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MegaMan meets Rocket Knight Adventures.

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 9 / 9
Date: March 15, 2005
Author: Amazon User

I doubt many people will remember that game, but Rocket Knight Adventures was a great Genesis game in the mid-90's. You played as an opossum knight with a rocket pack. Some levels had you running around, platforming and bustin' up the bad guys. Others were strictly side-scrolling flying/shooter levels. Upon playing Astro Boy here, that's what it reminded me of. It was fun back then, and it's still fun now. While you might be turned off by a game about Astro Boy, who isn't exactly what most would consider a cool idea for a game character, you can rest assured that this is a fun game that has tons of things that make you come back for more. For a handheld game, this sucker is pretty long. Especially considering it's not one of the GBA's many rpg ports.

The game starts out with a brief story of why Astro Boy was created. We then go through a training level where you learn all of his useful moves. From the simple jump, punch and kick to the finger laser and rocket dash. He even has 3 special attacks: the arm cannon, machine gun and EX Dash. The arm cannon is a beefed up version of the finger laser, taking out tons of enemies at once directly in front of you. But, you can be hit from behind, canceling out the attack completely. The machine gun stuns more powerful enemies and takes out the weaker ones most of the time. It's a great set up for bosses, stunning them and then busting out the arm cannon. Finally is the EX Dash, which isn't -that- useful compared to the other two, but it can be used as an extra boost for those hard-to-reach places, or to go through larger enemies later on in the game. What was impressive was that each of Astro's moves do come in handy on a regular basis. There were some levels where I had to use the EX Dash instead of the arm cannon because a massive stone was rolling my way. But after the basics, Astro goes to the city where someone's been kidnapped. Leave it up to the do-gooder robot to serve justice. The rest of the story can be complicated, as there are many supporting characters you meet along the way, some of which double-crossing you. It's nice to see that a lot of time went into not only the gameplay, but the story as well. I won't bother to give you the details after the first level, because there are A LOT of things that happen. At one point, you'll even fight farm animals in a bouncing tire. And the "ending" was a total shock, something I didn't see coming at all. But fortunately, there was much more. After this, there's a stage select mode, but you have to go through the stages one more time as part of the story. And you know what? I didn't care. The gameplay was so much fun that I enjoyed going back. Kicking enemies into others, knocking them around the screen. Taking out waves of oncoming robots with the finger laser one after the other. Thinking up quicker ways to take out the bosses, getting higher scores, sometimes not even getting hit. There was so much to do.

There are 2 more key elements in the game that are related to eachother. Meeting characters, and raising your stats. The Omega Factor is a part of Astro that takes note of everyone he meets, making him stronger. Usually after meeting someone (not all the time though), you can raise one stat for Astro. Health, Punch, Laser, Machine Gun, Sense and Rockets. All of these are important to making gameplay easier. Well, excetp Sense. You really only need to boost that once and ignore it until you've maxed out everything else. Health doesn't need an explanation, Punch raises the strength of your physical attacks, Laser raises how long it fires while holding the 'B' button during flying stages and how stong it is overall (including the arm cannon), Machine Gun strengthens its attack and how long it stuns enemies, Rockets allow you to dash in the air more times in a row, and Sense just lets you see in the dark. The cool thing about the rocket dash is that it lets you go past enemies and attacks. It might not seem important at first, but it's a very important stat to raise. Especially early in the game if you're playing on Hard mode. Yes, this game can be difficult at times. Some enemies kill Astro in one hit, other times you'll be overwhelmed with the enemies that you'll fall down once you get back up from an attack. And hard mode, for most people, makes it worse. I didn't have a problem myself, as I boosted the Rocket and Health stats right away, but the AI can get cheap at times. Some bosses get faster even, giving you less time to recover from an attack.

Graphically, Treasure did a great job as usual. There's rarely any slowdown, regardless of how many enemies appear on-screen. The arm cannon looks great, and reminded me of some of MegaMan's charged up blasts. Astro has very fluid movement, and there's some good detail that went into the enemies and backgrounds. No complaints here. The music...get this...there's a soundtrack for this game. Yes, a GBA game has its own soundtrack. That's how good it is. While you'd do better to play the game on the DS since it isn't stuck with one speaker, the music is still enjoyable on the GBA. A lot of tracks are memorable, and I still hum along some of the music that plays during cutscene where Astro talks to others. Sound effects are just as enjoyable, ranging from painful sounding crushes to high-pitched lasers.

