Space Ace

Space Ace is an action video game developed by Oxford Digital Enterprises and published by Absolute Entertainment, Imagineer, and Empire Interactive for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System video game console in North America, Japan, and Europe respectively. It is a version of the game of the same name, which was noted for its full-motion video cutscenes. Players control the protagonist, Dex, who is made younger and weaker by the villain Borf, through platforming-action and shooting segments. At points, players may transform Dex into Ace in these platforming segments, giving Dex the ability to shoot. At release, critical reception was mixed, with common praises being to do with visuals, audio, and shooting segments, while common criticisms were to do with trial-and-error gameplay and imprecision. However, contemporary critics were harsher, with Space Ace being regarded as one of the worst Super NES games by several publications. Multiple critics felt that the trial-and-error gameplay was meant to emulate the trial-and-error game of the original. Gameplay In Space Ace, players take control of Dex, also known as Ace when at his most powerful, who must rescue Kimmy from the villain Borf while being under the influence of an Infanto Ray that makes him younger. During gameplay, Dex must dodge attacks and jump over pits while the perspective automatically scrolls along the path to the end of the level. Players can find various secrets and items along the way, and can also turn Dex into Ace, at which point he can engage in combat using a gun against his enemies, which wears off eventually. Upon reaching the end of a level, players will be assessed based on number of shots taken, number of enemies destroyed, their ability, and their style, while an overall tally is also kept. Some levels take place in an overhead perspective and autoscroll, such as the Space Maze and Rocket Skate Maze, while other levels are sidescrolling levels with autoscroll. In the overhead levels, they must find a portal that leads them to the next level. Like the original arcade version, this game has videos that play during certain events, like ending the level of being hurt by an enemy, the latter which takes a life away. When players run out of lives, the game ends.