Genre: Platformer

Developer: Nintendo
Publisher: Nintendo
Year: 1990

Basic Idea: Rescue Princess Toadstool again from her secret lover.

Review: I haven’t seen every “Best NES Games” list on the internet, but I doubt many, if any, of them have Super Mario Bros. 3 ranked as low as #15.  But believe me, I didn’t rank it here to make a statement.  There are just fourteen games I enjoy playing more.

The game really needs no introduction unless your only experience with it is watching The Wizard. The game pushed the limits of the NES capabilities and did so amazingly.  I remember the awe I felt playing this when I was ten years old.  When I nabbed my first raccoon tail, I played around with that thing for the longest time.  The Tanooki suit was pretty damn cool, if awkward.  And, of course, Kuribo’s Shoe is in the discussion for best power-up on the entire system.

I suppose I need to mention the few things that annoy me about the game.  For starters, you can gain infinite lives on level 1-2, and real easily.  Granted, there are countless other ways to get 1-ups in the game, but you have to work for most of them.  To get them on level 1-2 is like playing with a game genie.  Secondly, the airships where each boss resides bore me to tears.  They are virtually identical with virtually identical bosses that are all defeated using the exact same method.  All of the originality in the game, and each boss is the same?  You’d think that’s something that would have improved from the first game in the series.

I am also not a fan of the final area in the game, world eight.  The airships are obnoxiously difficult and most sane people will use a P-Wing or Lakitu’s Cloud to get past them.  The final castle is kind of fun, but Bowser is only slightly harder to defeat than Medusa from Kid Icarus.  At least the ending is a treat.

Enough complaining.  I love Giant Land.  I love Ice Land.  I love Pipe Land.  I love all of the game’s little secrets.  I love that there was a competition in the household to see who could win the game first (I did).  I love that the game was so damn anticipated that they made a fucking movie starring Fred Savage to promote it.  And I love that it delivered on its hype.

Genre: Volleyball

Developer: Technos
Publisher: Nintendo
Year: 1990

Basic Idea: Kaboom!

Review: One of our loyal readers has a perhaps unwarranted obsession with Nintendo World Cup, another game by Technos.  Both games were designed for use with Nintendo’s four-player adapter and came out in the same year.  For some reason, Technos decided against using their blocky looking dudes for Super Spike V’Ball, which is probably a blessing.

My intense love for this game is based almost entirely on multi-player.  Using the standard rules of beach volleyball, you have the choice of four different teams, all with different abilities.  There are two tournaments to play through, the world tour considerably more difficult.  My friend Nick and I spent nearly a half-year obsessively playing this game until we mastered it, and we still occasionally come back to it.

What makes this better than your average volleyball game are the little touches that make winning a point satisfying as hell.  The sound effects are just the right pitch and are supplemented with Batman-like phrases.  Using a power spike not only provides a very satisfying whoosh, but if timed right can send the opposing player flying into the stands if they try to block it.  You can also direction your spikes to try and hit ’em where they ain’t.  Quick spikes (hitting the ball while it’s still going up) are also possible; they’re risky, but deadly.  But perhaps the best part is that the CPU is actually difficult.

I never got a chance to play this with more than two players, but I can only imagine how awesome that would be.

Genre: Platformer

Developer: Capcom
Publisher: Capcom
Year: 1988

Basic Idea: Use your monkey arms to move your two-ton legs.

Review: This is definitely my favorite game that I absolutely suck at.  Originally a Hitler-Nazi game, it was changed for the delicate American audience.  But the plot is irrelevant.  The game is all about the bionic arm that your good guy is equipped with.  It is a hard thing to master, but once you do, it is a blast to swing your way through each level.  Certain areas can only be reached if you learn the intricacies of your arm (which doubles as a whip and a grappling hook) and most of the fun is solving these puzzles.  Since there is no jumping allowed in the game, it takes a while to get used to, but definitely worth the effort.

Most levels are of the platform variety, but some are overhead shooters like Guerrila War.   There is never a feeling of sameness.  Even better, you can attack the levels in virtually any order you wish, though items in some levels are required to get through others. Sadly, there is a finite number of lives, and as mentioned, I suck at the game and have never made it very far.

The graphics are nothing exciting, but the music is fantastic.  Capcom was the king of platformers, and Bionic Commando is one of the greatest examples.

As an aside, on the Playstation and XBox remake, Bionic Commando Rearmed, loyal reader and personal friend Dean Tersigni is given a “special thanks” credit for his help on the project.

Genre: Platformer

Developer: Nintendo; Tose
Publisher: Nintendo
Year: 1987

Basic Idea: Develop a life-long aversion to eggplants and cure your fear of Medusa.

Review:  Kid Icarus has long been considered Metroid’s less-regarded little brother, and despite entirely different worlds and gameplay, the games are similar in countless ways.  Both were highly innovative and both had parts that were maddening.

