fish for various fish, though there are no rewards tied to this beyond trying to snag the legendary Lord Chapu-Chapu. Since the game resets when you go back in time, there’s no Boss Rush Mode this time around and, sadly, the developers didn’t see fit to include a mirrored Master Quest mode, though you now have three save slots instead of just two.

The Summary:
The debate about which game is better, Ocarina of Time or Majora’s Mask, is seemingly never-ending and, honestly, it’s a tough choice. Majora’s Mask is definitely a more daunting challenge; I can play through Ocarina of Time with my eyes closed but I’ve never beaten Majora’s Mask without a guide, purely because I want to complete all the side quests before facing Majora at the end and have the overpowered Fierce Deity Mask on hand. Yet, Majora’s Mask is such a step up in terms of visuals, scope, and world-building. Termina feels alive in ways Hryule does not and the stakes feel so much higher since you can see how the impending doom affects the different NPCs. The three-day cycle is as daunting as it is annoying at times, resetting all your hard work but also pushing you to restore the next area and save this bizarre land. Majora’s Mask may seem smaller due to its more focused approach, but the game and its land is as big (if not bigger) than Ocarina of Time, expanding upon and improving every element of its predecessor and really making you feel the gravitas of its bleak narrative. Link may not acquire any new weapons here, but the mask-based gameplay mixes the formula up in surprising ways, changing Link’s form and altering the way you play (even if the controls can be a struggle at times). The 3DS version makes way more changes to the original game compared to Ocarina of Time 3D and, while some (like the simplified bosses and tweaked controls) can be frustrating, the benefits outweigh these issues. The expanded Bomber’s Notebook, being able to jump to specific time periods, and the changes to side quests help make the game accessible and fresh for old and new players, in my eyes. Ultimately, I think Majora’s Mask is a dark horse of the franchise; it’s an incredibly engaging experience, packed with side quests upon side quests, and more than stands alongside its predecessor as one of Link’s finest (if surreal) adventures.

My Rating:

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Fantastic

Have you ever played the Nintendo 3DS remaster of Majora’s Mask? If so, what did you think to the graphical overhaul and additional features included? Which of the masks and many side quests was your favourite? Would you like to see this version ported to the Nintendo Switch to make it more accessible? Did you own Majora’s Mask back in the day? If so, did you ever tackle the final boss without the Fierce Deity Mask? Were you a fan of the three-day cycle? I’d love to hear your memories of Majora’s Mask so leave a comment below and go check out my other Zelda content! 

Mini Game Corner [PokéMonth]: Pokémon Stadium (Nintendo Switch)

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Upon the release of Pokémon: Blue Version and Pokémon: Red Version (Game Freak, 1996), a new craze swept through playgrounds. An entire generation grew up either playing Pokémon, watching the anime, playing the trading card game, and watching the feature-length movies as clever marketing saw it become a massively lucrative and popular multimedia powerhouse. Accordingly, February 27th is now internationally recognised as “National Pokémon Day”, which I expanded to an entire month of Pokémon this February.

Released: 12 April 2023
Originally Released: 30 April 1999
Developer: Nintendo EAD
Also Available For: Nintendo 64

A Brief Background:
Pokémon was an instant cultural phenomenon when it first released. It wasn’t just because of the games, which cleverly encouraged players to “Catch ’Em All”; it was the slew of merchandise and ancillary media that made Pokémon a household name. Right from the beginning, Pokémon was followed by spin-off games; whether it was the incredibly popular trading card game or other videogame genres, like pinball, Pokémon dominated an entire generation, especially on the Game Boy. Two years after the original games released, Japanese Nintendo 64 players were treated to Pocket Monsters’ Stadium. Originally intended as a launch title for the ill-fated Nintendo 64DD, the game was limited to only forty playable Pokémon but set the template for 3D Pokémon battles. Pokémon Stadium was its successor, incorporating 3D models and animations for all 151 Pokémon and being chosen for international release over its predecessor, much like how the inferior Pocket Monsters: Green Version was superseded by its successors. It was HAL Laboratory president Satoru Iwata who studied the Game Boy source code and converted it to work on the Nintendo 64, though Pokémon Stadium’s other big selling point was its ability to communicate with the Game Boy using the unique (and sadly underutilised) “Transfer Pak” to import copies of Pokémon from the handheld titles. Pokémon Stadium was generally well received at the time; reviews largely focused on praising the 3D models and impressive adaptation of the turn-based battle system, though criticised the annoying announcer. Though a best-seller, and followed by a superior sequel in 2000, Pokémon Stadium was stuck on the Nintendo 64 until it was finally made available to modern gamers, via the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pak, in 2023.

The Review:
Pokémon Stadium is a 3D Pokémon adventure in which players could upload copies of the Pokémon from the Game Boy games and battle it out in 3D against computer-controlled opponents or their friends. Since the Nintendo Switch Online version lacks connectivity with the Game Boy games (which aren’t even available on the Nintendo Switch Online as of this writing), you’re limited to using “rental” Pokémon, which can’t be renamed or customised in any way. When you first start the game, only 149 Pokémon are available to rent but you’ll gain access to Mewtwo and Mew by clearing all the game’s battle modes. Each rental Pokémon has four moves, with the third-stage evolutions (like Blastoise and Charizard) sporting better stats (higher attack and defence, for example) but wielding more unreliable moves (such as Fissure, a one-hit knockout move that can miss four times out of five) or moves with less Power Points (PP), such as Fire Blast and Mega Beam. Although I mentioned stats earlier, you can’t view the stats for any Pokémon in the game, rental or otherwise. You have no idea how strong your Pokémon is beyond the level they are and you have no options to improve their stats. The best you can do is use moves that buff them in battle, such as Swords Dance, to increase your chances of attacking before your opponent, or ones that de-buff your foe (such as Sand Attack to reduce their accuracy). As ever, Type advantages are a key factor in battle; Fire-Type moves are “super effective” against Grass-Type Pokémon, for example, which have the edge over Water-Type Pokémon. Many moves also have a chance of landing a “critical hit” for extra damage, missing, hitting you with recoil, or causing status effects. Pokémon can be burned, frozen, put to sleep, paralysed, and poisoned and you have no way to solve these ailments as there are no items here (though the game’s rigged to ensure no two Pokémon can be frozen or asleep in a battle).

