Wolfenstein 3D Review

Wolfenstein 3D is the classic first-person shooter by id Software that was originally released for MS-DOS in 1992 and then ported to many different platforms over the years. This is the game that put first person shooters on the map which are still going strong today.

Despite its name, Wolfenstein 3D has nothing in common with the game Castle Wolfenstein. The creators of Wolfenstein 3D were big fans of the original game and were able to secure the rights to the name. Both games have a similar goal, escape from Castle Wolfenstein. Unlike Doom, which was developed after, there are a few things missing from modern first person shooters. First off each floor is flat, no stairs or elevated platforms. In addition to that, you can't jump. All of these things combine to make the gameplay a little stiff.

With many of the current shooters when you take damage it will regenerate on its own if as long as you don't take any more damage. This game, on the other hand, is an old school game, your damage can only be healed by medical packs you'll find in the castle. Also, Wolfenstein 3D has no maps to help you move around and I believe that is an intentional part of the game, anyone can blow through a level when you know where to go. Besides being a part of the challenge, not knowing where to go would make sense for a man trying to escape captivity. The Nazis wouldn't give each prisoner a full map of the castle.

 The game has a total of six levels with around ten floors to each level. Along with the health, I mentioned above you'll also be collecting ammo and treasure that you find. On each floor, you can also find hidden passages that usually contain better weapons, ammo, health or treasure. I find it very funny that you are a prisoner in a Nazi castle and instead of finding your way out of the castle as quickly you can you instead stuff your pockets with treasure.

There are many kinds of enemies to fight from dogs to regular German army soldiers to blue SS guards. These are the basic enemies with tougher ones in later levels. Remembering that the game is over twenty years old the music is very good and the enemies yell out words in German when they see you. The end of the floors have bosses you'll have to beat including Hitler with twin chain guns.

This is the first boss, I love the music that plays during this fight.

Wolfenstein 3D is similar to the Beatles in that the developers took a few things from this game or that and combined them into a product that was so good that it explodes in popularity which then inspires people to go and improve on it. This game is a classic and I feel if you're a fan of first person shooters and never played it before I highly recommend trying Wolfenstein 3D out. My mother isn't really into games very much but she was obsessed with this game. I can remember getting up to go to the bathroom at night and I'd hear her playing it. I have it for windows, Nintendo DS and Xbox. There are many other ways to play it since it was released on just about every device both during the 90s and even today. I give Wolfenstein 3D a 9 out of 10.

I know that the Hitler rant videos from a few years ago were funny but this one was always my favorite because it includes the bad guys from Wolfenstein 3D.