The SNES & GENESIS 16-bit versions of the Flintstones!

[Thunderblaze16]

With everyone always talking about Surprise at Dinosaur Peak. I'm here to take the spot light off that Flintstones game for a moment to talk about 2 great OTHER Flintstones games which were also made by Taito. I've actually completed both yesterday and so I like to share my experience with them as they both fun little platformers that are really worth checking out.

The Flintstones: The Treasure of Sierra Madrock for the SNES
The Flintstones for the Sega Mega Drive Genesis



Now let us start of with The Treasure of Sierra Madrock.

Story & Game
The game's story is that the Grand poobah from Fred's clan has announced that he's retiring but created a challange for all the members. He's hidden a treasure chest some where around the lands and the first member to find it gets to be the new, Grand poobah. (whatever the hell that is)
The game offers a similar style to Super Mario World, giving you the chance to explore 4 overworlds, each containing multiple stages to select from in any way you want, depending what you role on the dice. This becomes a little annoying throught out the game as you can't move freely on the map til you have roled a 1,2 or 3. Like I said, each overworld has many stages that can be beaten in under a minute with mini game areas and mini bosses around too.
Each overworld, you have to chase one of the poobah members down and challenge them to a good old mode 7 race. Once you've defeated one, they'll give you an item and the chance to head out to the next overworld.

Controls
The controls are spotless, you have your regular buttons for jumping and hitting. If you hold down one of the trigger buttons when moving you'll go from walking to running. The stadiums around the overworlds offer you new abilities such as double jumping with the cost of losing one clam. (You don't collect coins but rather clams) One thing that's a bit annoying is if you get hit while running. Your character well spin and slid a little across which can sometimes make you fall of your platform and kill you so stay cautious from what's ahead.

Visuals and Sound
The game looks great, lots of parallax scrolling in the background, followed by colorful, detailed animation and cutscenes. Same can be said for the music. It's actually very fun to lisent to.

Yes Taito did one hell of a polished platfromer game with Treasure of Sierra Madrock and for that, I thank them.




Now onto the genesis version which well be pretty quick.

Story & Game
The game is a simple platformer that offers 6 long stages, each ending with a boss fight at the end. There really isn't a story that goes with it but rather favors asked of Fred from his friends and family. Such as Wilma losing her necklace, Pebbles getting lost and Barney losing his favorite fishing hook. Nothing really interesting but we needed reasons for those stages right? Once you beat a stage, you go straight to the next one after a little cut scene. It's cool to know that in this Flintstones, you are giving a helping dinosaur which you can obtain from getting it's egg but for only a limited amount of time. You also have a swimming level and can ride mine carts and even Fred's vehicle through out the later stages.

Controls
The controls are also good, just much simpler as well. 2 of the 3 buttons is for jumping while the last one is for hitting. I do like that you can charge up your club and are offer power ups through out the levels. One thing that did bug me a little is that you have to get a little more closer to the enemies in order to hit them. Like there hit boxes are smaller and can risk you of getting damaged so be aware.

Visuals and Sound
The game is almost as colorful, it actually offers brighter colors when you compare the 2, so it's also visually nice as well. The music while not as exciting is also ok. The problem with them was they were just, well... very simple but it's nothing to hate really



Flintstones for the Sega Genesis is a nice little platformer, actually harder than the snes version. Just didn't offer as much as the snes version but still a great platformer non the less.



So here are the advantages that both versions have against each other.

SNES version
-overworld maps that allow you to roam freely
-A story with cutscenes
-Begin able to play as both Fred and Barney
-Mode 7 races
-Extra abilities with the cost of losing clams when using them
-Can run
-Music...I'm sorry but it's true!

Sega Mega Drive Genesis version
-Charge up your club with power ups also offered through out the stages.
-Climb up off edges from higher platforms
-Are offered a dinosaur helper
-Each stage is different than the other by offering stages such as an underwater level, driving Fred's vehicle, running around on a train and jumping off mine carts
-There's a boss fight at the end of every stage

So as you guys can see, these 2 games are great and have there own advantages apart from each other. If you haven't played them, I strongly suggest you do as there some of the best platformers I've played this year. Taito always knew how to make a great Flintstones game and the years have really showed it.

BoNus!

Also if your interested in listening to the tracks of these 2 games, here's the playlist for both of them.
SNES
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ml-j...AEZtYCJFA5LMPd
Sega Mega Drive Genesis
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJXe...3XyPTsYnbrbi7m

[midnightrider]

All of Taito's Flintstones games are good. They're the only developer I would recommend Flintstones games from, during the 2D era.

There's also "The Rescue of Dino & Hoppy" on the NES.

One more positive that should be mentioned for the Genesis game: Shark Riding!

[JFLY]

Taito's Jetson game for the SNES was pretty good too. You should give it a try if you haven't already.

[Guntz]

Could you please write "Genesis" instead of "SEGA" where appropriate? That shit irritates me to no end. Every stereotypical Nintendrone does that. You don't call the SNES a Nintendo do you?

Very cool write ups otherwise, I should grab Flintstones for Genesis.

[cheaterdragon1]

Very good read! Nice to hear about the other Flintstones instead of just the Flintstones 2 rarity all the time.

What midnightrider said, perhaps you could tackle The Rescue of Dino & Hoppy or possibly The Flintstones for the Master System next. (That one looks pretty bad though)

[Thunderblaze16]

Could you please write "Genesis" instead of "SEGA" where appropriate? That shit irritates me to no end. Every stereotypical Nintendrone does that. You don't call the SNES a Nintendo do you?

Very cool write ups otherwise, I should grab Flintstones for Genesis.

There Guntz, I did it just for you and you can't blame me. I was raised into calling the Sega Genesis to just SEGA. It's kind of hard to call it by it's correct name at this point.


And glad you all liked my review! I know there's another Flintstones on the SNES but it's just average at best and I'm not really an 8 bit type of person so someone else can take up on those other 8 bit Flintstones games.

[KitsuneNight]

which would be megadrive anyway

[Night Driver]

Belongs here.

[Guntz]

The point is calling a system by its company makes you sound like a non-gamer, or at least someone very ignorant. I see NES/SNES people complain about non-gamers calling their systems Nintendos, yet none bat an eye when they call the Genesis a Sega.

I've always had a soft spot for the Flintstones but didn't know much about the games. Very nice to hear the Genesis version is good.

[KitsuneNight]

The point is calling a system by its company makes you sound like a non-gamer, or at least someone very ignorant. I see NES/SNES people complain about non-gamers calling their systems Nintendos, yet none bat an eye when they call the Genesis a Sega.

I've always had a soft spot for the Flintstones but didn't know much about the games. Very nice to hear the Genesis version is good.

it also makes the "speaker" appear biased as fi they dont care about the opponent and just give them lip service before going on about that awesome system of their preference

[Thunderblaze16]

It's been changed damn it! What more do you want? D:< We all live in different parts of the world, I lived with the term Genesis. You Mega Drive, we all know where talking about the same console in the end.

I'll just put Sega Mega Drive Genesis so everyone is happy.

[KnightWarrior]

I really hate it when people call it "Sega"

One of my pet pevees, I can't stand it...Even people who has the Genesis even say it, But still use it from time to time

[SEGA.GENESIS1989]

You are the sum of your experiences. I have no problem if a person calls it a SEGA, Genesis, or Mega Drive. Just don't call it crap!

This was a pretty good review. I am only familiar with the Flintstones game on the Genesis. It was interesting to read what the style of gameplay was like on the SNES.