This is one of my favorite licensed games of all time. This game was based on an 80's fantasy film which I really like as I'm a fan of the fantasy genre and a fan of the cartoon shows "He-Man" and "Thundercats". Though honestly, I've never known an arcade game based on the film was made which took me by surprise but a good one as it's a good game. The game was unique at the time as it's one of the first of its kind, back then there really were many or any video games based on movies, except for the movie "Tron" that arcade game was one year before "Krull". Just like the movie unfortunately it didn't really make a big cut in the arcades, though as time went on just like the movie this game gained momentum and became a cult gem.
Just like with the arcade game "Tron" this game was a series of mini games, which I always love because it provided a variety in challenges and most importantly fun. Having different kinds of games all in one game was a mind-blowing concept at the time as most video games at the time were just based on one kind of gameplay. From one level your climbing up a mountain collecting several Glave weapons (I know there was only one in the film but since it's a video game you got to take some liberties). A couple of others you in a forest and another a canyon fighting off the Slayers and saving your buddies.
One other is breaking into the Beast's fortress which is cool looking as it's a colorful 3D shape, that was a bit revolutionary and ahead of its time incorporated 3D and 2D graphical presentation together; you can probably easily imagine how people were mind blown by this level at the time. But this game is basically like a paddle game much like the minigame in "Tron" where the walls of the fortress constantly rotate, and you have to constantly shoot to destroy the walls and get inside. Last of course is the bit boss battle which is with the Beast himself and save the princess.
Really like the control as basic but in these retro games that really all you need as all we gamers really ask for; I like that its twin sticked which was also not commonplace for it's time as the only twin stick game was "Robotron 2040"; like in that game you simply move and shoot. Really like that you get to use the Glave as your weapon, you get to wield several of them and the just like in the film they come back your whichever direction you throw them; this no doubt predated the whole boomerang weapon concept you'd see in video game most notably the "Legend of Zelda" franchise.
Like the sound which doesn't sound generic but make the game feel somewhat lively from the sound of the rolling boulders in on level and the Slayers. The game doesn't have much in music, but you do hear little tunes which are part of James Horner's score for the film when you collect in one level pieces of the Glave, save your buddies in another, and a little more of the score when you save the princess; it just sounds really cool really make you feel like a hero.
I really have no problems with the game, I only wish they could have had a few more levels to make the game a bit longer, but that's just me as I always liked the long game. Thought this doesn't bother me as most video games were more scoring games at the time, which was why they weren't that long, and they probably didn't want to stretch things out too much which is fine by me as no one like a worn out welcome.
For any fan of licensed video games (good ones mind you) as well as retro ones, though even if you never seen the film or aren't a fan of it, it's still a retro classic worth checking out. "Krull" makes the cut.
Rating: 3 and a half stars.