You play as a boy with useless wings who must use his bow and arrow to defeat the evil Medusa who’s done something evil or something.  There are 13 levels, including three dungeons and Medusa’s hangout.  Fighting through hordes (and I mean hordes) of enemies, you must upgrade your life bar and abilities by dispensing of said enemies.  Upgrades aren’t found, they are earned.  Better arrows, more health, long-shot, and defensive protection are all based on your points or fighting contests you can participate in.  There are shops where you can buy temporary items, like health potions, or feathers that save you from falling deaths.  If you’re lucky you can even win a credit card that allows you to buy something you can’t afford and pay off your debt later.

What turns off a lot of gamers is how difficult the game is at first.  While you have infinite lives (and a password system), every time you die you have to begin at the very beginning of whatever level you’re on, and without any of the upgrades you got in the meantime.  The game isn’t insanely hard at the beginning, but it is hard with virtually no learning curve.  Falling deaths occur frequently until one learns the level layouts and jumping tricks.  And the reapers will annoy many a first-timer.  The first dungeon can be a bear if you haven’t made any upgrades, but getting past each level is satisfying.

What turns off many other gamers, including me, is how insanely easy the game becomes about half-way through.  Assuming you haven’t avoided every enemy you’ve run into and bothered to get an upgrade or two, there’s little challenge in the last half of the game.  The enemies never become more difficult, so as your upgrades improve, the challenge goes with it.  The game’s worst sin is that regardless of your upgrades, Medusa is the easiest final boss in the history of gaming.  There are two safe spots where she cannot hit you, so defeating her feels hollow. If the game was remotely challenging in the last half, this game would be top ten.

My favorite part of the game is the dungeons.  The music is awesome and learning each level’s maze is fun.  You have the option, like in The Legend of Zelda, of acquiring a map and other items to track your way, but they’re unnecessary.  There are centurions that have been turned to stone, and if you free them with a hammer, they will join you in your fight against the dungeon’s boss, which is pretty sweet.  But certainly the best part of the game are the eggplant wizards.  They shoot eggplants at you, and if they hit you, you literally turn into an eggplant and must find your way, defenseless, to a nurse in the dungeon who will heal you.  While it can be rage-inducing to be hit by one, it represents one of the game’s few challenges and is kind of funny on top of it.  The bosses are a bit on the easy side, but they’re fun to battle with.

Like Metroid, it would be hard to recommend Kid Icarus to a younger generation.  There’s just too many flaws.  But it also instilled me with many great memories and I enjoy playing it every few years or so.

Genre: Platformer

Developer: Nintendo
Publisher: Nintendo
Year: 1986

Basic Idea: Play for countless hours to achieve a perfect game so you can see an 8-bit heroine in a bikini.

Review:  I’m not sure there’s another game on the NES that I can come up with equally long lists of everything that is both awesome and horrible about it.  I spent many an hour on this game in my youth and enjoyed it immensely, but I really can’t stomach it for long today.

It’s an immense game with significant non-linearity.  Considering you are given zero direction on where to go or what to do, this would frustrate me to no end today, but it also allowed a freedom rarely seen in 1986, so I was stoked.  Exploring the expansive worlds was a treat and I didn’t mind making maps to keep track of all the twists and turns.  Discovering secret areas or figuring out how to use bombs to take shortcuts were awesome experiences.  The various power-ups are sweet, including the much desired ice beam and awesome screw attack.  The music is decent.  The final area’s music–where the metroids and Mother Brain hang out–is incredibly haunting.  And while the graphics and enemies are fairly unimpressive (no backgrounds!) given the technology at the time, at least they’re consistent with the game’s theme throughout.

The game’s problems, unfortunately, are numerous and make the game feel really dated.  The hit recoil is irritating and often sends Samus into lava pits.  Controlling her during a spinning jump can also be a bear, especially if you didn’t intend for her to spin in the first place.  Enemies can fly through the doors, causing your life to deplete even though you’re doing nothing but waiting for the game to scroll.  Timing jumps using your bombs can be endlessly frustrating.  The area bosses are also disappointing, as they do little but shoot hundreds of projectiles at you and there is really no other way to defeat them other than having a lot of life and just pounding away at them (or, against Ridley, having a lot of life and hiding in the lava pit).  And don’t get me started on the final room where Mother Brain resides, where you not only have to avoid a massive assault and regenerating barriers, but intensive slowdown due to the game’s RAM issues.

Super Metroid is amazing and fixed nearly every problem with this game, so it’s even harder to go back and play this one today.  I know it sounds like I’m mostly complaining about it, but it is ranked #19 on the countdown for a reason.  It’s epic.  It’s great features remain great today.  But it would be hard to recommend it to someone born after 1987.

Genre: Platformer

Developer: Capcom
Publisher: Capcom
Year: 1988

Basic Idea: Defeat Dr. Wily for the second of infinity times.

Review: I feel kind of dirty ranking this game all the way down at #20.  Most people have it in their top five, and many more have it as their favorite  game of all time.  It is probably hurt by the fact I didn’t have this game as a child and couldn’t obsess over it for years.  I can’t really explain why the game doesn’t move me like it moves others.  But the game is more or less perfect at what it does, and I did enjoy myself quite a bit while playing, so I have no qualms about having it in my top 20.

