''Metal Mutant'' is a side-scrolling

action-adventure game An action-adventure game is a video game hybrid genre that combines core elements from both the action game and adventure game genres. Definition An action adventure game can be defined as a game with a mix of elements from an action ...

developed and published for

MS-DOS MS-DOS ( ; acronym for Microsoft Disk Operating System, also known as Microsoft DOS) is an operating system for x86-based personal computers mostly developed by Microsoft. Collectively, MS-DOS, its rebranding as IBM PC DOS, and a few op ...

Amiga Amiga is a family of personal computers produced by Commodore International, Commodore from 1985 until the company's bankruptcy in 1994, with production by others afterward. The original model is one of a number of mid-1980s computers with 16-b ...

, and

Atari ST Atari ST is a line of personal computers from Atari Corporation and the successor to the company's Atari 8-bit computers, 8-bit computers. The initial model, the Atari 520ST, had limited release in April–June 1985, and was widely available i ...

Silmarils The Silmarils (Quenya in-universe , )J. R. R. Tolkien, Tolkien, J. R. R., "Addenda and Corrigenda to the Etymologies — Part Two" (edited by Carl F. Hostetter and Patrick H. Wynne), in ''Vinyar Tengwar'', 46, July 2004, p. 11 are three ficti ...

and released in 1991. The game allows the player to transform at any time into three different robot forms:

Cyborg A cyborg (, a portmanteau of ''cybernetics, cybernetic'' and ''organism'') is a being with both Organic matter, organic and biomechatronic body parts. The term was coined in 1960 by Manfred Clynes and Nathan S. Kline.Dino Dino may refer to: Prefix * dino-, a common prefix in taxonomy, meaning "terrible", "formidable" **Dinosaur ** Dinosaurus People * Dino (given name), a masculine given name and a nickname * Dino (surname), a surname found in Albania and Turkey ...

, and

Tank A tank is an armoured fighting vehicle intended as a primary offensive weapon in front-line ground combat. Tank designs are a balance of heavy firepower, strong armour, and battlefield mobility provided by tracks and a powerful engine; ...

. The cover features an illustration by

John Bolton John Robert Bolton (born November 20, 1948) is an American attorney, diplomat, Republican Party (United States), Republican consultant, and political commentator. He served as the 25th United States ambassador to the United Nations from 2005 to ...

Plot

The player controls Metal Mutant, the ultimate battle machine, which was sent to the heavily protected high-tech planet Kronox to find and destroy the tyrant AROD 7. On the way to this goal, the player needs to solve puzzles and combat hostile lifeforms and enemy robots.

Gameplay

Right from the start the player has a possibility to instantly transform into 3 mechanical robots, each possessing unique abilities: ;Cyborg *From the start: Jump, Recharge, Trident *Later: Axe, Grappling Hook, Energy Blast ;Dino *From the start: Bite, Flame, Flame Tail *Later: Shield, Remote Mechanical Fly, Bionic Eye ;Tank *From the start: 360° Laser Gun *Later: Heavy Torpedo, Boss Energy Signature Detector The only feature that is common to all robots is the Turbomutant, in the last screens of the game. Upgrades are performed either by finding and picking them up as modules, or programming via terminals.

Development

According to an April 1991 issue of ''The One'', ''Metal Mutant'' was originally subtitled ''Clash of the Tin Cans'', and is inspired by the

wargame A normal wargame is a strategy game in which two or more players command opposing armed forces in a simulation of an armed conflict. Wargaming may be played for Recreational wargaming, recreation, to train military officers in the art of milit ...

board game ''

BattleTech ''BattleTech'' is a wargaming and military science fiction franchise launched by FASA Corporation in 1984, acquired by WizKids in 2001, which was in turn acquired by Topps in 2003; and published since 2007 by Catalyst Game Labs. The trademark ...

''. At the fan festival

Jaguar The jaguar (''Panthera onca'') is a large felidae, cat species and the only extant taxon, living member of the genus ''Panthera'' that is native to the Americas. With a body length of up to and a weight of up to , it is the biggest cat spe ...

Connection 2003, Silmarils co-founder Louis-Marie Rocques stated that an

Atari Lynx The Atari Lynx is a Fourth generation of video game consoles, fourth-generation handheld game console, hand-held game console released by Atari Corporation in September 1989 in North America and 1990 in Europe and Japan. It was the first handhe ...

port was developed and completed but the release was cancelled by

Atari Corporation Atari Corporation was an American manufacturer of Home computer, home computers and Video game console, video game consoles. It was founded by Jack Tramiel on May 17, 1984, as Tramel Technology, Ltd., but then took on the Atari name less than ...

Reception

The One The One may refer to: Buildings * The One (shopping centre), a shopping centre in Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, Hong Kong * The One (Toronto), a mixed-use skyscraper under development in Toronto, Canada * The One, a residential skyscraper under constru ...

'' gave the Amiga version of ''Metal Mutant'' an overall score of 85%, beginning their review by stating that "''Metal Mutant'' is initially disappointing: all you do for the first few screens is match appropriate manoeuveres to combat situations and keep plugging away until your enemies are destroyed. If you begin to persevere however, you begin to discover the game's appeal: horrible puzzles, 40 different types of monster to defeat and a variety of weapons and gadgets to acquire." ''The One'' calls ''Metal Mutant'' a "130-screen test of memory and joystick dexterity" and praises its "good" graphics, further expressing that ''Metal Mutant'' has "a host of excellent animation sequences".

References

External links

* {{Silmarils 1991 video games Action-adventure games Amiga games Atari ST games Cancelled Atari Lynx games DOS games Fictional robots Silmarils (company) games Single-player video games Video games about robots Video games developed in France Video games scored by Fabrice Hautecloque