My Top 100: #31 – Wrecking Crew

 

I consider this to be one of my favourite games of all time, yet somehow, I’m still learning things about it.  Sure, I’m still learning little tidbits about the Super Mario Bros. games, but Wrecking Crew was a pretty early title in the NES’ lifespan.  It was one of the “black box” games, so that should tell you right away how simplistic the game is.

Mario has taken a break from his career as a carpenter (Donkey Kong) and a plumber (Mario Bros.) to take on the daunting task of being a demolition expert.  Not only does he have to carry a massive hammer up and down ladders, destroy brick walls and avoid walking wrenches and fireballs (as well as purple jelly bean guys), but his arch nemesis Spike is also out to make life incredibly difficult for him.

The Health and Wellness department of the company he works for has evidently made the use of steel-toed shoes mandatory, so Mario is unable to jump.  He’s also not able to attack enemies directly, instead using crumbling debris as his only defense against Spike and other foes.  Because of this, using strategy to avoid possible traps is key.

For all its action and frantic pace, Wrecking Crew is essentially a dolled-up puzzle game that forces you to strategize on every single level.  It can get awfully challenging at times, but that’s the beauty of it!  Besides, you can pick which “Phase” to start from at the title screen.  If you’re feeling creative, you can also make your own levels!

Programmable Series, FTW!

 

 

The game can get kinda hairy at times.  Enemies are coming at you from all angles, and each different kind has a distinct behaviour you can sometimes use to your advantage.  If the purple jelly bean fellas are coming at you, stand behind a ladder, and they’ll climb it instead of walking towards you!  If the wrench guys are nearby, try to confuse them with an erratic path.  If Spike is being a pain in the arse, try to knock him down between two barrels!

With all that in mind, my goal was to just finish the levels.  No fancy stuff, just make it to the end of the game.

During gameplay, a snowman or statue of some kind would pop up from one of the pedestals usually reserved for holding bombs.  I thought this was a completely random occurrence, and it was quite fun whenever it happened.  Whoo, bonus points!

Of course, like any other video game, it’s not random at all.  If you demolish walls in some levels in a certain order, you can get various bonuses, including a more powerful “golden hammer”.  I was not aware of this until recently, when the title of an MP3 I was listening to tipped me off.  I looked it up, and there it was in all its golden glory.  If you’re precise enough, you can even directly attack enemies with it.  Awesome!

Yet another reason to create www.wreckingcrewisbetterthanthis.com…