Code Name Viper
Overview
If you’ve played Tengen’s Rolling Thunder, you can throw away the instruction
booklet for Code Name Viper. With just a change of scenery and enemies, this is
Rolling Thunder. (And Rolling Thunder’s manual is much better, anyway.) The
main characters look the same, move the same, and shoot the same. In both games,
power-up items (bullets, health, and time) are hidden behind revolving doors.
Viper is a special agent who has been sent to the jungles of South America to
break up an enormous drug cartel, and rescue the citizens who have been taken
hostage. Instead of battling aliens, Viper takes on enemy soldiers, pistol-toting
ninjas, and an occasional escaped lunatic. Like Taito’s Wrath of the Black
Manta, the game has an anti-drug theme.
While moving through each area, Viper must check behind doors for hostages. Each
one rescued is worth bonus points at the end of the level. One special hostage—a
captured soldier—must also be found. He carries the hand grenade that Viper
needs to blow his way out at the end of the area.
Graphics 10/10
The graphics are extraordinary and as vividly detailed as in any of the best
NES games.
Gameplay/Controls 9/10
Viper carries two weapons at all times: a pistol and a machine gun. He can use
the machine gun as long as it has bullets. When it runs out, he switches
automatically to the pistol. Extra ammo for each gun is hidden behind doors in
every level. Doors can also conceal a health unit, an extra life, or a time
bonus.
With eight tough levels, even three Continues won’t march you quickly through
the game. It will take most players several days to make real progress.
Passwords allow you to start at levels 4 and 7 only. The only other significant
feature that the game needs is an onscreen indicator showing the number of
hostages found and those remaining in the level. In the midst of all the action,
it’s tough trying to keep track of such details.
Sound/Music 10/10
Code Name Viper features nice music and some interesting, realistic sound
effects—the clank of the machinery in level 7, for example.
Replay Value 9/10
Even with its so-so manual, Code Name Viper is just as much fun as Rolling
Thunder. If you’re a Rolling Thunder fan, treat Code Name Viper as its sequel.
It’s an outstanding combination of great graphics and hot action.
Overall 9/10
Code Name Viper is a challenging shoot ‘em up, especially if you don’t know the
tricks yet. Just wait until you confront the boss in the final sequence! Where
are those hand grenades when you really need them? On the other hand, if you’ve
practiced Rolling Thunder, you may make short work of this game. I finished
Code Name Viper in three days.
- By Tora Kouhi
