The Gameboy Advance (GBA) seems to be the perfect system for Super Nintendo ports. Lots of old classics are making their return on the GBA, and Blackthorne is one of them. Brought to us by Blizzard, Blackthorne is about a man fighting against the evil Sarlac. After his village is attacked, he went into hiding for twenty years. Now he has returned to Tuul to fight back. Blackthorne is an action platformer that requires players to use a variety of techniques to navigate each maze-like level.

The game offers a practice mode where you can learn all about the abilities Blackthorne has. Each person you talk to tells you how to do all your moves. The moves are very simple, consisting of jumping, running, climbing, holstering/drawing your gun, etc. There isn’t much of a learning curve in Blackthorne; the gameplay is pretty straightforward from the get go.

Each level is almost like a maze, since the most obvious path will usually have an obstacle that you need to figure out how to pass. Levels are scattered with allies that help you if you talk to them. A lot of the puzzles are solved for you if you keep these bystanders alive.

Each level also has its fair share of enemies. Combat in Blackthorne is pretty slow, but also realistic. When you encounter an enemy, he will press his back against the wall (simulating that he’s hiding behind an object). To do the same, you just press up on the d-pad. He’ll pop out to fire at you, and you need to time his shots just right so you can pop out without getting shot and shoot him before he hides again. Enemies later on take multiple shots, and that’s where the combat can get pretty boring.

Along with his gun, Blackthorne can use items he finds. Most enemies will drop a bag when defeated, and the bag will usually contain a bomb or health vial. These items are used easily with the L button. After each checkpoint, though, your items reset – so use them while you’ve got them.

You can’t save whenever you want in Blackthorne. While this would have been nice, it would also make the game very easy. Blackthorne automatically saves at checkpoints throughout levels. This can be a bit of a pain if you have to stop playing but haven’t reached a checkpoint yet.

Blackthorne is made up of four levels, but the levels are pretty large. The length of the game is just right for an adventure game; not too long and not too short.

Although Blackthorne isn’t a very deep game, it is a lot of fun. It definitely feels like a classic game and will satisfy old school fans. Even gamers not familiar with Blackthorne should give a shot, although it won’t appeal to everyone. The integration of the puzzle solving is great – the puzzles actually make sense and seem like they belong. Plus they’re not too mind bending, so they won’t frustrate. Blackthorne is a great adventure game for anyone looking for something to casually play on their GBA.    

Gameplay: 7.5
The gameplay, although slow, is pretty fun. Blackthorne is a mixture of action and puzzle solving. The game itself is simple, making the controls simple as well. There’s also a practice mode that teaches you all of Blackthorne’s moves in case you get stuck.

Graphics: 6.5 
The graphics aren’t the best you’ll see on the GBA, but they’re crisp and clean. Character animations are well done, and the whole look of the game really capture’s the dark setting.

Sound: 4
The music in the game is fairly repetitive. It is the kind of music you’d expect to hear in the specific setting of the game, but it just doesn’t sound right. Gun and bomb noises are what you’d expect out of an old Super Nintendo game.

Difficulty: Medium
Later on in the game enemies become pretty tricky, and dodging their shots isn’t as easy as it is in the first level. Also, some of the puzzles and mazes can get pretty difficult.

Concept: 6 
Porting old Super Nintendo games to the GBA has been a popular thing since it first came out. Blackthorne was a little lesser known than some of the remakes such as Shinobi, Contra, or Mario Kart, but if it wasn’t for the remake a lot of people wouldn’t know how entertaining Blackthorne can be.

Overall: 7.2
Blackthorne is a cool game. The hero is confident and tough, something that’s always nice to see in a hero. The ambience of the game just sets the mood perfectly with its darkness and oppression. Even though the combat is fairly slow, it feels more realistic than a lot of run-and-gun games, and the puzzles are smart and don’t feel out of place. The only problem I see is that maybe the action is too slow and most people may be tired of it before the game is over.