Dynamite Headdy

Sega's newest character uses his head, literally, to get out of all kinds of trouble. This handheld version isn't as good as the Genesis cart, but it's an amusing way to while away a few hours.

Heads Up

Headdy's platform action offers a change of pace - the main character swaps heads instead of weapons. Headdy cruises through the game's five levels, each with multiple sublevels, trying to vanquish the weird creatures running amuck across the land.

Each of Headdy's heads enables him to do different things, such as climb and ram enemies. Headdy grabs new heads by whacking power-up icons with - what else? - his noggin. He keeps the new head for a short time, then zaps back to his regular head. Unfortunately, using the different heads isn't as strategically important here as it is in the 16-bit game. You'll do almost as well with Headd/s original head, which cuts down on the fun.

Tiny sprites make Headdy hard to keep an eye on, and it's difficult to appreciate the well-drawn enemies. Overall, the graphics have a bright, cartoony look. The sounds are standard Game Gear rinky-dink FX, but they don't detract from the game play.

It's a Blast, Sort Of

Don't miss Headdy when he makes his Genesis debut. In the meantime, this Game Gear'll give you enough practice to keep you a- head of the crowd.

Sega's launching a new longterm character with this game. Headdy is naive, inquisitive, and, oh yes, he has detachable heads, which he uses as weapons, suction devices, and juggling balls. The headstrong Headdy also has a pinhead for tight spaces. This one-player game has extensive areas to explore as Headdy tries to rescue his girl from the Dark Demon in the big city. A Genesis version arrives soon.

Mover Sonic! Dynamite Headdy from Treasure Software is about to make you re-think how you feel about action games on your Game Gear! This game is totally unique in the way it looks and plays. What makes it so different from other action games is that the levels are not set up with any pattern to them. Some levels have Mid-Bosses as well as the final Boss while others just have one. Along your way you'll find special power-up "heads" that give you temporary powers such as the vacuum, pig, hammer, and sleeping heads. Prepare to butt heads!

You need to learn how to keep your head on your shoulders if you're planning to get ahead in this! But don't blow your top! The action is explosive! You've - gotta have this game to get to the head of the class!

Sonic is cool 'n' all, but let's face it - he's not getting any younger. Those trips through Green Hill Zone keep taking longer, and rumors have already begun to circulate about spine tucks. Sega needs another mascot. Not to replace Sonic - no one could ever replace Sonic - but to help carry the huge burden that comes with being an official Sega spokesperson. Someone with a good head on his shoulders.

Enter Dynamite Headdy, the newest and brightest star in Sega's holiday line-up. Now, he may not be able to run fast like Sonic, or jump around like Sonic, but he can toss his head around like a freakin' boomerang. Let's see the old blue guy try that one.

It would be easy to plunk down the same, tired action cart and toss Headdy in. Thankfully, Headdy's unique abilities are fully integrated into the game play, making for some wildly innovative and massively fun action. Every level has something new!

This makes the second great action cart I've had the privilege of reviewing this month, the other being Mickey Mania from Sony. I've thought and thought about it, and I simply can't decide which is better. So they tied. Personally, I prefer Headdy because of its tougher challenges and more involved game play. Mickey is no push over, but younger players might find it more appealing.

Sega really hit the mark with Dynamite Headdy. Congratulations are certainly in order for Treasure, the development team that created the little guy in the first place. Let's hope we see more of Headdy in the future - on Genesis, 32X, and (dare I say it?) Saturn!

Second Opinion

Oh man, Headdy is cool! I liked the 'it's only a movie set' back-ground and all the puns for the level names, based on movie titles ('Toys in the Hood', indeed!). When you play as many games as we do, it takes one that's either very challenging, has a loopy attitude, or has unique game play to catch our attention. I can say, without fear of contradiction, that Dynamite Headdy has all three. It's not a question of whether you should check it out, but how badly it makes you wish for Headdy 2!

Don't Lose Your Head, Blow Your Top Instead!

By the time I'd finally played all the way through Dynamite Headdy, I was seeing that goofy cat 'Trouble Bruin' in my nightmares. What a tough game! Those first levels are a breeze after a couple times through, but those last few stages will really test your skills.