I'm glad I picked up Astro Boy: The Omega Factor. I haven't had as much fun playing a straight up GBA game (no SNES/Genesis ports) as I did here. Even after beating it on Normal and Hard modes, I still go back for more. Making sure to get all the characters and going for the high score. Trust me, it's addicting. And I should make note that this is the first GBA game since Puzzle Fighter where I've played for more than a half hour at a time. No playing for a few minutes, shutting it off, and coming back to it later. I wanted to keep playing. And that doesn't happen much with handhelds for me. If I had the GameBoy Player for the GameCube, it'd be even worse. I probably would've beat it in one sitting. But pick up this game while you can. It's published by Sega, so you can expect it to vanish before the end of the year. Show some support for them, and Treasure, another fantastic company.

Charming but short

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 7 / 8
Date: December 29, 2004
Author: Amazon User

Astro Boy is a short but fun experience. Be aware when you plunk down your hard earned cash that this game can be won in an afternoon or two. The short play time is padded by having players repeat all the levels and sometimes visiting them a third time.

The game is a side scrolling platform/shooter. There are both walking and flying levels and by and large the control feels very good. The punching feels correct and the flying levels are well done. The bosses are old school. Some can be beaten in one attempt but others may require dozens of tries.

The one thing I enjoyed about the game was the general feel. I'm rather ignorant when it comes to Astro Boy and it was fun collecting the various characters from the series. The game even offers short bios including when characters appeared in the Anime and Manga. For instance tt was mentioned that the character of Red Duke has been reused by Astro Boy's creator Osamu Tezuka in other stories including the recent movie Metropolis. The character of Alejo is thought to be Osamu Tezuka himself.

The game has considerable charm and actually inspired me to learn more about Astro Boy but I just wish the game could have been longer.

wow... this game really...ROCKS!!!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 4 / 4
Date: July 15, 2004
Author: Amazon User

I couldn't wait till the release day since I found out that the game was developed with cooperation of TREASURE, one of most beloved video game company of my life(company responsible for games like Radiant Silvergun, Gunstar Hero, Guardian Heroes, Silhouette Mirage, Sin and Punishment, Ikaruga, Bangaioh...) So I bought an import version because I figured that this game is an action game although I have very minimal Japanese...who needs to know Japanese when you are playing an action/shooter game, right? Well, I was very wrong; and I'll explain later why.

This game is based on THE famous 'Astro Boy(Tetsuwan Atom)' series by Tezuka Osamu, who's considered to be the Father of the Japanese manga/animation starting in 1960s. What really surprised me was the sheer amount of animation and STORY in the game. I mainly expected just some nice actions, yet this game is just packed, I MEAN PACKED WITH SEEMINGLY ENDLESS STORY. There are total of 46 characters, directly related to 'Astro Boy' series such as Uran and Dr.Ochanomizu, however, some characters, like Sapphire, happens to be one of Tezuka Osamu's creation from other series.

So what about the game itself? You can definitely feel the touch of TREASURE here and there, which means it's very enjoyable. I would say that the game is bit on the easy side, however, they give you much harder option once you complete the game by having to finish the game without a continue(I continued numerous time while I was playing for the first time...it's not that easy). Graphic and sound is top notch as if you are watching a well-made GameBoy Advance version of animation; you won't be sorry! This game starts with a tutorial with Dr. Ochanomizu, and it is highly recommendly because Astro Boy can do several things, including some special attacks(Some characters are reachable by performing certain action... so pay attention!)

I guess this game really shines when it comes to the story. I felt strongly compelled to buy US version SO I CAN JUST GO THROUGH THE WHOLE THING ONCE AGAIN WITH KNOWING THE PLOT. I mean, who really cares about this old, outdated anime as long as you get to play the action part, right? WRONG! I remember that I bought an mport version of Tokyo Xtreme Racer Zero first(again, couldn't wait), then bought US version just to read rivals' profile. Why? Because the game was so good and reading that rivals' profile was a crucial part of that gaming experience...didn't mind playing the whole game AGAIN BECAUSE IT WAS STILL DAMN GOOD. It's same for this very game because you can't deny the whole gaming experience of this sheer amount of story when you get to play this game; trust me on this.

