Karnov (NES) review "Strongman Karnov defies odds with his fiery breath"

Karnov could be best described as Wario with a bigger belly and a fiery mouth, being that he is also a chubby greedy man who hunts for riches and fortune. His rampage began in the arcades and it continued as a port for the NES, which was a nice addition to the Nintendo library over all. However the NES' story and premise have been changed to make Karnov seem like a more humble hero who just wants to rescue the world.

Karnov may seem slow to control whenever you want to do sudden moves with the controller, but he responds to any command in an accurate manner. The difficulty on this game is moderate, and it does not make you want to pull your hair whenever you are stuck in a section of a stage. The only nuisance is that enemies at times appear constantly an in great numbers, making it difficult to advance forward, and at times, multiple pellets come flying at your character without much protection from a shield item. The inventory is pretty easy to use, if not odd. You walk left or right in order to choose an item, and press SELECT to activate it. Pretty weird but makes it unique at the same time.

Karnov is sent to defend the land of Kriamina from a ferocious dragon, a story that is pretty simple and average setting the standard of platforming gaming minus the rescuing of a Princess. The funky beat of the soundtrack, though repetitive, will keep you tapping on your control as you move Karnov from point A to point B. The graphics are really sharp, and are designed to illustrate the many weird creatures you come across.

Sadly, Karnov's fiery shots sound more like radio static, but this never stops you from having a good time in the game. You never get tired of starting the adventures of the strongman chubby Karnov. Especially with the ability of swimming. Not even Mario can beat such fancy moves underwater. Did I mention he also has the ability to fly? with his own pair of angel wings nonetheless.

This is 8-bit goodness, and you will not be disappointed should you ever buy a copy. The only downside is avoiding so much enemy fire at some points, but that is a risk worthy of playing this game.

Community review by CptRetroBlue (November 26, 2018) A bio for this contributor is currently unavailable, but check back soon to see if that changes. If you are the author of this review, you can update your bio from the Settings page.