Power Rangers Lightspeed Rescue

Written by Matt Swider  on November 20, 2000

Review: This game is better than Superman 64, and that's about it

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When THQ picked up the rights to make the Power Rangers series, I never had a good feeling about its development. Sure, the Power Rangers series was extremely popular at one time, but that was years ago. Now, a dreary title results from the mistake of attempting to bring a dying franchise to the N64.

There is only so much you can do in developing a title based on Power Rangers, and it shows in the reply department. After spending a couple minutes playing the game, it becomes so repetitive, that you actually wish you were watching the T.V. show instead. Just ashame.

When comparing to recently released titles, Power Rangers lands nowhere near the far short area of the usual mediocre games on the N64. Basically, it lacks in graphics as well as gameplay. Visuals seem to have low/no-textured quality and the characters use animations too simple to take notice of. I would have paid more attention to the backgrounds used in the game, but there was this dust particle on my T.V. screen much more interesting than anything happening in the game. While the developer figured that using a limited amount of enemies on the screen would keep the framerate up, it sure didn't keep the gameplay lively enough to stay awake. In fact, I beat the game in my slumber.

Power Rangers contains little or next to no audio throughout the game. If you do happen to hear something, you will be hearing it the whole time, again, and again, and yes, even again. The music seems to have a Power Rangers sound to itЕso yes; the music wasn't very well done either. There isn't much more to say about the sounds, especially since I have about three times the amount of words to audio samples actually played in this game. And I mean in this paragraph alone.

In the way of features, you may find the title to be worth your money. Well, not actually, but let's just say it has something here, unlike many other parts of the game. More than 3D levels have been included, played within one of four different scenarios. First off, we have a 3D, top-down setting where you go around collecting items, saving citizens and fighting off the robots that are no smarter than a retarded monkey. What can you do in this 3D environment? Move in a direction and either shoot forward and backward. No Metal Gear Solid crawling or climbing, not even a jump button. This results in limited action, movement, and means zero strategy and dull gameplay.

Okay, while that scenario wasn't the greatest, we still have some more modes, right? Well, to be honest, they weren't any better. What we are left with is a scrolling 2D scenario limiting where you shoot objects, and collect people stuck on streets. The other is a Mech style Mega Zord battle against enemies. Wait, didn't I say four? Why, yes I did. What's this last scenario that may make the title worth buying? It's exactly the same as the Mega Zord Battle, but enables you to have another player involved... too bad you won't have any if you flash around this game often enough.