New blog post time!
This week's game is Marko's Magic Football, a platformer in the vein of Soccer Kid that requires considered ball control to get the most out of. Having to use a soccer ball makes for a unique flow, but large sprites and floaty jumps can make things feel inconsistent when you get hit by an off-screen enemy for the umpteenth time.
This is an interesting take on the 2D platformer for sure. The main hook here is that you need to make use of a soccer ball to do things like attack enemies or get to higher places. You can bounce the ball on your head, bicycle kick it behind you, kick the ball while running, and adjust the angle of your shot depending on how you press the button. It's quite the varied arsenal for a game like this! It's also what makes Marko shine beyond its lovely visuals; this game is very much one that is at its best when you take it slow and find clever ways to get past enemies without putting yourself at risk.
Where it falters, though, is with the actual platforming. Thanks to all the beautiful sprites, you have a massive hurtbox and all the enemies have big hitboxes to take advantage of that. Even if you're being careful, there's a good chance a projectile will hit you from off-screen or you'll jump into something and have to watch yourself fall to your death as Marko flails around. It's never frustrating, per se, but it does feel cheap at times and makes what would be an otherwise impeccably clean game feel a bit unpolished. Still, if you're interested in a platformer with a different feel from the usual suspects, this is by no means a bad choice. And hey, if we're talking Sega CD platformers, it's a whole lot better than Wild Woody!