All your favourite Pokémon are brought to life to battle in 3D.

The limitations don’t end there, either. Although you assemble a team of six Pokémon, you only ever battle with three. Similarly, while you can see your opponent’s available Pokémon, you have no way of knowing which ones they’ve picked so it’s best to assemble a diverse team. Luckily, every Pokémon has a diverse move pool consisting of elemental attacks, status-inflicting attacks, buffs, or alternative elemental attacks (Marowak, for example, not only has Ground-Type moves but also uses Fire Blast, a Fire-Type move) to provide additional coverage in battle. If you win without taking a single hit, you’ll earn an extra continue to battle on should you be defeated (though the Nintendo Switch’s save state feature can mitigate this). When taking on the titular Pokémon Stadium, you compete in one of four “cups”, each imposing level restrictions, to win one of four PokéBall-themed trophies by gaining six consecutive victories. The Gym Leader Castle has a similar setup, except you only have to win four battles (besting three underlings before challenging the Kanto Gym Leaders, Elite Four, and your Rival) and there are no level restrictions. Besting all these battles unlocks a final super boss battle against Mewtwo, in which you take six Pokémon in battle to beat him, unlocking the much tougher “Round 2” mode and changing both the title screen and the main menu accordingly. Battles are pretty basic; once you get over the fun, colourful, cartoonish animations of the Pokémon, you start to see how limited your options are. You can’t do anything but power through if your Pokémon is poisoned, its moves are disabled, or it gets confused and attacks itself. Type advantages can see you sweep entire teams, but the diverse move pools mean you can’t underestimate opponents, especially if you chose poorly when assembling your team. Finally, battling non-stop can get really tiresome; it’s definitely a game best played in little spurts rather than trying to beat everything in one sitting as the novelty quickly wears off.

While the visuals are decent, gameplay quickly becomes tiresome.

The grating announcer doesn’t help; this overly enthusiastic guy will spout the same exclamations over and over, chastising you if you take too long or pick the wrong Pokémon and screaming praise for every correct decision. Luckily, you can turn him off from the options. Unlike in the anime, Pokémon don’t scream their name when in battle (except for a Pikachu imported from Yellow Version), but this actually makes the game more appealing in my eyes. Pokémon are rendered in full 3D and exhibit a lot of personality; Mr. Mime actually mimes when idle, Onix’s body rotates and squirms, Muk is all sludgy and gooey, and Primeape dances about ready to fight. Rival Pokémon often sport rudimentary nicknames and alternative colour schemes and, while they only have a handful of animations, these work for the moves they perform, which are all brought to life in suitably dramatic fashion even if physical moves (like Mega Punch and Slash) don’t actually connect with the opponent as the Pokémon stay on each side of the arena. You never see the Pokémon Trainers except in profile pictures before and after battle and, while audiences react and make noise in arenas, you won’t see any spectators (at least, not clearly, anyway). Arenas are largely empty and underwhelming, to be honest; some are suspended over water or lava, some are inside, some outside, and you battle Mewtwo in a surreal sky landscape, but there’s nothing to really see as the focus is squarely on the 3D Pokémon models and their attack animations. This is fine and it all looks good and more accurate than the depictions in the anime, but again it’s all quite bland and tiresome after a while. The game is bolstered by renditions of the classic Pokémon theme, battle music, and other in-game tunes, which are always fun to listen to, but the introduction movie is incredibly basic and just showcases a few Pokémon models flying about.

While the mini games are fun, many of the game’s best features are now missing.

Of course, it’s not all battling in Pokémon Stadium, but that is half of the story in this version of the game. Normally, you could visit Professor Samuel Oak’s lab and organise or trade in Pokémon from the Game Boy games, but you can’t do that here. Most notably, you used to be able to access the GB Tower and play the original games on your TV screen, with options to speed up the gameplay at hand, but that’s also not available. Since you can’t import Pokémon, you can’t get the special Surfing Pikachu, though you’ll still be awarded with one of eight semi-rare Pokémon each time you clear the Gym Leader Castle. You can still visit the Hall of Fame and view the Pokémon character models up close, though you must best the Gym Leader Castle with all 151 Pokémon to do this (which also earns you a Psyduck that knows Amnesia). Luckily, you can still visit the Kids Club and play the many fun mini games on offer, either against the computer or alongside your friends. Here, you’ll copy Clefairy’s dance instructions, gobble up sushi with Lickitung, race against Rattata, cast Hypnosis against other Drowzee, see how any times you can get Magikarp to splash, charge up a dynamo with Pikachu or Voltorb, defend against incoming rocks with Kakuna and Metapod, toss Ekans like a ring, and dig into the ground with Sandshrew. These mini games are only short but they’re quite fun and addictive; the timing can be a little off at times and other times you must pay attention to not drain your health bar, but it’s enjoyable enough battling alone or against friends. I do wish the game did more with these, though, like maybe had a random mini game play during the cups to let you earn single-use items or some kind of buff. Other options include a gallery (another limited feature where you can photograph Pokémon to view its model, though you obviously can’t print these anymore), the ability to jump straight into a CPU battle, and unlockable stickers for the gallery when you beat “Round 2”. Beating the Kids Club’s “Who’s the Best?” mode on “Hard” unlocks the “Hyper” difficulty, but it can’t be denied that the game’s appeal and longevity suffer with this version since you can’t access the GB Tower.

