Genre: RPG

Developer: Square
Publisher: Nintendo
Year: 1990

Basic Idea: Learn patience by fighting Imp after Imp, and run the fuck away from the Cockatrices.

Review: Square was about to go under when Nintendo decided they might take a chance and see if this whole RPG thing would catch on.  Well, whaddya know?

While the game has become more user-friendly with recent ports, the original suffered a bit from the same thing all 1980 RPG’s suffered from: endless battles to level up and get gold.  Picking the right party to go with you can make the game more palatable.  My first time, I chose two fighters, a white mage, and a black mage.  Why two fighters?  Well, black belts were wimpy and couldn’t equip hardly anything.  Little did I know that black belts become extremely powerful later in the game, and that fighters are insanely expensive.  I have distinct, angry memories of spending hours outside Melmond fighting beasts to raise enough money for two long swords.  I also have distinct, angry memories of wasting a turn attacking blank space after an enemy I had chosen to attack had just died.

I’m also not a huge fan of choosing my party.  I’d much rather be given distinct, fleshed out characters then to put myself in the role of a cipher.  And once you know the best party (Fighter, Black Belt, White Mage, Black Mage) it’s hard to choose any other if you want to just enjoy the game.  Making it harder (e.g. picking all mages) holds no appeal for me.

All that said, this game still holds up today.  I don’t think anyone raised on Final Fantasy VII would enjoy it much, but it is still more than nostalgia for the rest of us.  I have so many fond memories of the game.  Passing Corneria’s bridge for the first time.  Battling the nine pirates.  Dying multiple times in the swamp cave after having my whole party turned to stone.  The hall of Giants.  Talking to the twelve wise men and raising the airship.  Maturing the party.  Praying against encountering Warmech on Tiamat’s Plank of Death.  I also loved that this was the first RPG that showed the act of fighting (somewhat) with bright colors used for weapons and spells.  The music is classic and most of the soundtrack is still used in the series.

Chaos, the final boss, is not terribly difficult with the right party members in tow.  Sadly, though, he remains one of the more difficult final bosses in the long history of the franchise.  The first time I beat him I was excited, as I believe this was the first RPG I won.

I was originally sad that Square didn’t have another game in the series in the U.S. until Final Fantasy IV, but having played through half of Final Fantasy II and hating every minute of it (before getting permanently stuck), I’ve gotten over it.  I have come back to the original game, however, on more than one occasion.  Final Fantasy is a classic through and through.

Genre: Action Adventure

Developer: Tecmo
Publisher: Tecmo
Year: 1987

Basic Idea: If you ever needed to grapple really bad…

Review: In my review of Blaster Master, I lamented the lack of any way to save the game considering its expanse and significant backtracking.  I also mentioned I could have forgiven that if I was blown away by the game.  I was blown away by Rygar.

The first thing one notices when they start this game is how insanely good the music is.  If there was a game from 1987 that had better music, I haven’t played it.  Each section of the game has its own theme, and each one is highly addicting.  I am not bullshitting when I say that leaving one area for the next is an emotional letdown for me because I immediately miss the music I was just listening to.

The graphics are not far behind.  The graphics in the platforming scenes are simply stunning for the time.  A sunset framed by purple mountains with a scrolling horizon?  Tecmo was way ahead of its time.  The overhead areas have decidedly more pedestrian graphics, but they’re still serviceable.

Of course, neither sound nor graphics do a game make.  What does make a game like this is intense action with great play control.  The diskarmor is a great weapon, again one of my favorites on the system.  Like Castlevania, it can be upgraded with more experience.  Unlike Castlevania, there are no other power-ups in the game.  You are allowed a couple of magic spells that strengthen your attack and one to heal yourself.  The game makes up for the lack of weapons with the various tools you need to collect to advance.  While the game doesn’t tell you where you need to go, it is linear in the fact that you need tools to get into other areas (though some parts can be done in a different order).  From a grappling hook to a crossbow to a wind pulley, these items must be used creatively to access new areas of the game.

My favorite part of the game are the bosses that guard each section.  Each one is unique and fits the theme of the area you’re in, and some of those special items you collect can also be used creatively to make the boss battles easier.  The game is consistently difficult, but also consistently fair.  The final boss in the game is worthy of the title.

The game does have two moderate flaws, unfortunately.  As mentioned, there is no save feature, which is almost unforgivable.  One would need at least three hours to defeat this game, and that’s assuming you virtually never die.  Five to six hours is more likely, and that’s once you know where everything is.  What makes it tolerable is that there are infinite lives.  Also, you don’t lose experience or items when you die; you just have to start at the beginning of whatever stage you are in.

The second flaw involves using the wind pulley.  There are chasms you must cross on a rope, using the pulley to swing across.  On the overhead levels, it is very easy to misjudge the rope and wind up falling into a chasm.  More of an annoyance than anything, but there it is.

Less annoying but still worthy a mention is some slowdown issues in areas with too many enemies.

With save states, the two primary problems with the game are rendered moot.  So if you’re looking for an old-school game in this vein, fire up an emulator and give Rygar a try.

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.