| The Mask | |
|---|---|
Japanese cover art |
|
| Developer(s) | Black Pearl Software[1] |
| Publisher(s) | |
| Designer(s) | Matthew Harmon[2] Todd Tomlinson[2] Dan Burke[2] Steve Burke[2] Shaun Tsai[2] Eric Elliot[2] Luke Anderson[2] |
| Programmer(s) | Matthew C. Harmon[2] |
| Composer(s) | Phil Crescenzo[3] |
| Platform(s) | Super NES[1] |
| Release date(s) | |
| Genre(s) | 2D action platformer[1] |
| Mode(s) | Single-player |
| Rating(s) | |
The Mask (マスク) is a Super Nintendo Entertainment System side-scrolling action video game based on the first Mask movie. The film, in turn, was loosely based on the Dark Horse comic book series of the same name.[5]
The player controls Stanley Ipkiss, a mild mannered bank clerk who transforms into the namesake character after discovering a green Loki mask.[5]
The player has to navigate through his apartment, a high-rent district, outside and inside the bank, the local park, inside the local prison (complete with enemies wearing stereotypical striped prison uniforms), and finally through a ritzy nightclub to fight his evil arch nemesis, Dorian (who is also wearing the mask).[5] If the player runs out of health, then he returns to being Ipkiss, wearing his pajamas. Many of The Mask's moves featured in the game were based on scenes in the movie, such as the mallet (which he uses to smash the alarm clock in the movie), the tornado, the massive guns he pulls from his pocket during the final confrontation during the movie, and the huge "living" horn.[5]
It also features other moves, such as a sneaking move which makes The Mask invisible (his enemies do not see him), a dash move (as well as a "superdash" move where he runs at supersonic speed), and his primary attack which is a basic punch move with cartoon boxing gloves. Many of the special moves (the mallet, guns, horn, etc.) use The Mask's "Morph" power, which is replenished with power-ups. If his morph meter runs out it slowly replenishes to a smaller amount than that he started out with, much like the ammo replenishes for the main gun in Earthworm Jim.
| Reception | |
|---|---|
| Review scores | |
| Publication | Score |
| Allgame | |
| Electronic Gaming Monthly | |
| GamePro | |
This video game has too much similarility to the Super NES version of Batman Returns.[6] The usage of pastel colors throughout the levels is basically the only difference between this game and Batman Returns when it comes to gameplay.[6] While the sound effects generally prove their points, the music is atrocious.[6] Enemies give out cheap and unexpected hits to the player; making his health drain very rapidly.[6] The platform jumping in this game is stale and repetitive.[6] While the enemies are creepy, they do keep in tone with the actual movie (and the Mask character himself).[6]