The Summary:
I remember when Pokémon Stadium was announced and first released. It was the first time I can remember pre-ordering a game, and all my friends and I delighted in seeing our portable Pokémon brought to life in 3D. It was a big deal then, but it can’t be denied that Pokémon Stadium hasn’t aged well, hence this shorter review. It’s certainly still a lot of fun and a nostalgic high to see those early 3D Pokémon models, which were reused for many years after and are actually more lively than in some of the modern games, and I loved that they made noises like the in the Game Boy titles rather than screaming their names like in the anime. There are a few options available here, but Pokémon Stadium is essentially a glorified party game. When you’re not battling for cups and trophies, you’re battling the Gym Leaders, a friend, or the computer. When you’re not doing that, you’re playing mini games which, while fun, aren’t enough to sustain your interest for longer than half an hour or so. Without the GB Tower functionality, Pokémon Stadium loses a lot of its replay value, and you’re forced to focus on the repetitive and tiresome battling. With limited options, no items, and no room for customisation since you can’t import your portable team, the battling just appears very shallow and basic. As a 3D representation of Trainer and Gym Leader battles, it’s serviceable but Pokémon Stadium only does a rudimentary job of representing that one aspect of the mainline games. It’s fun enough in short bursts, but even then it can be tedious hearing the same announcements over and over and essentially just hitting A again and again to spam super effective moves since it lacks the depth and complexity of its far superior portable counterparts.

My Rating:

Rating: 2 out of 5.

Could Be Better

Did you enjoy Pokémon Stadium? Were you excited to see your team brought to life in 3D back in the day? Which of the mini games was your favourite? What did you think to the limited battle options and repetitive gameplay? Did you ever fill up the Hall of Fame and defeat Mewtwo? Are you disappointed that so much of the game is inaccessible in this version? Would you like to see another battle-centric 3D Pokémon game? How are you celebrating National Pokémon Day this year? Whatever your thoughts on Pokémon Stadium, feel free to leave them below and check out my other Pokémon content across the site.

Back Issues: Hulk #1-6

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Writer: Jeph Loeb – Artist: Ed McGuinness

Story Title: “Who is the Hulk?”
Published: 4 January 2008 (cover-dated: March 2008)

Story Title: “The Smoking Gun”
Published: 20 February 2008 (cover-dated: April 2008)

Story Title: “Creatures on the Loose”
Published: 23 April 2008 (cover-dated: June 2008)

Story Title: “Red Light, Green Light”
Published: 25 June 2008 (cover-dated: August 2008)

Story Title: “Rolling Thunder”
Published: 6 August 2008 (cover-dated: October 2008)

Story Title: “Blood Red”
Published: 24 September 2008 (cover-dated: November 2008)

The Background:
Created by legendary Marvel duo Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the depiction of Doctor Robert Bruce Banner transforming into the monstrous Incredible Hulk was inspired by a story of a hysterical mother summoning superhuman strength to rescue her child and classic screen monsters Frankenstein’s Monster and Doctor Jekyll and Mister Hyde. Initially appearing as a stone-grey creature, the Hulk has appeared in many forms and at different levels of strength and intelligence over the years. We’ve seen an old, dictator-like Hulk, an intelligent gangster Hulk, a “Smart Hulk”, and even a “Devil Hulk” so why not a Red Hulk? The idea of a Red Hulk can be traced back to Kenny Johnson, producer of the popular and iconic Incredible Hulk television series (1977 to 1982), who lobbied for the colour change since red is commonly associated with rage, the Hulk’s defining characteristic, only to have his logic dismissed. However, a mere thirty-odd years later, then-Marvel editor-in-chief Joe Quesada officially introduced a red variant of the Green Goliath, one whose identity was kept a closely-guarded secret for about three years. A dangerous, intelligent, and tactically-savvy villain who grew hotter the angrier he got, the Red Hulk was eventually revealed to be Banner and the Hulk’s long-time enemy, General Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross, a cantankerous military man who hounded both characters for decades. Naturally, General Ross appeared prominently in the Hulk’s ancillary media, appearing in cartoons and live-action many times, but the Red Hulk (or “Rulk” as he’s colloquially known) has not only been a card-carrying member of the Avengers but has also appeared in Hulk-centric cartoons and even unexpectedly appeared in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, courtesy of Harrison Ford.

The Review:
Our story begins in Russia, where Doctor Leonard Samson/Doc Samson and Jennifer Walters/She-Hulk investigate the sight of a fierce battle between the Hulk and his monstrous rival, Emil Blonsky/The Abomination. Begrudgingly, She-Hulk allows Samson to recreate the fight, deftly surmising and reenacting both character’s movements based on footprints and the surrounding devastation. It’s Doc Samson’s learned belief that the Hulk was unusually vicious, that he sought to beat the Abomination to death no matter what damage he caused in the process, and that, with his foe at his mercy, the Hulk drew a pistol and shot the creature at point-blank range. General Ross, Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement, and Logistics Division (S.H.I.E.L.D.) commander Maria Hill, and S.H.I.E.L.D. director Anthony “Tony” Stark/Iron Man, who are also present, question the legitimacy of such an outrageous claim. However, when Hill reveals that S.H.I.E.L.D. does make a weapon big enough for the Hulk to fire and Doc Samson points out the residual Gamma radiation, the evidence, however unlikely, becomes difficult to ignore. She-Hulk and Samson also note that the Hulk is apparently emitting so much radiation that he’s scorching the earth with each footprint. The team’s squabbling and theorising is interrupted by Russia’s equivalent to the Avengers, the Winter Guard, led by Anton/The Red Guardian, who demand to take charge of the investigation. Despite being invited by the Russian government, the Red Guard have issue with their unauthorised personnel, like Samson, who reacts by starting a fight with the Red Guardian. Not to be outdone, Mikhail Ursus/Ursa Major, Boris Vadim/Crimson Dynamo, and Sasha Roerich/Darkstar join the fracas, with the bear-like Ursa clawing She-Hulk’s arm and Iron Man blasting the mech-armoured Crimson Dynamo right in the face. The battle is violent but short-lived as General Ross discovers a survivor, a traumatised boy who can only repeat the word “Красногоin” (or “red”) over and over.

