As of this writing, it seems like the DuckTales 2017 reboot will not be renewed for a fourth season. That's pretty disheartening. Perhaps storylines will be resolved in what remains of season three, which I'll feel a little better about. Most of what DuckTales does is practically brilliant, and the same can be said about the platformer from Capcom. Yeah, that segway wasn't contrived or anything..

Produced by some lead programmers who worked on Mega Man (and aspects of it can be felt in the gameplay and level structure), DuckTales is one of the smartest and most satisfying games on the Nintendo. In some ways, Ducktales feels more like a precursor to the Mega Man X series of games. With its nonlinear approach to progression, secret passageways, and varied stages, it stands out from a lot of action platformers for how creatively its designed.

As Scrooge McDuck, you begin quests to seek out treasures from various parts of the world to bolster your fortune. The Amazon, the Himalayas, Transylvania, African Mines, and The Moon. You can start out in any fashion you see fit, save for the African Mines, which requires a key obtained in Transylvania before you can proceed further. In fact, you'll just be transported instantly there after talking to Louie. There's also multiple endings you can earn, depending on how much money you acquire. Ending with $10,000,000 gets you the great ending, while the bad ending is spending all of your money on the life restore cheat (which can be done by pressing Select while standing still (it costs $3,00,000) to take your fortunes down to zero.

Scrooge uses his trusty cane to bat objects at enemies, whack objects into position (by the way, love the nice touch of Scrooge bracing himself for the golf swing beforehand), and bouncing on it like a pogo stick. The latter can be used to defeat foes or traverse hazardous terrain, one of the most satisfying abilities in NES games to use. Combat comes off more like puzzles and that's complemented by the great enemy placement. In the Amazon, there's a portion underground where two spiders descend and block you way. The rock in front of you can nail both of them with adequate timing. However, the second spider doesn't drop in a pattern, it only moves when you approach, making it the most desired choice to take down. I'm a mark for things like that.

The visuals are amazing, DuckTales might be one of the most vibrant and colorful Nintendo games with sprites that boast a decent amount of personality, from Scrooge himself to many of the enemies. NPCs like the nephews, Launchpad, and Webby aren't animated, but that's pretty minute in the grand scheme of things.

Each of the stages look different and await Scrooge with various hazards if you aren't careful while poking around. In the Himalayas, poorly timed pogo bounces will end up with you stuck in the snow momentarily. And the Amazon has piranha plant-type monsters that are impervious to the pogo stick bounce and will do damage if you're caught. Hidden passages never feel like they're impossible to reach and can be spotted with keen observation, so false walls are pretty hard to miss. Keiji Inafune, who heads the art staff, adds a touch that can be felt from Capcom's other platform series.

When it comes to audio, DuckTales is one of the most popular and beloved games when it comes to an original soundtrack. The composition done by Hiroshige Tonomura jogs so many memories, and not just from DuckTales. He's also played a part on some cool 8 and 16-bit/arcade era tunes such as The Ninja Warriors, RayStorm, and Bust-A-Move. The Moon Theme hits nostalgia so hard, it might be one of the most recognizable tracks in video game history. It's so iconic, it's referenced in the cartoon, as Della plans to get off the moon.

In the vein of Mega Man, DuckTales is not an easy game, but it's one that you can feel yourself getting better in the more it's played. The controls are very tight and responsive, so learning DuckTales is very accessible. The stages show very little mercy due to how snug the level design is, the layout give you the chance to observe the situation and address it accordingly.

The of the bosses, which include antagonists Magica De Spell and Flintheart Glomgold, are worthy adversaries with pretty stubborn patterns. Oddly enough, I feel like making one's way through the levels are a little tougher than at least two of the boss fights. Tricks like learning to properly hop from moving minecarts to navigating tight spaces with boulders can be daunting. Once all the treasures are gathered, you make your way back to Transylvania for the final battle against Count Dracula (he was downgraded to just a boss in Disney's Quackshot). Despell and Glomgold must be defeated to contend for the final prize. I've only ever beaten this game once, but not with the best ending, at some point, I didn't collect enough money. 

If you love Capcom action platformers, DuckTales most definitely fits the bill (pun intended. yes, it was cheap). It's available in the Capcom Disney Afternoon Collection, which is on all digital storefronts, and the game is worth a whirl. There was a brief period where the HD remaster was decommissioned due to the license expiring, and for a moment, I thought the copy I have on the Wii U was going to become a rare collector's item. It's climbing in price, but nothing astronomical. Anything to experience one of the best NES titles.