Joe & Mac: Caveman Ninja was a type of video games that by no means fairly clicked with me, however there’s a narrative right here, and that’s motive sufficient to revisit it.
The Amiga noticed its justifiable share of caveman-themed video games, and I’m certain a lot of you’ve gotten fond reminiscences of Prehistoric or Chuck Rock, arguably essentially the most well-known of the bunch. That mentioned, my private favorite has all the time been BC Child from Issue 5, undoubtedly essentially the most gratifying of the lot in my ebook.
My most vivid reminiscence involving Joe & Mac isn’t even tied to enjoying the sport. It was when my brother returned from a visit to London. He caught me in the course of a session with Bignose the Caveman and instantly lit up, telling me about this unimaginable arcade recreation he’d seen on the London Trocadero: Joe & Mac: Caveman Ninja. The way in which he described it had me immediately hyped.
On the time, I had no thought an Amiga model was even within the works.
Joe & Mac Caveman Ninja, The Hype Is Actual…
To my shock, a preview of Joe & Mac for the Amiga appeared in {a magazine} simply weeks after my brother had raved concerning the arcade model. Even higher, the port was being dealt with by none aside from ELITE, which immediately despatched my hype prepare into full steam.
However as time dragged on and the sport’s launch was delayed, my pleasure steadily pale. By the point it lastly launched in early 1993, the magic was gone.
I bear in mind contacting my brother (we’d each moved out of the household dwelling by then) to inform him the sport he’d been so enthusiastic about was lastly out. At first, he thought I used to be referring to Avenue Fighter II, which he’d additionally found throughout that very same London journey. However once I clarified, saying, “You recognize, that two-player caveman recreation—blah blah yada yadda,” he simply replied, “Oh… wasn’t that sort of meh?”
Doomsday…The Epic Fail?
This launch taught me just a few invaluable classes; firstly, by no means let the hype get the higher of you. And secondly, it confirmed what was turning into more and more clear: by this level, Elite Programs simply wasn’t delivering high quality Amiga video games anymore.
My preliminary impression of the Amiga model wasn’t nice. Positive, the intro sequence seemed promising, and the inclusion of joypad assist and a secondary hearth button was a pleasant contact that briefly rekindled my pleasure.
Sadly, the phantasm didn’t final. The sound was the primary crimson flag; it was damaged, badly out of sync, and jarring. And when the gameplay began, I shortly realised the framerate was simply as tough.
To be trustworthy, I feel I gave up on the sport not lengthy after encountering the primary boss. It merely didn’t really feel price pushing by.
The Large Field Model Of Joe & Mac Caveman Ninja…
So far as I do know, Joe & Mac: Caveman Ninja was solely launched in a single huge field version on the Amiga—no finances re-releases, no compilations. Judging by how not often it turns up on the market on eBay or in retro outlets, it doubtless didn’t promote very effectively.
The packaging itself is first rate, although the entrance cowl art work isn’t precisely one thing I’d proudly show on a shelf. That mentioned, the again of the field does a a lot better job of promoting the sport—it virtually shouts, “purchase me!”
When it comes to options, the Amiga model truly will get just a few issues proper (when you can perceive the menu choices). It helps joypads and joysticks with a second hearth button, which was nonetheless pretty unusual again then. You may also select whether or not to leap with a devoted button or by urgent up. Personally, I stick to the old-school technique—urgent as much as bounce—although I’ll admit it may be a nightmare with a sloppy d-pad or poorly made joystick.
Three A long time Later, Time To Give It A New Likelihood…
I first tried the arcade model of Joe & Mac in an early model of MAME someday within the early 2000s, and to be trustworthy, it left no impression on me by any means. I wasn’t wowed then, and for years, I by no means felt the urge to present it a second probability.
Quick ahead just a few years, and all of a sudden there’s a remake, developed by Mr. Nutz Studio, for contemporary PlayStation and Nintendo consoles. My first response? Why this recreation, of all issues? To be honest, I nonetheless sort of really feel that method. There are such a lot of different retro classics extra deserving of a correct revival.
In the event you’ve been watching the embedded movies on this article, you will have observed that the Amiga model is proven on the left, whereas the PS5 remake is on the best. Since that is an Amiga-centric weblog, I selected to not showcase the unique arcade model, despite the fact that it’s the unique.
What actually caught me off guard, although, was how the side-by-side comparisons put the Amiga port into an entire new mild. Sure, it’s tough across the edges—and in some locations downright damaged—however it nonetheless manages to remain remarkably true to the unique. I truthfully anticipated way more variations, so in that sense, it’s a surprisingly trustworthy effort, all issues thought of.
