8-Bit Xmas 2009 (Rating: 3/10)
Despite the quality of the cartridge (including its awesome Christmas lights), 8-Bit Xmas 2009 is a REALLY miserable game. First off, the game can only be played via multiplayer, and I'm pretty sure you can't get other friends to play this ugly mess. Not only is it terrible in the graphics and sound departments, but the gameplay feels very broken.
You guys shoot what are supposed to be snowballs at each other, but you must press A or B for the direction you want to throw it, and the only way they can hit anyone is if they bounce off the side of the screen (Um....what?) and into the player. The result sucks, and I don't even recommend playing it online......But in case if you're curious.........ugh..
You guys shoot what are supposed to be snowballs at each other, but you must press A or B for the direction you want to throw it, and the only way they can hit anyone is if they bounce off the side of the screen (Um....what?) and into the player. The result sucks, and I don't even recommend playing it online......But in case if you're curious.........ugh..
8-Bit Xmas 2011 (Rating: 7/10)
8-Bit Xmas 2011 is a Christmas themed Warlords. Like the frantic Atari classic, it's like a 4-player battle Pong in which the players must hit the ball at each other's bases and eventually the core (in this case, the fire in the fireplaces). That said, the game is fun and addicting, and it even has a few different arenas.
What docks points off, however, is that the AI could easily be better. One paddle repeatedly moves back and forth, and you move 2 paddles, despite that there are no teams (And only one of the two can hold the ball).
What docks points off, however, is that the AI could easily be better. One paddle repeatedly moves back and forth, and you move 2 paddles, despite that there are no teams (And only one of the two can hold the ball).
Action 52 (Rating: 1/10)
Action 52 is the strangest unlicensed NES game ever. The cartridge is clear, and it gets warmer after playing it about an hour (That is, if you would wanna play this trash). Even stranger, it costs a whopping $200. Is it worth it? No, and it never will be.
52 games sounds like a lot, but you would play them just for the amusement of how bad they are, not because they're fun.
All the games suffer from lack of decent gameplay, sounds, music, imagination, graphics, and the fun factor.
One game actually crashes, so we can never be able to play it.
Some games are impossible to finish.
Some are extremely easy.
I think all this should already be able to explain to you not to buy this.
52 games sounds like a lot, but you would play them just for the amusement of how bad they are, not because they're fun.
All the games suffer from lack of decent gameplay, sounds, music, imagination, graphics, and the fun factor.
One game actually crashes, so we can never be able to play it.
Some games are impossible to finish.
Some are extremely easy.
I think all this should already be able to explain to you not to buy this.
Back to the Future (Rating: 1/10)
Back to the Future is one of the more popular movie franchises in...the movie industry. The game based off of the movie.....was a bombshell. It isn't even based off of the movie, since there's barely anything that relates to it.
You play as a guy who's supposed to be Marty, but doesn't look like him. You walk through streets, collecting clocks and shooting bowling balls. That already sounds nothing like the movie. The music is as annoying as the game itself. It loops until you turn off the game.
There is this one scene, however, where you play the guitar (In an awkward way), and different music plays. However, it's not Johnny Be Good. Instead, it's a garbled 8-bit mess.
Could the game be any stupider? Yes, it can.
You play as a guy who's supposed to be Marty, but doesn't look like him. You walk through streets, collecting clocks and shooting bowling balls. That already sounds nothing like the movie. The music is as annoying as the game itself. It loops until you turn off the game.
There is this one scene, however, where you play the guitar (In an awkward way), and different music plays. However, it's not Johnny Be Good. Instead, it's a garbled 8-bit mess.
Could the game be any stupider? Yes, it can.
Back to the Future Part 2 & 3 (Rating: 1/10)
I'm in pain...not physical pain, but I'm hurt from actually playing these Back to the Future games. Plus, they are by LJN (except the Genesis BTTF3), so that can only mean a bad thing. The first BTTF game was a monstrosity in which you play as someone who is supposed to represent Marty, but doesn't look like him, shooting bowling balls, collecting clocks, and dodging bullies and hula-hoop girls.
Back to the Future 2 & 3 (not a game collection by the way, just to let you know) is better in some ways, but way worse in others. On one hand, the overused background music here sounds way better than that 1 and a half second loop of the first game's music. The game also plays better, as it's a hybrid of Mario and Metroid exploration/platforming.
On the other hand, the music is still overused, not making the game seem too great to begin with. And while the game does provide nice platforming, it fails on every bit of exploration. It is never easy to navigate yourself through all of these levels to find the items you need. You're supposed to send the items back to their time periods, but along the way, you'll have to find keys that open doors to items, play crappy bonus stages before reaching the items, unscramble words (Seriously? That's desperate...), and explore frustratingly throughout the game. And take notice that there are 30 items.
So, after explaining all of the basic things you have to do as you play the game, I'm pretty sure you wouldn't want to play the game. Even if you're a fan of exploration games like Metroid or Zelda, I may as well say good luck trying to find your way out of this unforgiving maze. Oh, yeah! There's no save or password feature either.
Buying this game is like buying a Wii box full of sand on ebay (Not expecting it to be full of sand). You are expecting something amazing, but then you end up getting gypped.
Back to the Future 2 & 3 (not a game collection by the way, just to let you know) is better in some ways, but way worse in others. On one hand, the overused background music here sounds way better than that 1 and a half second loop of the first game's music. The game also plays better, as it's a hybrid of Mario and Metroid exploration/platforming.
On the other hand, the music is still overused, not making the game seem too great to begin with. And while the game does provide nice platforming, it fails on every bit of exploration. It is never easy to navigate yourself through all of these levels to find the items you need. You're supposed to send the items back to their time periods, but along the way, you'll have to find keys that open doors to items, play crappy bonus stages before reaching the items, unscramble words (Seriously? That's desperate...), and explore frustratingly throughout the game. And take notice that there are 30 items.
So, after explaining all of the basic things you have to do as you play the game, I'm pretty sure you wouldn't want to play the game. Even if you're a fan of exploration games like Metroid or Zelda, I may as well say good luck trying to find your way out of this unforgiving maze. Oh, yeah! There's no save or password feature either.
Buying this game is like buying a Wii box full of sand on ebay (Not expecting it to be full of sand). You are expecting something amazing, but then you end up getting gypped.
Batman: Return of the Joker (Rating: 7/10)
Batman: Return of the Joker is always seemed to be claimed as some kind of Contra clone (Because of the power-ups) or a MegaMan clone (Because of how the screen scrolls going to the next area). Well, it's not a clone of any of those games. It's its own good game that has a major challenge in it.
ROTJ has all of what you would love to see in an 8-Bit platformer: Amazing music, amazing graphics that rival some other games' graphics, and tons of effort put into the game.
The game also plays great, although Batman only has a gun. You can get several Contra-like upgrades to the gun, such as being able to shoot it in a spiral-staircase-kind-of-way, and there's even a Spreader upgrade whose directions are only somewhat different.
However, there's one thing that just makes the game fall flat: The insane difficulty. It's okay in the first world, but as you go on, there will be lots, lots, and LOTS of cheap deaths. Some may be from multiple hits. Some may be from falling backwards into a hole. Either way, the game is hard as heck.
Fortunately, there's a Password feature that has 4-digit passwords. That is some relief right there.
The boss battles are easy, too. Well, that is, except for the Joker himself. You and the boss would always have health bars, too. So if you worry about getting hit 7 times and die, you should realize how the health system changed here.
Overall, Batman: Return of the Joker is a good game for the NES library, but it's going to be a rough challenge for you.
ROTJ has all of what you would love to see in an 8-Bit platformer: Amazing music, amazing graphics that rival some other games' graphics, and tons of effort put into the game.
The game also plays great, although Batman only has a gun. You can get several Contra-like upgrades to the gun, such as being able to shoot it in a spiral-staircase-kind-of-way, and there's even a Spreader upgrade whose directions are only somewhat different.
However, there's one thing that just makes the game fall flat: The insane difficulty. It's okay in the first world, but as you go on, there will be lots, lots, and LOTS of cheap deaths. Some may be from multiple hits. Some may be from falling backwards into a hole. Either way, the game is hard as heck.
Fortunately, there's a Password feature that has 4-digit passwords. That is some relief right there.
The boss battles are easy, too. Well, that is, except for the Joker himself. You and the boss would always have health bars, too. So if you worry about getting hit 7 times and die, you should realize how the health system changed here.
Overall, Batman: Return of the Joker is a good game for the NES library, but it's going to be a rough challenge for you.
Batman Returns (Rating: 9/10)
The reason why I chose to play Batman Returns was because I thought the Super Nintendo version looked really satisfying. I mean c'mon! It has what I would like it to be: A really great beat 'em up made by Konami with awesome music, graphics, etc! I never even watched the movie, and yet I'm loving this game.
That is what defines Batman Returns on the NES. Konami's straightforward licensed beat 'em up. If you had played Konami's TMNT II - The Arcade Game, then you know what to expect. It plays like TMNT II, but it pretty much holds up on its own, too.
Love that music huh? Well, you're gonna be listening to upbeat Konami tunes throughout the game. That's what a true Konami game should have.
Batman can use his weapons, like his gun and his Batarang. He can also use a slide attack by pressing A and down at the same time.
The problem with the game, though, is how you start with only one life. I guess that's why you have such a big health bar, but I still hate how you have to start with just one life. At least you can find hearts in presents, fire hydrants, or wherever else to refill the health bar.
Overall, Konami has done Batman well. I should probably check out the more common Super Nintendo version.
That is what defines Batman Returns on the NES. Konami's straightforward licensed beat 'em up. If you had played Konami's TMNT II - The Arcade Game, then you know what to expect. It plays like TMNT II, but it pretty much holds up on its own, too.
Love that music huh? Well, you're gonna be listening to upbeat Konami tunes throughout the game. That's what a true Konami game should have.
Batman can use his weapons, like his gun and his Batarang. He can also use a slide attack by pressing A and down at the same time.
The problem with the game, though, is how you start with only one life. I guess that's why you have such a big health bar, but I still hate how you have to start with just one life. At least you can find hearts in presents, fire hydrants, or wherever else to refill the health bar.
Overall, Konami has done Batman well. I should probably check out the more common Super Nintendo version.
Bible Buffet (Rating: 8/10)
First off, although I'm Jewish, I can simply say that this is NOTHING like the Bible at all. Or at least I know the Bible isn't as insane as how this game depicts the world to be. Bible Buffet is really a Zelda-Candy Land hybrid with a major food theme. Delicious.
You all start out on a really familiar-looking Candy Land-style game board, and then you spin the wheel to see what number (1-6) of spaces you can travel by. Actually, there are a few other things that occur using the wheel. You can receive a key, an extra heart container, a pop quiz (I'll talk about that in a sec), an unfortunate decision of having to go back a few spaces, or some random bonus.
The Pop Quizzes are actually a series of questions relating to the Bible (So I've heard..), but the questions themselves aren't even displayed on the screen! They are actually in the original NES release's manual. They are somewhat pointless, since there's no stopping you from getting a bonus or having your turn pass. The pop quizzes is the only real downside to this game.
