Score / Name / Publisher / Developer / Release date
37 10-YARD
FIGHT (Nintendo/Irem, October 1985)
This football game looks OK and even sound pretty good on the NES here for a
early title at least but the action maybe too slow for some fans of the hard
hitting sport. 10 Yard Fight is a first generation football game with no real
depth compared to the huge list of options we have today. You can't edit your
team's formation for one thing. Still better than what Atari was putting out a
few years back but go with the superior Tecmo
Bowl instead.
*Available in the 5 screw cart
For 1 or 2 players
graphics: 5
sound: 5
gameplay: 5
Find 10 Yard Fight on eBay here!
40 1942 (Capcom,
December 1986)
Capcom must be fans of American history because this simple vertical shooter
here is based on the events in World War II. The weird thing is the Japanese
here are your evil opponents and you are in control of a lone American
firepilot in enemy territory. Isn't Capcom primarily a Japanese company?
Anyway, this early shooter comes with over 30 levels which is good I guess but
they are just too long and they really don't differ much from one another so
most players might get bored quickly especially with these very bland visuals
here. 1942 was passable a few decades ago thanks to some decent controls at
least but now the game is quite choppy looking today plus the looping beep
soundtrack is absolutely hideous here.
*Available in the 5 screw cart
For 1 or 2 players
graphics: 4
sound: 0
gameplay: 4
Find 1942 on eBay here!
66 1943: The Battle of
Midway (Capcom, June 1989)
1943 is definitely a huge leap over Capcom's rather overrated 1942 game.
So what do you get now? There are new weapons, more ruthless enemies and new
ways to level up your plane in this large 24 level fight for survival over the
fierce Japanese waters. 1943 is a fun and very demanding shooter with some cool
role playing elements but the only thing it lacks is flashier graphics and
better sounds to make it a classic.
For 1 player only
graphics: 5
sound: 4
gameplay: 7
Find 1943 on eBay here!
55
3D WORLD RUNNER (Acclaim/Square, September 1987)
This strange 3D action game may appear rather silly yet be ready for a tough
fight because this game gets very hard especially later in the game. In 3D
World Runner you help guide a running man through 8 worlds, each guarded by a
dragon-like guardian. The game also originally came with 3D glasses like Square's
Rad Racer did but the effects look fine without them and you just won't
have too much use for them in general. The game has some above average 3D
effects and the action can be fun as well but overly dorky hero (who looks like
he is going to take a dump each time he fights a boss) may turn a lot of people
away. The game is passable at least but I also understand why Square killed off
this franchise and didn't do a sequel.
*Available in the 5 screw cart
For 1 player only
graphics: 6
sound: 3......... very corny!
gameplay: 4
Find 3D World Runner on eBay here!
44 720 Degrees
(Mindscape/Atari, December 1989)
Here is another poor arcade translation that arrives to the beloved 8-bit
Nintendo here. 720 degrees is a unique arcade style skateboarding game that not
a very good game to bring to the home market since you are always forced to
skate or be killed off by bees so casual gamers should stay away from this. I
guess the game can be fun once you try out some of the events but 720 is still
ruined by bad graphics and confusing controls.
For 1 player only
graphics: 3
sound: 3
gameplay: 5
Find 720 on eBay here!
41 8 EYES
(Taxan/Seta/Thinking Rabbit, January 1990)
8 Eyes here is an awful Castlevania
ripoff that pales in comparison to Konami's real thing. Don't be fooled by the
dark graphics and being able to use an eagle here because this is one cheap
platformer here with slow controls and highly repetitive game play. I
especially hate the poor hit detection and the bland music tracks are not too
flattering either. 8 Eyes ended up nothing more than a cheap cash in.
For 1 player only
graphics: 5
sound: 4
gameplay: 6
Find 8 eyes on eBay here!
66 A BOY and his BLOB
(Absolute, January 1990)
This odd title is a very hard but very innovative adventure game about a kid
and his morphing alien creature friend who likes jellybeans. The blob can
transform into different items like ladders, bubbles, and even rockets so you
can use his unique special abilities to help you get the little guy home. You
only have so many of these flavoured beans so you can't throw them at will. I
also liked the simple yet detailed graphics which were good for the NES
but the overall game just feels too slow.
For 1 player only
graphics: 7
sound: 6
gameplay: 8
Find A Boy and his Blob on eBay here!
Total Recall Dud of the Month!
46 ABADOX (Milton Bradley/Natsume,
March 1990)
Abadox is a
shooting game that looks like a total Life force rip-off. The game is
filled with 6 disgusting alien worlds but Abadox fails to be even a fair game
because of an overly high difficulty especially in the later stages. Bottomline
is Abadox here is a boring and routine shooting game.
For 1 player only
graphics: 6
sound: 4
gameplay: 6
Find Abadox on eBay here!
23 ACTION 52 (Active
Enterprises, 1991)
"It may be called Action 52 but it should have been called Pure Garbage 52
instead!" All the games here are not only quite generic but they are all
very poorly made and are way below average. You'll find tons of programming
errors, bad controls, and very repetitive game play. Action 52 is for serious
video game collectors only and nobody else.
*Unlicensed NES game
*Rare NES game
For 1 or 2 players
graphics: 1
sound: 3
gameplay: 2
Find Action 52 on eBay here!
46 The ADDAMS FAMILY
(Ocean/Rare, January 1992)
The
Addams Family for the NES starts off well enough. In the game based on
the old TV show from the 1960's you play the strange but well dressed Gomez
Addams as he explores his own creepy mansion to find his missing family members
after it was invaded by ghosts and other creatures. The game begins has a
simple to play action platformer where you can just jump on enemies to get rid
of them and even the graphics here are impressive with huge and detailed
characters plus I even saw some multiple scrolling in the background. The game
even has good rendition of the famous Addams Family theme music here too. All
this is great so far but the game quickly becomes more and more frustrating
deeper into the adventure because Gomez is a total wimp! Whenever you get hit
you don't have any time to recover so if you are still under attack there is a
good chance you're going to be dead soon. It doesn't help matters when the game
is loaded with a lot of indestructible enemies like flying pots and even
touching some platforms like a bone can damage you here. The Addams Family had
potential but it is just way too hard and cheap to be any real fun.
*Uncommon NES game
For 1 player only
graphics: 7
sound: 6
gameplay: 3
Find Addams Family on eBay here!
63 The ADDAMS FAMILY
Pugsley's Scavenger Hunt (Ocean, August 1993)
Trying to complete my NES collection wasn't easy and this game here was nearly
impossible to find for me. Because of its unpopularity and after the lame first Addams
Family game I wasn't expecting much from this game but too my surprise this one
didn't turn out so bad. In this action platformer you play as the young Pugsley
Addams and you get to search for the other family members in the huge Addams
estate. The graphics are fairly basic and there is no actual music during game
play but the controls work great and there are plenty of rooms and long levels
to explore so there is always something to do. The game even has a password
option so you don't have to finish it all at once. Pugsley's Scavenger Hunt may
be harder to find then sex in a G rated movie but yeah, at least it
doesn't totally suck.
*Rare NES game
For 1 player only
graphics: 5
sound: 2
gameplay: 6
Find Pugsley's Scavenger Hunt on eBay here!
65 Advance Dungeons and
Dragons: DRAGON STRIKE (Fci, 1992)
Now when you think of Advance Dungeons and Dragons games you're probably think of long, geeky, and complex role playing games but here in this Dragon Strike title it's straight up action. The game lets you pick from three dragon classes and then you fly around the countryside looking for trouble. The game plays great for the most part but it can get frustrating switching between different altitude all the time. Still a alright game and definitely the best AD&D for the NES here.
*Uncommon NES game
For 1 player only
graphics: 6
sound: 5
gameplay: 7
Find Dragon Strike on eBay here!
09 Advance Dungeons and
Dragons: HEROES of the LANCE (Fci, February 1991)
Dungeons
and Dragons was one of the most successful dice games every made and the series
even did well when it first made the jump to the computers in the 1980's. So
what the hell happened here? In this action platforming game you slowly control
one of eight characters that range from warrior, mages, healers, and all that
junk in deadly dungeons filled creepy monsters. Now before you get too excited
you better have the instructions because the game itself gives you no hint what
to do here and the controls are no help at all either. Even doing the simplest
task like using weapons or jumping require a multiple series of commands while
your enemies are killing members in your party one by one. Not only is the game
play annoying but the nearly colourless backgrounds are highly repetitive,
undetailed, and super bland plus the music constantly loops over and over
driving me nuts. Heroes of the Lance is just a constant flow of suck.
*Battery back up game
For 1 player only
graphics: 1
sound: 1
gameplay: 3
Find Heroes of the Lance on eBay here!
