NES Games I Beat #44: Fire N’ Ice

                Fire N’ Ice (because it was 90s and the N’ makes it cool!) is a puzzle game as well as the prequel to Solomon’s Key (its known as Solomon’s Key 2 everywhere else). It was late release by Tecmo of Ninja Gaiden and Tecmo Bowl fame, coming out March 11^th, 1993, just less than a year from the end of the NES. Being that Solomon’s Key was a fairly successful arcade game which saw a port to the NES, it’s prequel   

                As you may have guessed, this meant poor sales especially coupled with the fact that it released in limited quantities given that the SNES was now dominating the market. In the excitement and heat of the console wars, gems like this flew far under the radar. It’s a shame that one of the best puzzle games out there with some of the most addicting, challenging and brain teasing gameplay never had its chance to become a classic. Even the box itself sports a warning label claiming there are “Highly addictive logic puzzles within” and to “use caution and restraint”.     

                The story is this game isn’t too deep but for its time its completely understandable. Basically, Dana, a young wizard, is granted the power to create ice by the Winter Faries of Coolmint Island so that he can stop the evil Druidle from melting the island. Also Druidle kidnapped a girl and her little sister who are the damsels in distress for that “Dude, save yo girl!” message most classic NES games had.  I also like how it’s being told by a grandmother to her grand kids like it’s a fable or a storybook, that’s a nice touch.   

                The gameplay itself is a ton of fun as it’s easy to pick up and learn the mechanics. Quite simply, your objective is to put out the fire enemies using blocks of ice which our hero Dana (very manly name) can create in an empty spot below him diagonally. There are also blocks arranged in certain patterns in each level and the variety of arrangements is what keeps the game fresh and always interesting. While it starts off very easy, the levels past world 4 get deceptively and progressively harder. A good tip is to always keep altitude on the opponent because if Dana traps himself below and can’t reclaim his footing, then you’ll have to restart the level in order to slay that fireball. This is where the challenge exists, not getting stick while at the same time finding a way to the enemy and then killing it with ice.

                While there are a total of 100 levels spread across 10 worlds which can be done in any order you choose, it is more feasible to just do the levels in order, especially if you’re a new player. The game does a solid job of building on its mechanics through gameplay and constantly stumping you with new, mind bending obstacles for how to traverse the stage and reach enemies. Often times when pushing blocks around you’ll get stuck in a corner with no way back up. Luckily there are no pesky lives or continues to worry about, simply hit start and hit “try again” with the only punishment being starting the level over. And hey, if the level you’re on is infuriating you, just exit out and try a different stage. Since you choose the stage, you choose when to take on the more challenging levels. On top of that, there’s a password system that can be accessed from the map screen by pressing B to back out and choosing the quit option. It’s not too long and it’s a great addition considering this is a pretty lengthy NES title and you won’t likely beat it in one sitting.   

                At the end of each world there is a boss fight which is usually just a bigger puzzle to solve, often with lava chasing you upward. Theses stages are unique and for the most part feel very rewarding and vastly more challenging than the regular stages. There’s even some levels where the stage cycles vertically and the player has to adapt and use this to their advantage. Those were some of my favorite stages because they really pushed you to think ahead and leave gaps for when you’re climbing upward again from the bottom. The final boss is a tad anti climactic, as he’s easy when you know how and only takes 5 hits, but he was still a pretty cool addition none the less. Also once you beat the game there’s 50 more levels and a sound test that can be unlocked. There’s even a stage editor that allows for customized levels which, much like Excitebike, cannot be saved. It’s still a neat thing to have and there’s definitely a lot of bonus content here.  

                     They certainly aren’t lying about that, this game is addicting and it puts the player into a zen sort of mood. The first 4 worlds gave me a warm feeling and the first time I played them, it was clear to me I had to pick up the cart as soon as possible. Often times I’d lose track of hours of time because I couldn’t put the game down. One of this game, and most puzzle games’, biggest strengths is making the player feel the knowledge induced satisfaction of finally figuring out a puzzle after serious trial and error. Beating a level is generally super satisfying because I was finally able to have that “aha” moment and execute the perfect solution. There’s nothing quite like the feeling of when everything falls into place. It reminds me of my experience with Catherine and how certain puzzles drove me nuts until I finally cracked the code and solved it.

                This does however bring up the biggest downfall to this game, the fact that the internet makes this challenging and satisfying glory ride into a cheap cake walk that becomes boring and repetitive due to the corrupt GameFaqs and Youtube playthroughs. It’s a morality issue that stands out here more than most games. It’s like having the answers to the test or being spoiled for a big twist in a movie. I will admit I had to use these to make it through on occasion but I always tried to figure out the solution prior to looking it up as there’s no fun in just mindlessly slogging through such an inventive puzzler. In defense of these playthroughs, they did help make the game less frustrating at points for me and definitely helped me navigate some really obscure methods of completing certain ridiculous levels and in that light, I owe me beating pieces of this game to them. One Youtuber in particular, MMDE, was a Godsend. Also, I can tell he’s got good taste in obscure games as he has a Tomba as his pic and did a full playthrough as well!

                Visually, the game is rather stunning and I love all the animations on the enemies and Dana. There’s even a gag where if you leave the game unpaused for more than 10 seconds without moving, Dana will fall asleep until you make a move. It doesn’t affect anything but it’s cute touches like these that make games stand out. All the bosses are well detailed too and theirs all sorts of variety like a magician, a griffon, a troll, a dragon, and the creepy final boss wizard Druidle. While none of them really do much to stand out, their designs are neat and they all have solid animation as well. The only gripe I have with the visuals is the lack or change in the areas. The map screen boasts forests, caves, mountains, palaces, mines, even a volcano and while the backgrounds do at least change color scheme and patterns, they don’t truly reflect the areas they promise. In this sense, the worlds sort of blend together for me and it seems a missed opportunity to have the worlds all pop with a unique flair. Still, what’s here is good and the aesthetic feel doesn’t disappoint. The soundtrack on display has some really memorable pieces while others are just ok. Overall the quality of the sound is great.

                Despite it’s late release, Fire N’ Ice was actually featured in issue #49 of Nintendo Power with a short walkthrough of some of the more challenging levels. While it never got a full review back then, critics now are actually considerably kind to this game. Most understand its complicated and brilliant gameplay and can truly appreciate this under looked title. It is unfortunate that it has shot up to almost $150 for the cart as only a year ago I obtained mine for $80. Given that it’s one of the top 50 rarest NES games, it’s a most own for any serious collector. For modest collectors I recommend checking out the ROM first and if you fall in love with it like I did then consider getting the real deal. According to some people it’s not worth it but I think it’s more dependent on what kind of collector you are and if it means enough to you to purchase it or not.

                This is a truly special game and is not only one of the best puzzle games ever (right next to Catherine for my favorites) but it is also most certainly the definitive puzzle experience on the NES. With great, inventive, brain teasing , and challenging gameplay, as well as excellent music and visuals, with a steep but rewarding learning curve this is an extremely fun gem. An absolute must play! I’m giving it a 9/10! It feels good to finally put it behind me after this past year!