Board game and quiz gameplay aside, let's now talk about what happens when landing on a space. When landing on a regular space, you are taken to an actual level! Nope. No Mario Party-style minigames. You get to play actual levels! It plays like a very simplified Zelda, as said before, since your two attacks are throwing...spoons (Or whatever they are) and put down EXPLODING PANCAKES (Barrels?) a la Bomberman. All you really have to do is reach the exit of the level, and then the game will go on to the other player's turn.
When the game ends, it counts up not one, but three winners. It congratulates whoever scored the most points, answered the most questions right, and whoever reached the end first.
Considering how it's all put together, you would think that it would make for an excellent game. Well, it still is good, but there ARE better games, like Mario Party. However, it's worth it for its uniqueness of its mixture of Zelda and Candy Land.
Actually, it's free! Well, if you want to buy a NES cartridge, go ahead, but the game is actually free on the Wisdom Tree website! So rather than actually buying the game, why not save up tons of cash and play the game by clicking this button?
You all start out on a really familiar-looking Candy Land-style game board, and then you spin the wheel to see what number (1-6) of spaces you can travel by. Actually, there are a few other things that occur using the wheel. You can receive a key, an extra heart container, a pop quiz (I'll talk about that in a sec), an unfortunate decision of having to go back a few spaces, or some random bonus.
The Pop Quizzes are actually a series of questions relating to the Bible (So I've heard..), but the questions themselves aren't even displayed on the screen! They are actually in the original NES release's manual. They are somewhat pointless, since there's no stopping you from getting a bonus or having your turn pass. The pop quizzes is the only real downside to this game.
Board game and quiz gameplay aside, let's now talk about what happens when landing on a space. When landing on a regular space, you are taken to an actual level! Nope. No Mario Party-style minigames. You get to play actual levels! It plays like a very simplified Zelda, as said before, since your two attacks are throwing...spoons (Or whatever they are) and put down EXPLODING PANCAKES (Barrels?) a la Bomberman. All you really have to do is reach the exit of the level, and then the game will go on to the other player's turn.
When the game ends, it counts up not one, but three winners. It congratulates whoever scored the most points, answered the most questions right, and whoever reached the end first.
Considering how it's all put together, you would think that it would make for an excellent game. Well, it still is good, but there ARE better games, like Mario Party. However, it's worth it for its uniqueness of its mixture of Zelda and Candy Land.
Actually, it's free! Well, if you want to buy a NES cartridge, go ahead, but the game is actually free on the Wisdom Tree website! So rather than actually buying the game, why not save up tons of cash and play the game by clicking this button?
Bonk's Adventure (Rating: 10/10)
The Bonk series may be more well-known on the TurboGrafx16, but the first game, Bonk's Adventure, was on multiple systems. It was on Game Boy, the NES, the Super Nintendo, arcade, etc. Some of these versions, however, seem to have levels that differ from one another. What's up with that?
The main gameplay is pretty sweet. If you eat a piece of meat, you get powered up a bit, making Bonk look kinda creepy, but at least your hit points don't drain when you get whacked by an enemy. Eating a bigger piece of meat does both power up AND INVINCIBILITY!!! Bonk can also run faster as he is invincible, smashing enemies in sight, Mario-style.
At every end of a round (Except Round 5), there would be a boss. Awesome 8-Bit boss music turns on, and the battle begins. It may seem like a basic fight, but it's possible you may lose a life or two. What I also like about Bonk's Adventure is that when you die, you can just press Start to start up another life at where you had died.
Before reaching the final boss, you have to battle the other four bosses again. Kinda like how Sonic 4 had done it. But that's when I realize the full story. A unicorn (as a princess) has been kidnapped by a dragon named King Drool, and now that dragon is taking over her planet. What the heck...? Isn't Bonk a caveman? And the game would end with the unicorn kissing Bonk, causing him to go nuts like when he collects meat. Isn't Bonk a caveMAN? And the princess is a UNICORN?
Story aside, it's a really great game.
The main gameplay is pretty sweet. If you eat a piece of meat, you get powered up a bit, making Bonk look kinda creepy, but at least your hit points don't drain when you get whacked by an enemy. Eating a bigger piece of meat does both power up AND INVINCIBILITY!!! Bonk can also run faster as he is invincible, smashing enemies in sight, Mario-style.
At every end of a round (Except Round 5), there would be a boss. Awesome 8-Bit boss music turns on, and the battle begins. It may seem like a basic fight, but it's possible you may lose a life or two. What I also like about Bonk's Adventure is that when you die, you can just press Start to start up another life at where you had died.
Before reaching the final boss, you have to battle the other four bosses again. Kinda like how Sonic 4 had done it. But that's when I realize the full story. A unicorn (as a princess) has been kidnapped by a dragon named King Drool, and now that dragon is taking over her planet. What the heck...? Isn't Bonk a caveman? And the game would end with the unicorn kissing Bonk, causing him to go nuts like when he collects meat. Isn't Bonk a caveMAN? And the princess is a UNICORN?
Story aside, it's a really great game.
Bubble Bobble (Rating: 9/10)
Bubble Bobble is a game in which you control two cute dinosaurs in a weird world. You must kill enemies by shooting bubbles at them (they end up inside the bubbles) and then pop them.
That became a huge and addicting experience in an 80s arcade game. What's even better was that you get to play with a friend and team up to progress through the game.
The NES version is no difference. The graphics, gameplay, and everything else are all the same as what you've seen or heard in the arcade game. Sure, the NES had its limits, but back then, and even today, it's a near-perfect port of a game that people will never stop playing for generations to come.
That became a huge and addicting experience in an 80s arcade game. What's even better was that you get to play with a friend and team up to progress through the game.
The NES version is no difference. The graphics, gameplay, and everything else are all the same as what you've seen or heard in the arcade game. Sure, the NES had its limits, but back then, and even today, it's a near-perfect port of a game that people will never stop playing for generations to come.
Bubble Bobble Part 2 (Rating: 8/10)
What was Bubble Bobble best known for? The answer: It's multiplayer mode.
In Bubble Bobble: Part 2 (which is a direct sequel), you can't play onscreen at the same time with your buddy. Co-op multiplayer is something major that built up the series. The fact that you can't do co-op here is inexcusable.
However, other than that, this game plays just like the first Bubble Bobble. There is a new float ability, and there are all-new level designs, but the basic gameplay remains the same. Although, that's actually a small complaint, given how the gameplay is already so good.
In Bubble Bobble: Part 2 (which is a direct sequel), you can't play onscreen at the same time with your buddy. Co-op multiplayer is something major that built up the series. The fact that you can't do co-op here is inexcusable.
However, other than that, this game plays just like the first Bubble Bobble. There is a new float ability, and there are all-new level designs, but the basic gameplay remains the same. Although, that's actually a small complaint, given how the gameplay is already so good.
Bugs Bunny's Birthday Blowout (Rating: 8/10)
Granted, it's a platformer with Bugs Bunny stapled onto it. But what's really important (At least for me) is that the platforming actually works out fine. Plus, while the enemies do look like they've been thought up at the last minute, the graphics look pretty good. The music is also as catchy (Although somewhat repetitive at certain levels) as that of Mario music.
What I find interesting about the game is that there are actually some minor twists added into the never-tiring formula that make this pretty unique. Examples include seesaws, blocks broken with Bugs's hammer, and carrot blocks (when collected) turning into platforms. But even without those gimmicks, it's still kinda nice to play a good NES platformer when given the chance. Bugs Bunny's Birthday Blowout certainly would fill that need.
The Bugs Bunny license may not have been used well in this game (Heck, any video game character could star in something like this), and the bonus stages (In which you either mash buttons for luck or play Whack a Mole) sorta suck, but this is still not that bad of an NES title. I love the Angry Video Game Nerd and everything, but this is one game he's ranted on that I would actually like to play.
What I find interesting about the game is that there are actually some minor twists added into the never-tiring formula that make this pretty unique. Examples include seesaws, blocks broken with Bugs's hammer, and carrot blocks (when collected) turning into platforms. But even without those gimmicks, it's still kinda nice to play a good NES platformer when given the chance. Bugs Bunny's Birthday Blowout certainly would fill that need.
The Bugs Bunny license may not have been used well in this game (Heck, any video game character could star in something like this), and the bonus stages (In which you either mash buttons for luck or play Whack a Mole) sorta suck, but this is still not that bad of an NES title. I love the Angry Video Game Nerd and everything, but this is one game he's ranted on that I would actually like to play.
Castlevania (Rating: 9/10)
The NES has one of the greatest game libraries of all time. Look into it once and you find titles like Mario, the port of Contra, Zelda, Metroid, Mega Mans 1-6, and so on. But who would have thought that there would be one classic whose atmosphere involves Dracula and similarly eerie scenery? That game is Castlevania. Before there were games like, say, Resident Evil, Castlevania was one game to capture a dark feel. And the game blended it in with top-notch gameplay, awesome music, and great graphics alike.
The game is simple. It's a platformer in which the main character uses a whip to kill enemies. You eventually obtain certain items that are used in different ways than the whip (EX: A watch that freezes all enemies for a few seconds, and a tomahawk you can throw). The game's divided into 6 somewhat-big levels, and unlike modern Castlevania games, this original is linear throughout. But that's not a bad thing. It's a game that's straightforward and to the point, offering you the fun right away.
However, you may as well be warned. If you haven't played this game, let me tell you this: It is HARD. There are lots of things to be aware about as you play the game (Especially how the enemies move). If you aren't careful, you could die pretty easily. Speaking of which, some deaths could occur from falling into bottomless pits, which most likely happen when an enemy knocks you in. Thankfully, there's a Continue option, so hope for beating this game isn't totally lost. Besides, this game is very fun, anyway, difficult or not. You should definitely try this classic out. Just be sure to expect a challenge.
The game is simple. It's a platformer in which the main character uses a whip to kill enemies. You eventually obtain certain items that are used in different ways than the whip (EX: A watch that freezes all enemies for a few seconds, and a tomahawk you can throw). The game's divided into 6 somewhat-big levels, and unlike modern Castlevania games, this original is linear throughout. But that's not a bad thing. It's a game that's straightforward and to the point, offering you the fun right away.
However, you may as well be warned. If you haven't played this game, let me tell you this: It is HARD. There are lots of things to be aware about as you play the game (Especially how the enemies move). If you aren't careful, you could die pretty easily. Speaking of which, some deaths could occur from falling into bottomless pits, which most likely happen when an enemy knocks you in. Thankfully, there's a Continue option, so hope for beating this game isn't totally lost. Besides, this game is very fun, anyway, difficult or not. You should definitely try this classic out. Just be sure to expect a challenge.
Castlevania 2: Simon's Quest (Rating: 5/10)
You know, I was talking with my former science teacher (Who grew up in the NES era) about Super Castlevania 4 today, and how much fun the game was. Apparently, he told me he doesn't remember playing that one. He said he gave up on the series due to this sore thumb. According to him, he paid a big $40 for the game (I guess that's the standard price of NES games then), and the result was a boring/confusing sequel that didn't live up to the original.
Of course, I wouldn't be writing this review if I hadn't played it myself, but I still gotta agree with him. Castlevania 2 isn't about linear action platforming fun. Instead, it's about whipping monsters for hearts to purchase items and conquering lying civilians to progress forward. On top of that, the level design is bland, bland, bland. There isn't too much of a variety of anything (mainly enemies) when going anywhere.
