Yo! Joe!

Yo! Joe! Credits

Published by: Hudson Soft Company
Developed by: Scipio
Programmers: Harald Höppner, Alexander Kurth, Jens Meggers
Graphics: Harald Kuhn
Music and Sounds: Michael Bialas
Released: 1993
Genre: Action, Arcade, Platform

Yo! Joe! The Game

Platform games were the most prolific type of game available, some were good others not so much. Yo! Joe! is a platform game with six very distinct levels. As usual the story is real weird and not really a big part of the game but here it goes: a gang of baddies is planning to hold an oracle hostage to find out how their gang related activities will plan out. She tricks them into believing that they must destroy two certain boys in order to be successful. Along comes Joe and Nat who find themselves lost outside the castle of one of the gang members and now they must either fight the gang or die.

Each level represents an area that is the home of one of the gang’s bosses. Like the bosses the levels are varied for instance Count Costrimo, a vampire, has a castle and there is the half sister of an Indian goddess who resides inside a temple. The other levels are just as different and include a high tech, oriental and even a level where you fly on top of a big bird which is a minigame between levels where you can earn some extra lives.

At first you can only use your fists and feet to take care of any baddies but there are plenty of weapons lying around like pipes, nunchakus and even bombs. Most have a limited amount of uses so it’s best to save them for the tougher enemies. At the end of each level you will ofcourse face off against the boss of that location.

Yo! Joe Screenshots

: Yo Joe Level 1

: Yo Joe Pumpkin Boss

: Yo Joe Bonus Level

: Yo Joe Level 5

: Yo Joe Conveyor Boss

: Yo Joe Professor X Boss

Is It Naff?

Is Yo! Joe! Naff?

The game is very colorful with each level having distinct graphics that fit with the area and boss. Music and sound are also of high quality. The most important thing about an action game is playability though as controlling your character is key to getting ahead in the game. Luckily this game has excellent controls that respond well and there is even a two-player cooperative mode where you can go at the enemies at the same time. Really there isn’t much to fault with the game except maybe it’s rather easy. So don’t expect to play it for ages but while it lasts you will have a blast.