Wolfenstein 3D For Game Boy Advance

Reviewed by Christian 'Fraust' Wilson

Wolfenstein 3D (Game Boy Advance) Used & New from $9.99

Wolfenstein 3D (Jewel Case) (PC CD-ROM) Used & New from $6.50

Developer: Stalker Entertainment
Publisher: BAM! Entertainment
Release Date: 04/05/02









I don't think it is any surprise that with the release of the outstanding Return To Castle Wolfenstein, we would get treated to a revival of the original game in the series. BAM! Entertainment has taken the original Wolfenstein 3D (which will celebrate it's 10th birthday this year) and brought it to the Game Boy Advance. Gamers can once again escape from the German prison in this handheld version of the legendary masterpiece. This game is the grandfather of all the First Person Shooters out there today, but after 10 long years, does it still stand the test of time on a new platform? Lets find out.


 Storyline
You are B.J. Blazkowicz, the Allies "bad boy of espionage". You were captured on a mission to retrieve proof that the Nazi's have an undead army at their disposal. You were taken to Castle Wolfenstein for interrogation, and eventual death. After outsmarting the guard outside your cell, you are free and now need to get out of this prison. It's not going to be easy, but it's either fight your way out, or die trying.

Wolfenstein 3D includes all six episodes, in their entirety, from the original PC game. You will venture through six different castles, take on a variety of enemies, and use powerful weapons to get the job done.


 Graphics
Lets face it, Wolfenstein 3D is not a fresh new face. After 10 years, it obviously isn't the best looking game out there. The levels are made of blocks, and therefore, you will never see a wall make anything other than a 90 degree angle. Floors and ceilings are a solid color. There is also no dynamic lighting, or even different shades of lighting, the game has a constant brightness level. These downfalls are not exactly a major problem though, as this is a port. In fact, the graphics are very faithful to the original. From the moment you turn the Game Boy Advance on, you'll begin to see just how close to the original this game really is. The familiar PC-13 blue screen is even present before the title screen. The menus are laid out similar to the original, but with some adjustments made to fit the Game Boy Advance's needs. As for the game itself, again, it is just like the original. Nothing has been modified. All the characters, textures, weapons, and treasures are identical to the original version of the game. It's actually a bit surprising to see swastikas, and blood, fully present throughout the dungeons. After playing the GBA port of Doom, with its green blood, I really thought Wolfenstein 3D would have some modifications to the graphics. Proving me wrong, it is unedited, and probably the reason that Wolfenstein 3D is one of the only games to receive a Mature rating on the GBA.

Unfortunately, there are a few more graphical problems that don't fall under the "because it's a port" excuse. Due to the Game Boy Advance's screen, enemies, treasure and decorations block up badly from a distance. It's an easy obstacle to get used to, but it is rather annoying. Enemies in the distance are much more dangerous because they can seem to disappear at far distances and it is nearly impossible to pinpoint where they are. By the time you get a lock on them, you may have taken more damage than necessary. Another problem is the framerate. I can understand the outdated graphics, and even the limitations of the GBA screen, but the framerate really doesn't need to be this low. The computers Wolfenstein 3D ran on back in the day had just a fraction of the power that the Game Boy Advance has. Aiming can be difficult when the framerate drops a bit too much. It never gets to the point of being unplayable, but it is irritating at times. I really don't think framerate issue should have been an issue at all, because the Game Boy Advance is more than capable of handling a game like Wolfenstein 3D.


 Sound
One really great feature in the original Wolfenstein 3D was the sound. In a time when sound cards were a luxury and many computer games just used the PC speaker to output "bleeps", Wolfenstein 3D really took advantage of sound. Not only would you hear every gunshot and scream, but your enemies would actually speak. When a guard would see you, he'd tell you to stop. If you'd kill an SS guard, he'd yell for his lifer. What was even more realistic was that they spoke in the German language! Sure enough, the GBA port of Wolfenstein 3D has all these sounds, and they sound great coming out of the speaker. And who could forget the awesome music that played throughout the game? Well, apparently someone responsible for this port did, because there is no music to be found, at all. I don't know if this was a design decision, or possibly even a problem with the original recordings, but it is very disappointing. If they couldn't use the original music, it would have been nice to get some kind of new soundtrack. There's no ambience in this game, so if you aren't shooting, or being shot at, it's dead silent, and very boring.


 Gameplay
I have been a huge fan of Wolfenstein 3D since it was new to the scene, but I have to admit, I haven't played the game in at least 4 years. This was my first time really getting back into the game, and I had forgotten how fun it really is. Gameplay in First Person Shooters has really advanced since 1992, but even today, I still love a round of pure arcade action. Wolfenstein 3D is the epitomy of that term. You only have to worry about two things, staying alive, and finding the exit. There are no puzzles to get in your way, but the levels are designed like mazes, and it can be difficult to navigate. Occasionally you'll come upon some locked doors, but a key often found nearby will remedy that problem. Upon finishing a level, you can save your progress. The game holds up to four save slots. Unfortunately, while this game includes 60 levels, the gameplay is very simple compared to today's standards, and most people will bore of it quickly. A multiplayer mode might have helped to improve the lasting charm of this game, but it wasn't present in the original either.

PC First Person Shooters have always relied on a mouse and because of that, console ports have always suffered. As far as controlling the action in this game, it's surprisingly good! The control was not very complex to begin with, so it was easy to adapt to the Game Boy Advance. The run button is absent, but it seems run is set to an "always on" state, as it should be. Moving around is a bit clumsy at times. I've gotten stuck on a wall on a few occasions. It's not the best control I could hope for, but far from terrible. You can't adjust the button layout in the options, but you can adjust how can you can turn around, which is a nice feature.



 Final Thoughts
Wolfenstein 3D is a average port of the original classic. If the framerate was better and they would have included music, this game would be much better. It is fun, but the old school gameplay may bore many people quickly. There are better First Person Shooters out there for the GBA, but Wolfenstein 3D still has its charm. If you are a veteran of the game and you want to relive the classic again, this isn't a bad way of doing it. And of course, you can take it with you anywhere you go. However, if you are looking for a game that will keep your interest for a long time, you might want to look elsewhere.

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Pros:

• Easy to pick up and play.
• Gives a great sense of nostalgia.

Cons:

• Framerate issues and graphical limitations of the GBA.
• No background music.
• Doesn't offer much in terms of lasting appeal.

Overall:

Graphics:
Storyline:
Gameplay:
Sound:
Value:
Total:	5.0

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