Zombies Ate My Neighbors
Console: Genesis, Super Nintendo
Publisher: Konami
Released: 1993
Top-down (aka overhead) shooters are all the rage right now. One of the best current ones is Burn Zombie, Burn! for the PlayStation 3. But Burn Zombie, Burn! owes their whole existence to a classic game from Konami and LucasArts called Zombies Ate My Neighbors. You play as either Zeke or Julie as you battle through numerous levels against zombies and monsters, all while trying to rescue the clueless town folk who inhabit every level. The game is full of hilarious weapons, characters and scenarios, all while paying homage to various horror films of the past.
As one of the teenage heroes, you are tasked with going through each level saving the various neighbors. The game allows for two-player co-op play as well. You must rescue at least one neighbor to progress to the next level. The more points you score in a level, the more neighbors you are given to save. Score a really small amount of points, and you may wind up with just one neighbor to save, which makes thing a hell of a lot harder. There are various weapons in the game, such as a water pistol, silverware, soda cans (which are like grenades), a crucifix, etc. Different weapons have different effects on the enemies. You can also change into a monster slaying monster yourself, which gives you super strength to punch out those creatures in a flash. The enemies vary from chainsaw wielding madmen, to vampires, to werewolves and of course, zombies. Each level is more difficult than the last, with neighbors being hidden in harder to find places. The game also has various hidden areas and levels to find.
The games graphics are decent for the time they were released. The sprites are large, well animated and really comical in style. The levels are nicely varied between each stage. You play through every possible horror movie scenario from shopping malls, to the woods to backyards, to haunted houses. The environmental graphics are nice looking, and the varied look keeps things fresh. Music is also suitably creepy and fun, sounding like something you would hear in a 1950’s horror or sci-fi movie. Sound effects are nothing special, but fit the game with squishes and pops like any other 16-bit era game. Gameplay is smooth, and the controls responsive.
For people looking for a nice, fun horror themed game, this is the perfect pick-up. The great news is that it was just released as a downloadable title for the Nintendo Wii. Zombies Ate My Neighbors is funny, enjoyable and a great Halloween game, especially if you have a friend to join in on the monster slaying fun.
