Aldo's back!
This is actually the third game in a series which has managed to change little over the course of the three titles and which also commits the cardinal sin of simply ripping off better and more inventive games in the process. The original game was Aldo's Adventure and which was followed up by Aldo Again but clearly the makers thought they were on to such a good thing that they decided to make a third game which was almost entirely identical to its predecessors. The clear source of inspiration here is Donkey Kong, Nintendo's groundbreaking arcade platform hit. The gameplay here is almost identical, with players required to move a character who bears more than a passing similarity to the industry legend that is Mario around a series of single screen levels. The main goal is to reach the treasure chest which usually lies in the far corner and it's basically a case of running, climbing and jumping your way up and down ladders and over the many barrels which come rolling after you. Throw in plenty of tricks and traps like invisible platforms and the like and you pretty much have the Aldo series wrapped up in a bow. If taken on its own terms, the Aldo's Assault is a perfectly decent little platformer. The levels are pretty cleverly designed while being incredibly challenging, thanks partially to a slightly dodgy control system, so be prepared for some moments of hair pulling and yelling in frustration. It's more the lack of respect and originality that is most disheartening here but if you can get past this, you may have fun with Aldo.
