![]() ![]() Were it released 3 years prior I’m sure it would be more well known. The Flintstones: The Surprise at Dinosaur Peak! is a good game in an unlikely package. ![]() If the controls were tighter this could have been a really special title. You will suffer many a cheap death because of this sadly. It is unfortunate as the end game calls on these skills heavily. You have to hold the jump button before climbing up and even then he can only stand for a second. Likewise Barney’s ability to stand on poles works oddly. Grabbing onto ledges Fred never feels intuitive no matter how much time you’ve spent. Surprise at Dinosaur Peak is only let down by its fidgety controls. The final stretch of levels are some of the most fun I’ve had on the NES and present the type of platforming challenge fans live for. Once you reach Dinosaur Peak the platforming goes up to 11. By the time you reach the haunted house you’ll need to execute rapid character switches frequently to progress. The game becomes creative with the use of their abilities and I like it. There are longer platforming segments using both characters where one false step equals death. Halfway through the Flintstones however it grows a backbone and starts to challenge the player. This would especially ring true given that the game came out when 16-bit was hitting its peak. If the game had stayed like that up until its conclusion it would be easily forgettable like most licensed titles. There is nothing wrong with nailing the basics and providing a solid if unexciting time. It also heavily favors Fred over Barney, whether it is the platforming or the damage sponge bosses. But it also doesn’t ask much of you as a player. The mechanics are solid and there are fun bits here and there. If one were to judge Surprise at Dinosaur Peak by its first few levels it would be bland. There are a variety of minigames to play such as ice hockey and basketball to earn extra lives but they are few. This is a very linear game and the world map only contains a few distractions. And just like that game the overworld map is largely superfluous. In terms of structure Surprise at Dinosaur Peak reminds me of the SNES version of Joe & Mac. These differences may seem slight at first, but they become crucial later on. His key move is to hang from ledges and stand on poles. Barney attacks from long range but the difference in strength is significant. He can also break blocks and walls and shimmy up ledges. Fred is the stronger of the two and can charge up his club for stronger attacks. Each has particular abilities that are heavily relied on throughout the game. The chances of coming across this in the wild is rare but if it is cheap go for it.īoth Fred and Barney are playable and you can switch at any time. If only I had held on to it I….could have paid my rent for a month. The game is so rare it commands nearly a thousand dollars for a bare cart. Flintstones: Surprise at Dinosaur Peak is a surprisingly solid game but is more infamous for its price. Remembering the Nintendo Power article and not wanting to leave empty handed I picked this up along with other gems like Wizards & Warriors III, Vice: Project Doom, and Dragon Warrior II. Personally, I was there to buy Crystalis but someone else got it first. Around late 1994 when Blockbuster video were getting rid of their entire NES catalog at bargain bin prices Surprise at Dinosaur Peak was still there. I bought Surprise at Dinosaur Peak completely on a whim. But delve deeper and you’ll find a well thought out platformer that has solid mechanics and puts up a decent fight. Considering it is one of the system’s last games in the US I thought so too. You would not be at fault for assuming The Flintstones: The Surprise at Dinosaur Peak is a cheap cash-in. Then there are the lesser known titles like Panic Restaurant and this gem. Titles like Kick Master and Little Samson are absolutely incredible and deserve a higher profile. Seriously what was up with Taito and their late NES output? Taito released some of the finest games on the system in its twilight years that hardly anyone played. Developer: Taito Publisher: Taito Released: 1994 Genre: Plaformer ![]()
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