DOOM

Doom by Id Software
Players: 1-2 (uses Atari JagLink or CatBox)
Media: Cart
YOR: 1994

Ah, Doom. One of the most popular and revolutionary video games of all time. Not to mention has the greatest reputation of violence among video games as well. So of course for any system to be complete it needs it's own version of Doom. And on the Jaguar, Doom just plain rocks.

You know the story. Scientists are screwing around with inter-dimensional technology, something goes wrong like always with these sort of things, and so all sorts of demons, imps, and other strange things are transported to the moons of Mars, where most of the game takes place, they kill off all your buddies, so it's you vs. them. Hehehe...

Well, JagDoom, as it's called by many in the Jag community, is in my humble opinion, is the best version of Doom I've ever played. No, it's definently not perfect, which I'll explain in a minute, but it's the best version I've ever played.

The first noticable difference on JagDoom is that the resolution is low. One of the lowest on the Jaguar. It's not that bad though, it just about the same as the PC version(or any version in fact), so you propbably won't notice much of a difference. I'd suggest getting an S-video cable if you want it to look sharper. Also there is no in-game music. Which I really like, because I think it adds to the mood of the game. There is music between levels though. One other thing is that there's only about 6 or 7 enemies. No Cyberdemons or Spider Masterminds. Oh well, you won't care when you're playing later on anyways.

However, JagDoom has it's pluses. It runs in 16-bit color(65535 colors) which looks good. The frame rate is pretty good to, although I'm not sure what it is exactly, but the game moves fast. All three episodes are on the cart as well. The sounds are really good as well, very clear. The control is perfect. Thanks to the Jaguar's 18-button controller, you have access to any weapon you may have immediately, as well as Automap. It's better than the keyboard(on the PC) in fact. This version also seems to have more enemies. Hehe, plenty of things to blast. And since the Jag can do 2D to well, you can have carcasses everywhere and there's no noticable difference in frame rate that I've ever seen. Also, the blood and gore's all there to. There's more of it than the PC version I've noticed. For instance there's some textures of what's left of a soldier nailed to a wall, and some guts lying on the ground below it. Hehe. So if lots of blood offends you, this version definently is not for you. Id made JagDoom have a more medievil look(like Quake)instead of a military base. I like the look better.

Now for the best part of JagDoom. By using a JagLink or CatBox you and a "friend" can link up Jag's and fight to the death on either co-op or the popular deathmatch mode. Yes, you both need a Jaguar, a copy of Doom, and a TV, but usually that's not a problem for most people, and it's worth it. Think of it this way, if you've played the n64 version, then the only way to deathmatch is by using a pathetic split-screen to play, where you can see your enemy. I mean c'mon, who wants to see where their opponent is at in deathmatch? I don't. One the Jag you each get a full-screen to yourself, and no freakin' radar either. Deathmatching on the Jaguar rules! Just try it and you'll see what I mean.

Now I'm sure you've heard about JagDoom's networking being very buggy. This is true, but to help avoid these errors, I've created a page to help you remedy these problems before and when you encounter them. Click here to go there.

RATINGS:

GRAPHICS- A- - The low resolution detracts from the game a bit, but other than that the game looks really good with a high-color level and really cool textures.

Sound- A+ - The sounds are great! They sound a better than those on the PC version. The music in-between levels isn't great though, but you don't have to listen to it for very long if you don't want to.

Control- A++ - As I said earlier, the Jaguar's controller is PERFECT for Doom. Very solid and gives you quick access to weapons.

Fun factor- A++ - Whether it's single player or deathmatch, this game is fun! It's Doom, 'nuff said.

OVERALL- A - Alomst perfect except for those flaws. But when Doom+ is released, then we'll certainly have the best version of Doom yet. But until then, the best version is on the Jaguar, no question about it. The n64 version just plain sucks, we won't even bother with the psx version, and the 32x version isn't up to it either. The only one close is the PC version, but in the end, JagDoom takes the compettion and devours them whole. 'nuff said.

By Adam Pratt