10 Advance Dungeons and
Dragons: HILLSFAR (Fci, February 1993)
Have you ever eaten something you should've and it came out looking really bad
when you got sick? This game reminds me of that disgusting mess. In the game
you play a wimpy character on different quests to save your kingdom in this
fantasy adventure. These missions range from finding treasures in dungeons to
fighting monsters in arenas which sound cool until you have to put up with all
the bullS%^& like annoying lock picking, time limits, basic button mashing,
muddy graphics, poor controls, and almost no music. There is nothing advance
here, it's just boring.
*Battery back up game
For 1 player only
graphics: 2
sound: 1
gameplay: 2
Find Hillsfar on eBay here!
45 Advance Dungeons and
Dragons: POOL of RADIANCE (Fci, 1992)
Compare to other Advance Dungeons and Dragons RPG's like Heroes on Lance and Hillsfart, Pool of Radiance is leagues better but honestly that isn't saying much. First off the game lets you choice your party that range from elves, humans, different classes, sexes, and much more plus the game has a cool battle system where you can place characters in unique positions to attack or defense against enemies. Sadly Pool of Radiance is still very annoying to play because you explore the game in this very choppy 3D perspective much like the damn ugly Dungeon Magic. Because of this I didn't jump in this sh*& pool.
*Battery back up game
For 1 player only
graphics: 4
sound: 4
gameplay: 6
Find Pool of Radiance on eBay here!
37
ADVENTURES in the MAGIC KINGDOM (Capcom, June 1990)
I kind
of like the idea of this game. Why go to an over priced amusement park when you
can play special mini games based on famous areas from Walt Disney World
itself? It's a weird license tie in that's for sure but it could work. In it
you get to compete in five different events here like platform stages, overhead
races, ride mine carts and more but they become stale and repetitive in only a
few minutes. The game is also way too hard since the controls are not that
responsive as well and this really surprises me since these Disney rides are
usually targeted for a younger audience. Don't wait in line for this bland
Capcom title.
*Uncommon NES game
For 1 player only
graphics: 4
sound: 5
gameplay: 3
Find Magic Kingdom on eBay here!
48 Adventures of DINO
RIKI (Hudson Soft, August 1989)
Dino
Riki is basically another forced scrolling shoot em up like Star Soldier
or Twin Cobra but here you are controlling a stupid little cave man
instead of something cool like a ship. Not only does it sound stupid but the
shoot and jump game play here is highly frustrating because it only takes one
hit to lose your important power ups and this Dino Riki character is a complete
wuss since he can die instantly from only a small puddle of water. Dying from
water is not cool and it should not be in a video game! The Adventures of Dino
Riki is just another one of those forgettable NES game that deserves to
be forgotten.
For 1 player only
graphics: 4
sound: 4
gameplay: 5
Find Dino Riki on eBay here!
32
Adventures of TOM SAWYER (Seta, June 1989)
Hey, maybe some of you already know the deal behind this Tom Sawyer guy, eh?
The stories told the tale how he was this poor but brave kid from early
American history that hated school and was always looking for adventure. It sounds
like a good idea for a video game to me! I have a question though; when did Tom
Sawyer become such a wussy? It only takes one hit to kill off this rebellious
kid and it really sucks dying from lame stuff like seagulls and fish here. The
game tries to mix up some of the standard platforming action with some forced
scrolling river rafting levels but you have to jump in these stages to progress
and that's very hard to do from an overhead perspective. I liked the rock and
sling shot weapons here but the graphics are just boring (why aren't those fish
moving in the background?), the strange new age music feels out of place, and
the game play is too hard for younger players. Tom Sawyer is just as bland as a
plain yogurt........ that's expired.... and being served to you in an old shoe.
For 1 or 2 players
graphics: 3
sound: 3
gameplay: 3
Find Tom Sawyer on eBay here!
63 Hudson's ADVENTURE
ISLAND (Hudson Soft, September 1988)
It's Sega's Wonder Boy on the NES! Adventure Island is a fun game
about a red cap wearing caveman trying to rescue a princess from generic evil
monsters. Your hero starts out pretty weak and he needs constant fruit to stay
alive but you can give him throwing axes and even a skateboard for extra power.
There are tons of levels, lots of secrets, and plenty of challenges to overcome
too but I wish the control were better while jumping and grabbing the
skateboard forces you to go in one direction only. If you like action games and
your sick of Super
Mario Bros. then try this out.
For 1 or 2 players
graphics: 5
sound: 4
gameplay: 6
Find Adventure Island on eBay here!
73 ADVENTURE ISLAND II
(Hudson Soft, February 1991)
This sequel to the original hit is packed with the same old run and jump game
play but now there is more stuff and much better graphics. One of the biggest
improvements is the new dinosaur friends that not only take a hit for you but a
few of them also have some cool attacks too. The game also has more bonus
stages so you have more chances to power up your hero but it still lacks a save
feature or even a password system that would really help with the replay value.
Action fans will still love it though.
For 1 player only
graphics: 8
sound: 6
gameplay: 7
Find Adventure Island II on eBay here!
66 ADVENTURE ISLAND III
(Hudson Soft, July 1992)
I guess Hudson Soft was making a lot of money off these Adventure Island games
because here is the third game in the series. There isn't much difference
between this action game here and the last ones because you still have to deal
with draining health and more linear arcade game play here but now you can
select the weapons and friends you want before a stage. Sadly, there is still
no password or save feature so you have to complete the entire game in one
sitting. Adventure Island III looks good and it is still fun to play but it
just isn't a big leap from part II.
*Uncommon NES game
For 1 player only
graphics: 7
sound: 6
gameplay: 7
Find Adventure Island III on eBay here!
39 The Adventures of
BAYOU BILLY (Konami, May 1989)
This Crocodile
Dundee-like action game tries a lot of things here but it just fails at
everything. The game has a good story and it doesn't look half bad either but
the fighting system is just awful because of the poor hit detection and highly
repetitive enemies. The other side quests like the first person shooting
missions are either too slow or the driving scenes are just too fast. The game
is also way too hard since there are only three continues here so you better
play the game perfectly. Bayou Billy is far from a classic even though Konami
made it.
*Light Gun compatible
For 1 player only
graphics: 4
sound: 5
gameplay: 3
Find Bayou Billy on eBay here!
62 Adventures of RAD
GRAVITY (Activision, December 1990)
Now here's a game you're either going to love or you're going to smash into a
bits. In this game you play a cartoonish and cocky mercenary with a giant head
and Jay Leno-like
chin in space and you get to hunt down crooks. The graphics are no too
colourful but they are detailed at least and the plays great at first.
Unfortunately, the controls are fairly slippery so it can be hard to make
certain jumps later in the game and a lot of music here can get very annoying
especially in your own spaceship. Despite some problems Rad Gravity is still
not too bad and just might be worth a look if you want to play a decent action
game.
For 1 player only
graphics: 6
sound: 5
gameplay: 6
Find Rad Gravity on eBay here!
30 The Adventures of
ROCKY & BULLWINKLE & FRIENDS (Thq, December 1992)
The
cartoon maybe an old favourite to some people but that doesn't mean it will
make a good video game here. In it you help old Rocky (a flying squirrel) &
Bullwinkle (a goofy big moose) work their way through some really basic but highly
annoying levels in order to collect Bullwinkle's inheritance. This game could
have been an average platformer if the controls were more polished and the game
was designed better for casual players.
*Uncommon NES game
For 1 or 2 players
graphics: 5
sound: 2
gameplay: 2
Find Rocky & Bullwinkle on eBay here!
65 AFTER BURNER (Tengen/Sega, 1989)
The popular Sega arcade legend makes a surprise appearance on the Nintendo
Entertainment System and it actually isn't too bad either. If you are new
to the series this is a fast paced 3D flight simulation where you shoot down
enemy planes with either your standard unlimited machine gun rounds or more
precise lock on missiles. This After Burner game even plays better than its
very choppy Sega
Master System counterpart thanks to the quicker game play and
better music here which doesn't look too good for Sega, eh? Tengen did a nice
job here but even the best programmers in the world can not successfully
translate the awesome fully 3D arcade game to the limited NES so don't expect
it to be arcade perfect. The game may get repetitious after a few stages but
After Burner for the NES is a fairly solid shooting game so you may be
surprised by this one.
*Unlicensed NES game
For 1 player only
graphics: 7
sound: 6
gameplay: 5
Find After Burner on eBay here!
44 AIR FORTRESS (Hal,
September 1988)
Air Fortress sounds like a cool game! Too bad it's a very standard shooter and
platformer game that lacks some serious action or any innovation for that
matter. The graphics are bland, the music is nothing noteworthy, and the game
has no cool power ups either. The game plays better games like Cybernoid but it
lacks the excitement of something like a Section
Z. Needless to say, I bet there will not be an Air Fortress 2
in the future.
For 1 player only
graphics: 4
sound: 5
gameplay: 5
Find Air Fortress on eBay here!
