Sam’s Journey (2024)
a COMMERCIAL game by ‘Knights of Bytes’ for NES
Written for BrewOtaku #002 by Syed Raza
Very rarely do we see a game that looks incredible, has mind-blowing graphics and gets an unprecedented rate of hype in the retro world. There are many reasons for that, but Sam’s Journey defied all odds by emerging out as a fan favourite, when it was originally released in 2017 for the C64 and now has been remade for the NES, even better than before.
SAM IS THE GUY, FORGET MARIO!
Sam slept peacefully in his room, when a claw out of nowhere dragged him into his closet. He finds himself in a different world. His journey starts off from the bottom of Lowlands, the ultimate landscape where he first encounters the grasslands, then moves his way to the icy and snowy castle resort and then finally ends his way into the barren and dangerous desert. While he progresses along his journey, you will make your way through twenty-seven epic levels and have nearly two-thousand different screens past your eyes. For sure, there is enough to be explored. Sam must face enemies who might stop him from reaching his goal. The gameplay is pretty similar to games which feature a famous Italian plumber. Sam has the ability to knockout enemies by jumping on them. The power ups, he gets to pick on his way, are what make this title standout. Backpacks, swords, fireballs, you name it and Sam will be there to acquire them in no time. Hopping on from mushroom to mushroom in the grassland and making jumps from the sides of bricks in the desert, Sam faces it all to get back home.
Conclusion
The NES does wonders with the flawless eight-way scrolling. The colourful graphics are shockingly amazing, not to mention the ear-tastic music experience. This could have been an AAA game back in the days. We loved Sam on the C64, and we love him even more on the NES! Mega-Super-Awesome, over and out!