Since there are certain areas to go, you may as well listen to what the non-playable characters have to say, right? No. They actually happen to lie at times. Unbelievable, right? How can you play a game that you definitely need tips on what to do if you get the wrong tips? As much as I would want to go get Nintendo Power issue #2 for help, it costs a hefty $40+ on Amazon (go figure..). Maybe there's a scan floating around on the Internet, but it is still inexcusable for Konami to release Castlevania 2 as is. And don't get me started on when the in-game day turns night...
That's not to say there was no fun factor or appeal at all. The graphics are still fantastic, and the music is awesome. The classic Castlevania whipping action, although bombarded by everything above, is still there, and still fun to do. Had there been even more work done on this game, this would've been an absolute masterpiece.
Of course, I wouldn't be writing this review if I hadn't played it myself, but I still gotta agree with him. Castlevania 2 isn't about linear action platforming fun. Instead, it's about whipping monsters for hearts to purchase items and conquering lying civilians to progress forward. On top of that, the level design is bland, bland, bland. There isn't too much of a variety of anything (mainly enemies) when going anywhere.
Since there are certain areas to go, you may as well listen to what the non-playable characters have to say, right? No. They actually happen to lie at times. Unbelievable, right? How can you play a game that you definitely need tips on what to do if you get the wrong tips? As much as I would want to go get Nintendo Power issue #2 for help, it costs a hefty $40+ on Amazon (go figure..). Maybe there's a scan floating around on the Internet, but it is still inexcusable for Konami to release Castlevania 2 as is. And don't get me started on when the in-game day turns night...
That's not to say there was no fun factor or appeal at all. The graphics are still fantastic, and the music is awesome. The classic Castlevania whipping action, although bombarded by everything above, is still there, and still fun to do. Had there been even more work done on this game, this would've been an absolute masterpiece.
Contra (Rating: 10/10)
Contra. If you can think of an old-school shooting game, this would probably stand right on top of your head. Originally hailing from arcades, the leap to NES made the game even more popular. Better yet...has anyone even played the arcade original?
Contra is composed of platform shooting at its finest, hard difficulty, and eight totally fantastic stages! Most of the stages would have a boss at the end, while stages 2 and 4 go into a fake-3D perspective.
Like I said the game is hard. What does that mean? Well, it's HARD. There would be so many frustrating deaths caused by numerous enemies. The deaths are also caused by the fact that you can only get hit once. Several games I reviewed had points docked off for this, but here...I'm just having too much of a blast!
The graphics are amazing for its time, and the music will always be beating in your 8-Bit heart.
What's really awesome about the game is how you get to play co-op with another player! Bill and Lance, kicking robo-butt like anything else in a video game.
Contra is composed of platform shooting at its finest, hard difficulty, and eight totally fantastic stages! Most of the stages would have a boss at the end, while stages 2 and 4 go into a fake-3D perspective.
Like I said the game is hard. What does that mean? Well, it's HARD. There would be so many frustrating deaths caused by numerous enemies. The deaths are also caused by the fact that you can only get hit once. Several games I reviewed had points docked off for this, but here...I'm just having too much of a blast!
The graphics are amazing for its time, and the music will always be beating in your 8-Bit heart.
What's really awesome about the game is how you get to play co-op with another player! Bill and Lance, kicking robo-butt like anything else in a video game.
Donkey Kong 3 (Rating: 6/10)
Stanley the Bugman's console debut was never as popular as Mario's starring in Donkey Kong and Jr, and for good reason.
The game is a shooter in disguise as a limited platformer. The goal is to spray Donkey Kong up to the top of the vines he climbs with a bug sprayer, while also shooting distracting bugs that try to take away your flowers.
When Stanley dies, he looks like as if he just died like how Mario does in Donkey Kong, but in the arcade version, that's not the case. In the original, bugs would swoop down, and eat off Stanley (Thankfully, there's no blood. His body just disappears) I can see why that was censored in the NES game.
Unlike the first two games, Donkey Kong 3's levels are all identical, with just the color palliate changed.
The game is a shooter in disguise as a limited platformer. The goal is to spray Donkey Kong up to the top of the vines he climbs with a bug sprayer, while also shooting distracting bugs that try to take away your flowers.
When Stanley dies, he looks like as if he just died like how Mario does in Donkey Kong, but in the arcade version, that's not the case. In the original, bugs would swoop down, and eat off Stanley (Thankfully, there's no blood. His body just disappears) I can see why that was censored in the NES game.
Unlike the first two games, Donkey Kong 3's levels are all identical, with just the color palliate changed.
Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde (Rating: 1/10)
Okay....Lemme just simply say this: You CAN'T WIN. On top of that, the rules just don't make too much sense.
Why can't I kill anyone, especially since I totally NEED TO?
Why am I moving back after turning into Hyde, who happens to be extremely powerful compared to Dr. Jekyll?
Why do I die when becoming Hyde?
Why am I dying from everybody, anyway? Do they hold some sort of idiotic grudge against me for no particular reason?
Why is this game so broken (In-game)?!
These are the questions you'd often ask yourself when playing this. But of course, there's no answer to even one of them. Due to these very, very, VERY messy flaws, this is one of the worst games you'd ever play. PLEASE don't buy it, whatever you do.
Why can't I kill anyone, especially since I totally NEED TO?
Why am I moving back after turning into Hyde, who happens to be extremely powerful compared to Dr. Jekyll?
Why do I die when becoming Hyde?
Why am I dying from everybody, anyway? Do they hold some sort of idiotic grudge against me for no particular reason?
Why is this game so broken (In-game)?!
These are the questions you'd often ask yourself when playing this. But of course, there's no answer to even one of them. Due to these very, very, VERY messy flaws, this is one of the worst games you'd ever play. PLEASE don't buy it, whatever you do.
Dragon's Lair (Rating: 1/10)
Dragon's Lair. What a standout in the arcades. It's lazerdisc gameplay was basically a hit-the-right-button kind of thing. If you don't, Dirk would end up dying. It was really simple and sort of a memory thing, but Dragon's Lair proved to be a good game in the arcades. The NES version, on the other hand, is something in which the less we talk about it, the better. It's a side-scroller rather than a lazerdisc game, but it's a totally bombarded one.
The graphics are really great for its time, and the sound effects and music are decent, too. But the one thing that kept this game from ever scoring any higher, is the control and gameplay.
In the first level, you must go up to the bridge to have a dragon pop out. You must kill the dragon, but it's nearly impossible. There's only one way to ever kill it, and it takes so much patience. By the way, you must be extremely careful in this game. If you make one bad move, you're dead. That's because the controls are so delayed. The graphics and animations really show off, but this is the case in which it shows off TOO MUCH. The environment in the game would have crumbing platforms and enemies, so you must act REALLY fast.
Other than the controls are the enemies themselves. They mostly kill you in one hit, despite there being a HEALTH BAR. Yeah, that's right. A health bar in a game with one-hit kills. Very few enemies actually just hurt you slightly.
Overall, it's a delayed mess-up of the good ol' arcade game's name. Stay away from it.
The graphics are really great for its time, and the sound effects and music are decent, too. But the one thing that kept this game from ever scoring any higher, is the control and gameplay.
In the first level, you must go up to the bridge to have a dragon pop out. You must kill the dragon, but it's nearly impossible. There's only one way to ever kill it, and it takes so much patience. By the way, you must be extremely careful in this game. If you make one bad move, you're dead. That's because the controls are so delayed. The graphics and animations really show off, but this is the case in which it shows off TOO MUCH. The environment in the game would have crumbing platforms and enemies, so you must act REALLY fast.
Other than the controls are the enemies themselves. They mostly kill you in one hit, despite there being a HEALTH BAR. Yeah, that's right. A health bar in a game with one-hit kills. Very few enemies actually just hurt you slightly.
Overall, it's a delayed mess-up of the good ol' arcade game's name. Stay away from it.
Excitebike (Rating: 9/10)
Excitebike is a motorcycle racing game for the original NES. It doesn't have a huge track selection (There are only 5 tracks, compared to Mario Kart's 16 or 20), but there are 2 gameplay modes (Race against time or CPUs) and, the best part, a track designer! Yup, that's right. A NES game with a level editor. Pure bizarreness.
The graphics are great for the NES, and so are the sounds.
The gameplay is pure motorcycle racing adapted to NES controllers. When you crash, you better mash A and B quickly.
The frustrating aspect about the game, however, is when you crash nearby a ramp. You don't go back down the ramp. You keep tumbling UP the ramp, and then down the other side. Yet, it's funny watching the riders tumble on the ground.
The graphics are great for the NES, and so are the sounds.
The gameplay is pure motorcycle racing adapted to NES controllers. When you crash, you better mash A and B quickly.
The frustrating aspect about the game, however, is when you crash nearby a ramp. You don't go back down the ramp. You keep tumbling UP the ramp, and then down the other side. Yet, it's funny watching the riders tumble on the ground.
Gyromite (Rating: 9/10)
Gyromite is one of the NES launch titles made in 1985.
It plays just like as if it was a classic arcade game, mainly because the goal and gameplay were simple: Collect all of the dynamite in the level to move on by moving across platforms and climbing ladders while avoiding dinosaurs.
There is bait for the dinosaurs, fortunately, and if they eat the food, then you can walk by without dying.
The main concept, however, is really interesting and innovative for its time. If you have R.O.B (Robotic Operating Buddy), then that peripheral can sorta help you out in this game. R.O.B's purpose in this game is that it can pick up and drop "gyros" on blue or red buttons. That way, the red and blue pipes in the game can move. The gyro must remain atop the button, though, because if it falls off, then the pipe moves back.
R.O.B doesn't work too well, though. It's noisy and slow. There are times where that can have you trapped.
Thankfully, you don't need R.O.B. You can also have a second player control the pipes instead. In fact, the 2-Player mode has you and your friend alternate roles each level.
Overall, this is one heck of a classic. Despite its innovation, it takes you back to the arcades in a way.
It plays just like as if it was a classic arcade game, mainly because the goal and gameplay were simple: Collect all of the dynamite in the level to move on by moving across platforms and climbing ladders while avoiding dinosaurs.
There is bait for the dinosaurs, fortunately, and if they eat the food, then you can walk by without dying.
The main concept, however, is really interesting and innovative for its time. If you have R.O.B (Robotic Operating Buddy), then that peripheral can sorta help you out in this game. R.O.B's purpose in this game is that it can pick up and drop "gyros" on blue or red buttons. That way, the red and blue pipes in the game can move. The gyro must remain atop the button, though, because if it falls off, then the pipe moves back.
R.O.B doesn't work too well, though. It's noisy and slow. There are times where that can have you trapped.
Thankfully, you don't need R.O.B. You can also have a second player control the pipes instead. In fact, the 2-Player mode has you and your friend alternate roles each level.
Overall, this is one heck of a classic. Despite its innovation, it takes you back to the arcades in a way.
Home Alone (Rating: 3/10)
Home Alone for Genesis was beyond great, but this NES version is horrible.
You play as Kevin, and you must avoid getting caught by the Wet Bandits for 20 minutes. You just run around the house setting traps on them.
Going up/down the stairs is a chore, since you must be in a precise spot to do so.
The traps look like TV screens. TV screens...not the TV itself.
The characters look weird. Kevin's walking animation is awkward, and the Wet Bandits don't look like themselves.
