Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie

Table of Contents

Introduction

In the mid-1990s, "Power Ranger Mania" was at its absolute zenith. Following the massive success of the television series, the jump to the big screen was inevitable. To coincide with the cinematic release, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie (frequently abbreviated by fans as MMPR: TM) was released for various home consoles. The Super Nintendo version, developed by the action-specialists at Natsume, stands out as a polished side-scrolling beat 'em up that improved upon the mechanics of its predecessor. It offered fans the chance to step into the boots of their favorite heroes during a transitional era for the franchise, blending the aesthetic of the film with the established charm of the Super NES era.

Story & Setting

The narrative of the game loosely follows the transition from the show's second season into the feature film. Players are introduced to a new roster of heroes; while veterans Billy and Kimberly return, the team is rounded out by the legendary Tommy as the White Ranger and the "rookie" trio of Rocky, Adam, and Aisha. These three replaced the original Red, Black, and Yellow Rangers (Jason, Zack, and Trini) following the events of the show’s "Power Transfer." The game’s seven stages take players through various urban environments and alien landscapes, eventually leading to a confrontation with the film's main antagonist, the ancient and purple-goop-obsessed Ivan Ooze. Along the way, players also face off against iconic monsters sent by Lord Zedd.

Gameplay

Power Rangers: The Movie is a side-scrolling action game that supports both single-player and two-player cooperative play. At the start of each stage, players select one of the six available Rangers and begin the mission in their civilian persona. While in civilian mode, the characters have limited range and power but are surprisingly agile. The core mechanic revolves around the "Morphing Meter" located next to the life gauge. By collecting thunderbolt-shaped items dropped by defeated enemies, players fill this meter.

Once the meter is full, or upon reaching a boss encounter, the player can trigger the morphing sequence. This initiates a digitized animated sequence—based on the Season 2 transformation—turning the character into a suited Power Ranger. In Ranger mode, characters gain increased damage, unique weapons, and the ability to perform a screen-clearing special attack at the cost of some meter energy. Unlike the first SNES game, this entry focuses entirely on human-scale combat. There are no giant robot (Megazord) battles during gameplay, though the Ninja Megazord does appear in the game's cinematic ending. The combat is fluid, requiring players to navigate two distinct planes (foreground and background) to dodge attacks and dispatch Lord Zedd’s Putty Patrol.

Platforms

This classic action title was developed specifically to take advantage of the 16-bit hardware of the era. It remains a fan-favorite for those who enjoy high-quality pixel art and cooperative beat 'em up gameplay.

  • SUPER NINTENDO ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEM: NTSC-U

Legacy

The SNES version of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie is often cited as one of the best Power Rangers games ever made. While the Sega Genesis version was a completely different game (a one-on-one fighter/brawler hybrid), the SNES version is praised for its tight controls, vibrant colors, and Natsume’s signature action design. It serves as a time capsule for the 1995 era of the franchise. For many retro gamers, it represents the gold standard of licensed beat 'em ups, effectively capturing the spirit of the show and the movie despite the technical limitations of the time.

Fun Facts

  • White Ranger Debut: This was the first SNES game where Tommy appeared as the White Ranger rather than the Green Ranger.
  • Digital Morphing: The morphing sequence uses digitized video frames from the TV show’s second season, though it notably omits the specific helmet configuration shot of the Red Ranger.
  • Original Monster: While five of the seven bosses are from the TV series, the sixth boss is a completely original monster created specifically for this game.
  • The Secret Code: While the game usually forces you to start as a civilian, there is a special cheat code that allows players to start stages already morphed as Rangers.
  • Megazord Cameo: Despite the box art and the movie source material, the Ninja Megazord only appears in the ending cutscenes and is not a playable character.

Found 0 item(s) for sale

  • No items currently for sale.