
	Platform Sega Genesis Genre Platformer Developer Core Design Publisher Virgin Games Released 1993
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Chuck Rock

Chuck Rock is arguably the most cleverly titled game for the Genesis. In it you assume control of Chuck D. Rock, a thick-skulled caveman whose main weapon is his large gut. The premise we’ve seen before (Chuck’s girlfriend is kidnapped and he’s got to rescue her) but never in such an off kilter fashion.

The title theme song is worth listening to all the way through. It’s the best theme for a Genesis game, just above Toejam & Earl. Level design is another matter.

chuck rock,sega genesis

The standard temperate, lava, ice and water levels are all present. There is one notable exception with a stage that takes place inside a big dinosaur, where Chuck’s main opposition is amoeba-looking blobs and one-eyed tapeworms. But only the most seasoned and experienced players will get there. While the levels themselves are straightforward, the enemy placement makes them extremely hard. The enemy hordes never let up so the only moments of rest you get is when you pause the game. Enemies take all forms: big ones, small ones, big ones that get small, small

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ones that get big. They differ from level to level so you aren’t facing the same baddies again and again. But they not only look different, they have different attacks and movement. Since Chuck only has a strict limit of heart energy, it’s a good idea to know exactly what enemies do what. The boss characters will cause their fair share of frustration since delicate and precise timing is required.

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Control is good. Chuck can perform all the basics: jumping, belly bashing, jump kicking, ducking and swimming. To solve many of the puzzles and reach higher platforms, Chuck is required to, get this, throw rocks!

What you will remember most about Chuck Rock is the music. It’s so good, I’m praying someone updates them or mixes them onto a soundtrack so I can blast it through my computer at work. The sound effects are a notch or two below the music quality, especially Chuck’s scream when an enemy hits him, which happens often.

The graphics are big and cartoony. No better example than the end boss, Gary, a T-Rex clad in boxer shorts, boxing gloves, and a crown. (The whole thing is odd considering T-Rex didn’t have much of a reach.) Everything moves at a good rate, without slow-down, which can be a bad thing when dealing with a lot of enemies all at once.

There’s no save or password function so if you use up all your lives and your one continue you have to start from square one.

Not as deep as a Mario or Sonic game, but still good for a go ‘round – if only for the music.

- Omni