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Old vs New: Which Game is For You? Part V


by lakefox

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I’m glad you survived last week’s trip through Tyrannia involving the following: Destruct-O-Match vs Destruct-O-Match II vs Destruct-O-Match III, Chia Bomber vs Chia Bomber 2, and Swarm vs Swarm – The Bugs Strike Back. Similar to last week, we will journey through another land of Neopia, Haunted Woods, and take a look at the games located here: Mutant Graveyard of DOOM vs Mutant Graveyard of Doom II, MAGAX: Destroyer vs. MAGAX: Destroyer II, Korbats Lab vs Korbats Lab, Carnival of Terror vs Carnival of Terror. Many of you may have played these games, but do you really recall where they started? Well, stay tuned and you will find out.

Title: Mutant Graveyard of DOOM

Type: Action

Location: Game Graveyard

ID: 65

Status: RIP Y6

Well, we have made it to the Mutant Graveyard of DOOM, not to be confused with the Game Graveyard. You star as Albert, a Mutant Kacheek, and you must collect an adequate amount of food for the Esophagor. Unlike the Esophagor’s quests, this won’t cost you any neopoints. There are several adversaries you must be wary of, including but not limited to walking gravestones and ghostkerchiefs. Each level has a random selection of food, and each food item is worth a different amount of points. Collect all the food to advance to the next level, and if you manage to do so without losing a life you will earn a bonus. Also keep in mind that there is a timer as well; the more time left the greater your score!

Title: Mutant Graveyard of Doom II

Type: Action

Location: Haunted Woods

ID: 1042

Status: Active

*wipes tear* Having a bit of a nostalgia moment here. My very first publication in the Neopian Times was a guide for this game and if you would like a more in depth guide than the overview I suggest you take a look at it. It is located in issue three sixty nine.

After that shameless plug I bring you to an overview of this game. This version of the game does not have random food per level, but the same food in exact same locations every time. Also, another thing missing: the timer. I personally enjoy the fact that there is no timer as this gives me more time to complete each level. A humungous difference, though, is you are holding an apple lantern which of course gives off light. Whatever the light touches is the only area of the level you can see. Another change, which I think is adorable, is that your lives are represented by a candle in the upper left hand corner. When the candle burns down, it is game over!

My pick: Mutant Graveyard of Doom II!

Title: MAGAX: Destroyer

Type: Action

Location: Game Graveyard

ID: 162

Status: RIP Y8

A different game is here and I spent way too many hours playing this one as well. You are battling an evil plot devised by Hubrid Nox. You play MAGAX: Destroyer and battle ghosts, when you press space bar you will shoot an energy bolt. I enjoyed this game because you had an overview of the level in the upper right hand screen. This overview showed the location of every ghost in the level. You had different ghosts you had to destroy, but my particular favorite is the large JubJub. Once shot, the JubJub would break into smaller JubJubs and yes, they showed up on the overview. I don’t know if I ever reached a final level in this game, but I do remember the ghosts increasing in every level. Once I understood the game play, I was able to earn a high enough score for a trophy in this game.

Title: MAGAX: Destroyer II

Type: Action

Location: Haunted Woods

ID: 763

Status: Active

For yet another time, Hubrid Nox has concocted an evil plan and MAGAX must terminate it. In my opinion, I don’t enjoy this sequel very much. There are too many changes from the original version for my taste. The overview map is gone, so you no longer know the locations of each ghost. There are a finite number of levels, and no more big JubJubs. Only small JubJubs are found, even they are random in the game and worth a single point. If the overview map was still in the game, then you would know if a JubJub was available to shoot. It is extremely difficult to get on the high score table for this game because of this randomness. It is a race to the finish in the first few hours each month to try for a top spot. Once again you press space bar to shoot your energy bolt. For those just trying to earn the avatar, then you shouldn’t have any problems with this version.

My pick: MAGAX: Destroyer!

Title: Korbats Lab

Type: Puzzle

Location: Game Graveyard

ID: 85

Status: RIP Y9

What fun can be had with Korbats Lab. The object of the game is to have a ball destroy all the blocks. You control a paddle with the left and right arrow keys, and the ball will bounce off of it. If you manage to destroy all the blocks in a level, you will advance to the next one. You must be careful of the Korbats flying around, or Spyders, as the ball, will bounce of these as well. You will lose a life if the ball goes off the bottom of the screen. Also, as far as I can tell, the layout for each level remains in the same order from game to game. I was lucky enough to earn the avatar on this version of the game.

Title: Korbats Lab

Type: Puzzle

Location: Haunted Woods

ID: 801

Status: Active

Game play is identical to the original version. To my knowledge the layouts of the levels are different though. Each time I play the game the levels are not in the same order, for example the blocks in the shape of a two, I’ve gotten on level two or later in the game. Once more the Korbats and Spyders are back to change your ball's trajectory! The grandfather clock to the right of the screen indicates the amount of lives you have. Once it reaches zero, it is game over. For those of you unlucky enough not to earn the avatar on the previous version of the game, you can try to do so here. Good luck!

My pick: Either one, as it’s another tie!

Title: Carnival of Terror

Type: Action

Location: Game Graveyard

ID: 131

Status: RIP Y9

Well, I thought I had played this version of the game until I loaded it recently, but if I have I certainly don’t recognize it. When you open the screen for this game it seems like you are looking into a cave with a huge sign above the entrance. Of course the sign states the name of the game, but everything else is black with creepy red blinking eyes looking out at you. Apparently, Robot Chia Clowns have come to enslave Neopians and you must destroy them. Once you click start, you will have three metrics that will directly affect your game: time, health, ammo. If any of these run out, then it is game over! Luckily the game will have drops of each, but you will have to shoot them to obtain them. Now onto the good part: how to destroy those clowns. Your shoot them with your ammo, but each part of the clown has a different point value. The clown legs and clown skeleton is worth one point, clown head is two points, umbrella is three points, clown arm is four points, and the pie o’ death is worth five points. So shooting each individual part of the clown is worth more than destroying the clown in one shot!

Title: Carnival of Terror

Type: Action

Location: Deserted Fairgrounds (Haunted Woods)

ID: 902

Status: Active

Yet another great update to a distinguished game. The graphics have had a huge update and they look awesome! Instead of having your three life indicators in the bottom right hand portion of the screen they are spread out across the bottom of the screen. Again you must shoot the Robot Chia Clowns on the loose in the carnival fairgrounds. The point structure is a bit different for this game: the umbrella and pies are worth one point, the clown head and legs are worth two points, the clown arm is three points, and the clown body is six points. Also, the crosshairs for shooting seem more accurate. I have noticed they will lock onto a target, which is useful for getting the bonuses like ammo, time and health. You better get practicing!

My pick: Carnival of Terror (ID: 902)

Another trip is now complete, but we aren’t completely down with the series yet. Are you having jogging your memory about these? I know I sure did writing about all these games. Next week we venture north to Terror Mountain for a peek at their games: Grundo Snowthrow vs Snow Wars II, Ice Cream Factory vs Ice Cream Machine, and Igloo Garage Sale vs Igloo Garage Sale – The Game.

 
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