Killer Instinct Gold Review

Let me disclose first that I have not played the SNES version of Killer Instinct, thus I will be unable to refer to it in my review of Killer Instinct Gold. KIG hit the N64 soon after the launch of the system and was in fact the first game that I purchased. Being one of the first fighting games that I had played, other than Ninja Turtles from the NES (if that counts) and Mortal Kombat from the Genesis, KIG was probably my first jump into the modern fighting genre. All signs are that it holds its own pretty well

At the time of playing it shortly after the N64’s launch, I was probably about ten, and I responded well to the controls, from what I remember. The game, though I no longer own it, uses buttons for kicks and punches. Taking a note from Mortal Kombat, instead of the later-released Soul Calibur for the Dreamcast, KIG is a button mashing fighter, which is why nearly anyone can play it. The game favors aggression and chaotic fighting.

For me, button mashing was fun and I was capable of moving through the game, beating computer AI. The combo system takes some heavy memorization and pre-planning one’s strategy for winning a fight is also suggested, if you are to master the game. Of course, at the time of playing this, I had interest in quick doses of fun, not mastery.

The frame rates stay steady throughout the game’s levels. The backgrounds are high in color and have a nice level of detail for a N64 title, though games like Super Smash Bros., with a more appeal to youth, have a graphical edge.

There’s a nice practice mode where you can fine-tune your skills. If you want to perfect a combo, this is the place to start. Following tutorials will improve your skills in no time, though again, memorization is a key part. From what I remember, there’s also a two-player mode.

Here’s the low-down on KIG. While it is by no means a 3D version of Mortal Kombat or a N64 version of Soul Calibur, it succeeds at giving gamers their fix of fighting on the N64. For the N64, which lacks any fighting games, this might be as good as they get.