A Retro Gamer’s 12 Days Of Christmas: The Ninth Day, Moonwalker

On the ninth day of Christmas my true love sent to me, nine ladies dancing

I likes to get funky. In the immortal words of George Clinton, “Free your mind and your ass will follow”. Sadly, my dance move repertoire is limited to the white boy shuffle. Even if the steps are pointed out to me as they are in Dance Dance Revolution, my feet can still not find the rhythm of the beat. Thankfully, groove is in the heart and there are a few video games that can give even the most rhythmically challenged among us jazz hands.

Without delving into seedy cameos by dancing girls in games like Duke Nukem 3D and Omikron: The Nomad Soul, I set out to find a game in which dancing has an affect on the plot. Moonwalker is not a dance game though it does have moves that kill. You assume the role of the gloved one, Michael Jackson, and set out to save a group of kids from the henchmen of Mr. Big. No, not the one from N.A.R.C, this guy is totally different. The game is unique in that the player must use dance moves to eliminate each enemy on screen. The music in the game is MIDI-fied versions of several of MJ’s greatest hits. The game also has some of the best voice samples I have ever heard from this console era. Add that to the smooth dance move animations and what you have is a funky good time. Schamone!

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