Page 37 - OSG Presents Classic Gamer Magazine #3

I the floor-
n the mid-to-
boards, and
late 1980’s,
at a time
your fellow
when the some contain
Nintendo Enter- counselors.
tainment System Here is where
had taken its the resource
place as most management
beloved home part comes in.
video game sys- Suppose
tem, odd and un- By you've been
necessary li- Kyle controlling
censes began Snyder George, and
sprouting up all he's been on
over the video the receiving
game landscape. Manufacturers You start with an unlimited supply of end of too many zombie attacks. He's
thought that by tacking a popular name rocks to throw, and can upgrade to hurting bad, but he happens to hold an
and character onto a mediocre game, knives, machetes, axes, and pitchforks. axe. George enters a cabin, and
sales would go through the roof. They The more powerful the weapon, the there's Crissy, happy and feeling
were mistaken. Remember "Yo Noid!," better you can keep zombies at bay healthy. At this point you have to de-
the abysmal platformer featuring the (and the wolves, ravens, and bats that cide, do you: (A) Exit George from the
Domino's Pizza mascot? Or how about you will encounter in other scenes). cabin, undoubtedly getting finished off
"Back to the You can also by zombies and losing the axe, or do
Future"? Had jump over the you (B) Give Crissy the weapon, so
Doc Brown baddies ("A" but- someone with full health can continue
and Marty ton), but it's so the fight? Having this ability to trade
known much more fun to weapons with other counselors enables
that game was pummel them. you to retain a powerful means of of-
on the horizon, But what's fense when a character is lost.
they probably that? A strange Oh jeez... there's those kids again!
would have beeping siren? But Crissy is over on the opposite side
stayed in the Uh-Oh, that of the camp! What's a girl to do? Ah-
'50s! means the kids HAH!!! She whips out her cell phone
One license are in danger! and calls Laura, who’s hanging out in a
that looked like Yes, this time, cabin much nearer the lake. Okay,
it would pro- unlike the movies okay, so there's no cell phones in this
duce a simi- (except for Part game, but you do have the ability to
larly poor 6), the children select a different counselor in an effort
game was are actually AT- to reach the children faster. Further-
Paramount TENDING the more, each counselor has a varying
Pictures' camp at the time degree of speed, jumping height, and
"Friday the 13th." Jason Meets a New Friend of Jason's ram- resistance to injury. Our old friend
I mean, what else page! When you George is rather slow, and can't jump
could they do other than have you con- hear that siren, you better get hoofing as high as the others, but he doesn't
stantly running in terror from every- over to the cabins on the edge of the take nearly as much damage from the
one's favorite summer camp slaugh- lake. That's where you hid the children, baddies. On the other hand, Crissy is
terer, Jason Voorhees? The answer? but it seems that Jason's found them quite the sprinter and reaches great
A LOT. LJN created a great game in- anyway. Entering the cabin, you find height when she leaps, but she bruises
volving strategic planning, resource that Jason is in the next room, and you easily. And lest you think this a sexist
management, and the traditional run- must save the children! Luckily you game, there ARE weak guys, and
ning and jumping motif so common to picked up a knife, so you can defend strong gals, and counselors with abili-
games of that era. yourself with ties in between,
The game begins by showing you a something so it's very much
map of Camp Crystal Lake and the sur- other than like you’re control-
rounding grounds. Six camp counsel- rocks. A mano ling a small
ors are smiling at you on the bottom of a mano battle "army" of fighters
the screen, blissfully unaware of the with Jason en- against the main
situation you are about to send them sues, and you foe...
into. BWAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAA!!!! are trium- Jason Voorhees.
(Sorry, got a little carried away there!) phant... this You gotta ad-
Anyway, you select a counselor, and time. mire that Jason.
the game switches to a side view You go back He doesn't let
(usually associated with games like to exploring the anything get in his
Super Mario). Suddenly, zombies crawl grounds, and way... his single-
up from the Earth and begin to aim- find that some minded goal of
lessly wander around. Touching the of the cabins obliterating any-
undead drains some life from your guy contain items, body who walks
or gal. So, why not FIGHT BACK???? I some contain on his camp-
mean, that's what the "B" button is for! notes tossed on ground is his only

Classic Gamer Magazine Spring 2000 37