Rampart - Sega Master System (Longplay & Opinion)

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Village Monk's Gaming Memories

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Published on April 24, 2016 2:10:43 PM ● Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFSV84BteFg

Game:

Rampart (1990)

Duration: 32:18

1,379 views

11

Rampart was originally an arcade game made by Atari Games in 1990. It was later ported to virtually every console and computer at the time as well as a few compilation packs such as Midway Arcade Treasures and Midway Arcade Origins. The Master System version which we have here was released in 1991.

The game is a strategy title which sees you in control of a castle as it comes under fire from enemy ships. To begin with you place your cannons inside your castle and then the action begins. Using your crosshair you have to blow as many of the enemies out of the water, you need to do this because at the same time they are destroying your castle walls. Naturally destroying as quickly as possible is necessary here. After a period of time the attack stops and you have to make repairs to your castle. Unfortunately this section is timed and you are given random Tetris like blocks in order to rebuild which don’t always fit the area that you’re trying to repair. In this quick 30 second sprint you have to have a full build castle at the end of the time limit, but at the same time you are looking to expand your base so that you are able to put down more cannons, so that the next time the attack begins you’ll have a better advantage. Sometimes it is actually to put down random walls on the map if just to use them as a distraction for the enemy ships. Also since your cannon fire is slow, make sure that you count your shots and remember that a standard requires four hits and to aim for the stationary closer enemies first.

The arcade original of Rampart was never that impressive visually and whilst the Master System version is lacking some of the extra animation such as the waves on the water and some of the sound effects and music, it still looks and plays very similarly to the game that it is trying to replicate. It does to slow down in some of the later levels, but it doesn’t the game play too badly. Overall it is a very good conversion to the 8-bit Sega console.

Now as I mentioned before, finding Master System games which had simultaneous 2 player action was a little thin on the ground, if often got cut from games due to system limitations. Unfortunately being as the Master System has only two controller ports, there is no three player mode as in the arcade original. The two player mode however sees you fight against a friend’s rival castle. So instead of blowing up ships each round you have to destroy your opponent’s castle with the idea that you will be able to cause so much destruction that they won’t be able to rebuild it in time. Overall it’s a fun mode and I’m glad that they kept it in this port.
I never owned this game as a kid, but I knew a friend who had it and borrowed it off him a few times. I never completed it, but I did have a lot of fun with the title particularly in the two player mode. It’s an excellent strategy title that is really addictive and at the same time really frustrating.

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Atari ST: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLx4xxIIv8AfzF1WNCk2yjFs9SNEZUf6o3
Sega Mega Drive: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLx4xxIIv8AfzY6iR6W6cRsFRt7zUlgHIE
Sega Master System: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLx4xxIIv8AfySbjh71hXweL28cqu-DbR5
Windows PC: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLx4xxIIv8AfxkkqPP6dWcSarH94BPrbvr

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