Joe & Mac

Joe & Mac in USA, Joe & Mac: Caveman Ninja in Europe, and Joe & Mac: Tatakae Genshijin (ジョーとマック 戦え原始人, Jō to Makku Tatakae Genshijin^?, "Joe and Mac: Fighting Cavemen") in Japan, is a 1991 platform game released for the arcades by Data East. It was later adapted for the Super NES, Mega Drive/Genesis, Nintendo Entertainment System, Game Boy, Amiga and PC.

Gameplay

The game stars the green-haired Joe and the blue-haired Mac, cavemen who battle though numerous prehistoric levels using, weapons such as boomerangs, bones, fire, flints, electricity, stone wheels, and clubs. The objective of the game is simply rescuing a group of girls who were kidnapped by a rival tribe of cavemen. The gameplay is somewhat similar to Contra and has a Gauntlet-style health system, where the player loses health over a period of time apart from in boss battles. This health system is also not unlike that of Sega's Wonder Boy. The game could be played in either single player or two player mode. In the two player mode, both characters could hurt each other. The game was also notable for its cartoony graphics, humor, and sound effects.

The original arcade version had the distinction of allowing the player to select between different routes (much like Taito's Darius) at the end of a boss battle. Also, after defeating the final boss, the players can choose between three exits, each one leading to a slightly different ending sequence.

Legacy

Ports

• The DOS port is the most accurate home version to the arcade game, color wise, and technically speaking.
• The Mega Drive/Genesis version follows in arcade accuracy with only slightly reduced graphical and aural detail, resulting into the most accurate console version to the original arcade.
• The Super NES version is a reworked game which features an overworld map in order to choose the levels (unlike other versions all of them have to be played), which were longer, plus some bonus stages (either in the levels or out in the world map). Some of the weapons are missing and can no longer be charged up. The final boss is also different and there is only one ending.
• The NES and Game Boy versions are much downgraded versions of the original arcade version, and lack the possibility of choosing levels.
• Some of the final levels were excluded from the Amiga version.
• A Zeebo version was announced with a release date sometime in 2010.

Sequels

The game later got two SNES sequels, Congo's Caper (though this is only referred in the Japanese version) and Joe & Mac 2: Lost in the Tropics, as well an arcade sequel titled Joe & Mac Returns.

Golgoth Studios is currently working on an HD remake for XBLA, PSN and PC.

External links

• Official G-Mode webpage of the Joe & Mac series
• Prehistoric Ninjitsu with Joe & Mac
• Joe & Mac: Caveman Ninja at MobyGames
• Caveman Ninja at the Killer List of Videogames
• Joe & Mac Returns at the Killer List of Videogames