Now, here's a game that is actually very much acclaim-worthy!
Sparky is the best NES homebrew game from this forum that I've
played so far! This game's scenario and mechanics are properly
introduced, and the mechanics are nicely expanded upon as the
game continues!
I consider this to be a good brain game, as it requires much thinking
of how to go about completing the levels, and for some reason I find
the difficulty to be enjoyable! Why do I find Sparky's difficulty enjoyable?
I think, perhaps it's because the deaths are quick, and it encourages more
thinking! Because there's no "Game Over" screen, you don't have time to
reflect on your failures, and you're automatically dropped right back in!
As simple as the graphics are, they're not bad, and I do feel like they
actually fit the tone of the gameplay.
The music is absolutely enjoyable, catchy and/or memorable! It sounds
like something that Nintendo's musicians would compose! The guy who
composed it is an absolute professional!
My only criticisms are the fact pressing the "Start" button only mutes
the music instead of pausing the game. You can reset Sparky with the
"Select" button to turn the music back on, but it shouldn't work that way.
There is a minor glitch where sometimes running into the wires won't
kill you at first, but you're not likely to encounter it. There are springs
that propel you up or down, and each one does have a different
design, but it's not really noticeable. I would prefer arrows, instead of
funnel-shaped springs facing a specific direction, as arrow directions
are much easier to differentiate. Also, I think the fuses you're supposed
to break could have had some minor animation with the electricity
inside. And it would have been nice to give the game a password-based
save system.
To sum it all up, this game was built the same way a Nintendo designer
would. The game mechanics were exercised to their greatest potential,
and this makes for a great brain game, given that you have to figure out
how to break the fuses in a specific order. The developer's passion put
into this game actually makes me hope for a sequel!
Final Score: 9.5/10