Hyper Force may at first resemble a Contra style shoot-'em-up, but it actually has adventure elements reminiscent of Metroid. As you make your way through Hyper Force, you will shoot enemies, avoid traps, and search for the exit within each level. You will often encounter locked doors, which can only be opened by finding the appropriate switch elsewhere in the level. Exploring and backtracking are major parts of the game.

While Hyper Force may not quite have the addictive quality of the Metroid games, it is a surprisingly fun game to play. Like many Jaguar games, the graphics of Hyper Force do not take advantage of the system's power. The main character, however, is unusually large...a full one-third of the screen's height. The game's music is enjoyable and interesting, and the controls get the job done. The character does feel a bit floaty at first due to his hoverjets, but you'll soon get used to it and find the hovering ability to be very helpful in certain situations.

Unfortunately, Hyper Force has an annoying flaw. Sometimes when saving your game, the screen will go black and you are forced to restart the Jaguar. When this happens, your game may or may not have been saved. There were several times I had to go through a level two or three times before I could save it successfully. Still, Hyper Force is a good game and is one of the better Jaguar exclusives.