Helping people in your 'hood is all part of the game, and another way you can do that is by knocking negative emotions out of the way of innocent civilians. Some people will display speech bubbles rife with various troubles. You can smack these away from them and even transfer them to your enemy, causing them to act confused, depressed, or to run away from you. The thankful citizens will even help you take out some of the enemies from time to time by throwing things at them. The addition of such elements does not give this game great depth but it does add to the entertaining, arcade experience.

The great cartoon graphics come at the expense of slowdown. While it's not so terrible in the single-player mode, it's incredibly annoying in the multiplayer mode. The gameplay slows to a crawl whenever a gang of enemies appears. Also, there is no co-op mode or versus mode, just a race to complete a level. There is absolutely no interaction with the other player's character. If you find the multiplayer mode unplayable, take comfort in knowing you're not missing much.

Voiceovers are available in English and the original Japanese versions. The rest of the sonic palette consists of various smacks, slams, grunts, and groans. The soundtrack is fun, varied and a perfect example of Japanese arcadia.

Hammerin Hero is almost guaranteed to disappoint any gamer that purchases it due to the short length, repetitive gameplay, and lack of replay value. But, it does make the perfect rental, and is highly recommended for a brief rendezvous.

By Cole Smith
CCC Senior Writer