37 AIRWOLF (Acclaim, June
1989)
Yes, this 3D shooter based on the hit helicopter TV show from the 80's. So how
is the game? All I can say is: Bah! Airwolf is a very ugly looking game with
tons of levels but the action is so slow plus it's very difficult to even see
what's going on here thanks to the bland visuals. Air Wolf does have some solid
cinemas and the theme music was cool but the actually game itself was still
pretty bad.
For 1 player only
graphics: 4
sound: 4
gameplay: 4
Find Airwolf on eBay here!
54 Al Unser Jr. TURBO
RACING (Data East, March 1990)
Yeah, I don't know who this Al Unser Jr. guy is but he looks like such a dork
in this game with his constant thumbs up in the intermissions. Anyway this
racing game is pretty much Namco's Pole
Position with it's out dated ugly horizontal stripes in the
flat tracks. There are a few added features like Pits, Turbos, and a Career
mode but they are nothing special. It's cool that this game actually saves your
data but a lot of the content isn't worth saving since it's so boring and
routine.
*battery back up game
For 1 player only
graphics: 4
sound: 5
gameplay: 6
Find Al Unser on eBay here!
67 ALFRED CHICKEN
(Mindscape/Twilight, 1993)
Now I love a good cock fight as much as the next guy and they can be very
delicious as well so maybe this Alfred Chicken video game could bring something
different to the NES line up here. Unfortunately, this is just another
cute action platformer where you control a small little cock (who likes a small
cock, eh?) that is looking for gems, power ups, and balloons to complete
various candy coated stages. To be fair though the game still plays OK because
this cock is easy to get control of and it can even do some cool special moves
like glides and spinning attacks. The graphics in Alfred Chicken are very
colourful and the well defined characters like giant flowers and rat toys look
pretty good but the game's loud country/cherry pop music here is just flat out
terrible. Although the thought of playing a game about a cock doesn't sound
very exciting (or maybe it does excite you I don't know), at least Alfred
Chicken doesn't play too bad.
*Uncommon NES game
For 1 player only
graphics: 7
sound: 3
gameplay: 6
Find Alfred on eBay here!
48 ALIEN 3 (Ljn/Probe,
March 1993)
Now I know Ljn has done a lot of damage to the video game industry but I really
liked the Super
Nintendo version of their Alien 3 so this NES edition has to rock
too, eh? Alien 3 the game here is based on the big Hollywood flop of the same
name and you have to survive a planet of criminals and killer aliens in this 2D
action title. OK, the game starts out good with fast game play but the graphics
and music are repetitive are very bland in general plus the game is needlessly
tedious since you have to rescue all the prisoners in a limited amount of time.
So unless you memorize every stage perfectly here you won't make it very far.
Yeah, in the end the game just sucks just like the movie.
*Uncommon NES game
For 1 player only
graphics: 5
sound: 4
gameplay: 5
Find Alien 3 on eBay here!
56 ALIEN SYNDROME
(Tengen/Sega, 1989)
Alien Syndrome is a very slow overhead shooter originally done by Sega
in the arcades. The game asks the question: can your team survive an alien
infestation on a space station? That question was already asked on the movie Aliens
but whatever. The game is nothing too original and the graphics are pretty
average as well but it's still solid action for 2 players at least.
*Unlicensed NES game
For 1 or 2 players
graphics: 5
sound: 5
gameplay: 6
Find Alien Syndrome on eBay here!
53 ALL PRO BASKETBALL (Vic
Tokai, December 1989)
Here is an early Basketball game on the Nintendo and it really doesn't add too
much to the table. Although the game doesn't have a NBA license, it's cool how
they the teams here sound almost like the real thing with name's like LA
Breakers (instead of LA Lakers of course). The game actually has some nice
graphics for the NES too with impressive animation and cinemas but playing this
game against the computer is annoying since they can steal from you all the
time but good luck stealing from them. The game play isn't as fast paced as Double Dribble either
because they are plenty of penalty calls, there is an awkward half view of the
court only, and there are not a lot of modes in the menu either so you don't
get a lot to do. You can put in other players if some are making trouble but
that's about it. Playing against a second player is a bit better but not by
much so the game is at least passable.
For 1 or 2 players
graphics: 8
sound: 6
gameplay: 5
Find All Pro Basketball on eBay here!
63
ALPHA MISSION (SNK, October 1987)
This is
a fairly tough but slightly above average vertical shooter with 8 brutal levels
here. The game may be harder then guys looking at hot girl on girl action but
at least your space craft can pack tons of cool weaponry like a powerful
Thunder shockwave and a Fire Shield that may use up your energy but are very
useful in certain parts. All that is great but what really kills Alpha Mission (besides the
stupid name) is the game's repetitive graphics and sounds that hardly change
from level to level. This series can be found on the Neo Geo as well but
the games just never really took off on either system.
*Available in the 5 screw cart
For 1 player only
graphics: 6
sound: 5
gameplay: 7
Find Alpha Mission on eBay here!
41 AMAGON (American
Sammy, April 1989)
You
would think playing an action platformer game about a machine gun wielding
teenager with the ability turn into giant muscle man would be a lot more fun.
One of Amagon's biggest problems is how repetitive it is. Shooting at the same
old bats and snakes in the boring island setting gets old quick. Your so called
hero here isn't very tough either because only one hit will kill you unless you
are in the limited muscle mode. The game has solid controls and it was
colourful as well but Amagon suffers from goofy animation, bad music, and
overly frustrating game play.
For 1 player only
graphics: 5
sound: 3
gameplay: 4
Find Amagon on eBay here!
31 AMERICAN GLADIATORS (Gametek, October 1991)
Remember that cheesy TV show about a bunch of contestants competing in some
weird events while some muscle heads try to stop them? Well somebody made a
game about it and like the show itself it should have been canceled. In it you
get to play in several button mashing events like joust, wall climbing, powerball
and more so you can get points. The graphics are on the dull side but the
detail is OK and the sound effects are decent too but the game's controls are
very hard to use thanks to spotty hit detection (I'm hitting the guy, why isn't
he moving!) and having to use the A and B buttons to move characters around
jagged wall is highly frustrating to say the least. Unless you are a fan of the
show (yeah right!) and study the game religiously it just isn't worth playing.
*Uncommon NES game
For 1 or 2 players
graphics: 4
sound: 5
gameplay: 5
Find American Gladiators on eBay here!
45 ANTICIPATION (Nintendo/Rare, 1989)
Anticipation is just like a Mario Party style game board for the NES
..... if it really sucked! In this so called title the game slowly draws a
picture for you and the first one to successfully guess it is the winner and
that's pretty much it for game play here. If that player completes all the
different multi-coloured levels by getting enough cards they get to see a
really crappy ending. If your family likes playing these stupid guessing games
then maybe they will like this cart? Chances are though if you force your
siblings to play this repetitive junk with bland graphics and weak music you're
not going to be the favourite anymore.
For 1 to 4 players
graphics: 4
sound: 4
gameplay: 4
Find Anticipation on eBay here!
61 ARCH RIVALS (Acclaim,
1990)
It's weird that you can find NBA
Jam on almost every video game system on the planet but there
wasn't one on the NES for some reason. Before that game though there was this
title that had cool 2 on 2 basketball action. The game is Arch Rivals and in
this arcade-like game (in fact this is based on the arcade game of the same
name) where you get simple controls and even the ability to punch other players
and not receive a foul. The game is a bit on the shallow side and there are not
a lot of modes but the option to play against a friend or computer. Arch Rivals
can be fun for a bit but don't expect to be coming back to it again and again.
For 1 or 2 players
graphics: 6
sound: 4
gameplay: 6
Find Arch Rivals on eBay here!
71 ARCHON
(Activision, 1989)
Archon may look like your typical chess game on the surface but see why this
unique title could be one of the most underrated games for the NES. Like
Chess you move around little pieces across a checkered board but once you come
in contact with the enemy you get to fight it out in real time so the game
mixes strategy with action as well. Some of the characters are great at close
range combat with swords and clubs while other have magic spell so they can
attack from a distance. Archon isn't very good looking with its tiny characters
but both the music and game play are still very impressive.
For 1 or 2 players
graphics: 4
sound: 7
gameplay: 7
Find Archon on eBay here!
73 ARKANOID
(Taito, August 1987)
This Break Out style game may appear simple in
design since you are just hitting a little ball back and forth all the time but
now there are power ups waiting for players if they break certain bricks which
add a lot of depth to what other wise would be a average video game from the Atari
era. This NES game even came with a special dial controller if you can find one
complete but you can still play without it too so don't worry if you get it
loose. Arkanoid is a very simple but very entertaining arcade game that anybody
can pick up and play.
*Uncommon NES game
*Available in the 5 screw cart
*Works with the Arkanoid Roller controller
For 1 or 2 players
graphics: 6
sound: 4
gameplay: 6
Find Arkanoid on eBay here!
