KIKŌ KEISATSU METAL JACK
( Armored Police Metal Jack )
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機甲警察メタルジャック
©1992 Atlus Ltd.
©1991 Sunrise, I&S, TV Tokyo
Release: 1992-07-31 (¥8800)
Cartridge SHVC-MJ
Action/Platform
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Kikō Keisatsu Metaru Jakku (aka Armored Police Metal Jack) is a side
scrolling action game by Atlus and based on a Japanese anime series of the
same name aired in the 1990s. In the year 2015, a special criminal investigation team of the
Metropolitan Police is on alert for any kind of emergency situation. One day, a
mysterious organization and crime syndicate called "Ido" appears and sends out robots
to rampage Tokyo city. This is when the Metal Jacks enter the scene - a team
of three men and their mechanical-cyborg suits embark on a mission to save the city and
counter the emerging terrorist threat. The player takes control of one of the three
Metal Jacks - Ken Kanzaki (Red Jack), Ryō Aguri (Silver Jack)
or Gō Gōda (Blue Jack). Each fighter has slightly different attacks and
weapons - Red Jack is average and can use a laser gun, Silver Jack can do
high-jumps and use a laser-sword and Blue Jack is the toughest of all but can't
use weapons. Although two Metal Jacks come equipped with a weapon, they start up
empty handed and ammunition must be collected periodically. Each level is made up of
two phases. During the first stage, the Metal Jacks fight in their police suits
and levels follow a traditional platform gameplay style with enemies to battle, power-ups
to collect and mini-bosses to defeat. Only three power items are available throughout
the game - weapons/ammunitions (either gun or sword, based on the
Metal Jack in action), shield energy or extra life. The second
stage is the 'boss phase' - Metal Jacks combine with their support
vehicles and transform into large robots, ready to engage the final boss. In this form,
players can charge up a large and powerful attack that inflict extreme damage
to all foes on screen.
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This Super Famicom game was scheduled for a US release in 1992 but was eventually canceled. An
advertising sheet (see the Omake section) was given away by Atlus in the 1990's and confirms that
the game was scheduled for a 4th quarter 1992 release - the three main characters names were
changed to Ken Striker, Billy Cash and Jake Gonzales. The action was also moved from
Tokyo to Los Angeles. Another Metal Jack strategy game was developed by Takara
and released in Japan for the Game Boy (1992).
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Armored Police Metal Jack was a thirty-seven episode anime series produced by Sunrise
and aired in Japan in 1991. It tells the story of the 'Metal Jacks', a top secret research
project created to fight a criminal syndicate called 'Ido'. It all starts when Megades, the
head of the syndicate, tries to assassinate commander Zaizen at a party. He succeeds and only a
couple of people survive the attack - the young Jun (Zaizen's son), Ken Kanzaki
(young policeman), Ryō Aguri (a car racer) and Gō Gōda (a wrestler). The three men suffer
serious injuries and are saved by the police's best scientists and engineers - they are turned into
cyborgs and become the 'Metal jacks'.
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Click on picture to enlarge |
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LK
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Alter Ego
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"Jack On !" - No wonder the American version of the game was eventually
canceled, read on. Armored Police Metal Jack looks alright and I have no major
complaints in that department. Graphics, without being particularly memorable nor
impressive, do the job just fine and suit the theme of the game. However, the real
problem with the game stems from the clunky controls and horrible gameplay. The
Metal Jacks have really weak attacks and enemies just need to walk through
them or touch them to inflict damage (and believe me, they're especially good at it).
Soon you realize that the jump-kick is your best ally and the only effective move
against the constantly respawning enemies. Weapons are also useless and constantly
run out of ammo. Finally, boss encounters are absolutely ridiculous, just hold down
the attack button to charge up a blast of energy and kill them off in no time (as
long as you keep moving). Later stages are just plain frustrating with pixel-perfect
jumps and mediocre (yet hard to kill) enemies. Armored Police Metal Jack is an
average-to-bad game wrapped in an obscure franchise and is
not really worth tracking down...
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Metal Jackass. I mean, what's the point for scientists to spend so much effort and
money into turning a random bunch of dudes - a cop, a car racer and a wrestler - into
cyberzombies if you don't equip them with the fiercest weapons ? A Nerf gun would probably
do more damage than the sucktacular fish gun found in the game. And it has substantially more
ammo. Granted, metal dudes can combine with their support vehicles. What a pair. As soon as
they do, they become slow as molasses and their super weapon takes ages to charge up.
Sometimes scientists should just stop stuffing around with useless research and leave
ordinary people alone.
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Add your Pov here !
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