But you don't have to 'lose your head' (ouch!), because we've decided to give you guys some early tips to get you 'heading' in the right direction (argh!). This month's guide will help you through the first half of the game, with strategy on the remaining levels to come next issue. Are we the best, or what?

So make good use of the knowledge on the following pages, and most importantly, 'use your head' (ugh!). Once you've figured out what's needed to win, it's only a matter of time before you're on to the next challenge. Go on out and get 'em, Headdy!

Stage 1

Short and Sweet

Stage 1 only has one area, and there's only one Secret Bonus Point. To get it, stand under the robot and continue to pound away at it from underneath. You must destroy it before you reach the end of the level.

Stage 2

Great Balls of Fire

After honing your skins with the practice games in area 2-1, nab this 500 point bonus in the upper-left corner at the start of 2-2.

You can destroy this tower by dropping a huge red ball on it, but use your head to knock this soldier off first - you earn a Secret Bonus Point.

There are two red balls to area 2-2. You use the first to smash the tower. Move the second ball to the platform just below and to the left, then jump off the ball to reach the 1-up at the upper-left.

Walk to the right and hop through this wall to find a hidden room containing a banana. Mmm!

Near the end of 2-2, you're offered two paths. If you decide to take the high road, you'll need the Spike Head to climb the wall.

Once you've reached the top, jump through the wall to the left to find some bonus points. Now go through the left wall of the hidden room to drop down to another hidden room for more bonus points!

After finding the bonus points in the secret rooms, you've got to make a choice: either you grab a new spike head and climb back up the wall to fight a dragon for a Secret Bonus Point, or grab the Pin Head and collect the power-ups in the miniature maze to the lower-right.

Stage 3

Try to keep ahead of the game.

Dealing with the shifting perspectives in 3-1 can be a pain. Stand on a level with the enemies' shadows to land your blows.

During the "Backstage Battle", grab the Super Head to Increase Headdy's range. Fire inwards at the cat as he spins you around, and also look out for odd-looking green cats for Secret Bonus Points.

Stage 4

Try to keep ahead of the game.

The bigger they are, the harder they fall!

This big lug from 4-1 is a cinch with the nearby War Head. Just stand over him and let your weapon do the work. Just be sure to avoid the robot's crosshairs.

You come across a number of power-ups and bonuses in 4-1, which are all trapped within walls. Don't worry, there's always a Vacuum Head close by to grab 'em with.

When the dog leaps off-screen, watch for this arrow. You want to run immediately to the opposite side of the screen.

Grab the War Head as soon as it's available, but be careful to avoid the Head Trip, which is offered at the same time.

The Bonus Game

When Headdy isn't fighting the evil cat, he likes to whoop it up.

Watch for the Bonus Game icon - you need to find every one.

Play it cool and stick with one cannon. Stand directly in front of it and only go after the balls that fire straight up. Hit them at the height of your jump and aim for the top row - this lessens the chance of you knocking a ball in the wrong basket.

Here's the newest game under development by Treasure, the team responsible for the most excellent Gunstar Heroes and McDonalds. This colorful action game stars Headdy, a cast-off junkyard robot out to save his scrapyard friends from a wrecking crew who has swept them away on a scrap collector robot. Headdy, being junked, has a few screws loose, so he can throw his head eight ways to inflict damage. He can even replace his head with over 10 attachments, like a Hoover unit that sucks in opponents and items. In a pinch, Headdy can throw his claws and hook them on objects to pull himself up over ledges.

Featuring all the bright, cartoony graphics coupled with crisp responsive game play, and imaginative game design that made Treasure's first two games real treats, Dynamite Headdy deserves your attention.

Sega has high hopes for Dynamite Headdy as a new recurring character in the tradition of Sonic. Based on this steady 16-bit introduction, Headdy should be around for a long while. Long enough to see a Headdy 3 or a Headdy Chaos? Hey, he's good, but he's not THAT good!

