NES Game Reviews #25 – Alfred Chicken
Here’s one most people haven’t heard of, Alfred Chicken. Its one of those ultra-rare gaming phenomenons, a game came out in Europe BEFORE the States! Unheard of right? I feel so proud!
Guided by a giant talking sunflower, Alfred the chicken must traverse 5 hazardous worlds and defeat an intergalactic hoard of Mecha-Chickens! Yawn it’s one of those games ?!?
Each level has a quota of gems to collect, a load of balloons to pop and a host bonus items to find. It’s a bit of a collectathon, but it’s also a lot of fun so it never feels a chore. The levels aren’t especially long, thus having multiple objectives gives the game a little more depth. Extra lives are awarded for your collecting efforts so it pays to find as much possible. You’ll need them for the later levels! Level 5 in particular has some very unforgiving sections, which require very precise movement.
Hidden in each level is a secret room where the Sunflower grants you the power to shoot! Why can’t he give you that before the level? Some friend! I only found this on two occasions, but it certainly makes the game a lot easier being able to dispose of enemies with projectiles.
There is some tricky platforming and some puzzles thrown in for good measure. Some of the levels feel a little short and a little empty. Given my task ahead I’m not complaining but after completing this there was an urge to play more. The ending is strange one, Alfred is met by a cliffhanger claiming things will be continued. It’s the kind if ending that’s makes you question whether there’s multiple ones and you just got the bad one. However this is the only one. Even Alfred has a WTF expression on his face! you and me both buddy!