At least the music changes. Once you are outside the house, the music changes. The music switches back once you're back inside.
If you get caught, the game is automatically over. No lives, no nothing.
So don't bother purchasing this unless you're a collector and/or you want to play bad games.
You play as Kevin, and you must avoid getting caught by the Wet Bandits for 20 minutes. You just run around the house setting traps on them.
Going up/down the stairs is a chore, since you must be in a precise spot to do so.
The traps look like TV screens. TV screens...not the TV itself.
The characters look weird. Kevin's walking animation is awkward, and the Wet Bandits don't look like themselves.
At least the music changes. Once you are outside the house, the music changes. The music switches back once you're back inside.
If you get caught, the game is automatically over. No lives, no nothing.
So don't bother purchasing this unless you're a collector and/or you want to play bad games.
Jaws (Rating: 5/10)
Why is it that everybody in the movie industry back then relied on LJN? LJN always makes some of the worst NES games out there, yet it gets to make those games based off of only so many movies out there. Jaws is one of them.
You play as a diver in which you go look for Jaw- Wait, scratch that. You actually have to power up the diver by collecting shells during underwater battles with stingrays and jellyfish (Really??). Every once in a while, a shark would come, but it's not Jaws. After getting your much-needed shells, you sail over to a dock to exchange your shells for leveling up.
However, you first get a device that can track down Jaws. Really, you are just going back and forth, dock to dock, to level up your character to fight the iconic shark. You see, Jaws doesn't take damage easily. If you're at a high enough power level, you can kill him easier.
Also every once in a while, you get into a bonus stage in which you bomb jellyfish using a place to collect bonus shells.
Now is where I actually review this stuff...
So, while the whole premise with shooting enemy stingrays and jellyfish is sorta entertaining, there isn't much in level design. The stingrays always cross either left or right, and the jellyfish just pop out of the ground. That's about it.
Plus, just the pure concept of you having to kill stingrays and jellyfish is just weird. Heck, why is the diver BOMBING jellyfish with a plane?!
One other major complaint I have with the game is that if you lose a life, you also lose a power level. Therefore, you have to collect more shells than before just to regain the power level. I just hate that.
It may have dull and questionable design choices, but it can still appeal to some shooter fans or those who just want to play a simple NES game.
You play as a diver in which you go look for Jaw- Wait, scratch that. You actually have to power up the diver by collecting shells during underwater battles with stingrays and jellyfish (Really??). Every once in a while, a shark would come, but it's not Jaws. After getting your much-needed shells, you sail over to a dock to exchange your shells for leveling up.
However, you first get a device that can track down Jaws. Really, you are just going back and forth, dock to dock, to level up your character to fight the iconic shark. You see, Jaws doesn't take damage easily. If you're at a high enough power level, you can kill him easier.
Also every once in a while, you get into a bonus stage in which you bomb jellyfish using a place to collect bonus shells.
Now is where I actually review this stuff...
So, while the whole premise with shooting enemy stingrays and jellyfish is sorta entertaining, there isn't much in level design. The stingrays always cross either left or right, and the jellyfish just pop out of the ground. That's about it.
Plus, just the pure concept of you having to kill stingrays and jellyfish is just weird. Heck, why is the diver BOMBING jellyfish with a plane?!
One other major complaint I have with the game is that if you lose a life, you also lose a power level. Therefore, you have to collect more shells than before just to regain the power level. I just hate that.
It may have dull and questionable design choices, but it can still appeal to some shooter fans or those who just want to play a simple NES game.
Kirby's Adventure (Rating: 10/10)
Kirby's Dream Land was a pretty awesome Game Boy game. It had amazing graphics, sound, and gameplay alike. Not only did you run and jump like in other platformers, but you can eat enemies, and spit them out at others! Oh, and you can fly! All of that was pretty exciting to experience in Kirby's debut title. However, Kirby's second game, Kirby's Adventure, is a lot like that in several ways......only SUPERSIZED!!!
Kirby's Dream Land was composed of only 4 levels (Not counting King Dedede's castle). Here, there are 7 WORLDS, with a set of levels in EACH ONE! This makes Dream Land look like a demo in comparison. To top off the seemingly huge length, there's a save feature.
So what else should you expect from this already great game? Well, this is the first Kirby game in which you can STEAL ENEMIES' POWERS AND USE THEM YOURSELF!!! Note that there weren't a lot of games back then (Or maybe even now) that allowed you to do such a cool thing. See that bad guy with a sword? Holy crap! I can use that sword! How about that Laser Ball over there? Kirby's shooting lasers now!! It..is just plain awesome, and it really adds to the fun gameplay.
Kirby's Dream Land was composed of only 4 levels (Not counting King Dedede's castle). Here, there are 7 WORLDS, with a set of levels in EACH ONE! This makes Dream Land look like a demo in comparison. To top off the seemingly huge length, there's a save feature.
So what else should you expect from this already great game? Well, this is the first Kirby game in which you can STEAL ENEMIES' POWERS AND USE THEM YOURSELF!!! Note that there weren't a lot of games back then (Or maybe even now) that allowed you to do such a cool thing. See that bad guy with a sword? Holy crap! I can use that sword! How about that Laser Ball over there? Kirby's shooting lasers now!! It..is just plain awesome, and it really adds to the fun gameplay.
Mario's Time Machine (Rating: 6/10)
What happens if you hand over the Mario license to some other game company? They make a game that isn't as good as Nintendo's Marios. Mario's Time Machine is a good example. It was released for the NES, the Super Nintendo, and the computer. The NES version is the best one out of the 3 versions.
The game's story is Yoshi being kidnapped by Bowser. You must gather up the stolen objects from past times and bring them back to where they belong in order to be able to rescue him. It may not be such a great story, but at least the game itself is decent.
The game starts out with you navigating Mario in a hall. There are several doors to go into. You go in a door to end up fighting against Koopas in a Mario Bros arcade setting. In educational games, don't forget that you can't die, so there's no challenge whatsoever. You are also able to exit out of the pipes. It's kinda reasonable if you want to go get a different item first, but if you are trying to kill the Koopas, it's possible they can push you out.
After killing them all, you get an object from a past time. You must go into the time machine, select a year to go to, and then you warp there.
Each year will be in a different setting. 80m (Which is meant to be 80 million years ago) is a land with dinosaurs. Not a lot, but with some. 1969 takes you to space. 1947 is in Russia. There's more, but I don't feel like spoiling them. They would also contain clues for you to figure out what item belongs to the time. They also teach you about the time periods you're in.
The area you drop the item at is a bit precise (only a bit, though), so be sure you put in the right place or else a bird will come, take the item away, and then you'll have to go back to the time machine to fight the Koopas again. American Flag --> 1969 On top of the spaceship, Sledgehammer --> 1989 In front of the Guards building entrance, etc.
After you put all the items back to where they belonged (Which is about 90% of the game, by the way), you would think that you have to fight Bowser, but it turns out you must pass a 3-question quiz before you do. The questions are at random. They are based off of the clues given in the places. If you get a question wrong, you are forced to return to the level that was themed the same as the question, but you can exit out.
After the quiz, you now begin to fight the final and only boss: The hideous reptile himself: Bowser. Wait a second....HE'S ONLY MOVING LEFT AND RIGHT! What kind of boss is this? Bowser only moves left and right. Jump on him 3 times, and he's dead. You rescue Yoshi, and then you win. The End screen looks terrible. I mean, it's not really bad, but Bowser is shown crying. Are you kidding me?
To be fair, Mario's Time Machine does manage to bring us something to learn about while at the same time giving us the classic Mario gameplay we love in a twist that is acceptable for the most part. It has its dumb moments, though, but it's still mostly a good game. It's worth to stroll through, although not for non-edutainment players. Plus, how many video games in this decade feature one of gaming's biggest icons teaching you about Abraham Lincoln giving the Gettysburg Address?
The game's story is Yoshi being kidnapped by Bowser. You must gather up the stolen objects from past times and bring them back to where they belong in order to be able to rescue him. It may not be such a great story, but at least the game itself is decent.
The game starts out with you navigating Mario in a hall. There are several doors to go into. You go in a door to end up fighting against Koopas in a Mario Bros arcade setting. In educational games, don't forget that you can't die, so there's no challenge whatsoever. You are also able to exit out of the pipes. It's kinda reasonable if you want to go get a different item first, but if you are trying to kill the Koopas, it's possible they can push you out.
After killing them all, you get an object from a past time. You must go into the time machine, select a year to go to, and then you warp there.
Each year will be in a different setting. 80m (Which is meant to be 80 million years ago) is a land with dinosaurs. Not a lot, but with some. 1969 takes you to space. 1947 is in Russia. There's more, but I don't feel like spoiling them. They would also contain clues for you to figure out what item belongs to the time. They also teach you about the time periods you're in.
The area you drop the item at is a bit precise (only a bit, though), so be sure you put in the right place or else a bird will come, take the item away, and then you'll have to go back to the time machine to fight the Koopas again. American Flag --> 1969 On top of the spaceship, Sledgehammer --> 1989 In front of the Guards building entrance, etc.
After you put all the items back to where they belonged (Which is about 90% of the game, by the way), you would think that you have to fight Bowser, but it turns out you must pass a 3-question quiz before you do. The questions are at random. They are based off of the clues given in the places. If you get a question wrong, you are forced to return to the level that was themed the same as the question, but you can exit out.
After the quiz, you now begin to fight the final and only boss: The hideous reptile himself: Bowser. Wait a second....HE'S ONLY MOVING LEFT AND RIGHT! What kind of boss is this? Bowser only moves left and right. Jump on him 3 times, and he's dead. You rescue Yoshi, and then you win. The End screen looks terrible. I mean, it's not really bad, but Bowser is shown crying. Are you kidding me?
To be fair, Mario's Time Machine does manage to bring us something to learn about while at the same time giving us the classic Mario gameplay we love in a twist that is acceptable for the most part. It has its dumb moments, though, but it's still mostly a good game. It's worth to stroll through, although not for non-edutainment players. Plus, how many video games in this decade feature one of gaming's biggest icons teaching you about Abraham Lincoln giving the Gettysburg Address?
Monopoly (Rating: 8/10)
You know the one:
You roll, you buy, you trade, you build houses, you pay, you auction, and sabotage the other players with your built houses and hotels. You can also land on bonus cards (Chance -- Community Chest) to see what special event will occur. Will you win money, lose money, or just have to go to jail or Go?
Monopoly can take a long time to complete, but you will have a fun time as you try to fight off troubles with your cash.
This NES replica of the board game we all know actually makes everybody's turns much faster thanks to the simple press-A-button-to-roll-or-buy gameplay. It could be slightly confusing to trade or auction at first, and you will have to pay even more attention to what properties the other players (or CPUs) own, but the extra cartoon-y animations and music make up for it.
You roll, you buy, you trade, you build houses, you pay, you auction, and sabotage the other players with your built houses and hotels. You can also land on bonus cards (Chance -- Community Chest) to see what special event will occur. Will you win money, lose money, or just have to go to jail or Go?
Monopoly can take a long time to complete, but you will have a fun time as you try to fight off troubles with your cash.
This NES replica of the board game we all know actually makes everybody's turns much faster thanks to the simple press-A-button-to-roll-or-buy gameplay. It could be slightly confusing to trade or auction at first, and you will have to pay even more attention to what properties the other players (or CPUs) own, but the extra cartoon-y animations and music make up for it.