Use Your Head

Dynamite Headdy's a weird little guy with a big head on his shoulders. In fact, he doesn't have just one head, he has 18 heads he can pick up throughout the game. Each one gives him a unique power-up: The Empty Head conveys invisibility; the Slammer Head gives him extra power, and so on.

Not all the heads are beneficial -the Sleepy Head makes him vulnerable to attacks by inducing a quick nap, for instance. Worst of all is the Head Trip, a huge heavyweight head that keeps him from moving at all. As he runs and jumps through the nine side-view levels and four bonus rounds, your challenge is to figure out which head best suits the challenges up... uh, ahead.

Sounds sort of like Kirby's Adventure, right? The same kind of versatility that enabled the Kirbster to take on new powers in that classic NES game is multiplied here with great results. Strong controls make it easy to switch heads and put them into effective use.

Only two drawbacks keep the game play from being truly excellent. First, with so many heads to choose from, you sometimes can't keep track of which head does what (a situation that's made worse when the action's intense and you're trying frantically to decide which head to use).

Second, some enemies can be beaten without Headdy changing heads at all. His original multidirectional long-range biting head will get you through many encounters, and only occasionally will you need a specific head to get past obstacles. Unfortunately, the head-switching is sometimes reduced to just a nifty gimmick.

Dynamite Details

Headd's world borrows a lot from Sonic's surroundings. You get the same kind of brilliantly colored, highly detailed levels to run around in, with lots of special rooms and imaginative enemies sprinkled everywhere. One key flaw is the small size of the on-screen icons for the different heads, which can be hard to identify because they switch automatically before you can get a good look at them. Also, the "health bar" is an innocuous light glowing in the upper-left corner; as you suffer damage the light changes colors, a system that's not sufficiently helpful.

The sounds offer some pleasant surprises. Just when you think the music is going to be the typical upbeat, propulsive soundtrack common to action games, a piece of music such as The Nutcracker will pop up to delight you. Headdy's own exuberant voice adds personality.

Heads Up

So, will Headdy enjoy the same universal appeal as the legendary Sonic? That's a stretch, but he should find a wide audience. What starts out an easy game strictly for beginners soon gets more challenging, which will keep the intermediate players interested. And the game's humor (wait till you see the bloated Head Trip noggin) should appeal to everyone.

Sega gets extra kudos for inventing a new character, not just pulling a retread out of a comic book or a Saturday- morning cartoon. Dynamite Headdy's just what his name implies: Dynamite! Heads off... uh, hats off to a new hero!

Dynamite Headdy is a video game released in 1994 by Sega and produced by Treasure Co. Ltd. It was released on the Sega Game Gear and Sega Mega Drive system.

The style of the game is platform/action. In this game player slip into the role of mascot character Dynamite Headdy and make their way through 15 side-scrolling levels. The catch in Dynamite Headdy is that -- as the name suggests -- the main character has to use his head to progress. Quite literally, in this case, as Headdy sports 15 interchangeable heads, all with unique powers. For example, one head is used to smash obstacles in his way, one shrinks him, another lets him bounce, while yet another one turns Headdy into a vacuum cleaner on legs. Using his powers, Headdy has to beat his enemies, face off with bosses, and ultimately take out Dark Demon.

Dynamite Headdy is one of the 3 games included with Gunstar Heroes: Treasure Box Collection.

Headdy, the central protagonist of the game, has come to North Town from the country in order to visit his friends HeadCase, HangMan and Beau, but arrives to find that the evil puppet king Dark Demon is in the midst of attacking the puppet town to select which of the peaceful toys should live and which should be converted into his evil minions. Headdy is captured by the Robo-Collector and rejected by D.D.'s forces, and is dropped into the dust cargo to be thrown into the incinerator. However, Headdy escapes the clutches of Dark Demon's minions and sets off to defeat the evil king.

However, trouble is afoot. Not only is the puppet world filled with Dark Demon's minions, but to reach the evil overlord's castle Headdy must defeat Dark Demon's Keymasters, who serve as the king's elite guard. To make matters worse, Headdy is followed by his lifelong rival Trouble Bruin, a puppet jealous of Headdy's success. Bruin wants to be the star instead of Headdy, and will stop at nothing to get rid of him.