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Darkwing Duck (video game)
Encyclopedia
Darkwing Duck is a platformer video game based on the Disney
television series Darkwing Duck
. The game was developed by Capcom
for the NES
in 1992
and was ported to the Game Boy
in 1993
. The Game Boy version is essentially a slightly stripped-down version of the game.
before it, the game plays very much like Capcom's Mega Man
video game series, with lots of jumping and shooting and the ability to change weapons via a subscreen; the game is actually running on a slightly tweaked Mega Man 5
engine. (In fact, there was a pirated hack of this game changing only a little of the game to look like the Japanese version of Mega Man 5, Rockman 5.)
Darkwing starts out with a standard gas gun but can collect special adapters that alter its function. Darkwing can also deflect certain enemy projectiles by using his cape.
instead of taking place underground. After the player defeats Steelbeak, Steelbeak doesn't appear on the computer monitor having the last word. The game's final scene in which Darkwing rides into the night is depicted with darker colors.
handheld under the title "Duck Man".
The Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company is the largest media conglomerate in the world in terms of revenue. Founded on October 16, 1923, by Walt and Roy Disney as the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio, Walt Disney Productions established itself as a leader in the American animation industry before diversifying into...
television series Darkwing Duck
Darkwing Duck
DarkWing Duck is an American animated television series produced by The Walt Disney Company that ran from 1991–1992 on both the syndicated programming block The Disney Afternoon and Saturday mornings on ABC. It featured the eponymous anthropomorphic duck superhero whose alter ego is mild-mannered...
. The game was developed by Capcom
Capcom
is a Japanese developer and publisher of video games, known for creating multi-million-selling franchises such as Devil May Cry, Chaos Legion, Street Fighter, Mega Man and Resident Evil. Capcom developed and published Bionic Commando, Lost Planet and Dark Void too, but they are less known. Its...
for the NES
Nintendo Entertainment System
The Nintendo Entertainment System is an 8-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America during 1985, in Europe during 1986 and Australia in 1987...
in 1992
1992 in video gaming
-Events:-Notable releases:* Gremlin Graphics releases Zool, Amiga's answer to Mario and Sonic. It goes on to become the best selling Commodore Amiga game, boosting the already popular computer to be the leading gaming machine in Europe....
and was ported to the Game Boy
Game Boy
The , is an 8-bit handheld video game device developed and manufactured by Nintendo. It was released in Japan on , in North America in , and in Europe on...
in 1993
1993 in video gaming
-Events:*March — In Sweden, the Swedish video game magazine Super PLAY starts. The original name is Super Power.*Midway Games embroiled in controversy for its game Mortal Kombat from 1992 when the game is launched for video game consoles in 1993....
. The Game Boy version is essentially a slightly stripped-down version of the game.
Plot
A mysterious crime wave has hit St. Canard and S.H.U.S.H. requires the services of the caped crime fighter Darkwing Duck to stop it as it appears that F.O.W.L. and their valued operative Steelbeak is behind the uprising. They have hired six of Darkwing's greatest foes to wreak havok in different areas throughout St. Canard. Darkwing must go and one-by-one stop these criminals in order to find Steelbeak and save the city.Gameplay
Like DuckTalesDuckTales (video game)
DuckTales is a video game based on the Disney animated TV series of the same name. It was first released in the United States for the Nintendo Entertainment System by Capcom in 1989. In this game, Scrooge McDuck travels around the world collecting treasures to become the world's richest duck. The...
before it, the game plays very much like Capcom's Mega Man
Mega Man (series)
Mega Man is a video game franchise from Capcom, starring the eponymous character Mega Man, or one of his many counterparts. The series is well-known and comprises well over fifty releases, easily making it Capcom's most prolific franchise. As of December 31, 2010, the series has sold approximately...
video game series, with lots of jumping and shooting and the ability to change weapons via a subscreen; the game is actually running on a slightly tweaked Mega Man 5
Mega Man 5
Mega Man 5, known as in Japan, is a video game developed by Capcom for the Nintendo Entertainment System . It is the fifth game in the original Mega Man series and was originally released in Japan on December 4, 1992. It saw a release during the same month in North America and in 1993 in...
engine. (In fact, there was a pirated hack of this game changing only a little of the game to look like the Japanese version of Mega Man 5, Rockman 5.)
Darkwing starts out with a standard gas gun but can collect special adapters that alter its function. Darkwing can also deflect certain enemy projectiles by using his cape.
Development
For the most part the beta version of this game is pretty consistent with the final version. But a few details are different, especially in later levels of the game. At the tower level boss battle, Moliarty lacks a stationary sprite, plus all three flamethrower machines are fully operational when the battle begins. The warehouse wharf level had platforms with spikes under them. At the wharf's boss battle, Megavolt moves much faster and the running spark at the bottom of the screen is not present. The woods level featured owls instead of hawks. In the final boss battle, the pulsating lights over Steelbeak's balcony window are missing. The continue screen features Darkwing standing in center with his arms crossed. he leaps off screen when the player chooses to continue instead of the Thunderquack flying by. When a boss is defeated, Darkwing will leap off screen in tradition to Mega Man teleporting off screen after a battle. In the bonus games, J. Gander states that F.O.W.L. is behind the burglaries. The designs of both bonus games is drastically different. Part one features the entrance to an underground cavern instead of a city rooftop. Part two takes place outside and shows what appears to be a Ferris wheelFerris wheel
A Ferris wheel is a nonbuilding structure consisting of a rotating upright wheel with passenger cars attached to the rim in such a way that as the wheel turns, the cars are kept upright, usually by gravity.Some of the largest and most modern Ferris wheels have cars mounted on...
instead of taking place underground. After the player defeats Steelbeak, Steelbeak doesn't appear on the computer monitor having the last word. The game's final scene in which Darkwing rides into the night is depicted with darker colors.
Reception
The game has been considered an example of the quality Disney games produced by Capcom. It has been noted that the game was intended for children, but became popular with older teens. Author Andy Slaven used it as an example of a game that, while made for children, appealed to teenagers more.Unlicensed Ports
The game was unofficially ported to the GameKingGameKing
GameKing is a brand of handheld game consoles, designed and developed by TimeTop in 2003, for the Hong Kong consumer market. The brand has three consoles, the GameKing I, the GameKing II and the GameKing III...
handheld under the title "Duck Man".