A mysterious Red Hulk murders the Abomination and trashes the S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier,

On the S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier, Maria shows Stark a version of the gun used to kill Blonsky, a weapon he had no knowledge of. However, their discussion is interrupted when She-Hulk is suddenly attacked by a monstrous, Hulk-like figure. Though Stark barely glimpses the creature, he sees that it’s red, not green, and is stunned when the unconscious and badly beaten She-Hulk is dumped at his feet. Stark armours up and meets agent Clay Quartermain, who’s been injured by the monster but no less determined to bring him, and any and all Hulks, down. Iron Man’s orders are cut short when the Red Hulk suddenly tackles him through a wall. Noting the strange contradiction of a Hulk that growls like an animal but apparently wields a pistol and systematically targets a Helicarrier, Iron Man scrambles to fend off the brute’s vicious attack and deploy his spare armours to help stabilise the Helicarrier and catch the jets that tumble from it following the Red Hulk’s attack. Though his armour’s severely damaged, Iron Man is saved from a plummet by She-Hulk, who reveals that the Red Hulk wiped S.H.I.E.L.D.’s secure files with a sophisticated virus, and that the Red Hulk threatened her with an eloquence not shown to Stark. Despite Iron Man’s best efforts, the gold-plated Helicarrier crashes in a New Jersey field (with, surprisingly, no causalities). Iron Man’s attempts to formulate an effective counterattack are put on hold when Maria shows him video footage of General Ross and Doc Samson meeting with Bruce Banner, who’s held captive in the Gamma Base located in Death Valley, Nevada. The footage confirms that there is another Hulk out there, one very different from Banner’s mindless alter ego, and Banner suggests it’s someone who’s previously been exposed to high levels of Gamma radiation. However, Iron Man’s enraged when a crucial exchange between Banner and Ross is rendered unintelligible and orders Maria to clean up the recording. Later, Iron Man is brought to a meat packing plant where Agent Quartermain has been found dead alongside a severely torn, Gamma-irradiated coat belonging to Doc Samson, framing the superhuman psychiatrist as the Red Hulk.

The Red Hulk easily overpowers A-Bomb and even the rampaging Green Goliath!

Elsewhere, the Red Hulk blindsides perennial sidekick Rick Jones outside Gamma Base, transforming him into his own Gamma monstrosity, the A-Bomb. It’s in this fight that we learn just how intelligent the Red Hulk is. While A-Bomb can only bark childish threats, the Red Hulk is goading, intelligent, and aware of his surroundings. Although Gamma Base recognises the Red Hulk as an authorised entrant, its defences fire on A-Bomb and Red Hulk takes advantage, swiping a massive cannon and taking great pleasure in riddling the armoured monster with bullets. When A-Bomb spits claims of his invulnerability, the Red Hulk gleefully tests his theory by pummelling him into the ground. The sheer force of the assault sends seismic shocks through the entire base and triggers Banner’s transformation into the Hulk when his cage attempts to gas him. As the battle rages, the base unleashes its Adamantium-taloned harpy robots (modelled after Banner’s long-time love, Doctor Betty Ross) to carry the two away. Unfortunately, the machines are no match for either monster’s strength, though the distraction separates them long enough for the Hulk to confront his red-skinned doppelgänger. Before the two can lock horns, however, the Red Hulk casually punches out Uatu the Watcher, who randomly popped up due to the significance of these two immensely powerful beings coming to blows (and, I guess, to show how tough this new Hulk is). After humbling the cosmic overseer, the Red Hulk finds the Hulk enraged by his appearance. The Hulk sees his red double an imitation and challenger to his title of “The Strongest One There Is”, a title he vehemently seeks to defend as aggressively as ever. Red Hulk, however, dives into the fight with relish, determined to make the Hulk pay for years of death and destruction, and for waging war against the entire planet after his return from Sakaar. Though the Hulk’s no longer as intelligent as his “World Breaker” persona, his strength only increases with his anger. However, the Red Hulk weathers the beating and easily grabs the Hulk’s wrist, breaking his arm and causing him to pass out.

Though he humbles Thor, the Red Hulk is outsmarted by the Hulk, his true identity left a mystery…

The Hulk awakens atop the Golden Gate Bridge and avoids a public execution by biting the Red Hulk’s gun. For his insolence, the Red Hulk decides to let his foe live with the knowledge that he’s not the strongest and knocks him into the bay, trigging the San Andreas fault. Thor Odinson then confronts the monster, only for the God of Thunder to be stunned when the Red Hulk shrugs off a blow from the mighty Mjöllnir. Savouring the chance to beat a God to death, the Red Hulk backs his words with blows powerful enough to draw blood and knock Thor flying. Thor fights back, not realising his foe is a different Hulk to the one he knows and is therefore left speechless when the intelligent Red Hulk gets around Mjöllnir’s enchantment by launching them out of Earth’s atmosphere. In zero gravity, the Red Hulk humbles Thor by beating him with his own hammer and dumping him on the Moon. After the Fantastic Four seemingly confirm that the Red Hulk is Doc Samson and A-Bomb pulls the Hulk from San Francisco Bay, Iron Man, She-Hulk, Ben Grimm/The Thing, Johnny Storm/The Human Torch, Prince Namor McKenzie/The Sub-Mariner, and Ares, the God of War, arrive to help save the city. While the Hulk initially rejects their assistance, he begrudgingly agrees to let them get San Francisco under control so he can confront the Red Hulk in Monument Valley. The Hulk’s efforts are aided by the returning Thor and A-Bomb, with the latter revealing the Red Hulk’s weakness (that he gets hotter the madder he gets) and restraining Thor so the Hulk can settle the score alone. Smartly, the Hulk absorbs the Red Hulk’s horrendous assault, causing the monster to overheat and grow weaker. The Hulk then asserts his dominance and knocks the Red Hulk out with a single punch. He then parts ways with Thor as friends before wandering into the desert, exhausted and reverting to Banner. However, when A-Bomb turns back into Rick and tries to reveal the Red Hulk’s identity, he’s shot in the back by Doc Samson. Both Samson and General Ross express disappointment with the Red Hulk, who they leave lying in the dirt as his eyes snap open…

