Crystal Mines II

Crystal Mines 2 is a very unique Lynx game. While I think this is based on Crystal Mines for the NES(I've never played that version, so I'm not sure), it is still unique in it's own way.

You take the role of a mining robot that has gone underground into some abandoned mines that are full of mutants, passages, traps, and other strange things. The mines are also loaded of very valuable crystals, as well as gold, silver, and copper. Your job - collect all the necessary crystals in a level, and get out. Sounds easy, which it is at first, but after you catch yourself 4 hours later and you're stuck on a level, it's a different story.

This is a very addictive game! A friend and I have been having a competition to see who could finish the game first. We were neck to neck for a while, but after a couple hours, I had to take a break, but he kept playing. He must have put almost nine hours into the game. So now I'm back on level 36 or something, and he's plain stuck on level 72. =) With about 150 levels, there's plenty of time to waste on playing this game!

Why is it so addictive? Well, I believe it's in the execution of the game. You have to figure out ways to get and find crystals that will sometimes be stuck behind indestructible rocks or something. Fortunately, you have TNT to use sometimes. I haven't even seen everything in this game so far. I have got as far as the different colored goo on the ground; there's green, red, black, and orange. Each has different properties to it. It can be destroyed to become crystals, which becomes the basis for many levels. If you get more crystals than required, it means a huge bonus sometimes. I've also seen, doors, tunnels, invincible mutants, etc. There's just so much in this game, it's amazing.

The graphics are great. Very colorful(just like they should be on the Lynx), and the animations are great as well. It is an overhead view that you see the playfield. The music is cool, while it's just one song through the entire game, it's not very monotonus, and is quite the toe-tapping tune. Sounds are well done too. Control is easy to grasp. It is a difficult game when you get so far though. There are some good head-scratchers in there. But there is a password option(if there wasn't, this game would be impossible), so you can restart at later levels.

I'd suggest that you get this game. It's really fun, great to look at, and it's quite addictive. Even has a sense of humor. You have unlimited lives, and on some levels, you'll die so many times it isn't funny. After so many times a screen will come up that says "You seem to be having trouble with this level. Press A to continue or B if you want more torcher." By this time you'll just laugh, and you'll probably press B so you can say you beat the level. Also, if there are any out there who have played this game game before, please be aware of a sequel to CM2 on the Lynx, where you get more levels as well as an editor option to make your own. Using a separate PC-toLynx cable you can build those levels on your PC as well as access some extra goodies I believe. Either way you go, CM2 is an awesome game to have!