Ms. Pac-Man (Namco - Rating: 6/10)
Ms. Pac-Man followed his husband to become one of the best arcade games around.
This NES port, however, has a lot to live up to.
NOT because of the identical graphics and sounds, but the gameplay is lacking. Ms. Pac-Man moves too slow.
Because of just that, the whole game gets points docked off.
There are some extra mazes that weren't in the arcade, but it will take lots of patience to reach those.
This NES port, however, has a lot to live up to.
NOT because of the identical graphics and sounds, but the gameplay is lacking. Ms. Pac-Man moves too slow.
Because of just that, the whole game gets points docked off.
There are some extra mazes that weren't in the arcade, but it will take lots of patience to reach those.
Ms. Pac-Man (Tengen - Rating: 10/10)
You'd probably mistake this as just another regular cartridge port of Ms. Pac-Man, but if you did, then you couldn't be more wrong.
The sounds try to emulate the arcade's sounds.
The graphics do the same thing.
Now, for the gameplay, there's a lot to talk about. Right after the title screen, there's tons of options to choose from:
-Players: 1, 2 (Co-op), 2 (Competitive), 2 (Alternative)
-Difficulty: Easy, Normal, Hard, Crazy
-Pac-Booster: On, off (I ALWAYS choose On for this one. What can beat fast Ms. Pac-Man?)
-Maze Selection (My favorite option): Arcade, Mini, Big, Strange
You can alter the game with all of those options! The main gameplay is pure Ms. Pac-Man awesomeness.
You can't beat that!
The NES (Tengen), SNES, and Genesis versions of this game are the best versions you can find.
The sounds try to emulate the arcade's sounds.
The graphics do the same thing.
Now, for the gameplay, there's a lot to talk about. Right after the title screen, there's tons of options to choose from:
-Players: 1, 2 (Co-op), 2 (Competitive), 2 (Alternative)
-Difficulty: Easy, Normal, Hard, Crazy
-Pac-Booster: On, off (I ALWAYS choose On for this one. What can beat fast Ms. Pac-Man?)
-Maze Selection (My favorite option): Arcade, Mini, Big, Strange
You can alter the game with all of those options! The main gameplay is pure Ms. Pac-Man awesomeness.
You can't beat that!
The NES (Tengen), SNES, and Genesis versions of this game are the best versions you can find.
Pac-Mania (Rating: 10/10)
Pac-Mania is a fake 3D revamp of the original Pac-Man, with new mazes and new looks.
The NES version isn't actually licensed by Nintendo, given the fact that Tengen made this version. Tengen always makes unlicensed NES games.
The graphics are really great. They look like the color palliate was just altered from the change from arcade to console.
The sounds are excellent. In fact, the dot-munching sound was taken directly from the arcade game itself. There are some new added sounds, too, such as when you eat the dots while the ghosts are blue!
The gameplay is the exact same as the arcade game.
After beating the 4th world, you'd think the game would be over, but no. It goes on, and in a fashionable way! When you start back at the first world again, you are now able to move really fast! That adds to the already great fun factor!
Congrats to Tengen for making our yellow guy the way he should be made.
The NES version isn't actually licensed by Nintendo, given the fact that Tengen made this version. Tengen always makes unlicensed NES games.
The graphics are really great. They look like the color palliate was just altered from the change from arcade to console.
The sounds are excellent. In fact, the dot-munching sound was taken directly from the arcade game itself. There are some new added sounds, too, such as when you eat the dots while the ghosts are blue!
The gameplay is the exact same as the arcade game.
After beating the 4th world, you'd think the game would be over, but no. It goes on, and in a fashionable way! When you start back at the first world again, you are now able to move really fast! That adds to the already great fun factor!
Congrats to Tengen for making our yellow guy the way he should be made.
Parodius-Da (Rating: 9/10)
Sooo....who's familiar with the Gradius series? Now...who's familiar with, well, pretty much anything that you think of when either going crazy or being creative in a strange way? Well, Parodius Da is a combination of those two (3?) things, except maybe multiplied by 10. Yup....the Japanese are insane.
Parodius Da plays like Gradius, but it seems like Konami used up every single bit of their imagination as possible. Before you know it, you'll be battling lots of strange creatures, playing as a flying penguin (But there's a character selection, so you can play as other characters, including the ship from Gradius), and fight giant bosses that resemble....well, anything, such as a giant woman that stomps along the battle area, and a >GASP< flying pirate Catship! (Lolwut?)!
The power-up system (Also from Gradius) was a great addition, too. It's also nice to see that I have the option to automatically power-up my character. That just makes the inside of the cake even tastier.
So overall, this is an awesome Japan-only game with the most bizarre look you can ever see on the Famicom. If you own a Famicom, you should get this! If this review hasn't convinced you, you can watch Screwattack's "Crazy Japanese Mystery Game" video of the Super Famicom version. Although that version is rather superior, both versions offer huge fun. Even if the game costs over $20, it's still worth it.
Parodius Da plays like Gradius, but it seems like Konami used up every single bit of their imagination as possible. Before you know it, you'll be battling lots of strange creatures, playing as a flying penguin (But there's a character selection, so you can play as other characters, including the ship from Gradius), and fight giant bosses that resemble....well, anything, such as a giant woman that stomps along the battle area, and a >GASP< flying pirate Catship! (Lolwut?)!
The power-up system (Also from Gradius) was a great addition, too. It's also nice to see that I have the option to automatically power-up my character. That just makes the inside of the cake even tastier.
So overall, this is an awesome Japan-only game with the most bizarre look you can ever see on the Famicom. If you own a Famicom, you should get this! If this review hasn't convinced you, you can watch Screwattack's "Crazy Japanese Mystery Game" video of the Super Famicom version. Although that version is rather superior, both versions offer huge fun. Even if the game costs over $20, it's still worth it.
Pinball (Rating: 6/10)
The NES certainly had lots of classics that helped inspire hundreds of games today. One thing that bugs me, though, is whether Pinball is one of those classics or not. I mean, seriously.
It has only one virtual table, and there are other NES pinball games later on that go beyond that, like Pinball Quest, and Game Party (For the Japan-only Famicom, not the Wii game) offered pinball AND other activities.
But then again, there's a pinball game for DSiWare, with one table, and it was recommended to DSi owners. Since $4 copies of THIS game exist, I guess I can say that won't be a disappointment for pinball fans.
There's nothing I can really say about this game, because, well, it's Pinball. I'm pretty sure you know what Pinball is, right? There's nothing in this title that separates it from other pinball games other than the special stage.
The special stage shows a surprising appearance of Mario as you control him to bounce the ball for extra points. Other than that, it's your average pinball game with one table. At least this game goes pretty cheaply money-wise.
It has only one virtual table, and there are other NES pinball games later on that go beyond that, like Pinball Quest, and Game Party (For the Japan-only Famicom, not the Wii game) offered pinball AND other activities.
But then again, there's a pinball game for DSiWare, with one table, and it was recommended to DSi owners. Since $4 copies of THIS game exist, I guess I can say that won't be a disappointment for pinball fans.
There's nothing I can really say about this game, because, well, it's Pinball. I'm pretty sure you know what Pinball is, right? There's nothing in this title that separates it from other pinball games other than the special stage.
The special stage shows a surprising appearance of Mario as you control him to bounce the ball for extra points. Other than that, it's your average pinball game with one table. At least this game goes pretty cheaply money-wise.
Popeye (Rating: 9/10)
Popeye is an arcade game based off of the old television cartoon show (which is still being watched on Boomerang, by the way). While the game didn't really grow as popular as games like Donkey Kong and Pac-Man, it was a cult classic.
You play as Popeye, and you must catch whatever Olive throws down (Hearts, music notes, H E L P letters). Each level has Olive throwing down different things. Of course, there's also Bluto trying to get in your way. If you get close to him, it's likely that he will throw wine bottles at you. You gotta break them by punching them. If you get farther in the game, a witch would probably come and throw skulls at you, too.
Each level has different gimmicks. The first has nothing, actually. The second level has a seesaw you can use to reach a platform unreachable by doing everything else. The third level shows Olive being captured by a bird. The bird is another obstacle which you can hurt by punching.
Graphics and sounds are faithful to the arcade game.
Overall, it's a great arcade game that fits in well with the NES.
You play as Popeye, and you must catch whatever Olive throws down (Hearts, music notes, H E L P letters). Each level has Olive throwing down different things. Of course, there's also Bluto trying to get in your way. If you get close to him, it's likely that he will throw wine bottles at you. You gotta break them by punching them. If you get farther in the game, a witch would probably come and throw skulls at you, too.
Each level has different gimmicks. The first has nothing, actually. The second level has a seesaw you can use to reach a platform unreachable by doing everything else. The third level shows Olive being captured by a bird. The bird is another obstacle which you can hurt by punching.
Graphics and sounds are faithful to the arcade game.
Overall, it's a great arcade game that fits in well with the NES.
Power Punch 2 (Rating: 5/10)
Let's take a look at a little trivia, first. Okay? Power Punch II was originally supposed to be a Punch Out sequel, but since Mike Tyson went through...problems, Nintendo scrapped the idea of him being in the sequel. Then, due to the low-quality of the game compared to Punch Out, Nintendo didn't feel like making the game. However, a third-party company went ahead and published the game. The remains of the evidence are the Nintendo trademark of the game and the "II". There is no Power Punch 1. However, a game called Power Punch was released for the Wii, but that's just a coincidence.
There are some workout stages in the game, but I find them to be pretty pointless. They don't seem to be identical to the actual boxing matches. You might as well skip the workouts.
The fighting is addicting, but it just gets repetitive. You can just bash the alien creature a bunch of times without him attacking back. However, you only take down so little of his HP. He was about twice the amount of HP than you. When he gets to hit you, you better block or fight back. That being said, I don't know if this game is either easy or hard. It's hard to tell.
While the graphics are pretty good for its time, I don't think it matches up to what Punch Out had to offer. The music, I can say the same, only except that the music is as repetitive as the gameplay.
Overall, it's no wonder it couldn't be qualified as a sequel to an existing game. However, it still leaves evidence.
There are some workout stages in the game, but I find them to be pretty pointless. They don't seem to be identical to the actual boxing matches. You might as well skip the workouts.
The fighting is addicting, but it just gets repetitive. You can just bash the alien creature a bunch of times without him attacking back. However, you only take down so little of his HP. He was about twice the amount of HP than you. When he gets to hit you, you better block or fight back. That being said, I don't know if this game is either easy or hard. It's hard to tell.
While the graphics are pretty good for its time, I don't think it matches up to what Punch Out had to offer. The music, I can say the same, only except that the music is as repetitive as the gameplay.
Overall, it's no wonder it couldn't be qualified as a sequel to an existing game. However, it still leaves evidence.
Rad Racer (Rating: 9/10)
Ever wanted to see a new take on a game like Pole Position? Rad Racer hit that mark. Okay, so there's nothing TOO new to the Pole Position formula, but Rad Racer is just as fun nonetheless.
It kinda has the same basic gameplay as Namco's arcade racer, but that's not really a complaint, since the gameplay is already very good.
You can speed up by holding Up. However, that can cause a problem when it comes to turning, so you might want to pull the brakes when a turn comes.
