Joshua
(C) 1992 Wisdom Tree, Inc.





When I first came across my copy of Joshua a few years ago, I was kind of amazed.  It was developed and produced by Wisdom Tree, a company formerly known as Color Dreams.  Just about every single one of Color Dreams' games is abysmally terrible, so I expected this release to be more of the same.  Fortunately, it's actually rather good.

You play the role of Joshua, servant of God.  The game asserts that you're conquering lands for the Lord, which translates to you bopping about a series of puzzle-ish levels collecting bible questions and treasures.  Every map has five bible questions and a set amount of treasure for you to collect.  Once you've collected the questions and the treasure, an exit will open to the next level.  Various enemies try to stop you, ranging from citizens who will poof into smoke when confronted with the Word of God to angry priests who will try to convert you to their side.

It all seems kind of simplistic, but Joshua features delightful level design and a large variety of items and characters.  There are ten different power-ups, seven different enemies, and four different kinds of treasures.  It doesn't really seem like a lot in writing, but for a puzzle game like this it really does help to keep things fresh.  The level design is commendable because it seems like there's always another boulder to push on top of a mischevious Hittie, always another path to explore.

There's something about Joshua that makes it more than the sum of its parts.  The game exudes a certain sort of goofiness which makes itself manifest when you realize that you've spent the last fifteen minutes running around collecting bible questions, of all things.  Those little music notes you've been shooting around?  Why, they're not just projectiles used to break boulders and stop enemies in their tracks, it's the Almighty Word of God you've been slinging around!  Just when you think you've gotten used to all of the silliness, the game cuts to a graphic insisting to you that yes, you are doing Important Things Involving The Bible On Your NES.

In the end, I think Joshua is a game that just about anybody can enjoy.  Personally, I'm not even Christian but I still had a ton of fun.  The combination of quirky religious action wrapped around a solid puzzle game makes this game a keeper.  Did I mention that it includes voice samples encouraging you to be courageous and congratulating you when you complete a level?  No?  All the more reason to get it!

Score:

Graphics: - The graphics are about average, but they get a minor boost in score since you can make Joshua do a little dance if you press up or down and left or right at the same time.

Sound: - There's no music, but Joshua still receives an above-average mark for sound thanks to the game's voice samples.

Control:  - Average.  Joshua generally does what you tell him to do, but sometimes it can be a bit tricky to place horns just where you want them.

Difficulty: - Joshua has a steady learning curve which introduces new game elements to you as you play.  Some of the later levels can be fiendishly difficult, however!

Fun: - Thanks to Joshua's quirkiness, you can't help but have fun while playing this game.


Extras:

Good Job, Joshua! - Voice sample that plays when you complete a level.
Hallejulah! - The theme that plays when you answer a bible question correctly.
Be Courageous, Joshua! - The best sample of them all, the game encouraging you to be courageous!
Opening Tutorial - Read all about the items and enemies in Joshua here.

Fun fact:

Joshua was actually based off a Color Dreams game by the name of Crystal Mines, which was released three years earlier.  Crystal Mines has insipid level design, terrorizingly bad music, and a much less Biblically-inspired storyline.  Stay clear of it, as Joshua really is a lot better...


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