70 ARKISTA'S RING (American Sammy, June 1990)
I thought I was really going to like this game since it has a cute half naked elf girl on the cover but then I played and wasn't too impressed. This action game plays like a cross between Guantlet, Legend of Zelda and Dragon Warrior and like those titles there the graphics look rather basic but after a bit of playing this cool little game started to grow on me. The goal is simple where you have to find the exit to advance to the next stage and you can pick power ups and magic spells along the way too. Although the graphics are nothing special and I wish there was a save feature too, Arkista's Ring isn't all that bad.
*Uncommon NES game
For 1 player only
graphics: 5
sound: 6
gameplay: 6
Find Arkista's Ring on eBay here!
59 ASTYANSK
(Jaleco, March 1990)
What is Astyansk? Who the heck cares! This hard to pronounce game is a slow and
generic action/adventure game that nobody remembers from the arcades either.
The game does have some exceptional large graphics and a good range of weapons
though but the story was too cute for its own good and the controls were a bit
too loose as well so get ready to die a lot.
For 1 player only
graphics: 7
sound: 4
gameplay: 6
Find Astyansk on eBay here!
52
ATHENA (SNK, August 1987)
In this game you guide a pretty and young princess through 7 nearly impossible
levels here. Certainly not nearly as smooth as the action based arcade game
thanks all the game's flickers but it's still OK once you play it a few times.
I like the ability to find a bunch of new items and weapons here but one huge
problem with the game play is that it was too easy to lose lots of life fast
and all the choppiness doesn't help either. Because of that Athena is for
experts only.
*Available in the 5 screw cart
For 1 or 2 players
graphics: 4
sound: 5
gameplay: 7
Find Athena on eBay here!
38 ATTACK of the KILLER
TOMATOES (Thq/Imagineer, 1991)
With a name like Attack of the Killer Tomatoes I thought this would really be a
unique game, eh? No such luck because this is your typical 2D Super Mario-like
platformer where you play as a young boy that jumps on boring enemies with very
stiff and slow controls. It's a short game but it's by no means a easy one since
it doesn't take long for the screen to fill up with stupid baby murdering
tomatoes and chances are you won't care to play much further anyway since each
stages feels the same. The game deserves to have tomatoes chucked at it.
*Uncommon NES game
For 1 player only
graphics: 5
sound: 3
gameplay: 4
Find Killer Tomatoes on eBay here!
17 BACK to the FUTURE (LJN,
September 1989)
Back to the Future the video game may be based on the mega hit 1985 movie
starring Michael J. Fox but you wouldn't know it after playing through a
few seconds of this piece of crap here. This so called game is a very annoying
forced scrolling semi-action title about a young man named Marty McFly that
accidentally travels back in time to the 1950's. Before you get too excited
about the story though the game comes with some overly confusing and boring
game play. For example I have to collect clocks, avoid bees and throw drinks at
the local tough guys to survive here? This sucks! The game also comes with very
plain graphics, bad power ups (the skateboard makes you too fast and does more
harm then good) and you even get a terrible and highly repetitive sound track
to go with it. This may not be as bad as Atari E.T.
but its still another lousy movie video game that should have never been
released.
For 1 player only
graphics: 2
sound: 1
gameplay: 2
Find Back to the Future on eBay here!
11 BACK to the FUTURE II & III (LJN, September 1990)
This series of sequels tries to improve on the awful original but what we get
now is this very weak platforming action game that's tries to be like a Mario
game (some the enemies even look like they were lifted from the Super Mario Bros).
The problem is the slow action, bad graphics, and poor character detection ruins
what could have been a mere average game. Also this perhaps one of the most annoying long game for the NES with tons of items and puzzles to solve yet there is no map or save feature either. Love is not saying LJN, eh?
For 1 player only
graphics: 3
sound: 2
gameplay: 3
Find Back to the Future II & III on eBay here!
45 BAD
DUDES (Data East, July 1989)
Bad dudes, no bad game! In this bland side scroller you help one of two generic
muscle heads on a mission to rescue the president of the United States from a
group calling themselves the Dragon Ninjas. Unfortunately, this is a very
cheesy Double Dragon clone with 7 levels filled with the same old bunch
of boring ninjas and goofy bosses (why the hell am I fighting the Russian dude
from Karnov
here?). If you think that sounds bad then wait till you see the cheesy ending
here. Just past on this choppy and very dated beat em up, dude!
For 1 or 2 players (alternate)
graphics: 4
sound: 5
gameplay: 3
Find Bad Dudes on eBay here!
76
BAD NEWS BASEBALL (Tecmo, 1990)
Tecmo is pretty famous
for their football games but they also made some other good sports games too like this exciting Baseball game here. The first you'll notice about the game is it doesn't take itself too serious because all the players look very cartoonish and the umpires look like Nestle Quik bunny for some reason but it still has a lot of style. There are even some cinematics here like when a player is running for a base and the other team is about to get the ball and you're biting your nails to see what the call actually is. The second thing you'll notice is how good the controls are; it's easy to bat and move around the out fielders so don't expect a huge learning curve. Bad News Baseball is just simple arcade-like fun.
For 1 or 2 players
graphics: 7
sound: 7
gameplay: 7
Find Bad News Baseball on eBay here!
22
BAD STREET BRAWLER (Mattel/Beam Software, August 1989)
Yikes! Now
you would think a game called Bad Street Brawler wouldn't be this terrible but
oh man, it sure is. The game doesn't start off good because your hero looks
like a complete knob in lamest yellow tights and short shorts fight gear you
can imagine. The rest of the game isn't much better because I'm fighting dumb
stuff like bulldogs, gorillas, and little people with a limited set of moves
per level. Jesus Christ is this ever stupid! The controls are usable but the
game is just asinine and a complete waste of my time.
For 1 or 2 players
graphics: 2
sound: 2
gameplay: 4
Find Bad Street Brawler on eBay here!
75 BALLOON FIGHT (Nintendo, October 1985)
Balloon Fight is a super cute looking Joust-like game where players
try to pop the other person's balloons to kill them. The player or opponent at
the highest plane during a strike gets to destroy their enemy's balloon. The
game is fun and very challenging but the game play isn't too compelling and the
Game C is way too hard since it only takes one hit to end the adventure
completely. Balloon Fight isn't a must have since it doesn't have a lot of
depth but it can be a fun, simple two player game that's easy to get into. This is also an E-reader game
as well if you're interested plus this is also hidden away in Nintendo's Animal
Crossing for the GameCube if you can't find an old NES.
*Available in the 5 screw cart
For 1 or 2 players
graphics: 5
sound: 6
gameplay: 5
Find Balloon Fight on eBay here!
42 BANDAI GOLF CHALLENGE Peddle Beach (Bandai, February 1989)
It's pretty hard to screw up a golf game but that's what happened here. Not
only are the graphics bland and boring but why do the icons constantly blink in
the option menu? The standard 3 button meter that is common in most games is in
this one too but it can be a bit too quick especially if you want to lightly
tap the ball making the game more frustrating then it needs to be. Bandai is
still playable but there are too many other, better golf games out there on the
NES.
For 1 or 2 players
graphics: 3
sound: 4
gameplay: 5
Find Bandai Golf on eBay here!
25 BARBIE (Hi-Tech,
December 1991)
There are a lot of great NES games that have females as the main characters
(like the Game of the Month winners Legend of Zelda,
Guardian Legend
and Metroid)
and this sure is hell not one of them. In this lame action title that slutty
Barbie doll has fallen asleep and in this dream state you have to guide her in
several dull stages where toys, sprays of water, and other lame objects are
trying to kill you. The story is not only bad but Barbie here is so big that
it's hard not to get hit. Despite that the game is still super easy with the
only challenge coming from throwing stupid diamonds at animals at the right
angle. The problem is she throws these things at a sails pace so action seekers
should look elsewhere. Don't fall for this one girls.
*Uncommon NES game
For 1 player only
graphics: 4
sound: 3
gameplay: 2
Find Barbie on eBay here!
60
The BARD'S TALE (Fci/Pony Canyon, November 1991)
Although the Bard's Tale is a role playing classic that has a lot of games in the series on several different consoles and PC's, I definitely wasn't looking forward to playing this. Not only are the graphics fairly weak since you're looking at most of the game through a small window and you know how I hate older 8-bit games trying to use 3D like Wizardry and Pool of Radiance, but you also have to create a rather large party of six off the bat and with all the different shops, priests, councils, and more all in the game; it's just too much. Still I don't hate the game because it does give you a rather useful map when you are in these lame looking 3D scenes and the music is not too bad either so the Bard's Tale is alright especially for RPG freaks who have the patience for this text based stuff.
*Battery back up game
*Uncommon NES game
For 1 player only
graphics: 4
sound: 6
gameplay: 8
Find Bard's Tale on eBay here!
