Mission Impossible

#gm0129 - Developed by Palcom and published by Ultra Games Inc., Mission Impossible was released in September of 1990 and is a game that I found surprisingly good. Based on the 2nd Mission Impossible TV series, I wasn't expecting much from this offering, but got a well very done game. It incorporates an overhead 2D adventure style (as used in original Legend of Zelda) with great gameplay and character control, and that makes for less frustration and reaction time. The scenario is that Dr. O, the world-acclaimed genius behind the U.S. military defense system, and his fetching secretary Shannon, were mercilessly snatched by the Sinister Seven. Your mission, should you decide to accept it, is to rescue Dr. 0 and Shannon from the grubby clutches of the Sinister Seven as quickly as possible. Your life resource decreases each time you are caught in a trap or hit by enemy bullets. In this game you can actually dodge bullets thanks to the very fluent movement of the characters. You are considered dead when your life resources runs out or you are hit by a car. Death will also occur if you fall into a hole or a body of water. As you fight your way through each of the Mission Impossible game areas, you must obtain information and the vital ID cards for your quest. If you lose your way or get caught without an ID card, you will lose a member of your team. There are also some nice stealth aspects to the game as you avoid surveillance cameras or move outside your enemy's field of vision. All in all a very challenging game. Mission Impossible lives up to it's name as it is a difficult NES game. Those who love a challenge will enjoy it if not for that reason alone. (Rarity rating C+)