You can finish the game with finishing from stage 1 through 7, however, there are unlockable stages 0 and 8, which gives you the REAL ending with more, much more satisfaction. And I guess the one of the best part of the game was figuring out and completing the game with 100% completion; I don't get picky with completion percentage with games, but this game FORCED me to do so WITH PLEASURE.

So if you are having a doubt that this game is just a way to cash in some profit by using some Astro Boy fame... Think again because you will be PLEASANTLY SURPRISED.

Enjoy; you won't be sorry!

What every action game should be like

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 3 / 3
Date: December 15, 2004
Author: Amazon User

I bought this game after reading a bunch of reviews so it was pretty hyped up in my mind before I ever played it. I have to say it didn't dissapoint.
As other reviewers have said, one of the strongest points in the game is the story. It actually makes you want to complete each level to unravel the next part of the story.

The gameplay is so intuitive it doesn't take too much practice to get used to the control scheme. At the same time it has the perfect balance between control depth (different moves, attacks, etc.) and complexity.

In general, Omega Factor is extremely fun to play and its pacing is just perfect. Amazingly, it even offers a lot replay value for an action game (discover all the characters Astro can meet)! A GBA must-buy!

Astro Boy going for gold

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 3 / 3
Date: March 01, 2005
Author: Amazon User

As a review once said, it's worth getting a GBA just to play this game. From the very first level, there is a satasfaction with kicking robots into each other, before wading in with your cannon and blowing them to bits. The gameplay itself is very well done, although some of levels can get tedious at times. A nice feature is meeting the characters and gaining more power, as well as reading about them once collected. The bosses are very well programmed, you don't mind going back a 2nd time to lay waste to them again. Overall, a good game with the potential for a sequal.

Fun for the road

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 2 / 2
Date: August 14, 2004
Author: Amazon User

This game is fun and and has a great replay value. Good story and a is not too easy. There are many cool bosses. Great game to play on a long trip in a car. A most own game.

Amazing Side-Scrolling Platformer, Great Replay Value

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 2 / 2
Date: September 03, 2004
Author: Amazon User

I haven't looked forward to a GBA game that wasn't a port from NES or SNES in quite a while. This game is a GBA original, complete with all of the side-scrolling action that made 80s/90s platformers classics in their time.

I'm not a big anime or Astroboy fan, but the story of this game sucks you right in from the beginning, explaining all that you need to know about the robot and why you are fighting your way through each level.

To complete the game and unlock all of its bonuses, you need to play through the game twice, with new levels and abilities unlocking only during the second playthrough. There are also three difficulty settings: easy (good for first-time players and children), normal, and hard (best for veterans).

This game is good for all ages, and an absolute gem of a game. A must own for those who like side-scrolling action!

An Overlooked Gem

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 2 / 2
Date: October 17, 2004
Author: Amazon User

Astro Boy: Omega Factor is a fantastic action title for the Game Boy Advance and, dare I say, perhaps the best original game to come out for the GBA in years.

Based on the manga by Tezuka Osamu, you play as Astro Boy, a robotic boy with a heart of gold and the desire to bring peace to a world of humans and robots. You don't have to understand the characters or the story to enjoy this game, which serves up a healthy dose of old school side-scrolling action!

Astro has various abilities accessed by very simple controls. His standard attack is a punch (B button), which can be linked up to create combos. B + Down is a kick attack that sends enemies careening across the screen and bowling over other enemies. B + Up is Astro's finger laser, which is his primary long-range weapon. The A button is jump. Double tapping the direction pad in any direction makes Astro dash. Interestingly, he is invulnerable when he dashes, which is a very important gameplay mechanic on higher difficulty levels. Lastly, L, R, and B + A launch all sorts of flashy special attacks.

These easy controls guide Astro through a graphically lush world and seven "episodes" of gameplay. The developers fill the screen with colorful enemies and awesome special effects. The game's plentiful bosses rotate and scale and level backgrounds have five or six layers of parallax scrolling, taking advantage of everything the Game Boy Advance can do. Some enemies are even larger than the screen itself! The overall feel of the game is like Mega Man blended with a traditional brawler like Final Fight with a dash of Gradius shooting. Astro has moves traditional to Mega Man games, but you are frequently forced to fight hordes of enemies before the screen will scroll to the next area. There are also a few shooter stages where Astro flies to the right and you fight all sorts of avian foes. This hybrid action/brawler dynamic is fresh and exciting to play.