56 BARKER BILL'S Trick Shooting (Nintendo, August 1990)
*Light
Gun required
In this rather unknown game you get to shoot at various targets that appear in
the four different mini games starring an Magician, his half naked female
assistance, and that stupid dog from Duck Hunt (and yes you can shoot
him this time). The games range from plates being toss in the air to hitting
various carnival-like targets you seen before in way more better gun games. The
variety is good and the score system helps the replay value so if you like
light gun games then you may want to look this one up................ all four
of you!
For 1 player only
graphics: 5
sound: 5
gameplay: 2
Find Barker Bill's Trick Shooting on eBay here!
51 BARTMAN Meets Radioactiveman (Acclaim, 1993)
The third and final Bart Simpson game for the NES lets you play as
Bartman (Bart Simpson in a black cape) on a mission to rescue his comic book
hero, Radioactiveman. Unfortunately, there is nothing super about this basic
walk and jump action game but the only different now you can power up Bart with
laser beam eyes and fly in certain scenes. It's not as cool as it sounds since
the levels are very repetitive and uninspired. If you didn't like other Simpson’s
games then just forget this.
*Uncommon NES game
For 1 player only
graphics: 4
sound: 5
gameplay: 4
Find Bart Meets Radioactiveman on eBay here!
59 BART Vs. The SPACE
MUTANTS (Acclaim, 1990)
Although this is a pretty short game about those Simpsons characters, it's also
a very challenging action title too with 5 huge levels filled with tough
puzzles and evasive purple aliens. In the game you may want to get a guide for
this one because some of these objectives are not always so clear but overall
Bart vs. Space Mutants is still passable.
For 1 player only
graphics: 6
sound: 6
gameplay: 7
Find Bart Vs. the Space Mutants on eBay here!
43 BART Vs. The WORLD (Acclaim, 1991)
In this game Bart Simpson wins a trip around the world but the evil Mr. Burns is not so
happy about giving away a grand prize like that and he wants to get even with
the Simpson's boy. Although this game has some nice graphics and some cool
locations, it’s too bad how limited this title is in the game play department
and these levels can get really boring and difficult as well.
For 1 player only
graphics: 6
sound: 5
gameplay: 5
Find Bart vs. the World on eBay here!
25 BASEBALL (Nintendo,
October 1985)
Nintendo Baseball is a decent two player game if you like the famous sport but
the one player action gets duller then watching the Disney channel. The simple
game play mechanics are certainly limited to what we today as well especially
when it comes to the complete lack of control of those out fielders. This is
also hidden away in Nintendo's Animal Crossing for the Game Cube if you
can't find an old NES but it would be a pretty lame reason to buy AC
just for this game.
*Available in the 5 screw cart
For 1 or 2 players
graphics: 3
sound: 3
gameplay: 6
Find Baseball on eBay here!
73 BASEBALL SIMULATOR 1.000 (Culture Brain, 1990)
It's strange that a Baseball game with the name Simulator in title has a lot
weird stuff in it like fire pitches, zig zag throws, super jumps, and many
more. Fortunately, the game is fairly fun to play too with great controls,
solid graphics, and lots of modes where you play the game with either the
freaky lists of crazy stuff mentioned above or not. Sometimes the game moves
slowly when the computer is processing stats and the music can out right bad
but if you like video Baseball and you want something slightly different then
try this out.
*Battery back up game
For 1 or 2 players
graphics: 6
sound: 4
gameplay: 8
Find Baseball Simulator on eBay here!
81 BASEBALL STARS (SNK,
1989)
Usually most Nintendo Baseball games are fairly simple arcade-like titles but
Baseball Stars introduced a new level of complexity and depth to fans of the
sport. In this game you can edit teams, trade or fire players, create your own
names, and unlike most of these high profile Major League titles out
there you can play as or against female players. Fly balls can be hard to track
sometimes and the music is pretty loud and annoying but the action is always
consistent and very fast. Baseball Stars is not only easy to get into but there
is a good reason why this is one of the most sought after sports game for the NES.
*Battery back up game
For 1 or 2 players
graphics: 6
sound: 5
gameplay: 9
Find Baseball Stars on eBay here!
71 BASEBALL STARS II (Romstar/SNK, 1991)
A lot of gamers loved the first
Baseball Stars but have mixed feelings about the sequel here.
The game is still the same arcade-like baseball game just like before but now
it improves some of the fielding game play because now you can see the shadow
of the ball in play. The graphics and sounds are not too bad either but the
game also feels slower a bit slower now too. The game still lets you edit and
create your own teams but you can't make your own name for some reason. OK,
there are a few issues but the game is still very fun to play.
*Battery back up game
For 1 or 2 players
graphics: 6
sound: 6
gameplay: 8
Find Baseball Stars II on eBay here!
57 BASE WARS Cyber
Stadium (Ultra Games, 1990)
Ultra Games here tries to give players something different then the typical
Baseball game out there but with mixed results. In Base Wars instead of humans
pumped up with steroids you control a bunch of weird looking robots. The
arcade-like controls are fine when you're the hitter but it’s really hard to
catch any fly balls on the field especially when you can't even see the hit
half the time. Another complaint I have here is the overly difficult computer here
so this isn't a great Baseball for the casual player. The graphics and sounds
are pretty good but the game doesn't have a lot of lasting appeal.
For 1 or 2 players
graphics: 7
sound: 7
gameplay: 5
Find Base Wars on eBay here!
60 BASES LOADED
(Jaleco, 1988)
One of the biggest Baseball series on the NES is definitely Bases Loaded and
there are four different games on the system alone here. Does it mean BL is any
good though? The first BL is simple arcade style ball game with a cool behind
the pitcher perspective so you can a good view of the action. It's even possible
to start a brawl in the game and you gotta love that, eh? Sadly, the games can
drag on a bit so get ready to play for awhile. Bases Loaded is still usually
dirt cheap and worth checking out.
For 1 or 2 players
graphics: 6
sound: 5
gameplay: 7
Find Bases Loaded on eBay here!
35 BASES LOADED 2: Second Season (Jaleco, 1989)
On the surface Bases Loaded 2 looks exactly like the first game with the
familiar soundtrack in the intro and the behind the pitcher view that made the
original famous. Jaleco did make a few changes though to try and help speed up
the game play a bit like a new dive move and different view of the outfield but
in the end it make it less fun now. Trying to catch a ball with this awkward
side perspective isn't easy and the background music really gets annoying after
awhile too. Worse yet the games can still last way too long so the sequel
barely improves on the first one at all and it even feels worse.
For 1 or 2 players
graphics: 5
sound: 3
gameplay: 5
Find Bases Loaded 2 on eBay here!
30 BASES LOADED 3 (Jaleco, 1990)
Yikes! I'm up to the third one now and they are only getting crappier. BL3
still has the same great game play when you are at bat or pitching but since
this is another sequel Jaleco wants to change things up again in the fielding
again. Now it is your mission here to try and play the perfect game but that's
very hard to do with the new backwards perspective of field after a hit. It's
really hard to see where the outfielders are since the action is zoomed in
closer then before. The new graphics look great since there is more detail on
the players and the grass plus there are lots of modes too but I hate these
controls. Also playing a perfect game is just too much pressure especially in a
crappy sequel like this.
For 1 or 2 players
graphics: 7
sound: 5
gameplay: 3
Find Bases Loaded 3 on eBay here!
30 BASES LOADED 4 (Jaleco, 1993)
What the!? This game looks almost like a carbon copy of Bases Loaded 3 here and it was so bad I honestly thought I playing the wrong game. Everything looks the same: the intro, the behind the battler view, the awkward fielding perspective, and even the player management options seem similar. To be fair the play control feels a bit better but this hardly feels like a true sequel at the same time too.
*Uncommon NES game
For 1 or 2 players
graphics: 5
sound: 5
gameplay: 5
Find Bases Loaded 4 on eBay here!
79 BATMAN (Sunsoft, February 1990)
What's this! It's a licensed video game on the NES with a good score believe it
or not. In this action game the mysterious crime fighter Batman must protect
Gotham City from roaming gangs and the evil mastermind known as the Joker. I
really love the eerie and very dark graphics plus the tight game play was great
too. Sadly, there are only 5 levels but this action platform game is still very
challenging; it's a Sunsoft game after all. Even though this is a licensed
video game here, Batman still comes recommend.
For 1 player only
graphics: 8
sound: 7
gameplay: 7
Find Batman on eBay here!
70
BATMAN: Return of the Joker (Sunsoft, December 1991)
Return of the Joker is easily one of the best looking games for the NES
system thanks to the large characters, dark but detailed graphics, and great
animation here. The game even sounds pretty good too but the game itself is way
too short with only 7 very short stages and the game is also very linear as
well. Return of the Joker also plays more like a shooter this time since Batman
is using multiple guns and no up close melee attacks. This Batman is definitely
worth picking up for action fans but be prepared for another hard game.
