Developed by Ocean Software, The Untouchables on the SNES attempts to translate the high-stakes tension of Brian De Palma’s 1987 masterpiece into a multi-genre action experience. Players step into the shoes of Eliot Ness and his legendary squad, navigating a series of levels that alternate between side-scrolling shoot-outs and gallery-style target segments. While many licensed titles of this era were rushed, Ocean managed to capture the aesthetic of 1930s Chicago with a moody palette and recognizable set pieces, including the infamous warehouse raid and the iconic pram sequence at the railway station.
The gameplay is a double-edged sword, characterized by an uncompromising difficulty level that was common for Western-developed SNES titles. The side-scrolling sections require precision, yet the controls can feel somewhat stiff when compared to the fluidity of contemporary Japanese-developed platformers. The gallery shooting stages, which utilize a cursor to pick off Al Capone’s goons from behind cover, offer a refreshing change of pace but suffer from the lack of Super Scope support. Musically, the game fares well, utilizing the SNES sound chip to evoke the somber, orchestral tension of Ennio Morricone’s original score, which significantly aids the cinematic atmosphere.
Ultimately, The Untouchables stands as a respectable, if flawed, adaptation that succeeds more on its atmosphere than its mechanical depth. It avoids the typical "shovelware" trap through its variety of gameplay styles, yet it never quite reaches the heights of contemporary action titles like Contra III. It remains a nostalgic curiosity for fans of the film, though the punishing health system and repetitive enemy patterns mean only the most dedicated G-Men will see the end credits.