Although the initial game may seem short, the developers extend the game by forcing you to play through it twice. While this is a choice that might seem lame, in a brilliant move, the story actually explains why you play the adventure twice, and various things are twisted and different the second time around. Only after completing this "second quest" will you unlock the final eighth episode. Overall, this is very gracefully done.

I think it's a testament to how fun this game is that it's an absolute joy to play it twice. Individual episodes don't take much longer than fifteen minutes to complete at easier difficulties, making this a great game to kill time with. The replay value on this title is very high.

However, there are two minor problems with the game. First, there is slowdown when the action gets intense. It's not bad, however, and in some ways it makes attacks feel more powerful and dramatic. And second, the game does feel short. Although there's lots of replayability, it's no replacement for having more levels. If a sequel was ever made, I'd definitely pick it up!

Judging from the copies of the game as various stores, I'm not sure how well it is selling. But, I believe this is easily one of the most fun and polished GBA games I've played in a very long time. This is a superb, overlooked gem that every GBA owner should play. Highly recommended.

One of My 10 Best Games of 2004...

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 2 / 2
Date: January 19, 2005
Author: Amazon User

While Astro Boy may not be one of the top animé franchises today here in the States, he sells like hotcakes over in the Land of the Rising Sun, where he's received fame status equivalent to that of the lovable Disney rodent Mickey Mouse. The little robot boy known as Astro was created by Dr. Tenma in memory of his son, Tobio, who was killed in a car accident. Raised by Dr. O'Shay, Astro has quickly become something of a moderator between humans and robots, with one group not entirely sure how to relate the other, except with fear. Through a series of events, Astro ends up at the heart of this struggle, and, through a dazzling number of plot twists, ends up in different realities and times in the war as well.

The game overall plays like a quirky beat-em-up, but because it's developed by the same team that headed the manic Gunstar Heroes for the Sega Genesis, surprises are pretty much guaranteed. And Astro Boy delivers. If you're a fan of animé, beat-em-up video games, or even the famed Mega Man series, Astro Boy will not disappoint.

In defeating Astro's enemies that come in all shapes and sizes, you have a wide range of moves at your disposal. There is the standard punch-kick combo, a laser for attacking faraway enemies, and the cool boost jets on Astro's feet will allow you to zoom past your enemies, or dodge their attacks. As you attack, you also build up a super meter at the top of the screen that can be later used to power a variety of special moves.

In addition to the standard side-scrolling, beat-em-up action, Astro Boy does attempt to break things up every now and then with some horizontal-shooter-style gameplay, and even a few challenging mid-air battles.

Despite the game's wackiness (fighting through screens of tiny little men, for example), the plot takes itself seriously, and the difficulty remains very real, meaning that you will die a lot in this game before you get the hang of how exactly to kill each enemy. Near the end of the game, for instance, you do battle with a giant samurai robot that can kill you in one hit, so you must learn his attack patterns and know them from rote.

Perhaps the most notable aspect of the gameplay here is the ongoing quest during the game to meet as many people as you can. All of the characters in the game are creations of the mind behind Astro Boy, Tezuka Osamu. Meeting the various characters may or may not help the plot along, depending primarily on who you find and when you find them. However, when you do meet many of these hidden characters, you will be given a chance to boost your various abilities up one notch, so it's a good idea to find as many as you can throughout the game.

If you're fond of old-school-feeling games like the Contra series, Mega Man, and Final Fight, give Astro Boy: Omega Factor for the GBA a shot. And hey, the fact that you have to play through the thing at least twice to flesh out all of the story is a neat gimmick, and it really does add significantly to the total playtime. It's a solid title, and--from what I've heard--a lot better than its next-gen cousin.

Awesome but really short

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 2 / 2
Date: November 19, 2005
Author: Amazon User

There is a lot of text in the game, but you can skip through it very quickly if you want too. Amazingly fun and original with beautiful graphics. Cons are it is a very repetitive button masher, and it is wicked short. It took me two hours to beat the game on normal and I'm just an okay gamer. Each level was ridiculously short and flew byin a minute. The boss levels were cool by even the hardest ones were really easy to figure out how to beat. You pretty much only use one button when attacking.

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