The Summary:
First of all, I have to say that I love Ed McGuinness’s artwork. His work is always hyper-stylised and very bold and cartoonish, and he draws a wonderful Hulk and Hulk-like creatures, with them all being brutish monsters full of life and personality. You can tell so much about each of the Hulks in the way Ed McGuinness draws them: A-Bomb is constantly hunched over, as though weighed down by his armoured scales; the Hulk is always bulging and ready for a scrap; and the Red Hulk stands tall and confident, with a condescending smirk plastered to his face most of the time. The glue that holds this story together is the mystery of who the new Red Hulk is. At first, Doc Samson believes the Hulk is behind the Abomination’s murder. This is an odd hypothesis given he knows as well as General Ross that Bruce Banner is locked up in Gamma Base, but not one without merit; after all, Doc Samson himself once split Banner and the Hulk into separate beings. Naturally, given he was a bit of a dick around this time, Iron Man’s primary thought is to his culpability; he snaps and rages at Maria Hill about the Hulk-sized weapons S.H.I.E.L.D. developed and is desperate to ensure he can’t be held accountable for the murder. The evidence seems to ring true, but for the use of a gun and the scorched footprints, though She-Hulk remains unconvinced that her cousin was capable for such a cold-blooded act. Little moments throughout the story give some hints towards the Red Hulk’s identity, but there are numerous red herrings as well: Rick Jones, for example, seems tormented at the events, initially framing him as a suspect. We see that both Samson and Ross are authorised Gamma Base personnel, and that the base’s security recognises the Red Hulk’s iris. The garbled security footage seems to implicate Samson, as does his tattered coat, and the story even ends with the suggest that Doc Samson is the Red Hulk…until it’s revealed he’s not. But then again, General Ross is also seen standing over the Red Hulk’s unconscious body and he was right there when the Red Hulk attacked the Helicarrier, and he later turns out to be the Red Hulk! Indeed, the ending suggests more that Samson and Ross were in league with the Red Hulk, rather than being him, and I’d be interested to know or try and remember exactly how they explained how Ross and the Red Hulk could be in the same place at the same time (though it was probably a Life-Model Decoy).

The Red Hulk is an overpowered, egotistical, and incredibly dangerous Hulk.

As for the Red Hulk…well, this is a glorious showcase. Doc Samson’s intuitive nature reveals that the Red Hulk is a formidable foe, capable of beating even the super-tough Abomination into submission and fighting with a ferocity and power comparable to the Hulk. The Red Hulk is also seen to be tactically minded, launching an all-out assault against Iron Man’s fancy-pants gold Helicarrier and even wiping S.H.I.E.L.D.’s files. The Red Hulk’s intelligence is showcased in his eloquence; he delights in goading and taunting his foes as he fights them, displaying a familiarity with each and the defences of Gamma base. He repeatedly demonstrates a personal vendetta against the Hulk, first happy to frame him for murder and then delightedly besting him in a straight-up fight, even going so far as to break the Green Goliath’s arm and wish to publicly execute him. This, as he says, is payback for the Hulk’s years of death and destruction and more recent assault against the entire planet. The Red Hulk sees the Hulk as the true threat and is determined to stamp him out, but he’s also out to prove himself the superior being in mind and body. And what better way to do this than by not just beating the piss out of the Hulk and kicking him to the bottom of the San Francisco Bay, not just by punching out the Watcher, but by besting Thor in combat! Seriously, the Red Hulk is so massively overpowered it’s not even funny. Not only does he outmatch and humiliate Thor, even using insane logic to rob him of Mjöllnir, the Red Hulk completely disrespects and disregards the God of Thunder like he was nothing. A vindictive, calculating, ferocious opponent, the Red Hulk is so much than just another “Smart Hulk”. His blows have a purpose, striking at weak points and mixing pure power with tactical precision; he knows what he’s doing and enjoys doing it. His only weakness, one he doesn’t seem to realise, is that his body temperature rises exponentially when he gets mad, weakening him significantly. Well, it’s not his only weakness: he still needs to breathe, but that isn’t much of an issue considering he effortlessly trounced Thor while holding his breath.

The Hulk doesn’t care who his new foe is. He just wants to prove he’s the strongest!

The Red Hulk’s debut starts off as a showcase for the new Hulk on the block and a superpowered murder mystery. The investigation into the Abomination’s murder, the murder weapon, and the mystery of what’s happened to drive the Hulk to such an uncharacteristic action frames the first issue and a half. Once the Red Hulk makes his presence know, there’s some brief confusion as even Banner states that he’s been split in two and assumed different forms before, but then the crux of the story becomes trying to work out who this new Hulk is. Thus, everyone’s favourite Jade Giant doesn’t factor into the story for a few issues. Indeed, it’s up to the decidedly Hulk-like A-Bomb to carry the load when the Red Hulk targets him, but the action really ramps up when the two Hulks come to blows. I’m not sure what happened between Green Scar’s return to Earth and this story, but the Hulk has regressed to his mindless, child-like persona and is therefore at an initial disadvantage against his more tactile-minded doppelgänger. The Hulk’s driven to fight the Red Hulk out of a sense of pride (“Hulk is Hulk!”, after all) rather than to protect others, but his need to prove himself superior aligns with defending his few friends (such as A-Bomb) and allowing Iron Man and the others to save San Francisco. Thanks to Ed McGuiness, the Hulk-on-Hulk action is dynamic and interesting; it’s not just a senseless brawl as both Hulks weather their opponent’s onslaught to tire them out or strike when the opportunity presents itself. The Red Hulk, especially, stands out by using an enemy’s momentum against them and mixing brain with brawn, while the Hulk is naturally more savage and only tries a different tactic after seeing how dangerous his foe is. The art definitely makes his story a visually enjoyable experience and I did like the intrigue surrounding the Red Hulk. The red herrings and revelations are kind of odd knowing what I know now about the character, but it’s always nice seeing 2008-era Iron Man get his smug face smashed in and I loved that an intelligent Hulk proved to be such a threat. There’s definitely enough here to make me want to read up on what happened next with the Red Hulk and the lingering plot threat regarding Doc Samson, and the mixture of action and mystery were highly entertaining all-in-all.