The music is well-composed, and the graphics are great for its time.
What really makes this game stand out, however, is it's 3D feature. If you press Select, the game switches to classic red-and-blue 3D! Just get those 3D glasses and enjoy the game. Granted, it's dated, but back then, it was huge.
Overall, it's a really good take on Pole Position, and it's well worth your money.
It kinda has the same basic gameplay as Namco's arcade racer, but that's not really a complaint, since the gameplay is already very good.
You can speed up by holding Up. However, that can cause a problem when it comes to turning, so you might want to pull the brakes when a turn comes.
The music is well-composed, and the graphics are great for its time.
What really makes this game stand out, however, is it's 3D feature. If you press Select, the game switches to classic red-and-blue 3D! Just get those 3D glasses and enjoy the game. Granted, it's dated, but back then, it was huge.
Overall, it's a really good take on Pole Position, and it's well worth your money.
S.C.A.T. (Rating: 9/10)
Okay, try to imagine Contra, but instead of jumping around on platforms killing people, you fly around in space killing machines and spaceships! That describes S.C.A.T. in a nutshell.
All of the levels auto-scroll, but there's enough flying objects and 8-Bit explosions onscreen to keep you entertained. The game manages to be as hard as Contra, however, if not harder. You start with 6 lives, but what you may think is a health bar is actually your amount of lives. So, 6 hits and then it's Game Over. Fortunately, there are infinite continues, so you have a lot of time to complete the levels.
The power-up system is also Contra-ish, only the power-up blocks give different upgrades to your gun. The block with the letter R gives you about 3 lives, but it comes when you're close to beating the level.
During gameplay, you will realize that there are two floating orbs around your character. What do they do? YOU SHOOT OUT OF THEM! In fact, you shoot out them like cannons the same time you use your gun. They move around you in a circle, but you can stop them from moving and keep them aimed in one spot.
Overall, if you love Contra or shooters in general, this is a must-have.
All of the levels auto-scroll, but there's enough flying objects and 8-Bit explosions onscreen to keep you entertained. The game manages to be as hard as Contra, however, if not harder. You start with 6 lives, but what you may think is a health bar is actually your amount of lives. So, 6 hits and then it's Game Over. Fortunately, there are infinite continues, so you have a lot of time to complete the levels.
The power-up system is also Contra-ish, only the power-up blocks give different upgrades to your gun. The block with the letter R gives you about 3 lives, but it comes when you're close to beating the level.
During gameplay, you will realize that there are two floating orbs around your character. What do they do? YOU SHOOT OUT OF THEM! In fact, you shoot out them like cannons the same time you use your gun. They move around you in a circle, but you can stop them from moving and keep them aimed in one spot.
Overall, if you love Contra or shooters in general, this is a must-have.
Super C (Rating: 9/10)
Contra was such a great game in arcades. Heck, it got ported to NES. The NES version gained more popularity, however. Heck again! It has a sequel!
Super C is what you expect from the Contra series. You can do everything that you can do in the original Contra. Shoot in all directions, with several different power-ups to find, and bad guys to shoot the ever-loving heck out of!
It seems like a direct sequel, but who would ever want to mess with the already perfect Contra formula?
The music, though, is more fantastic than the first game's music! Not only does it have really cool beats and stuff, but there's also a kind of beat that you can't hear from any other NES game!
The only problem is that it's too hard. The first Contra was hard, but then there was the Contra Code. It gave you 30 lives. The Contra Code only unlocks a sound test in this game. Not bad, but not good when you're struggling through a level.
Super C is what you expect from the Contra series. You can do everything that you can do in the original Contra. Shoot in all directions, with several different power-ups to find, and bad guys to shoot the ever-loving heck out of!
It seems like a direct sequel, but who would ever want to mess with the already perfect Contra formula?
The music, though, is more fantastic than the first game's music! Not only does it have really cool beats and stuff, but there's also a kind of beat that you can't hear from any other NES game!
The only problem is that it's too hard. The first Contra was hard, but then there was the Contra Code. It gave you 30 lives. The Contra Code only unlocks a sound test in this game. Not bad, but not good when you're struggling through a level.
Super Mario Bros. (Rating: 10/10)
No matter HOW many times the game will be re-released, and no matter HOW many Mario games would top over it, I still consider the original Super Mario Bros to be one of the best platformers there is. The concept of traveling from world to world (Let alone being able to kill a beast to save a princess) in a video game was pretty much unheard of back then, so thanks to the power of the NES, it all became reality.
The gameplay couldn't be any simpler. You run, you jump, you crush enemies, you grab items to upgrade yourself, etc. And once you experience (If you haven't already), you will have a thrilling time, even in today's standards. The level design is remarkable, and the music, although with few tunes, define the adventure occurring within your TV screen. Not to mention, the graphics are excellent as well.
The gameplay couldn't be any simpler. You run, you jump, you crush enemies, you grab items to upgrade yourself, etc. And once you experience (If you haven't already), you will have a thrilling time, even in today's standards. The level design is remarkable, and the music, although with few tunes, define the adventure occurring within your TV screen. Not to mention, the graphics are excellent as well.
Super Mario Bros. 2 (Rating: 10/10)
In 1988, when Nintendo was developing Super Mario Bros. 3, someone said "Oh my god! We forgot to make a Mario 2 for North America!"
So they made one out of Japan-only game Doki Doki Panic. And everybody liked it...until they found out what was done to make it.
Super Mario Bros 2 differed a lot from the first Mario game. Mainly because of its origin. You throw veggies at your enemies, there's a mini-boss at the end of every level, you get to choose from 4 characters, and Bowser isn't the main enemy. And you know what? All that was awesome. The music and sounds were kind of what you expected in a Mario game, but note: Doki Doki Panic had the same music and sounds.
The graphics, while of course, used from Doki Doki Panic, were still pretty impressive.
Overall, while this wasn't designed to be a Mario game, it was a lot of fun like one.
So they made one out of Japan-only game Doki Doki Panic. And everybody liked it...until they found out what was done to make it.
Super Mario Bros 2 differed a lot from the first Mario game. Mainly because of its origin. You throw veggies at your enemies, there's a mini-boss at the end of every level, you get to choose from 4 characters, and Bowser isn't the main enemy. And you know what? All that was awesome. The music and sounds were kind of what you expected in a Mario game, but note: Doki Doki Panic had the same music and sounds.
The graphics, while of course, used from Doki Doki Panic, were still pretty impressive.
Overall, while this wasn't designed to be a Mario game, it was a lot of fun like one.
Super Mario Bros. 3 (Rating: 10/10)
Super Mario Bros 1 was one of the best NES games ever. Mario 2 had everything changed. Mario 3......became the best game on the NES, and with great reason: It took everything that made the first SMB awesome and multiplied it by 100x.
The graphics were improved and were well-created in its time and on the NES.
The sounds were even better, although some were recycled (No complaints about that, though).
The gameplay was a truckload of awesomism. New powerups, new levels, new experiences, etc!
2-Player mode was incredible compared to the one in SMB1. As you both play as Mario and Luigi, you guys can clear levels for each other (Or just die on purpose so the other player can play the harder levels), and you can battle each other in a recreation of the Mario Bros arcade game. You either knock down 5 enemies, get 5 coins, distract the other player, or jump on him/her to take the panels they collected at the end of the regular levels.
So I'm pretty sure this game has enough for you to sink your gaming teeth in.
The graphics were improved and were well-created in its time and on the NES.
The sounds were even better, although some were recycled (No complaints about that, though).
The gameplay was a truckload of awesomism. New powerups, new levels, new experiences, etc!
2-Player mode was incredible compared to the one in SMB1. As you both play as Mario and Luigi, you guys can clear levels for each other (Or just die on purpose so the other player can play the harder levels), and you can battle each other in a recreation of the Mario Bros arcade game. You either knock down 5 enemies, get 5 coins, distract the other player, or jump on him/her to take the panels they collected at the end of the regular levels.
So I'm pretty sure this game has enough for you to sink your gaming teeth in.
Super Pitfall (Rating: 2/10)
Pitfall has been one of the most revolutionary franchises in the early 80s, with it's take on side-scrolling and adventure. This game, released for the NES, contains none of the excitement found through those experiences. With a company like Activision, who happened to create Pitfall in the first place, what can go wrong?
The game's music is annoying. It repeats over and over throughout the whole game.
The gameplay is bad, too, but there are some good things about it. You have something to shoot, and the gameplay isn't actually too horrible. The controls work fine, but wait until you continue reading this review.
The hidden treasures that you can find are oh so hidden. Guess what you gotta do to find Spades, Diamonds, and Hearts? Jump in random spots without knowing where! There's already 3 strikes within that concept.
1. Why Spades, Diamonds, and Hearts?
2. Why jump in random spots? It's like you can't help but jump around the area like an idiot.
3. I assume you NEED the treasures (Besides the playing card icons) to be able to rescue some princess to beat the game.
The graphics are decent, but the animations seem rushed. Pitfall Harry looks like a blue Luigi limping. It's like one frame was taken out. And when he dies, he does some creepy somersault or something.
The navigation is awful. You are trying to find all the treasures and save the princess, but as I already pointed out, YOU MUST JUMP IN RANDOM SPOTS. Plus, it seems like this game was built out of one extremely huge level. You hear the same annoying music, and you are going through the same environments. I don't think some people would ever figure out where to go. I guess Activision was trying to make it like its predecessors, but here on the NES, that just doesn't work.
Overall, even if you are a Pitfall fan, stay away from this mess of a Pitfall game.
The game's music is annoying. It repeats over and over throughout the whole game.
The gameplay is bad, too, but there are some good things about it. You have something to shoot, and the gameplay isn't actually too horrible. The controls work fine, but wait until you continue reading this review.
The hidden treasures that you can find are oh so hidden. Guess what you gotta do to find Spades, Diamonds, and Hearts? Jump in random spots without knowing where! There's already 3 strikes within that concept.
1. Why Spades, Diamonds, and Hearts?
2. Why jump in random spots? It's like you can't help but jump around the area like an idiot.
3. I assume you NEED the treasures (Besides the playing card icons) to be able to rescue some princess to beat the game.
The graphics are decent, but the animations seem rushed. Pitfall Harry looks like a blue Luigi limping. It's like one frame was taken out. And when he dies, he does some creepy somersault or something.
The navigation is awful. You are trying to find all the treasures and save the princess, but as I already pointed out, YOU MUST JUMP IN RANDOM SPOTS. Plus, it seems like this game was built out of one extremely huge level. You hear the same annoying music, and you are going through the same environments. I don't think some people would ever figure out where to go. I guess Activision was trying to make it like its predecessors, but here on the NES, that just doesn't work.
Overall, even if you are a Pitfall fan, stay away from this mess of a Pitfall game.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2: The Arcade Game (Rating: 10/10)
Really, I am not a huge Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles fan. However, this game had me curious. It was made by Konami, the makers of Contra. I NEEDED to play to find out how good this game would be. I was amazed right when I started playing.
First, let me note that the first game on the NES was not a port. It was an entirely new game. THIS game is the port of the first TMNT arcade game.
The graphics are fantastic for the NES. It rivals other NES games in a good way. Although the arcade game is rather 16-Bit, this game still has really great graphics.
