Cool slice of comic book action
It's been a long time since comic book hero Flash Gordon has ever received much interest but back in the day, he was a force to be reckoned with. This long forgotten adaptation of the legend that is Flash follows the often used 1980s-style format of several different styles thrown together to make one game (as in Savage or several of Ocean's movie licenses like Robocop) and here it actually proves quite successful, making this a fun retro experience. Of course, Flash is up against his old nemesis Ming and only has 24 hours to defeat him before he takes over the Earth. The different styles are quite similar but provide a few interesting challenges and see Flash engaging in some simple side scrolling platform shenanigans before moving on to a bit of hand-to-hand combat, where Flash has to fight Prince Barin in order to win his trust. The final section is a mad motorcycle-based level, where Ming's guards try to take out Flash but if you pass this successfully, you finally get to face the evil emperor himself. Flash Gordon is a distinctly old-school slice of gaming but for real retro heads, it's something of a treat. The first level isn't up to much but later stages improve somewhat and the whole thing is put together with competence if not style and sophistication. The time limit adds a nice element to proceedings, while the differing level styles also help to keep you on your toes and provide the kind of variety that is often lacking in modern games. Graphics are pretty simple but remain quite characterful and are especially appealing when considered that this was originally a budget game. Flash Gordon is certainly no classic but if you are after a cool blast from the past, this is worth digging out.
