I first played Turrican on the C64 when I was about 10 and it was amazing. Recently I have rediscovered it on the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive and it is every bit as brilliant now as it was back then. 

What set Turrican aside from all the other platform games out there is the sheer size of the levels and the amount of exploration you can do. Everything is vividly detailed and it's full of eye candy. Plus the music it to it was some of the best ever heard on the C64. However I did find the Sega interpretation of this music to be somewhat dull and nowhere near as lively and upbeat.

It's also one of the very few games I managed to complete without cheating, I felt very proud when I was a kid but I must confess to using the Game Genie to finish the, much harder, Sega version.

You play a man in a suit of advanced armor (the Turrican suit) who must fight against loads of aliens and machines in order to save the earth. It looks a lot like Metroid for the NES in fact. And I'm kind of sad that although it spawned a few sequels, Turrican never really took off to be such a successful franchise like Metroid did. I really do think that a new Turrican game on a console such as the GBA or Nintendo DS would be a great idea. The game has such potential to work brilliantly as a new title on newer hardware.

Overall, it's a great game and it was released on so many old-school consoles that you must have come across it at some point. If so you'll know what I mean when I say it should be brought back.

Graphics A Sound B Gameplay A Lasting Appeal A-

The action genre features fast-paced, thrilling, and intense sequences of physical feats, combat, and excitement. The characters of these stories are involved in daring and often dangerous situations, requiring them to rely on their physical prowess, skills, and quick thinking to overcome challenges and adversaries.

The adventure genre features exciting journeys, quests, or expeditions undertaken by characters who often face challenges, obstacles, and risks in pursuit of a goal. Adventures can take place in a wide range of settings, from exotic and fantastical locations to historical or even everyday environments.

The sci-fi genre, short for science fiction, features imaginative and futuristic concepts that are often rooted in scientific principles, technology, and possibilities. These stories delve into "what if" questions and can serve as a platform to address contemporary social, political, and ethical issues by projecting them onto future or alternate settings.

James Earl Jones and David Prowse in Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980)

Turrican is a fast paced side scrolling shoot-em up. It features huge levels, many power-ups, and challenging gameplay.

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