The New Joe & Mac Caveman Ninja…
This remake had been sitting in my backlog for years. I used to be by no means a fan of the unique, so I largely ignored it—till I picked it up throughout a PSN sale (after all). Quick ahead to a day once I wanted to clear area on my exhausting drive, and I began going by my digital pile of disgrace, deleting outdated video games after just some minutes of play.
However then I launched New Joe & Mac: Caveman Ninja, totally anticipating to ditch it like the remainder. Unusually, I didn’t. No, it wasn’t precisely enjoyable, however one thing about it stored me enjoying.
The visuals really feel a bit too polished, and the gameplay is way from excellent, but it one way or the other manages to remain very near the unique’s really feel (a realisation that hit me after revisiting the Amiga model).
At that time, I figured, “May as effectively see it by—this could’t be that exhausting… proper?”
Caveman Boss Struggle Rush…
One factor I completely missed earlier than ending the sport is simply how little platforming it truly has. It’s nearly like a boss rush recreation, which, surprisingly, made me take pleasure in it much more than I anticipated. The degrees are quick, with a considerably free “throwing mechanic,” quite a lot of weapons, and floaty leaping. The graphics additionally change up fairly a bit, protecting issues visually attention-grabbing and making me look ahead to the following boss battle. The sport additionally includes a stable 2-player co-op mode, although I haven’t had the prospect to attempt it but in both model.
One other characteristic that was fairly unusual again then (and can be current within the remake) is the inclusion of alternate routes. Whereas there are solely two—A and B—they nonetheless present some variation. I’m certain I’d have appreciated this characteristic extra again within the day if I’d truly loved the sport, because it supplied extra ranges and added selection.
Bones, My Booooooones…
The Amiga model has some odd mechanics that may be fairly irritating, particularly in comparison with the remake, the place I performed on a better issue for my “fast playthrough.” One such mechanic is the vitality/well being system. You’re always having to gather fruit, muffins, and different objects to remain alive. Whereas it would sound like a good suggestion at first, the issue, poor framerate, and questionable hit detection make the sport really feel “unfinished.”
Visually, some components of the Amiga model look nice, whereas others don’t maintain up as effectively. Surprisingly, the music stays true to the arcade model, however the way in which it shares channels with sound results and appears to undergo from a possible CIA timing situation makes it tough to play. It’s spectacular that this port was dealt with by a single particular person (Robert Mann / Motivetime), particularly contemplating the time it was carried out.
I additionally found that the NTSC model performs higher than the PAL one, providing a much bigger display screen and higher framerate. Merely switching to NTSC within the boot menu (on the Amiga) was sufficient to note the distinction.
Jungle, Graveyard, Desert, Caverns…
It’s price noting that the Amiga model struggles considerably with hit detection, particularly in terms of a lot of the bosses. They take eternally to defeat as a result of you’ll be able to’t land hits except you’re positioned good with the weapons you’ve gotten. To place it mildly, it’s extremely irritating. Among the bosses are visually beautiful, and it’s a disgrace that as a substitute of having fun with them, you’re left feeling detrimental resulting from these points.
In distinction, the remake is rather more forgiving with the arsenal and power-ups. Activating them is far simpler, which ends up in you utilizing them extra typically than within the Amiga model. That mentioned, I performed the remake on Simple issue.
Arcade Vs. Amiga Vs. Remake, The Verdict…
A quick rundown of the variations might be discovered beneath. Actually, I can’t say that this recreation (in any type) is a must-play, however the remake at the very least inspired me to present the Amiga model one other shot. There are some optimistic facets, however general, it was a significant disappointment again within the day and nonetheless doesn’t impress a lot at this time. How this Information East coin-op bought a remake nonetheless baffles me, however I suppose each recreation has its followers. The remake did give the sport a second probability, due to its polished presentation, which, whereas a bit overdone, in the end works. It’s one thing I’ll bear in mind for years to come back. Total, although, the sport stays pretty common throughout all three platforms.
Arcade Model:
✅ Enjoyable for a fast session
❌ Turns into boring resulting from limitless credit
💬 Playable, however lacks long-term engagement
Remake (New Joe & Mac Caveman Ninja):
✅ Surprisingly gratifying
✅ Fast Platinum trophy (straightforward to unlock)
🕒 ~1.5 hours to finish 100%
💬 Strong for an off-the-cuff run
Amiga Model:
❌ Technically tough
❌ Washed-out graphics
❌ Lacking some endgame content material
⚠️ Brutally tough with clunky boss fights & irritating gameplay
💬 Might have been nice with higher QA and balancing
Total:
Not one of the variations are stand-out classics, however the remake is essentially the most gratifying out of the three. The Amiga model had potential however was doubtless rushed to market with out sufficient polish.
Supply Materials: Some screenshots from Corridor Of Mild, some Amiga footage from varied YouTube movies (huge due to everybody), and the remainder from me.
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