Good, but not great by rockymccahan on August 5, 2008
Playing Moonwalker brings back a lot of memories from my childhood. I remember really enjoying the Genesis version when I was a kid, so I figured the Master System version couldn't be that bad. For the most part it holds up surprisingly well against the superior Genesis version.
If you've ever played the Genesis version, you'll notice a few things are missing. Obviously the music sounds a bit different on the Master System, but it's also missing the high pitched "HEE" that Jacko would belt out when you kicked enemies. Not that that's really imperative to the game, but it was an added touch that made me love the Genesis incarnation. The soundtrack to the game are all Michael Jackson songs like Smooth Criminal. It's not bad, but it can get repetitive after a while.
The gameplay and plot are basically the same on the Master System - you kick enemies and save children. Yeah, you play as Michael Jackson who rescues children from "Mr. Big" - and I don't mean the Eric Martin band that wants to be with you. And while Jackson's sanity is up for debate, I really don't care when I play this game. You save about 5-6 children per level.
You can kick and throw your hat at enemies (who stand around and sometimes burst through windows), the one thing missing from the Master System version is the ability to throw magic dust like you can on the Genesis. Again, it doesn't make or break the game, but it was a nice touch on the Genesis.
All in all, Moonwalker for the Master System is a pretty good game. Don't let the fact that you play as Michael Jackson who saves children deter you from playing this. While I recommend this for the Genesis, it's also available for MAME though I've never played the arcade version. This is a fun game if you're looking for something easy and addictive.