My Rating:

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Great Stuff

Did you enjoy the Red Hulk’s explosive first appearance? Do you think the writers went a bit over the top in showcasing his threat, power, and intelligence? What did you think to the murder mystery sub-plot and who did you think the Red Hulk was? Were you impressed by the way the Hulk defeated his doppelgänger at the end? Which alternative version of the Hulk is your favourite? What are some of your favourite Red Hulk moments? Tell me your opinions on the Red Hulk in the comments and be sure to check out my other Marvel and Hulk content.

Back Issues & Knuckles: StC & Knuckles 2

Dr. K5 Comments

With the release of Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (SEGA Technical Institute, 1994) in February 1994, gamers were introduced to Knuckles the Echidna. This mischievous, dreadlocked antagonist was created by Takashi Yuda and is my favourite of Sonic’s supporting cast so I’m dedicating every Sunday to Rad Red!

Story Titles: “Mystery of the Sandopolis Zone” (Part 1 and 2), “Count Down to Disaster” (Part 1 and 2), and “Disaster!” (Part 1 to 3)
Published: 17 March 1995 to 9 June 1995
Writer: Nigel Kitching
Artist: Richard Elson

The Background:
After SEGA finally knocked Nintendo from the top of the videogame industry, the company almost immediately set about transforming Sonic’s popularity into mainstream success with a slew of ancillary merchandise, principally cartoons and comic books. Around six months after Archie Comics published their first Sonic stories, United Kingdom publisher Fleetway Editions Limited began their own series with “Britain’s Official SEGA Comic”, Sonic the Comic (StC), a fortnightly publication I collected diligently until its unfortunate end. Heavily influenced by the now defunct Mobius and Doctor Ovi Kintobor storyline that was popular outside of Japan, StC soon deviated from the source material, portraying Sonic the a mean-spirited leader of the rebellious Freedom Fighters, a group made up of both familiar characters and anthropomorphic characters adapted from the videogames. Like Archie Comics, StC featured some very loose adaptations of the videogames; these were often truncated or heavily altered to align with the comic’s noticeably different lore. Their introduction of Knuckles and their subsequent adaptation Sonic 3 was no different, though that multi-part arc did lead to the first of many solo ventures for the stubborn echidna. Many months later, StC’s creatives brought Sonic and Knuckles together as an unlikely and abrasive team in this loose adaptation of Sonic & Knuckles (SEGA Technical Institute, 1994).

The Review:
StC’s continuation of their Sonic 3 & Knuckles arc begins with Sonic and his sidekick, the perennial put down upon Miles “Tails” Prower, flying through the skies of Mobius to the Floating Island (as it was then known) in their biplane (which we now call the Tornado). Despite Tails’ worries, Sonic leaps off solo and lands in the arid desert of the Sandopolis Zone. He’s there to scope out some intel from his friend, fellow Freedom Fighter Porker Lewis, that maniacal despite Doctor Ivo Robotnik (who, at this point, currently dominates the entire planet) has secretly been repairing his ultimate weapon, the spherical Death Egg battle station, on the far side of the Floating Island. From the ancient ruins of Sandopolis Zone, Sonic spots the space station at the nearby Launch Base Zone but, before he can race to keep Dr. Robotnik from completing his repairs, he’s attacked by a particularly aggressive Sandworm Badnik. Caught off-guard, Sonic’s counterattack is interrupted by Knuckles, the pig-headed, super strong guardian of the Floating Island. The two immediately resume their rivalry, trading barbs with each other, and Knuckles clearly enjoys watching Sonic stubbornly refuse help. Of course, bashing Badniks is Sonic’s thing so he quickly trashes the Sandworm and the two realise that they’re there for the same reason since Knuckles is still cleaning up loose ends after he was tricked into helping Dr. Robotnik. Before they can reluctantly join forces to fight their common enemy, Captain Plunder and his Sky Pirates appear, angering Knuckles since he’s sick and tired of everyone and their mother showing up unannounced on his secluded island.

Sonic and Knuckles begrudgingly team up to intercept the Death Egg’s launch.

No strangers to each other, Sonic demands to know what the grim-faced walrus is doing there, and Captain Plunder eagerly reveals that he’s following an ancient treasure map, one he now realises led to the Floating Island since the mythical location has become common knowledge. With the aid of his newest crewman, known only as the Professor, Captain Plunder activates an ages-old control console and successfully raises the legendary Lost Pyramid of Sandopolis. The rag-tag group are immediately confronted by the pyramid’s guardian, a towering stone sentinel who easily reconstructs himself after being blasted with Sonic’s patented Spin Attack. Using his unparalleled knowledge of the island, Knuckles uses his head rather than his muscles and lures the guardian to some quicksand, subduing the titan just as the player would in the game. In the confusion, Captain Plunder and his cronies sneak into the cursed pyramid and discover a tomb full of riches, which they immediately pilfer. Naturally, Knuckles isn’t best pleased by this but, before he can stop the pirates, the tomb is plunged into darkness as the pyramid’s curse takes effect. Demonic ghosts chase them from the tomb, leaving them humiliated and penniless (though Captain Plunder spins a yarn of great danger and heroism to his crew). As for Sonic and Knuckles, they escape when Knuckles smashes a jar, flooding the room with sand and boosting them to a secret exit through a series of underground tunnels towards the live volcano that houses the looming Death Egg. When they reach the Lava Reef Zone, the duo is set upon by Dr. Robotnik’s rotund Eggrobos, which don’t just sport their master’s visage; Dr. Robotnik can see and hear everything through them. Sonic immediately attacks and is sceptical when Knuckles states he has a faster way to deal with them, though Rad Red comes through by smashing a nearby boulder and melting the hoard with a torrent of lava.