The sounds and soundtracks are proof that Konami helped create this game. The music is as upbeat as ever, and the sound effects get the feel of a beat 'em up.
The gameplay is the obvious meat of the game. It is a beat 'em up fighter in which you play as one of the 4 Ninja Turtles. The brief info is that you must beat up a bunch of ninjas as you progress through the levels, as well as a boss battle at the end. Playing with a friend makes things even more fun.
The strangest part about this game is that it promotes Pizza Hut. As you play the game, there's a chance you may observe a sign with the Pizza Hut logo. It's also said that if you buy the game boxed, it will have a coupon! Isn't that a weird promotion?
If you like beat 'em ups, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, or Konami, it's best to buy this.
First, let me note that the first game on the NES was not a port. It was an entirely new game. THIS game is the port of the first TMNT arcade game.
The graphics are fantastic for the NES. It rivals other NES games in a good way. Although the arcade game is rather 16-Bit, this game still has really great graphics.
The sounds and soundtracks are proof that Konami helped create this game. The music is as upbeat as ever, and the sound effects get the feel of a beat 'em up.
The gameplay is the obvious meat of the game. It is a beat 'em up fighter in which you play as one of the 4 Ninja Turtles. The brief info is that you must beat up a bunch of ninjas as you progress through the levels, as well as a boss battle at the end. Playing with a friend makes things even more fun.
The strangest part about this game is that it promotes Pizza Hut. As you play the game, there's a chance you may observe a sign with the Pizza Hut logo. It's also said that if you buy the game boxed, it will have a coupon! Isn't that a weird promotion?
If you like beat 'em ups, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, or Konami, it's best to buy this.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 3: The Manhattan Project (Rating: 10/10)
It was 1989. Konami has released a highly popular arcade game called Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, which is based off of the also popular comic and television series of the same name. In the same year, Konami also made a TMNT game for the NES. It was rather a platformer instead of a port of the arcade game. A year later, the arcade game was ported to the NES as TMNT II: The Arcade Game. Now, here's TMNT III, released in 1992. Is it as good as the arcade game?
Yes, it is. The graphics are even better, the sounds are great, the music still rocks, and the gameplay is pure beat 'em up goodness. If you loved the arcade game, then you will totally enjoy smashing through ninjas in this game's levels. In face, there are some cool new moves you can perform. You can also just flat-out pick up the enemy with your weapon and throw him behind you!
The action is also tighter than in the arcade game. Unfortunately, the life bar isn't as big as the previous game (NES version), but at least you can still plow through the enemies easily. I find myself using the pick-up-enemy-with-weapon move very often. It kills the enemy within 1 hit, while it takes 4 hits to kill with normal attacks.
Overall, this is a very fun game. I recommend you to buy this, especially if you and your friend love the Ninja Turtles.
Yes, it is. The graphics are even better, the sounds are great, the music still rocks, and the gameplay is pure beat 'em up goodness. If you loved the arcade game, then you will totally enjoy smashing through ninjas in this game's levels. In face, there are some cool new moves you can perform. You can also just flat-out pick up the enemy with your weapon and throw him behind you!
The action is also tighter than in the arcade game. Unfortunately, the life bar isn't as big as the previous game (NES version), but at least you can still plow through the enemies easily. I find myself using the pick-up-enemy-with-weapon move very often. It kills the enemy within 1 hit, while it takes 4 hits to kill with normal attacks.
Overall, this is a very fun game. I recommend you to buy this, especially if you and your friend love the Ninja Turtles.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tournament Fighters (Rating: 9/10)
The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles dominated the late 80s and 90s. Konami helped seal the popularity with its TMNT video game series, in which the games are thrilling beat 'em ups. However, it seems that the company decided to try something new. After all, the era was looking at games like Mortal Kombat and Street Fighter II.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tournament Fighters is a game that plays like the fighting games of its time (aka MK and SF2). There is a good amount of content. Such game modes present are Story, Vs CPU, 2P Battle, and Tournament Mode.
===Story Mode===
You get to play as one of the four Ninja Turtles. Unfortunately, the game is actually shorter in length than other fighting games, consisting of only 6 fighters to battle against, as well as a bonus stage. It is, though, still very fun.
===Vs. CPU===
Exactly what it sounds like, you can just go ahead and fight a quick match against a computer player. Of course, you can fight the CPU as much as you want.
===2P Battle===
Hey! Every fighting game has to have a versus mode against a friend, right?
===Tournament Mode===
In this mode, which is probably the highlighted feature (?), you get to pick how many players are playing, as well as the CPUs.
During a battle, you and the other player (CPU or not) are in a rather cool-looking location, beating the heck out of each other. You know, it's like how fighting games were back in the 90s. BUT there is a unique hook to it. Eventually, Splinter (who is trapped in a TV) drops down an orb that, when obtained, can be used for special attacks (Hadoken!). This makes the fighting seem more interesting in a way.
In a nutshell, it's your average 8-Bit Konami game: Awesome graphics, sounds, and gameplay alike in one classic fighter. There aren't a lot of NES fighting games, if any (This being the exception), so why not give this a shot and pop it in your ol' Nintendo console for some intense action?
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tournament Fighters is a game that plays like the fighting games of its time (aka MK and SF2). There is a good amount of content. Such game modes present are Story, Vs CPU, 2P Battle, and Tournament Mode.
===Story Mode===
You get to play as one of the four Ninja Turtles. Unfortunately, the game is actually shorter in length than other fighting games, consisting of only 6 fighters to battle against, as well as a bonus stage. It is, though, still very fun.
===Vs. CPU===
Exactly what it sounds like, you can just go ahead and fight a quick match against a computer player. Of course, you can fight the CPU as much as you want.
===2P Battle===
Hey! Every fighting game has to have a versus mode against a friend, right?
===Tournament Mode===
In this mode, which is probably the highlighted feature (?), you get to pick how many players are playing, as well as the CPUs.
During a battle, you and the other player (CPU or not) are in a rather cool-looking location, beating the heck out of each other. You know, it's like how fighting games were back in the 90s. BUT there is a unique hook to it. Eventually, Splinter (who is trapped in a TV) drops down an orb that, when obtained, can be used for special attacks (Hadoken!). This makes the fighting seem more interesting in a way.
In a nutshell, it's your average 8-Bit Konami game: Awesome graphics, sounds, and gameplay alike in one classic fighter. There aren't a lot of NES fighting games, if any (This being the exception), so why not give this a shot and pop it in your ol' Nintendo console for some intense action?
Terminator (Rating: 2/10)
Terminator....how do I describe this game? Well, let's say it's just a piece of trash.
The gameplay isn't ALL bad. I mean, you do get to have a gun, and you DO get to shoot in selectable directions (Except up or down). However, it's a platformer with the worst jumping control in an NES game. There are even some small tiles that you NEED to jump on to move on, but there's a big chance you can fall THROUGH them. Heck, you can even jump through other platforms, too. So you'll have a really hard time ever beating the first level. If you do manage to get past the first level, you'll be likely to give up.
The sounds are dull. The music is a garbled 8-Bit mess. The sound effects are okay, I guess. But it's cruel having to listen to 2 beats over and over again. At least, in the first level, that was what it was like.
The graphics are decent, but they could have improved the backgrounds to make them look more Terminator-y.
Overall, the gameplay made this game blow up to smithereens. Stay away from it.
The gameplay isn't ALL bad. I mean, you do get to have a gun, and you DO get to shoot in selectable directions (Except up or down). However, it's a platformer with the worst jumping control in an NES game. There are even some small tiles that you NEED to jump on to move on, but there's a big chance you can fall THROUGH them. Heck, you can even jump through other platforms, too. So you'll have a really hard time ever beating the first level. If you do manage to get past the first level, you'll be likely to give up.
The sounds are dull. The music is a garbled 8-Bit mess. The sound effects are okay, I guess. But it's cruel having to listen to 2 beats over and over again. At least, in the first level, that was what it was like.
The graphics are decent, but they could have improved the backgrounds to make them look more Terminator-y.
Overall, the gameplay made this game blow up to smithereens. Stay away from it.
Tetris (Nintendo - Rating: 6/10)
Don't get me wrong. Tetris is a great game. The block-dropping gameplay is seriously addicting. However, the game is only for one player, and there are no special features other than the song choices.
Tengen's Tetris is actually a lot better. If you don't believe me, take a good look at my review for it or watch gameplay videos.
Tengen's Tetris is actually a lot better. If you don't believe me, take a good look at my review for it or watch gameplay videos.
Tetris (Tengen - Rating: 10/10)
Nintendo's version of Tetris was okay, but it was Tengen's version that made the puzzling gameplay succeed better than before!
Not only is there a standard 1-Player mode, but there's a 2 2-Player modes, VS CPU, and even WITH CPU!
2-Player is a versus match against you and your friend.
Cooperative is you and your friend WORKING TOGETHER to clear lines!
Versus Computer is a match against you and the CPU player.
With Computer is when you and THE CPU work together!
Now while the game has that familiar block-dropping gameplay, it has these other modes that effect the fun factor hugely, making it stand out from all the other Tetris games.
Not only is there a standard 1-Player mode, but there's a 2 2-Player modes, VS CPU, and even WITH CPU!
2-Player is a versus match against you and your friend.
Cooperative is you and your friend WORKING TOGETHER to clear lines!
Versus Computer is a match against you and the CPU player.
With Computer is when you and THE CPU work together!
Now while the game has that familiar block-dropping gameplay, it has these other modes that effect the fun factor hugely, making it stand out from all the other Tetris games.
The Three Stooges (Rating: 8/10)
This could have been any kind of game, really. It could have been a platformer with the license stapled onto it. But nope. Instead, the developers have taken a more minigame-based approach with said minigames being based off of classic Stooges films! This was what had me curious. And the game itself was certainly no disappointment.
The game involves the Stooges attempting to save an orphanage (Is this where the recent movie had its storyline from?) by getting $5000 dollars. More important than that, it has you participate in a cracker-eating contest, get jobs as doctors or waiters (Pie fight!), etc. All of which are definitely based on Stooges films. However, to play a certain minigame, you have to select one in a Roulette-ish fashion. Do not select the mousetraps!
Although there's sort of a limited number of minigames to play, there is also a trivia game (For hardcore fans only) as well as a chance for Moe to beat the heck out of the other 2 Stooges in that same humorous style as in the original series. There would also be an opportunity to collect bonus money.
Even if you hadn't checked out how the game plays, the mere presentation would totally appeal to you. The first thing that happens on-screen is that the game happens to have a title screen for "Ghostbusters 2". Then the Stooges come, and Curly says "Hey! We've got the wrong name!" I cracked up when I saw that! Not to mention, the game throughout has neat comedy bits to stay faithful to the series. On top of that, the graphics are some of the best you'd see on NES, and the good amount of voice samples is shocking. The music isn't too top-notch, but it wasn't bad either.
Overall, if you are a Three Stooges fan, or if you like games such as Mario Party, this game is one to try out.
The game involves the Stooges attempting to save an orphanage (Is this where the recent movie had its storyline from?) by getting $5000 dollars. More important than that, it has you participate in a cracker-eating contest, get jobs as doctors or waiters (Pie fight!), etc. All of which are definitely based on Stooges films. However, to play a certain minigame, you have to select one in a Roulette-ish fashion. Do not select the mousetraps!
