Famicom World

Intro (Storyline) 1.5

Believe it or not, Konami has made games early on that weren't as violently intense as future titles, such as Salamander, Contra, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. In fact, the games they made before those were very kiddie! The Goonies and The Goonies II were both non-violent fun, for example; however, the best example is Konami's first title ever: Antarctic Adventure.

There's no storyline to Antarctic Adventure. You're a plump penguin, and you're racing to different little houses. A game like this, however, doesn't really even need a storyline. It's just simple arcade-style fun.

Graphics 3.0

For 1985, the graphics aren't bad. The penguin has a cute anime look to him, and the enemy seals look like what they're supposed to: clumsy idiots that stick their heads out of the ice every four seconds in an effort to knock you off course when you're trying to run. The game smoothly creates the appearance that you're running and flapping your wings.

Audio 3.5

There are few sounds, but the theme that plays while you're doing the running is very, very catchy. You might think it would be an annoying song repeated over and over again, but instead it's a catchy song that's repeated over and over again.

The sound effects are OK, possibly one of the flew inadequacies in the game. They're a little lame.

Gameplay 4.0

Antarctic Adventure has great gameplay! The penguin runs to beat the time limit -- all while trying to avoid seals who stick their head out to make you tumble. You jump over holes in the ice and collect flags that allow you to FLY! Yes, if you get a flag, your penguin flaps its little wings flying! It's only for a little while, and can be stopped by a well-timed seal, but it's a cute addition nonetheless.

The goal of the game is simply to beat the clock before time runs out. There are various courses to play.

Controls 4.0

The controls respond very smoothly. There's no delay in the jumps. Even when you bump into a seal, it's very easy to get the penguin to calm down and begin again.

Frustrations 4.0

This game is very frustrating, even for big fans of the game. Sometimes one little error leads to a whole string of errors, and all you can do is keep trying to get the penguin back on his feet. It's especially hard when there's 10 seconds left on the clock and you're pushing the poor penguin to hurry his ass up.

Fun Factor 5.0

DAMN, this game is addicting! It's not unusual to find yourself staying up way too late at night playing this little gem. You try to keep going, because you want to beat the clock.

Overall 3.0

Antarctic Adventure is a fun, fun game. The game is common on pirate multicarts. It can easily be one of the best games on most multicarts. It's just that good. Who knew a game so simple could be so fun, eh?