Yellow trench coat required.
PLAYERS: 1
PUBLISHER: Bandai
DEVELOPER: Realtime Associates
GENRE: Action/Adventure
RELEASE DATE: August 1990
Dick Tracy’s got nothing on Philip Marlowe, but he’s a decent cop in his own right. He certainly has a more memorable cast of villains than Marlowe and a snazzier wardrobe to boot. Dick’s movie was an all-star production, filled with a great cast and terrific art production, while Marlowe’s works have had a harder time translating well to the screen (depending on who you ask). As for Dick’s self-titled game on the NES, well, it could be a lot worse, but it could also be a lot better depending on what you expect.
In the beginning of the game, you’re given one clue for your case and it’s up to you to go and find the rest. To do so, you get in your oversized paddywagon and venture out into the streets. The driving portion of the game can be frustrating, as the map is large, and it may take you a while to find the places you need to go. Also, snipers shoot at your car from the roof and it’s near impossible to hit them back. Once you enter a building, the game turns into a beat-em-up side-scroller. Clues are often highlighted by the word “Clue” and an arrow pointing directly to the clue, so no real amount of effort or puzzle solving goes into the game, which is a disappointment. You can also interrogate suspects along the way, and once you have all the clues you need, arrest them if it’s the right person. The latter portion is probably the most interesting and “detective” like portion of the game.
I admire that Bandai tried to make a full-fledged game with diverse gameplay. Unfortunately, the driving portions can be tedious, thanks to the snipers and lack of direction. The beat-em-up portions are standard and moderately entertaining, but I wish you would have had to search more carefully for clues. All in all, the game isn’t a complete loss, and Dick himself shouldn’t be too ashamed that it bears his name. A game featuring Marlowe would probably be a slower, more methodical romp filled with puzzles, less action, and more one-liners. Perhaps something more like Deja Vu? That’s what I wish Dick Tracy would have been.
C
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8 replies on “#176 – Dick Tracy”
… I think I agree with you 100% on this one. Or, as I mis-typed as I missed the Shift key: I agree with you 1005 on this one.
Well, I want to look at your September 2011 posts, but I can’t, because Google Chrome keeps giving me the following message,
“Danger: Malware Ahead!
Google Chrome has blocked access to this page on http://www.questicle.net.
Content from http://www.truegameheadz.com, a known malware distributor, has been inserted into this web page. Visiting this page now is very likely to infect your computer with malware.”
Maybe you can check on this. This message comes up when I click the “September” link for 2011.
Thank you,
Hi Mr. Oly,
Not sure what you encountered. I typically use Firefox to post and what not, but I opened the Sept. 2011 archive and didn’t encounter any such warning. Thanks for letting me know, though! I appreciate it.
Dick Tracy was such a neat movie…game aside. The use of color in that movie is great. From what I remember…didn’t Dick Tracy (the NES game) kind of have a similar feel to Roger Rabbit on NES?
Yeah, Dick Tracy was a great movie. Too bad the game tie-in was weak. Roger Rabbit did have a similar feel, especially the driving sequences and cartoonish Forties noir feel.
I completely missed this one on the NES. Looks like an interesting idea, what with the clue aspect and all. I’ve watched the Angry Video Game Nerd’s video on this one, and he makes it look like a frustrating experience from start to game over. The Dick Tracy I know and love came on the Genesis. No crime solving, just mowing down baddies. The foreground/background interactive combo is one of a kind, and the first that I know of to implement such an environment. I can’t wait till you get to it in your new Sega endeavor.
I agree with your rating. This game could’ve been far better, but it’s actually not that bad.
Pedantic nitpick (since that’s what I do best): Dick isn’t a private detective.