Although there's sort of a limited number of minigames to play, there is also a trivia game (For hardcore fans only) as well as a chance for Moe to beat the heck out of the other 2 Stooges in that same humorous style as in the original series. There would also be an opportunity to collect bonus money.
Even if you hadn't checked out how the game plays, the mere presentation would totally appeal to you. The first thing that happens on-screen is that the game happens to have a title screen for "Ghostbusters 2". Then the Stooges come, and Curly says "Hey! We've got the wrong name!" I cracked up when I saw that! Not to mention, the game throughout has neat comedy bits to stay faithful to the series. On top of that, the graphics are some of the best you'd see on NES, and the good amount of voice samples is shocking. The music isn't too top-notch, but it wasn't bad either.
Overall, if you are a Three Stooges fan, or if you like games such as Mario Party, this game is one to try out.
Urban Champion (Rating: 8/10)
Urban Champion is one of the many arcadey-styled NES games for the system. It doesn't really have any features, but the gameplay is just plain addicting.
1-Player mode has you pit against a CPU player. You must punch him into a manhole to win, but that manhole's pretty far away. You have to keep punching him until he falls in. You can punch either in his face or in the gut. It depends on where he blocks himself.
2-Player mode has the same setup, except that it's you're friend that you are facing.
Oh yeah, and watch out for police. Who knows what they'll do if you get caught?
When you win, I just find the scene to be funny, since someone from the building you're in front of cheers for your victory.
Overall, it's a stellar fighting game that you might want to try out. But please note its lack of features.
1-Player mode has you pit against a CPU player. You must punch him into a manhole to win, but that manhole's pretty far away. You have to keep punching him until he falls in. You can punch either in his face or in the gut. It depends on where he blocks himself.
2-Player mode has the same setup, except that it's you're friend that you are facing.
Oh yeah, and watch out for police. Who knows what they'll do if you get caught?
When you win, I just find the scene to be funny, since someone from the building you're in front of cheers for your victory.
Overall, it's a stellar fighting game that you might want to try out. But please note its lack of features.
Wario's Woods (Rating: 8/10)
Welp, it was the mid-90s. The NES was about to end its life with its last few games. Wario's Woods is one of those games, despite also being released for the Super Nintendo. This is rather the more well-known version, though, due to its recent re-release on Wii Virtual Console. That and it's also unlockable in Animal Crossing.
Wario's Woods is, shock, a starring role for Mario character Toad (Wario's the villain). The game is an actually very interesting line-up-3-in-a-row kind of puzzle game in which Toad is playable in the play field, along with all of these colored creatures lying around. Although you must stack 2 creatures alongside each other, you must have the row contain a bomb either in between or at an end. You can line them up horizontally, vertically, or even diagonally. The result is an extremely addicting game that's as fun as Tetris.
Things get more challenging when Wario comes into the scene, in place of pink harmless dinosaur Birdo. He spawns a few more creatures that you must destroy AND he makes the ceiling tumble slightly downwards! But don't worry. It doesn't last too long. Birdo would soon come back and resume watching without any gimmick up her (his?) sleeve.
2-Player surely has people go to their competitive senses. If you like battling against your friend in puzzle games, this won't disappoint.
So overall, this is a really big puzzler. It's recommended especially for puzzle fans.
Wario's Woods is, shock, a starring role for Mario character Toad (Wario's the villain). The game is an actually very interesting line-up-3-in-a-row kind of puzzle game in which Toad is playable in the play field, along with all of these colored creatures lying around. Although you must stack 2 creatures alongside each other, you must have the row contain a bomb either in between or at an end. You can line them up horizontally, vertically, or even diagonally. The result is an extremely addicting game that's as fun as Tetris.
Things get more challenging when Wario comes into the scene, in place of pink harmless dinosaur Birdo. He spawns a few more creatures that you must destroy AND he makes the ceiling tumble slightly downwards! But don't worry. It doesn't last too long. Birdo would soon come back and resume watching without any gimmick up her (his?) sleeve.
2-Player surely has people go to their competitive senses. If you like battling against your friend in puzzle games, this won't disappoint.
So overall, this is a really big puzzler. It's recommended especially for puzzle fans.
Wayne's World (Rating: 2/10)
To be honest, I've never seen the movie, Wayne's World. However, I've played the DOS game, and I've watched a Saturday Night Live sketch of it. Apparently, this NES game is supposedly based off of the movie. However, it's a side-scroller, and not what you would have expected, either.
Wayne and Garth venture across a level with the most random enemies and level designs you can possibly imagine. The majority of the graphics aren't totally detailed, the music is okay, and the gameplay....well, let me explain it.
In the first level, you begin as Garth, who is equipped with a gun. There happen to be no gaps in the floor whatsoever, so you can just walk across, shooting the enemies that come toward you. The second part of the level has you play as Wayne, but he doesn't carry a weapon. Instead, he kicks. In order to actually kill enemies with the kick, though, you have to time it right. If not, then you get hit by the enemy. At the end of each level, you come to a donut shop. This gives you a chance to restore your health for the next level.
As Garth in the second level, all you have to do is go jump up the platforms to the door, which is cakewalk. This is the shortest part of the game. Then you get this strange cutscene in which the duo says "Party on, Garth!" and "Part on, Wayne!". That's just pointless. Now as Wayne, you jump from platform to platform. This provides a nice challenge, since there are fair enemies that are on top of a few platforms. They don't move, however. At the end, you find a muscular guy to kill. Sadly, he doesn't move, too. But then again, there's not enough room to move, so I guess it's reasonable why these guys won't budge. After that's over, a girl rushes to Wayne. Then you get a cutscene, which reveals that this must be his ex-girlfriend. How? Because he insults her for the gun rack she is holding. Eeeesh. Then, there's another guy to beat up. As you go to the stage, you find another girl. Maybe it's his current girlfriend?? When you walk to her, you beat the level. That was strange....she is a door? How'd you end up in the donut shop? This is just another pointless part. Why did we need to see the girls? There's no point. After all, it doesn't impact on anything in the game itself, so why's this necessary?
The third level has you play as Garth once again. This time, you actually beat the level with him. During the whole level, however, you have to fight cats and ninjas. The ninjas are really annoying. Even though they use the same jump-kick attack, they are just brutal if you don't act fast, especially since they come out of nowhere. Mainly, I would just inch my way across, so I can be prepared when the ninja pops out. This way, things are easier.
The fourth level is the worst of the bunch. You're Wayne the whole time, and I guess you're in some TV factory. TV screens are your enemies, and they're slightly (only slightly) more difficult to attack. In the next 2 parts, you end up encountering spiders and painful waterdrops. What's even more brutal about this level is that you must maintain your health throughout all 3 of these parts, and there are some major dangers in the way. Oh well...at least this is the only hard level.
Guess what? The fifth level is actually your last. The game is very short for a movie licensee. Here, there's a cutscene that finally fits in the game. Garth is aware that they happen to be in the wrong apartment (?) and Wayne must go up the building. to see what's up (no pun intended). The only enemies here are cats and flying newspapers (It's windy). Really, you may as well jump over the cats and avoid the newspapers. After two parts of climbing up the building, you fight a muscular dude who happens to be the final boss. Yeah, there are bosses in the game. I just didn't mention them because they feel like ordinary enemies that last longer. So, you're supposed to defeat this guy and then you win the game. Yes, the ending sucks.
After all of what I played through, I faced bland level design, okay music, random enemies, random places, not-so-detailed graphics, and pointless scenes. Even though all of this is present, I, strangely, actually liked playing through the game. While it's all dull, the gameplay was somewhat entertaining. So overall, it is one heck of a strange crap. There are several things in every part of the game that should have been improved upon (Level design) or removed entirely (Cutscenes).
Wayne and Garth venture across a level with the most random enemies and level designs you can possibly imagine. The majority of the graphics aren't totally detailed, the music is okay, and the gameplay....well, let me explain it.
In the first level, you begin as Garth, who is equipped with a gun. There happen to be no gaps in the floor whatsoever, so you can just walk across, shooting the enemies that come toward you. The second part of the level has you play as Wayne, but he doesn't carry a weapon. Instead, he kicks. In order to actually kill enemies with the kick, though, you have to time it right. If not, then you get hit by the enemy. At the end of each level, you come to a donut shop. This gives you a chance to restore your health for the next level.
As Garth in the second level, all you have to do is go jump up the platforms to the door, which is cakewalk. This is the shortest part of the game. Then you get this strange cutscene in which the duo says "Party on, Garth!" and "Part on, Wayne!". That's just pointless. Now as Wayne, you jump from platform to platform. This provides a nice challenge, since there are fair enemies that are on top of a few platforms. They don't move, however. At the end, you find a muscular guy to kill. Sadly, he doesn't move, too. But then again, there's not enough room to move, so I guess it's reasonable why these guys won't budge. After that's over, a girl rushes to Wayne. Then you get a cutscene, which reveals that this must be his ex-girlfriend. How? Because he insults her for the gun rack she is holding. Eeeesh. Then, there's another guy to beat up. As you go to the stage, you find another girl. Maybe it's his current girlfriend?? When you walk to her, you beat the level. That was strange....she is a door? How'd you end up in the donut shop? This is just another pointless part. Why did we need to see the girls? There's no point. After all, it doesn't impact on anything in the game itself, so why's this necessary?
The third level has you play as Garth once again. This time, you actually beat the level with him. During the whole level, however, you have to fight cats and ninjas. The ninjas are really annoying. Even though they use the same jump-kick attack, they are just brutal if you don't act fast, especially since they come out of nowhere. Mainly, I would just inch my way across, so I can be prepared when the ninja pops out. This way, things are easier.
The fourth level is the worst of the bunch. You're Wayne the whole time, and I guess you're in some TV factory. TV screens are your enemies, and they're slightly (only slightly) more difficult to attack. In the next 2 parts, you end up encountering spiders and painful waterdrops. What's even more brutal about this level is that you must maintain your health throughout all 3 of these parts, and there are some major dangers in the way. Oh well...at least this is the only hard level.
Guess what? The fifth level is actually your last. The game is very short for a movie licensee. Here, there's a cutscene that finally fits in the game. Garth is aware that they happen to be in the wrong apartment (?) and Wayne must go up the building. to see what's up (no pun intended). The only enemies here are cats and flying newspapers (It's windy). Really, you may as well jump over the cats and avoid the newspapers. After two parts of climbing up the building, you fight a muscular dude who happens to be the final boss. Yeah, there are bosses in the game. I just didn't mention them because they feel like ordinary enemies that last longer. So, you're supposed to defeat this guy and then you win the game. Yes, the ending sucks.
After all of what I played through, I faced bland level design, okay music, random enemies, random places, not-so-detailed graphics, and pointless scenes. Even though all of this is present, I, strangely, actually liked playing through the game. While it's all dull, the gameplay was somewhat entertaining. So overall, it is one heck of a strange crap. There are several things in every part of the game that should have been improved upon (Level design) or removed entirely (Cutscenes).
Winter Games (Rating: 1/10)
Winter Games is a game that was on the Atari 2600. You'd think the NES version would be better, but no. Instead, the company that created the game had to destroy the controls, making the game unplayable. That causes the game to be beyond annoying and terrible. I can't even write a lengthy review of this game due to the broken controls, horrifying music, and disappointing graphics.