I’ve actually been trying ahead to Retro-Bit’s NES reissue of 1991’s Hammerin’ Harry. Nevertheless, looking back, that is partially resulting from me getting it confused with Don Doko Don, a 1989 arcade recreation in Taito’s single-screen format. If I knew what I used to be eager about, I’d be much more excited.

Hammerin’ Harry is a port of Irem’s 1990 arcade recreation, which was referred to as Daiku no Gen-san: Beranme-chō Sōdōki in Japan. Whereas Irem is probably finest remembered for his or her R-Kind collection, their again catalog is constructed from an especially colourful mixture of titles on each arcade and consoles. There are a variety of underappreciated greats like Undercover Cops and Gekisha Boy which, to be honest, are largely unknown within the West as a result of they had been by no means localized.

Hammerin’ Harry was, technically, localized, nevertheless it was solely launched within the tumultuous NES PAL area. Due to its late launch in a restricted market, it tends to resell for an especially excessive value. Nevertheless, Retro-Bit has despatched me a duplicate of their current retro re-issues to check out. It’s each a meaty morsel to sink our enamel into and one thing concurrently insubstantial.

The nail that pops up

If you happen to’re unfamiliar with the arcade model, there’s not a lot to say. It’s a sidescroller the place you play as a beefy carpenter dude who wields a giant mallet. A rival development firm tears down his home for no motive, and he heads out to file a criticism with their boss. 

It’s a fairly routine affair the place you journey the six ranges whereas bopping enemies. It’s also possible to (typically) deflect projectiles again at them, bash the bottom to stun enemies, and bop upwards. Then there are containers and different objects within the environments which you could ship flying at enemies, in addition to power-ups that offer you a much bigger mallet or defend you from an extra hit. Within the arcade model, you’re useless if you happen to even brush elbows with an enemy.

Cease! Hammer time!

The 1991 NES model is fairly devoted. The degrees and executives have been modified rather a lot to accommodate the extra restricted {hardware} to the purpose the place they’re all basically model new. There are solely 5 ranges as an alternative of the arcade model’s six, however considered one of them is totally new. Moderately than die in a single hit, Harry has a well being bar. There are actually bonus rounds between ranges the place you smack as many enemies as doable, type of like whack-a-mole.

Nevertheless, it’s the identical the place it actually counts. Harry has all of the strikes and power-ups he does within the arcade, however extra importantly, the graphics are nonetheless extraordinarily detailed and expressive. Clearly, the NES can’t match the arcade recreation, nevertheless it’s not a lazy facsimile. The artwork is total very spectacular, even for a 1991 title.

I’m undecided how you’re feeling about me spoiling a 30-year-old recreation, however the ending is one of the best a part of the NES model. Whereas the arcade has Harry climbing the evil development firm’s headquarters and bashing the boss till he modifies his methods, the console model has that very same boss flee the combat. In his place, his receptionist bursts in, transforms into, like, the Final Warrior, and tries to take you down. You then comply with the boss to his home, which is the fully new stage.

H’MM’RNHRY

Surprisingly, the console model of Hammerin’ Harry preserves the voice clips of the arcade model. Every time you start a stage or proceed after a dying, Harry shouts, “Let’s get busy!” When he dies, he exclaims, “Ouch!” Whenever you full a stage, somebody shrieks, “H’MM’RNHRY!” It’s surprisingly clear, even when it nonetheless appears like a drive-thru speaker.

One place the place it ought to have deviated from the arcade title is in its size. Whereas it is smart to maintain a recreation brief within the arcade, since persons are often standing to play, it results in actually brief console video games. In all, Hammerin’ Harry took me round 45 minutes to finish, and this was my first time taking part in it. I died loads of instances, however there is no such thing as a restrict on continues, so there’s nothing to cease you from brute-forcing your means by way of it.

Hammerin’ Harry is much from the shortest recreation of the period. Off the highest of my head, The Little Mermaid on NES and Kirby’s Dreamland on Sport Boy are roughly the identical runtime. Nevertheless, that’s hardly a praise. It feels insubstantial, particularly if you happen to don’t have the Japan-only sequel to maneuver on to.

What’s within the field?

Fortunately, I do have the sequel to segway into. Retro-bit despatched me the Concrete Assortment which comes with their reissue of Hammerin’ Harry, and their localization of Daiku no Gen-san 2: Akage no Dan no Gyakushō, which has been translated to Hammerin’ Harry 2: Dan the Pink Strikes Again.

For Hammerin’ Harry, Retro-Bit obtained artistic with the cartridge. It’s encased in a wood-grained textured plastic. The texture of the cartridge is a bit smoother than an official NES recreation, however the development is stable. I took it aside, and there’s a clean-looking PCB solidly fastened in there. These are the primary NES video games I’ve acquired from them, and it’s good to see they get the identical remedy as their Genesis titles. They really feel like high quality in your arms, however there’s no means anybody would mistake them as an unique manufacturing.

Tenderized

Alternatively, it offers me an excuse to speak about some obscure titles, which inserts neatly with the intentions of this text. I recognize Retro-Bit’s efforts in giving new consideration to uncommon and unlocalized video games by way of its re-issues.

Hammerin’ Harry was an exceptionally enjoyable one to go to. As I mentioned at first, it’s been on my radar for fairly some time. Past simply being a brief however pleasant platformer, it’s additionally an infectiously energetic recreation with terrific artwork design full of humorous thrives. It may not be the console’s finest sidescroller, nevertheless it’s undoubtedly not boring.

Whereas there was just one Hammerin’ Harry arcade recreation, the collection stretched on throughout many platformers all through its lifespan. Solely the arcade title reached North America, however the Sport Boy recreation, 1992’s Hammerin’ Harry: Ghost Constructing Firm, did get a launch in Europe. That’s till the 2008 PSP title, Hammerin’ Harry lastly crossed the globe. It is smart for the reason that video games are steeped within the tradition of Japan. It’s only a disgrace that it’s taken till now for us to get an official launch over right here.

For different retro titles you could have missed, click on proper right here!