For those who aren’t aware, you basically control a robotic man equipped with a laser cannon for an arm.  You must traverse several levels in standard platformer style, defeat a boss, then defeat the big bad boss at the end.  What pleased a lot of people (and something I don’t personally care about) is that you can tackle the levels in any order you wish.  There is more than one optimal path through the game, as finishing some levels sooner will give you power-ups that will make other levels easier. While this gives the game replayability in a sense, it doesn’t do much for me as once I win a game, I have little desire to do so in a different manner unless there’s a true alternate path.  For an extreme example, there is a FAQ on how to win Final Fantasy VI while not giving equipment to any player.  If I’m going to play the game again, I’d rather just play it regular and enjoy the story.  Finding a slightly different way to get to the end just for a different challenge does not intrigue me.

That said, the game mechanics are flawless.  Mega Man always does everything you ask him to.  It is a difficult game.  If you have trouble with Super Mario Bros. this game will give you fits.  But it’s not impossible, and way more fair than the first game in the series.  Patience is rewarded, as taking time to use your special abilities (such as levitating platforms) while also conserving them is key to making progress.

The level designs are very creative, the colors bright and inviting.  The music is consistently amazing and a perfect fit for the game.  I am not alone in feeling the series peaked on the NES with this game, and the final four games are mostly derivative.  You certainly don’t need to play the first game in the series to enjoy Mega Man II; in fact, you’re better off skipping it altogether.

Genre: Baseball

Developer: Culture Brain
Publisher: Culture Brain
Year: 1989

Basic Idea:  Finally, a baseball game where cheaters win!

Review:  My favorite baseball game for the NES, Baseball Simulator 1.000 combines solid regular baseball action with awesome power-ups and an ability to create new leagues with custom-made players and a full-season mode.  Pretty much everything one would want in a game is here, and unlike Baseball Stars, the play control isn’t maddening.  While the diving and jumping functions could be better, they are there and are easy to use.

Playing with power-ups can be a blast, especially since you have a limited amount of points to use per game, so you must ration out your super-powers.  The game has pretty much every power-up imaginable, from cannonballs, phantom balls, rocket hits, earthquake balls, tornado pitches, and zig-zag hits, to laser throws, and super high jumping on defense.  You can even select them at the last second, fooling the pitcher or batter.  Hilarity may ensue as you watch your fielders try clumsily to catch a ball that can’t be caught, or your hitter’s bat break if he doesn’t hit the sweet spot of a super pitch.

However, if all the game was crazy antics, it would get old quick.  Season-mode is done to near perfection.  While only six teams are available in a league, there’s really no need for more.  You can determine the length of your season, even play 162 games if you’re up to it.  And each team in a league is fully customizable, from the team’s name to your player’s names, handedness, and their abilities which you’re given an allotment for.  You can even create your own super league and provide players with their own super-abilities.

The gameplay is crisp, about as good as it gets for the NES.  Fielding and throwing are a breeze. Pitching is pretty standard, though unlike a lot of games, fastballs are actually really fast and you have to have quick reflexes.

Another great feature is the variety of stadiums you can play in.  My favorite is Harbor, as you can hit the ball into the ocean or even make a ship blow its horn if you hit it.  There’s also Town, which has some Yankee stadium like fences in left and right where even pitchers can hit homers.  Space, while unfortunately having normal gravity, is also a homer haven with no foul ball room.

My only real criticism of the game, which isn’t unique to this system, is that the CPU is far too easy to beat.  Thus, playing by one’s self can get old pretty quick.  We played as a family, creating our own leagues and obsessing over the stats.

The sequel for the Super Nintendo is improved in several ways, especially with the editing functions, so it’s certainly worth a look if you love this game.

Genre: Racing

Developer: Rare
Publisher: Nintendo
Year: 1988

Basic Idea: Sneer at the pink car after you accidentally pick up the bombs instead of the missiles.

Review: Easily Rare’s best game (i.e. not frustrating as hell) on the NES, R.C. Pro-Am was probably the first racing game that had any lasting appeal and remains my favorite of the type on the NES.  Pitting your remote control car against three computer opponents, your goal is to finish third or better over the course of 32 tracks.  The tracks have frequent turns, even a few hairpins.  Oil slicks, water, and barriers get in your way, as well as bombs and missiles from your opponents.  Upgrades (like better tires) are also strewn throughout the tracks, as well as temporary turbo strips and roll cages.  Play control is perfect and the sounds are all appropriate.  It’s an easy game to pick and play with a steady learning curve.

My main issue with the game is that once you reach a certain level, the pink car goes into hyperdrive, preventing first place as an option unless you successfully gun it down with missiles several times.  The other opponents also implement catch-up logic and become very difficult to beat as well.  I don’t think I’ve ever won this game without cheating (and by winning I mean starting back over at the beginning with no ending).

I’ve played the sequel briefly; I wasn’t wowed, but it’s certainly fine and probably worth a look if you enjoy this one.  I hear the multiplayer mode in the second game is horrendous.