Though Super Sonic defeats Metallix, the Death Egg launches and prepares to fire.

Naturally (and correctly) surmising that Dr. Robotnik’s goal is the all-powerful Master Emerald, the gigantic jewel that keeps the Floating Island aloft, Knuckles leads Sonic to the Hidden Palace, where the Chaos Emeralds reside. Unfortunately, the Master Emerald is gone, dooming the island to drop into the ocean in mere hours. As for Dr. Robotnik, he’s already gloating about his supreme victory, not just because he’s close to the gem that will finally allow him to avenge himself upon the Emerald Hill Zone folk who so openly defy him, but also because an armour-clad, upgraded version of his ultimate creation, Metallix, is already drawing power from the Master Emerald. Sonic’s naturally shocked since the last time he tangled with Metallix, Sonic did a bit of time travel shenanigans to erase his metallic doppelgänger from history. The only explanation we get about how Metallix can still be around is a brief mention of a “brotherhood” of Badniks since exposition gives way to an all-out battle. Teleporting to the Sky Sanctuary Zone, the new Metallix proves its superiority by absorbing power from the Master Emerald and knocking Knuckles out. Despite Sonic trying to whip up a vortex to tear Metallix apart, he’s whacked by the Badnik’s extendable arm and socked into the air with a rushing uppercut. Unfortunately for Metallix, the shot sends Sonic flying towards the Master Emerald and, upon contact, the surge of Chaos energy transforms Sonic into his raging, demonic, invincible alter ego, Super Sonic. Super Sonic decapitates Metallix’s head with one blow and rips its remains apart in a mindless rage. Super Sonic then turns his wrath against Knuckles before the transformation wears off and Sonic regains his senses. Knuckles’ bruises are nothing compared to the sudden, dreadful realisation that the Master Emerald has been teleported away in the fracas. The two watch with horror as the mighty Death Egg finally launches, shaking what’s left of the Sky Sanctuary Zone apart with its vibrations.

An interior and external assault sees the Death Egg blasted from orbit once more.

Ecstatic at finally piloting his spherical space station once more, Dr. Robotnik sends a wave of Eggrobos after his foes. However, Knuckles begrudgingly carries them to safety by gliding on the turbulent winds. Sonic then pinballs off the Badniks to infiltrate the space station while Knuckles heads to a hidden chamber. Looking over some wizened scrolls, he activates an antiquated control console and literally pilots the Floating Island towards the Death Egg. Unlike the last time we saw Sonic explore the Death Egg, this rendition is gigantic, ominous, and filled with traps and Badniks. Sonic obliterates the Spikebonkers and then feigns surrender to enter  Dr. Robotnik’s main control room. There, he spots the Master Emerald and makes a beeline for it, desperate to remove the space station’s main power source before Dr. Robotnik can disintegrate the Emerald Hill Zone folk. Luckily, the Floating Island opens fire on the Death Egg using energy drawn from the very island. Enraged, Dr. Robotnik demands that his assistant, the long-suffering Grimer, turn the Death Egg’s main cannon on the Floating Island. However, the rotund dictator’s so caught up in his boastful gloating that Sonic knocks the Master Emerald free, disabling the Death Egg and leaving it wide open to Knuckles’ unrelenting barrage.

With Dr. Robotnik’s threat ended, Knuckles agrees to shelter Sonic’s friends on his secluded island.

Tumbling from the disintegrating space station, Sonic spots an Eggrobo snatching the Master Emerald. Thinking fast, Sonic swipes a laser blaster and destroys the Eggrobo, causing the Master Emerald to safely fall to the Floating Island. Sonic then saves himself by relieving another Eggrobo of its jetpack and riding it to safety, gloating as the exploding Death Egg falls from the sky. Upon spotting the Master Emerald, Sonic hefts it up (with no sign of Super Sonic this time around), determined to return it to the Emerald Chamber before the Floating Island crashes to the surface. Unfortunately, he’s taken by surprise when Dr. Robotnik fires upon a concussive laser blast from a gigantic suit of armour somewhat similar to the Giant Eggman Robo from the source material. Unlike that gruelling fight, where the mech boasted gigantic crushing fingers, fireball-sprouting nostrils, and a gigantic, Master Emerald-powered laser cannon, this suit’s primary attack is to try and crush Sonic with its fists. The desperation and high stakes see Sonic unleash aggressive Spin Attacks so savage that even Dr. Robotnik comments upon Sonic’s grim attitude. Still, Sonic is horrified when his final blow causes Dr. Robotnik to topple over the island’s edge. However, the maniacal dictator’s luck holds out as his damaged jet propulsion system means the fall isn’t fatal. Sonic’s equally as unimpressed to see Knuckles rushing up to him, too late to help with the battle and demanding the safe return of the Master Emerald. However, Sonic doesn’t hand over the gem that easily. Realising that Dr. Robotnik will never rest until he’s destroyed the Emerald Hill folk, Sonic agrees to return the Master Emerald in return for safe shelter for his friends. Thus, amidst the last vestiges of a downpour, the displaced Emerald Hill folk are safely hidden from Dr. Robotnik’s repercussions in the island’s Mushroom Hill Zone, high up in the sky. And good thing, too, since the injured Dr. Robotnik swears revenge against both Sonic and Knuckles.

