Wrecking Crew NES Online: I'm Gonna Wreck It!
You’ve got to be kiddin’ me – Wrecking Crew? So, I go on the NES Online this month (at the end of the month) to see what’s new. I recall a YouTuber mentioning Donkey Kong 3 so probably why I didn’t bother, but then I see this. Wrecking Crew.
Looks standard NES material, let’s give it a go. Holy guacamole – I remember this!!! Wrecking Crew has got to be one of my favourite NES games ever!
I love Wrecking Crew so much that I didn’t know its name, nor recognised the artwork. You should know by now that I didn’t have an NES as a nipper, so solely relied on my friend for Nintendo kicks. I always recall the plastic robot (R.O.B.) and a game with some geriatric professors, but that’s not it. This was the Real McCoy.
The instant the game started, I knew that this was the best day of my life. My life is so insignificant that this was the highlight. Though, this game is ace. Right, so let’s get to it and talk about the actual game for once.
You play good old Mario in Wrecking Crew, and he’s come to wreck stuff. Way before that Ralph chap. Armed with a pickaxe, this will be no easy job for Mario to complete so has to compromise. For once, he can’t jump, and this poses a considerable problem in terms of difficulty.
There’s only one command you can use, and that’s the smashing of the blocks. The other button is redundant. In this case, you not only have to avoid enemies (if they touch you, you die – simples), but you have to plan it so that you don’t end up on the bottom level without the ability to climb back up. Standard ladders are everywhere, but there is also concrete(?) ladders too that you can climb. Hit them without getting the blocks above, and you’ll have to have to restart the level.
Aside from the enemies, there are also rogue fireballs. No these can work in your favour too. There isn’t a time limit in Wrecking Crew so you can take your time. If you balls up the level, however, you have to kill yourself. Sometimes enemies can’t get to you, so a fireball to the face is warmly received. On the other side of the spectrum, if you’re doing so well but blocked off by an obstacle and there’s an incoming fireball… well, it’s a pain.
But there’s more. Mario has an adversary in Wrecking Crew too, and he’s a complete dick. What he’ll do is smash the concrete ladder you’re climbing, resulting in you effing up the level. If not that, he’ll hit a bomb, sending you to the bottom of the level. One early level, in particular, has him knock you from the centre top of the screen to the bottom. At the bottom are two barrels either side which you can’t pass. So, you either have to wait for a fireball (as no enemy can get to you) or you can rewind the game to an earlier state.
I don’t remember this being a feature on the NES. It was some time ago, and I’m not going to allow myself the 7 seconds it will take to confirm. Instead, I’ll assume it’s all part of the NES Online setup. You can also fast forward to some of the later levels from the menu screen too. I hate this – what with me being a fan of the game, but it’s okay if you get stuck on a level or what to showcase a later one for a chum.
It is quite rare to play such a fun game on the NES Online. I occasionally question the purpose of my online Nintendo account as I haven’t played Tetris in a while and aside from Super Mario Maker 2, have zero use for online play. Wrecking Crew makes it worth it. With the likes of Dr. Mario, Super Mario Bros. and even Kirby’s Adventure, there’s some justification buried amongst Tecmo Bowl and Tennis.
What else have I to say about Wrecking Crew today? Nothing else. I’m just filling for time now and a word count that has no target. Run along now and play this game – it’s terrific and if you’re rubbish at it, skip some levels, try the harder ones, then go back to the beginning to see how simple this is.
