Megadrive - Dynamite Headdy

Format
Megadrive
Publisher
Sega
Developer
Treasure
Country of origin
Japan
Genre
Platform

Dynamite Headdy

By Eric
22nd Jan 05

Another fun but overlooked 16-bit game...what a shame. If more than five of the people reading this review have ever played this game, I'd be quite surprised. Dynamite Headdy was an incredibly original and charming platformer. Unfortunately, it couldn't compete with Sonic the Hedgehog in sales.

Headdy is a puppet. The whole game's cast are puppets. Not the government kind, mind you. I'm talking about puppets for children's shows. Heroes, villains, they're all some sort of puppet. Now, that doesn't mean you'll see strings everywhere, it just means there's a reason Headdy looks like whatever the hell he is. The puppet thing aside, you must go through nine stages (acts) with several levels (scenes) each. Why? Well, it seems that an evil puppet called the Dark Demon (who actually looks rather sinister for this game) took over the puppet world and is rehabilitating the puppets to be evil. In order to stop him, you have to collect keys from boss puppets called "gatekeepers" in order to unlock his fortress. Problem is, these gatekeepers are using these keys like wind-up dolls would...so you gotta fight for them first.

Each level is wildly imaginative. Midbosses are frequent to shake things up, and level objectives change constantly. Sometimes you just need to get from point A to point B, but other times you'll have to finish a level by escaping a giant robot, defeating a rival on a tower while he tears off huge chunks of the platforms you're climbing, and the like. Secrets are everywhere, too, and the the gatekeeper fights will each require very different strategies.

Perhaps the most interesting part of this game is just how Headdy fights. He prefers the ancient art of Head-Fu, which seems to involve catapulting your head at enemies. Since he has no neck, it's quite feasible, although his attack range usually doesn't have much distance. Sound dull? Don't worry, there are lots of power-ups that give headdy new heads with new powers. You can get the vaccuum head to suck up enemies, the spiky head to climb walls, the winged head to increase your speed and attack range, and lots of others. Trust me, that head is lethal.

Headdy is a great game, but by now everyone's become accustomed to me pointing out the flaws towards the end. Well, the reward you get for completing all the bonus levels is pretty lame. Also, some areas (especially the final boss) are unforgiving in their difficulty. Lastly, it doesn't have a lot of replay value. You'll spend time finding all the secrets, sure, but after that there's not much left. Nonetheless, it's a game you'll have fun with, and maybe even a laugh or two. I never get tired of abusing that janitor...Yeah, I know. I'm going to hell.

Score: 9/10

-- Eric 22nd Jan 05

Megadrive Dynamite Headdy Images