Gauntlet: The Third Encounter

Step into the dungeon, hack through hordes of enemies, collect gold and food before your life runs out, that is the ritual the Gauntlet series burned into the memory of an entire generation. Gauntlet: The Third Encounter is a Lynx spin-off of this legend, and it does things its own way.

Instead of the classic quartet of warrior, wizard, elf and Valkyrie, a colorful and unexpected roster of classes awaits you here. You can play as anyone from a nerd to an android, which gives this version a quirky, almost humorous identity that defies expectations. The core of the game, however, stays faithful to the original: you battle your way through top-down mazes, mow down endless throngs of monsters, and your main enemy is your own dwindling life meter.

That feeling of constant pressure, where your health drains on its own and you have to rush toward the next meal and treasure, is what made Gauntlet so addictive. On the Lynx this adrenaline-fueled chase keeps its brisk pace, and the color screen helps you stay oriented amid the flood of enemies.

Released in 1990, the game is one of the titles that made use of the ComLynx link for cooperative play. And co-op is exactly where Gauntlet always shone brightest, with two players fighting their way through the dungeon at the same time, sharing the loot and occasionally, unintentionally, getting in each other's way. Cooperation and rivalry rolled into one.

In the end this Lynx version is a likeable and brisk representative of the brand. It is not the full-blooded arcade original, but a cleverly transplanted experience for the small screen, enriched by the choice of unconventional classes. For fans of dungeon brawlers, a pleasant surprise.

Why play: For the brisk battling through hordes of enemies with an unconventional choice of classes and ComLynx co-op that captures the spirit of the classic Gauntlet on the go.