For 1 player only
graphics: 9
sound: 7
gameplay: 5
Find Batman Return of the Joker on eBay here!
61
BATMAN RETURNS (Konami, January 1993)
Now that Batman is returning (for about the 50th time) he's now in a Final
Fight clone from Konami. It's a shame it's really boring though. In this
game you play as the mysterious crime fighter who likes to dress up and it’s
his duty to clean up the city by beating up the local gangs of clowns and other
weirdoes. Unfortunately, the game feels really unbalanced with tons of weak to
downright cheap opponents and all the constant fighting just gets duller then
your average marriage. The worse part of the final NES Batman is that
the Sunsoft games had cool weaponry, fairly impressive graphics, and eerie
music but all we get here is another unoriginal wanna be. Konami really disappointed
me here and I'll never be the same again.
For 1 player only
graphics: 6
sound: 3
gameplay: 2
Find Batman Returns on eBay here!
53 BATTLE CHESS (Data East/Interplay, August 1989)
Battle Chess may have some juiced up the graphics over the competition (Chessmaster
is really the only game out there), it's still only a chess game and those
grainy visuals are still not that great. It's cool that you get some wacky
medieval fight scenes in between moves here but they really slows down the game
play since they seem to go on forever. If you are dying for some video gaming
chess here Battle Chess is not a bad choice I guess.
For 1 or 2 players
graphics: 4
sound: 5
gameplay: 5
Find Battle Chess on eBay here!
73 BATTLE KID (Sivak, 2010)
Home brew NES games are usually simple, early 1980's-like arcade titles but here is a 2008 title that's amazingly a complex action platformer like a Mega Man or Ninja Gaiden. The game plays very well with solid graphics and music plus it even comes with tight and responsive controls too. Sadly you're going to need these tight controls because Battle Kid is super difficult regardless of any of the five modes you pick from. Only one hit will kill you and your enemies are all insanely quick and most of them take tons of hits too but the crazy challenge makes this oddly addictive. Battle Kid is hard and won't be a good pick for casual players but the game is still awesome and it really reminds me of the good old days of this acclaimed machine.
*Homebrew NES game
For 1 player only
graphics: 7
sound: 7
gameplay: 7
Find Battle Kid on eBay here!
60 BATTLESHIP (Mindscape/Milton Bradley, September 1993)
Remember that cool board game where you and a friend would shout out spots
at one another in hopes that it would hit their toy battleships on their side?
It was kind of fun and there is even a NES game based on that very game believe
it or not. In it you try to hunt down the computer's hidden ships before it
tracks down yours. Now the game may sound pretty lame but surprisingly there
are a lot of levels here and another cool thing about this game is the
different vessels come with some fun power ups like giant missiles or even
sonar to help you track down the ships. The game starts out easy but it can get
fairly challenging in the later levels and thankfully there is a password
feature too. Battleship the video game may not have a lot of meat on the bones
compared to other NES titles but if you liked the classic board game you'll
like this too.
*Uncommon NES game
For 1 player only
graphics: 4
sound: 4
gameplay: 5
Find Battleship on eBay here!
22 Garry Kitchen's BATTLETANK (Absolute, 1990)
Here's a little word of advice for Garry Kitchen; don't shamelessly put your name on a game like this especially when it's boring as hell. The game sounds simple enough: find rival tanks and blow them up for points but it's definitely not that easy. What is easy though is getting lost here. The visuals are so bad in these flat looking deserts here then I often found myself slowing moving in the middle of no where while minutes of my life waste away. If that wasn't bad enough you also have to worry about your limited ammo and fuel or it's game over. I think Mr. Kitchen was trying to make a update the arcade classic Battle Zone and make the game more realistic at the same time but in the end all we got was this hard to figure out mess.
For 1 player only
graphics: 4
sound: 2
gameplay: 5
Find Battletank on eBay here!
76
BATTLETOADS (Tradewest/Rare, June 1991)
Before
Rare hit it big with huge games like Goldeneye and Banjo Kazooie;
they create this fun NES fighting/action game here. In it two huge
mutant toads try to rescue their friend and a stolen princess from the evil and
yet very underdressed Dark Queen (she can capture me any day). Battletoads is a
fun and very challenging fighting game with multiple platform and racing stages
all with above average graphics and sound. I wasn't kidding about this being a
challenging game though so you casual gamers may want something more forgiving.
For 1 or 2 players
graphics: 9
sound: 7
gameplay: 9
Find Battletoads on eBay here!
79 BATTLETOADS/DOUBLE DRAGON The Ultimate Team (Tradewest/Rare,
June 1993)
Now here's something you don't see everyday, eh? Two popular (well, popular
back then) video game franchises come together for one grand game here. You can
either pick from Rash, Zits, and Pimple (who is finally playable) from Battletoads
and Billy and Jimmy Lee from Double Dragon so they can take on the evil
team of the Dark Queen and the Shadowboss. Like their respective titles this is
an up to 2 player beat em up where to take on thugs, aliens, and mutants in
your way. Since the game is on the cartoonish side it feels too much like
Battletoads and not enough like Double Dragon but it's still cool to see all
the familiar sights like the back alleys and elevators so Rare did do their
homework. Since the game just combines two elements together Battletoads/Double
Dragon isn't too innovative but it's still fun to play especially if you are a
fan of beat em ups.
*Uncommon NES game
For 1 or 2 players
graphics: 8
sound: 6
gameplay: 6
Find Battletoads/Double Dragon eBay here!
70 BATTLE of OLYMPUS
(Borderbund, 1990)
Yeah, here's a game that seems like a sure fire hit even though it didn't sell
too well. In this action/adventure title you play the role of a generic Greek
hero in search of a kidnapped girl in the pits of Hades and all that junk we
heard a million times before. The game is your typical platfromer where you
hack away at monsters, visit towns, and find items to help you advance in your
quest. Battle of Olympus doesn't do anything too new if you already played
other non-linear adventures like Zelda 2
and Clash at Demonhead
but the game is still easy to get into, it's long, and hard enough not to bore
the average player.
For 1 or 2 players
graphics: 7
sound: 5
gameplay: 7
Find Battle of Olympus on eBay here!
20 BEETLEJUICE (LJN/Rare,
June 1991)
One of Ljn's worst games ever and once you see the game's unbelievably bad
graphics and even worse music you'll understand why. Beetlejuice is an awful
action platformer starring that annoying undead conartist who wants to return
back to the normal human world. The game is the same old platforming stuff you
seen a hundred times here on the NES but the controls are very touchy
which leads to a lot of cheap deaths. Just avoid this copyrighted mess of a
game.
For 1 player only
graphics: 2
sound: 1
gameplay: 1
Find Beetlejuice on eBay here!
60 BEST of the BEST Championship Karate (Electro Brain, December 1992)
The NES is dying for a solid one on one fighting game but is this any good? In
Best of the Best you try to beat the crap out of your opponent with wide range
of striking techniques and that's pretty much it. That's no big surprise but
what this game does offer is some decent graphics with good animation plus the
game even has good enough sound effects and a training mode to master some of
the trickier moves. Although there is a lot detail here, the backgrounds also
look flat with not a lot going on and there isn't too much for music either.
What really kills the game here though is all the spotty hit detection. I just
seen way too many moves like spinning roundhouse kicks just go right through
the characters for my liking.
*Rare NES game
For 1 or 2 players
graphics: 6
sound: 6
gameplay: 7
Find Best of the Best Karate on eBay here!
54 BIG BIRD'S Hide and Speak (Hot-B, 1990)
Now if you seen my earlier reviews I'm not the biggest fans of all these Sesame Street games so I'm just here to shallow even more crap for you guys with yet another review. To my surprise the game isn't super weak because the voice acting here is pretty clear for a old Nintendo cart and the characters are well designed too. There are six different simple mini games here and you spell words 'n stuff. Although the game is still way too easy much like the other Sesame Street titles for the NES and the slow pace is very annoying, if you got a bunch of kids and you're worried about how stupid they are getting then this isn't too bad.
For 1 player only
graphics: 6
sound: 8
gameplay: 5
Find Big Bird's Hide and Speak on eBay here!
44 BIG FOOT (Acclaim, 1990)
Alright, I always wondered what it would be like to be in control a huge
Monster Truck. Since I don't have the cash for a real one I guess the official
video game may do. There was potential here: crushing cars while racing against
rival vehicles sounds like but then again I thought Total Recall (also done
from Acclaim) would be good too and look what happened there. The main problem
with Big Foot is constant cross pad button mashing needed to move. The game had
it moments thanks to it's repetitive but solid graphics and OK sound effects
here and there but my hands really started to hurt after a few minutes and
that's not my idea of a good time unless there is a girlie magazine involved.
