Zombies Ate My Neighbors Review – Definitive 50 SNES Game #37

Number 37 on the Definitive 50 SNES games goes to that wonderful homage to classic horror movies, Zombies Ate My Neighbors. This overhead shooter was released for Super NES and SEGA Genesis in July of 1993. It has since been made available on the Wii’s Virtual Console service.

The story here is simple, and hilarious. Players take control of Zeke and Julie, a couple of suburban kids on a mission to rescue their neighbors from the swarms of movie-inspired monsters who have taken over.

As you progress through the game’s whopping 48 levels, you must snatch your neighbors, the so-called “victims,” from the encroaching monsters. Watch out though, if a monster gets to a victim first, he or she is toast. Only the number of victims rescued on the previous level will appear on the next to be saved, which means progress can be severely hindered by lazy play. Each level concludes when all the victims have either been rescued or killed. At least one needs to be rescued to move on. Points are awarded for picking up the victims, with some worth more than others. A cheerleader will net you 1000 points, but the school teacher is only worth 10.

This title can be played either by one person or two people cooperatively. The game is played in an overhead perspective, with both players sharing the screen in two-player. Take up guns, soda-pop grenades, magic potions, and a variety of other weapons in your fight against the zombie uprising.

Zombies Ate My Neighbors is a fondly remembered game, and for good reason. Its simple, addictive design and solid play mechanics are easy to pick up, and still fun today. The cartoony graphics and references to old horror movies mean its still pretty funny, too.

Check back next week for entry 36 on the Definitive 50 SNES games.