Paperboy

Developer: High Voltage Software
Publisher: Midway Games
Released: November 1 1999
Regions: NA, PAL
Genre: Action
Multiplayer: 1 player
Cart Size: 12MB / 96Mbits
Saving: Controller Pak
Rumble Pak?: Yes
Expansion Pak? No
- Required? No

Paperboy was a classic game that was first released in the arcades in 1984. The goal was to deliver papers for the week, while dodging a series of obstacles. It was extremely popular and for the next 7 years it found its way onto almost every console and home computer. A sequel was also released in 1991 which made its way onto a plethora of consoles. This version introduced customers on both sides of the street. While not as successful it still was a decent game. We got one more Paperboy game in 1999, and this time it was only released on one console. Was this a good sign that Paperboy wasn't going to make the jump to 3D? Actually I'd say it did okay.

In this 3D Paperboy game the concept of going around and delivering papers while dodging the neighborhood remains the same. You can choose between a Paperboy or a Papergirl, but I haven't noticed anything different about either of the characters besides aesthetics. Each level in this game has a time limit so you won't exactly have the time to mess around. You can pick up more health to replace health lost when hitting obstacles, as well as additional papers in case you run out. Something new added to this version is being able to do tricks and go off ramps. You won't find yourself doing it often though. Papers can be delivered to the front door of a house, or in the mailbox for more points. It isn't as easy as it sounds though because everyone on the street is busy and outside. You'll constantly have to be dodging them as they go about their daily lives.

The first thing you'll see when starting up this game, besides logos is your Paperboy character. Yes he is an ugly bunch of polygons and looks like that throughout the game. The graphics for this game are definitely lacking in some areas and some things simply don't look right. Most NPC characters don't have faces. Also the tires on cars are not round. You will definitely notice that this game is very colourful and has some very interesting places to see. The locations you'll visit are quite varied. You'll find yourself in places such as a trailer park, a construction zone, and even a zoo.

The controls to this game are easy enough to learn. The Z button will fire papers to the left, while the R button fires them to the right. You can hold down either button and use the analog stick to aim. It's simple enough to learn and when mastered you'll be able to land a paper in a mailbox from far away. If you're uncomfortable with the controls then you can always switch the control setup between one of the 4 preset layouts in the options menu.

The difficulty setting definitely needs to be addressed. The easiest difficulty "Easy Street" is one you definitely do not want to pick. In this difficulty you are pretty much on a leash while the game is walking you. By that I mean your freedom is lost and the game is more on-rail. You're control is limited and if you miss a house you can't just turn around, you have to go around the street again. Sometimes there won't be enough time to make it all the way around. There is one more killer thing about this difficulty. If you count the training level, then there are a total of only 7 levels that can be played! You can do a complete play through on this difficulty in about an hour. The best difficulty to pick would be the medium difficulty "Middle Road". You're relieved of your leash and can play all 16 levels. The hard difficulty "Hard Way" is fine too, but the time limit is very strict. It's recommended for experts because you're practically speed running the levels.

The music is decent in this game and is quite upbeat. It definitely goes well with the graphics. There seems to be plenty of variety between the music in each level. The sound effects are not as good though. You'll hear a lot of them repeating, and ones like the screaming cat are very annoying. The cut scenes are simply painful to watch. The Paperboy's voice sounds like a 10 year old who makes crappy game reviews on YouTube. The voice of the Papergirl is no better. It would have been a lot better to simply not have cutscenes in the first place. At least they can be skipped.

The replay value isn't exactly the greatest on this game. When playing through the game you'll have to replay many levels as more customers are added. There are only 16 levels, 1 being the training and 3 being boss fights. You'll be seeing a lot of the other 12. Playing this game on the harder difficulty can be a method to challenge yourself but this game still isn't that long. There is no multiplayer either.

Overall, this is a pretty average game. The graphics are not top notch but you'll still enjoy the unique style. The repeating sound effects aren't that annoying, and those god awful cut scenes don't have to be watched. The controls are easy to learn and you'll definitely have fun playing this game. A cartridge of this game won't run much so why not give this game a try?

Presentation: 4.5
Sloppy looking at first, but you'll get used to it. Very loyal to classic Paperboy games.

Graphics: 5.0
The cartoony graphics are unique but rather sloopy. They really needed to design some better looking characters.

Sound: 7.0
Some very nice music, but unfortunately sound effects do get repeated too often.

Gameplay: 7.0
Solid controls and a fun game to play. Level design is very good. Remember to pick the correct difficulty.

Lasting Appeal: 4.0
The game itself is definitely fun to play, but it isn't that long of a game.

Written by Kevin Ames
April 22 2012