I still remember getting my first Turbo Duo system and one
of the first games I bought for it was the game Cotton. I
loved that game, although I must admit that it was a fairly
difficult game to beat. Well not much has changed with the
Super Famicom version of the game. In fact Cotton 100%
continues the Cotton reputation being almost as difficult as
the Turbo version of the game. You basically pilot the
broom-riding girl witch Cotton only your broom packs quite
an arsenal of firepower. You'll fly through crazy level
after crazy level in this very unique and quite enjoyable
vertical and horizontal scrolling shooter.
Graphics [8.5/10]:
The graphics in Cotton 100% are actually very good. Very
colorful and the multiple layers of parallax scrolling
really add to the realism and depth of each level. But it's
the enemies and bosses that really make this game great.
You'll encounter everything from little flying witches, grim
reapers, pumpkin-heads, not to mention the incredible
club-swinging snowman boss. And it doesn't end there you
will encounter even more enemies and bosses that are as
original looking as they are tough. And each and every one
of them are incredibly detailed and colorful. And the best
part is that the graphics seem to get better and better as
the game progresses.
Music and Sound [6.5/10]:
This is definately the low point of the game. The soundtrack
itself is very cutesy-wutesy but offers very little
originality and often gets very repetetive during long
levels. And the sound effects in the game are even worse
than the soundtrack. Not much variety in the different sound
fx and after listening to Cotton get knocked off her broom
over and over you will soon realize that the scream she lets
out is one of the most annoying sounds you are ever likely
to hear. It makes baby mario's crying in Yoshi's Island seem
pleasant by comparison. My advice is turn the volume down
while playing this game. This really was the only part of
the game I didn't thoroughly enjoy. When will these
companies realize that sound is just as important as
graphics.
Gameplay [8.5/10]:
The gameplay in Cotton 100% is very good. A little bit on
the touchy side for my liking but it seems to work well
within the game. It took a little while to get used to not
overcorrecting when I was trying to avoid enemies. Had the
game scrolled a little faster it might have fit in better
but it certainly was easy to get used to and at times very
useful in avoiding flurries of enemy fire. I really enjoyed
the different selections of weaponry at the beginning of the
game and it was easy to use all of it even in the heat of
battle. And believe me you are going to need all the
firepower you can muster for this run. It was also nice for
a change to not crash everytime you touched the ground of
ceiling in the game (ala R TYPE). Overall very nice control
and gameplay options.
Challenge and Replay [9/10]:
Believe me when I tell you once again that the challenge is
definately here in this game. You aren't going to blow
through this baby. Yet I found myself coming back to this
game over and over again. It's a lot like Parodius in the
fact that it's just very fun to play. And for those out
there who are veterans of shooters this might just be the
game that humbles you.
Conclusion/Overall [8.5/10]:
Overall this is a very enjoyable shooter that will challenge
even the experienced shooter fan. Colorful graphics, pretty
good game control, and some of the wildest and coolest
enemies and bosses I have ever seen in a game make this a
must have game for any shooter fan. And even gamers who are
not normally prone to shooters, this is a game you should
give a try. It's got a lot to offer. Another game that never
seems to make it to the US anymore. It's certainly not
because it's not good!
