We recently brought you the news that Blazing Rangers had been released digitally and we now bring you the review of the ROM. There is also a physical NES or Famicom cart to pick up from the publisher First Press Games website that comes complete with box and manual.
You play as either Popo or Mimi as you go on a firefighting adventure to rescue the trapped children. Two players can join forces to bring them both along and there is also a ‘b’ game that has tougher time constraints compared to the standard game.
Carrying the hose and children slow you down and you will need to judge how to manage each situation. If you need some speed you can simply drop your hose or return children to your base and this frees you up to move faster. However, this comes at a cost as you only have access to a weak hand pump when you have left the hose behind. Although, this can be replenished by tapping the B button.
You’ll also need to pick up the keys as there are locked doors on most levels. Another way to find new pathways is to wait for the fire to destroy walls as this opens up quicker routes. To finish each stage, you must rescue all the children before heading back to the exit. But there is also a hidden diamond on all levels that are devilish hidden and require your hose and patience to uncover.
Luckily for you, some power-ups appear on levels that extend your hose and improve your hand pump. This sounds like a lot to be dealing with but all the gameplay mechanics have been well thought out by developer Karu_gamo. Everything blends to create a fun yet challenging arcade game.
It also looks great, featuring chunky sprites and excellent animation used for the colourful enemies. The music is decent and even though there are only a few tracks they’re great-sounding chiptunes. Combining this quality presentation with tight controls and great gameplay makes Blazing Rangers a top-level indie title.
NES and Famicom fans as well as arcade lovers will want to be checking this one out. Even more so when you consider it was all built in the constraints of a Famicom, it’s a technical marvel. Blazing Rangers has set a high bar for new games on old systems and shown how to balance retro nostalgia with modern mechanics.
We can’t recommend Blazing Rangers enough, it’s hot and frenzied and deserves your attention. Overall, it ticks all the boxes for your next retro adventure and had it released in 1987 would’ve been a classic today. Thank you to First Press Games for sending a review copy.
