Navigation
Gameplay:
CT: SF is a side-scrolling arcade shooter, so it pretty much has the control scheme and feeling of Contra. As a team of one of three little 1.5 inch elite soldiers, you take on missions all around the globe, capturing enemy leaders and preventing a chemical breakdown. In some missions you even get to snipe out soldiers in a Time-Crisis-esque control mode, and also control a helicopter as in other side-scrolling shooters. Even though side-scrollers aren't really a favored viewpoint of many, the genre has brought us many great games – while unfortunately CT:SF is fairly average.
MP is handled just like it is with Single Play, except you and one other friend link together and fight each other in a 1 on 1 deathmatch. It would have been nice to see a co-op mode or something similiar to single play (with enemies, besides your friend) but it can provide a few half-hours of fun. Too bad 4-player isn't supported, as it might've added a little more life to this otherwise straightforward multiplayer mode.
Sound:
As the repetitive music blares in the background, you gun down enemies with your seemingly weak 'pellet' gun. Sound is below average, as there is no voice acting or any voice at all for that matter. Not that GBA games have any high-quality sound built into them, but this game just does not have anything worth listening to past 15 minutes.
Graphics:
I can't say much about these graphics, but compared to the newest releases, they are pretty fluid and nicely detailed. You are a 1.5 inch blue-colored SWAT looking guy, with a gas mask, which makes you look even scarier to terrorists I suppose.. These are perhaps the best part of the game, as all of the actions done by any enemy or yourself look 'complete' in their own respect. Nothing spectacular, but a few nice touches here and there.
Conclusion:
As a representative of Counter-Terrorism, the game does portray the life of a special forces soldier, just not in the way most gamers are used to. It should provide entertainment if you have patience and a liking to side-scrollers (especially for the below $19,99 pricetag it's available for), but otherwise, you should avoid.