For 1 or 2 players
graphics: 6
sound: 6
gameplay: 5
Find Big Foot on eBay here!
71
BIG NOSE The Caveman (Camerica, 1989)
Big Nose
the Caveman is your typical action platform game on the NES but like most
Camerica games the graphics are definitely better then average titles found on
the system. As for the game itself you help a lone man on a hunt for food and
he can also get bones that can be used in shops (yuck!). The action is fast
paced and the controls easy to use but your main club weapon has very short
range and it can lead to a lot of needless deaths. Fortunately you can collect
better power ups along the way so it's not that bad. Don't be afraid to pick
this Big Nose here.
*Unlicensed NES game
For 1 or 2 players
graphics: 8
sound: 7
gameplay: 6
Find Big Nose on eBay here!
Total Recall Dud of the Month!
12 BILL
& TED'S Excellent Video Game Adventure (LJN, August 1991)
You and I both know this is going to suck (just do the math
here: popular 80's movie + Crappy game developer = bad video game) so lets just
get this over with. In the game you play as one of two teenage goofballs from
the 1980's that are failing their history course in school. To help you get out
of this jam a man from the future gives you a time machine to find important
figures throughout time. This story works well in the movie of course but in
the game here you have to put up with tedious junk like remembering phone
numbers, slowly traveling through time portals just to go from point A to point
B, and that's not even the actual game here. The game itself is viewed from an
awkward 2D isometric perspective and before you can find this one important
character in scenarios ranging from medieval to early American eras you have to
talk to a lot of hostile locals that are oddly your friend one minute then your
enemy the next. Sometimes you even lose control of your hero if they don't
stick to the trails forcing you to jump and fall down just to move around. The
graphics are detailed but repetitive, the music is always cutting off so you
listening to nothing most of the time, and the game is just not that much fun.
The only thing this is excellent at is being a piece of crap!
For 1 player only
graphics: 3
sound: 2
gameplay: 3
Find Bill & Ted on eBay here!
27 Bill Elliot's NASCAR
CHALLENGE (Konami/Distinctive Software, April 1991)
Nascar driving video games are just so boring because it's 20 laps or so of the
same old track over and over again and this game is no different. If turning
left all the time sounds fun to you then maybe you'll like it better then I
did. Even if you like NASCAR I bet you won't like the choppy 3D graphics and
the repetitive sounds which are not up to Konami's impressive standards either
for some reason.
For 1 player only
graphics: 3
sound: 3
gameplay: 2
Find Bill Elliot's Nascar on eBay here!
98 BIONIC COMMANDO (Capcom,
November 1989)
Bionic Commando maybe the most controversial NES video game in existence! Why?
In this game from the late eighties, you can get the chance to see and even
kill the evil Adolf Hilter. So why the heck is that World War II relic in a NES
game? Only Capcom knows, but Hilter or not, this is still a very cool and very
original war/action game with tight graphics, fitting music, and never seen
before game play. If you forget about the other junk, the game Bionic Commando
itself is pretty amazing. The hero has that super cool bionic claw to reach
high places, the game looks stylist, the sounds are loud, and the whole World
War II look of the game was just an added bonus. Bionic Commando is quickly
getting more popular and is getting even harder to find in the NES discount bins, so
don't miss it.
For 1 player only
graphics: 8
sound: 8
gameplay: 9
Click here for a
true story on this great game.
Find Bionic Commando on eBay here!
13 The BLACK BASS (Hot-B,
1991)
How do you screw up a freaking fishing game? Oh, that's easy just make it
really hard to play for casual players so if you don't play video games too often
you'll be confused out of your mind how to catch these stupid fish here. This
is one hard game since the fish are very picky so unless you master the complex
controls and select the right lure they will just swim away. Another problem
with the game is the graphics and sounds are terrible at best so even the
presentation is boring. The Black Bass should have been called the Back A$$.
*Uncommon NES game
For 1 player only
graphics: 1
sound: 0
gameplay: 2
Find Black Bass on eBay here!
79 BLADES of STEEL
(Konami, 1988)
Although
this is one of the first hockey games for the NES, it is still one of
the best. For an 8-bit game Blades of Steel has some realistic looking players,
digital voice samples, and intense arcade-like game play with dead on controls.
I also love the up close fighting where you can fight a rival player one on
one. Some of the music can be weird at times and the game ads for other Konami
titles (although clever) were a little shameless but Blades of Steel is still
great violent fun for fans of the sport.
For 1 or 2 players
graphics: 8
sound: 7
gameplay: 7
Find Blades of Steel on eBay here!
84 BLASTER MASTER (Sunsoft,
November 1988)
Here's an
original and action packed game with good graphics, great music and very
challenging game play. Your hero here unwittingly discovers an underground
universe of monsters and dangers after chasing his frog down a deep hole.
Fortunately for you, Jason here also finds a killer doom buggy called Sopia.
Blaster Master mixes intense platformer action with strategic overhead ground
missions into one grand 8 mission adventure. Warning! This game is very hard to
say the least and it has to be finished in one sitting (there are no passwords
or Save options) so casual player should definitely go for something else.
Expert players should like this one even if it will give you good reason to
swear at the TV.
For 1 player only
graphics: 7
sound: 9
gameplay: 8
Find Blaster Master on eBay here!
65 The BLUE MARLIN (Hot B, 1992)
Yes, The Blue Marlin is the sequel to the very crappy Black Bass fishing
game here on the NES but to be fair it is a much better title (although I don't
know how it could be any worse). You start out the game with a good looking
overhead perspective of your boat and you get to choose the right destination
in hopes of getting the evasive Blue Marlin itself. It won't be so easy because
these fish put up a pretty good fight and if you don't make the right move it
can break your line. Getting these slimey buggers can eat up a lot of minutes
especially if you got a big sucker but at least the graphics are done well with
cool cinemas and the sound effects are decent too. It won't be for everyone but
if you wanna fish on the NES this is your best bet.
*Rare NES game
For 1 player only
graphics: 7
sound: 6
gameplay: 6
Find Blue Marlin on eBay here!
41
BLUES BROTHERS (Titus, June 1992)
Blues Brothers is a very fast paced action starring those two wacky blues
performers from the movies and stage fame. It's too bad though that the game
gets very tedious to play thanks to some poor level design and awkward jumping
physics because it did have some good graphics at least.
For 1 player only
graphics: 6
sound: 6
gameplay: 3
Find Blues Brothers on eBay here!
55
BO JACKSON BASEBALL (Data East, October 1991)
Bo
Jackson may be confused to what sport he was a part of, at least during the
90's, but Data East did a decent job to create a fairly nice looking Baseball
title with a easy to play interface. The graphics are actually some of the best
for a baseball game on the NES but it also hurts the controls since it feels
like there is a delay in the action. The game is nothing revolutionary and you
don't have the complete control of the out fielders and even the hitters but Bo
Jackson Baseball is worth a look.
For 1 or 2 players
graphics: 8
sound: 6
gameplay: 6
Find Bo Jackson Baseball on eBay here!
56
BOMBERMAN (Hudson Soft, January, 1989)
Bomberman
is a fun if tedious at times game where you blow up enemies and walls with
timed explosives. It sounds like a good concept but the levels don't differ too
much from one another and powering up your character takes way too long. Sadly,
there is no multi-player mode here either in the original so don't expect too
much trademark Bomberman excitement like we know today.
For 1 player only
graphics: 4
sound: 6
gameplay: 7
Find Bomberman on eBay here!
78
BOMBERMAN 2 (Hudson Soft, February 1993)
OK,
maybe the first Bomberman wasn't so good but this one is much better. If you
care about the story here it is; it's your job to help clear Bomberman's name
of a crime he didn't commit after the generic Black Bomberman framed him. In
the game you help a bomb throwing maniac break his way out of prison so he can
get his revenge. Like the first game you plant bombs to destroy anything that
gets in your way while collecting the odd power up which is great but it now
it's just far too easy game of Bomberman with only 6 worlds to conquer. Sadly
the game's story is pretty weak so the ending is pretty bad but it should also
be noted that this Bomberman is multi-player friendly (up to 3 players) now so
if you got a NES Satellite then you may want to see about getting this
title. If you are looking for one of the best multi-player's of the NES then be
sure to keep your eyes peeled for the cool Bomberman 2 here.
*Rare NES game
For 1 to 3 players
graphics: 3
sound: 5
gameplay: 7
Find Bomberman 2 on eBay here!
82 BONK'S ADVENTURE (Hudson
Soft/Red, January 1994)
This
game is almost like the acclaimed Turbografx-16 version, even in terms of
graphics! This action game starring everyone's favourite caveman with the big
head is still way too easy with only 5 worlds and lots of simple enemies but it
was a lot of fun nonetheless. Good luck finding this game around in any of the
ol' discount bins because it was Hudson's final NES game. Bonk's
Adventure is a must own for any die hard NES or Bonk fan.