The Summary:
StC was really at its peak around this time. This second round of Sonic 3 & Knuckles stories really ups the ante from Knuckles’ first introduction, which barely touched upon the gameplay mechanics, locations, and intricacies of the source material. To be fair, this was common in StC’s adaptations and subsequent stories did explore other aspects from the game, so basically Angel Island’s areas were incorporated into StC canon and formed the basis of plenty of other stories, short and long. But, at its core, the first arc was more concerned with the rivalry between Sonic and Knuckles, the fusion of the twelve Chaos Emeralds, and Dr. Robotnik’s attempt to attain Godhood. This second arc visits far more locations from the game and even incorporates mechanics seen in those areas, such as the pyramid from Sandopolis, the light gimmick and scary ghosts, and the crumbling Sky Sanctuary Zone. Every location and character is brought to life by the peerless Richard Elson, who brings a kinetic, visual power to every action. This is best evidenced in Sonic and Knuckles’ battle against Metallix, which conveys the speed and raw power of the Badnik like never before, instantly differentiating it from its predecessor and emphasising its threat. Things only escalate when Knuckles pilots the Floating Island and fires on the Death Egg, a unique plot thread obviously missing from the videogames but which adds further lore to the mysterious nature of the island, which holds secrets even Knuckles is just now discovering. While Super Sonic wasn’t much of a factor, his appearance was a welcome one and helped sell the threat of the Metallix, itself a lingering plot threat explored in later issues. I really liked that Sonic and Knuckles were teamed up this time around; Tails and the other Freedom Fighters were basically absent but it was a nice bookend to their previous meeting, where they fought against each other and begrudgingly teamed up in the finale.

Rivals Sonic and Knuckles team up against a common foe.

The two work surprisingly well together here. Perhaps because of their common enemy and the very real threat the Death Egg poses, there’s little bickering between the two. They’re largely on the same page, save for a few barbs here and there, and Sonic defers to Knuckles’ expertise regarding the island numerous times. Naturally, a spirited rivalry remains, with Sonic being the flashy showman who never admits when he’s wrong and Knuckles taking a more measured approach, utilising the environment or his know-how to quickly dispatch enemies and focus on the big picture. His primary concern is the safety of the Floating Island, which he feels has been defiled ever since Dr. Robotnik and Sonic arrived there. He just wants to clear out Dr. Robotnik’s influence and get things back to normal and is extremely intolerant of any intruders, even allies like Sonic. Unfortunately for Knuckles, he’s become part of a larger world, something even he acknowledges since he attacks the Death Egg not just for the Floating Island, but to safeguard the entire planet. Having previously experienced the Death Egg’s power before, Sonic knows all-too-well with the space station is capable of. Readers got a taste of this a few issues back when Dr. Robotnik ran a simulation that resulted in Sonic and Tails being vaporised, and the ever-present threat posed by the Death Egg clearly weighs heavily on Sonic’s mind. Sonic gives Badniks and Dr. Robotnik alike a taste of his smart mouth, but he knows what’s at stake and even welcomes transforming into Super Sonic if it means dispatching his metallic doppelgänger and safeguarding the Master Emerald. Consequently, Sonic defiantly battles a roomful of Spikebonkers, desperate to knock out the Master Emerald, only to despair when, for the first time in his life, he’s too slow to save his friends. It’s only because of Knuckles’ attack that Sonic dislodges the power source, and even Sonic must commend the echidna’s thinking (though, tellingly he, never expresses gratitude to his rival at any point in this arc).

Dr. Robotnik’ mad ambitions almost succeed but for the intervention of his worst enemies.

This focus on Sonic and Knuckles means there’s not much panel time for Dr. Robotnik. When we do see him, he’s raving about his need to acquire the Master Emerald, boasting about having acquired it, or anguished at having lost it. He constantly brags to Grimer about his superiority and the power of the Death Egg and relishes having a front row seat to witness the demise of his foes. Once the Death Egg launches, Dr. Robotnik is practically giddy with glee and immediately aims his ultimate weapon at the Emerald Hill Zone, ready to wipe the whole town and its inhabitants out. He’s aghast when Sonic and Knuckles destroy his beloved space station and finally takes matters into his own hands, piloting a mech suit far larger than the one seen in the last arc and taking the fight directly to Sonic. However, even Dr. Robotnik underestimates Sonic’s anger and determination; in the face of Sonic’s raw speed and power, the malevolent dictator is helpless, mech suit or not, and sent plummeting to a nasty landing, his dreams of all-out destruction quashed for now. By spreading the Sonic 3 & Knuckles story across intervening stories and giving the source material time to breath in this main arc, these issues tell one of the first great epics in StC’s run. The stakes were high and tangible: Dr. Robotnik wasn’t using magic gems to become a God or anything like that. He built the Death Egg just as he built Metallix and his Badniks, and it stands as the ultimate weapon of his vengeance upon those who defy him. Seeing Sonic and Knuckles properly team up, utilising their individual strengths in creative ways, was a blast and a taste of an ongoing begrudging alliance that would last until the comics were cancelled. Newcomers may be confused about Captain Plunder, Metallix, Super Sonic’s portrayal, and Dr. Robotnik’s vendetta against the Emerald Hill folk, but I’d still rate this as one of the best adaptations of Sonic 3 & Knuckles just because it takes the time to explore different locations from the games and provide a unique spin (pun intended) on some recognisable elements rather than simply taking the basics and weaving it into an all-new canon, as is usually the case.

My Rating:

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Great Stuff

Have you ever read Sonic the Comic’s second Sonic 3 & Knuckles arc? Did you enjoy seeing Sonic and Knuckles team up this time? What did you think to the use of locations and mechanics from the games? Were you surprised that Knuckles turned the Floating Island into a weapon? Which of StC’s videogame adaptations was your favourite? How are you celebrating the debut of Knuckles today? Please feel free to share your memories of StC and Sonic 3 & Knuckles below and go check out my other Sonic and Knuckles content.