The Flash (video game)

Did You Know?

• A different Flash game was released for Game Boy in 1991 by THQ.
• The Game Boy version was also based on The Flash TV series and had a password system.
• Unlike the Master System release, the Game Boy version was released in the United States.

Gameplay

The game is a side-scrolling 2D platformer with a third-person viewpoint. The player controls the Flash through levels called Episodes, each split into two zones. The primary goals are to find the switch that opens the level exit and then reach the exit within a time limit. A secondary goal is collecting stolen gems to increase the score. If the time limit expires, FED tracks down and kills the Flash on contact. At the start of zone 1, Tina McGee reports on the Trickster's activities to advance the storyline. At the end of each Episode's second zone, the Flash faces the Trickster in his Trickstermobile. The Trickstermobile becomes more difficult with additional weapons and speed as the game progresses.

Reception

Reactions to The Flash were split. Some players felt its fast action was overly hard to handle, while others praised the detailed visuals, well-crafted stages, and music. Since the Master System had stopped being sold in Japan and the US by 1993, the title went largely overlooked in those major markets. It remains a little-known European game, now prized by certain retro collectors for that obscurity.