*Rare NES game
For 1 player only
graphics: 8
sound: 8
gameplay: 6
Find Bonk's Adventure on eBay here!
64
BOULDER DASH (Data East, 1991)
I
remember the word Boulder dash being one of the lamest curse words in the
English language and now there's a game named after it? Yup, I guess so but to
be fair the game isn't too crappy. In this one you play has a little miner
searching for diamonds and other goodies in deep underground caverns. The
levels start out nice and easy with very few enemies in the way and you can get
use to the fast game play here. It's kind of like a speedier version of Dig Dug. Later on
though you have to be very careful where you dig because you need to have the
rocks fall in the right area or they can crush the little dude. The graphics
are nothing special but they are simple and cute so it's easy to see what's
going on here. Boulder dash can get repetitive but it's still good action title.
*Uncommon NES game
For 1 player only
graphics: 4
sound: 6
gameplay: 6
Find Blouderdash on eBay here!
71
BRAM STOKER'S DRACULA (Sony Imagesoft, 1993)
This game is instantly going to be compared to the Castlevania NES series and I don't think that's fair because both games are good but for different reasons. In this straight up action game you play as a villager looking to slay the evil count Dracula but it would be easy because you also have to fight off his minions and the undead first. There is nothing too unique here as far as platformers go other then being able to break some ground objects after a jump but the action is still fast and the controls are tight so there isn't much to nag about here.
*Uncommon NES game
For 1 player only
graphics: 7
sound: 6
gameplay: 6
Find Dracula on eBay here!
51
BREAKTHRU (Data East, November 1987)
Yeah,
this could be good. In this action game you are in control of heavily armoured
car with mounted machine guns and it is your mission to survive 5 levels to
recover a top secret weapon. The game sounds cool at first and the graphics are
actually not that bad for an early NES game but your high powered piece of junk
is surprisingly weak. Not only do I have to worry about the speed I'm going at
but the game is very hard to control especially during the jumps and it's going
to lead to a lot of instant deaths. The game still offers a lot of arcade
thrills here but unless you memorize the levels here perfectly Breakthru isn't
that fun to play.
*Available in the 5 screw cart
For 1 or 2 players
graphics: 6
sound: 5
gameplay: 5
Find Breakthru on eBay here!
24
BREAKTIME: The National Pool Tour (Fci/Pony Canyon, January 1993)
Now you would think a Pool game that came after other NES ball sinkers like Lunar Pool and Side Pocket would be tons better, right? Well, the game starts off decent enough thanks to all the modes with multiple difficulties and there are a few digital voices here too so that's all good but during the actually game itself the controls are way too sensitive and it's way too easy to screw up a shot. The graphics are boring, the music blows, and the game play is slow as hell.
*Uncommon NES game
For 1 or 2 players
graphics: 2
sound: 3
gameplay: 4
Find Breaktime on eBay here!
84 BUBBLE BOBBLE (Taito,
December 1988)
This wild action game here is just like the fun arcade game starring two bubble
blowing dinos trying to rescue their girlfriends from several cute but deadly
monsters. One of the coolest things about Bubble Bobble that is supports 2
players at once and other then a few flickers here and there this mode works
well. Another good thing about the game is there are well over a 100 levels to
see here plus there are tons of unique power ups to collect too so this is one
big game. Although the game is a lot of fun, the game does a few things that
bust my balls. For example it only takes one hit and you're dead plus some
stages like stage 57 are just insanely tough to beat because you have to jump
on your bubbles to get to the top where the enemies are continuing shooting at
you. Another dumb thing about the game is I absolutely hated that stupid trick
ending you get if you beat the game normally. Despite a few problems the game
is still very easy to get into so Bubble Bobble is great for both casual and
expert players. It may be tougher to find then most NES titles but its
well worth the extra effort.
*Uncommon NES game
For 1 or 2 players
graphics: 6
sound: 6
gameplay: 8
Find Bubble Bobble on eBay here!
74
BUBBLE BOBBLE Part 2 (Taito, 1993)
All I have to say is good luck finding this one! Bubble Bobble Part 2 is not
only the big sequel to one of best arcade to home translation ever on the NES
but it is also one of rarest licensed games to find in the wild for the system.
Is it any good though? Like the first game you control a bubble throwing
dinosaur on a mission to stop your returning enemies in multiple stages. The
game has cool new power ups so one hit will no longer kill you, the character graphics
have improved animation and there are even real backgrounds here to liven
things up a bit. Sadly, it a shame that the game no longer supports 2 players
simultaneously and the game can get boring since the stages don't change much
from level to level. Still Bubble Bobble 2 is a fun game though so if you loved
the original the classic arcade action is still here as well.
*Rare NES game
For 1 or 2 players
graphics: 7
sound: 6
gameplay: 7
Find Bubble Bobble Part 2 on eBay here!
87
BUCKY O' HARE (Konami, January 1992)
Anybody remember the cartoon? In this intense action game you help a green
space rabbit save his captured crew and then with the help of your friends you
have to stop an evil Toad empire from taking over the galaxy in this tough
trial and error type of action game. Bucky o' Hare may surprise you with its
fast action and above average graphics but be prepared to die a lot as well.
*Uncommon NES game
For 1 player only
graphics: 8
sound: 8
gameplay: 8
Find Bucky on eBay here!
36 BUGS BUNNY Birthday
Blowout (Kemco, October 1990)
Amazingly in 1990 the super popular cartoon character Bugs Bunny turn 50 years old and
what better way to celebrate his birthday......... then by having this really
crappy platform game here. The story involves Bugs Bunny as he is on his way to
a birthday party in his honour but the many other Warner Brothers characters
like Daffy Duck and Wile E. Coyote are jealous and they want to
ruin old Bugs's plan to get there. As Bugs himself you got fight back against
these a-holes with your wits and trusty mallet. This game is just your typical
action platformer with very choppy animation and weak hit detection to help
ruin the experience. I also didn't like the fact I had to fight that stupid
super tiny Tweety Bird here as well. Surprisingly, he's a tough little
bastard here too and unless you time your shots perfectly and hit him just
right he'll kick your head in with cheap tomato strikes. The game is still
better then Crazy Castle below but there are least 500 NES games better then
that piece of crap anyway.
For 1 player only
graphics: 5
sound: 3
gameplay: 3
Find Bugs Bunny Birthday Blowout on eBay here!
24 BUGS BUNNY Crazy
Castle (Kemco, 1989)
This has to be one of the first Bugs Bunny video game's I can think of and its
too bad his Crazy Castle game here is nothing more but Crazy Crap. In the game
you control Bugs himself and he must outwit bunch of other Warner Brothers
characters like Yosemite Sam, Sylvester, Daffy Duck while he collects
carrots throughout the dullest stages you can imagine. The biggest problem with
Crazy Castle is the overly basic game play here. This is platform game where
you move around limited portal rooms to help you get to different areas of the
level but it would have been so much easier if he could just jump instead which
he can't. Another big problem with the title is that it is super easy and even
younger kids will breeze through this. The characters look too small, the music
is annoying, and even the simple left or right controls are not very
responsive. If you are looking for an easy action game without the action
you'll still hate Bugs Bunny Crazy Castle.
For 1 player only
graphics: 4
sound: 3
gameplay: 3
Find Crazy Castle on eBay here!
40 BUMP N' JUMP (Vic
Tokai, December 1988)
In this arcade racer here you have the ability to jump in your doom buggy here
if you want while you race down some busy streets. It sounds a lot more fun
then it actually is though. When you are in the air for example it can be hard
to tell where you going to land so only constant replaying and memorization can
help you here. Bump N' Jump is a very simple overhead racer that unfortunately
doesn't look too good and it gets very repetitive only after a few plays.
For 1 or 2 players
graphics: 3
sound: 3
gameplay: 3
Find Bump N' Jump on eBay here!
65 BURAI FIGHTER (Taxan, March 1990)
The Burai is a big serpent-like creature and you have to kill it. Although the
story rips off Life
Force, this is a fairly good shoot em up with lots of action in
each level but the only thing holding this game itself is that it lacks
originality and your hero is sure a big target here too. Burai Fighter is still
a solid game with some interesting free roaming and forced scrolling stages.
For 1 or 2 players
graphics: 6
sound: 6
gameplay: 7
Find Burai Fighter on eBay here!
55 BURGERTIME (Data East,
May 1987)
Here's an
arcade classic. This very difficult yet easy to learn game here lets you help a
chef to create burgers by walking on the different ingredients but beware of
the evil walking eggs, pickles, and sausages that want to get in your way. The problem is
there are 6 different enemies on the screen at once so good luck making it far
in this game. Burgertime is a very simple action game that gets old very
quickly because you’re doing the same thing level to level but if you liked the
arcade game then maybe you'll like this version as well especially since it is
basically a perfect port here.
*Available in the 5 screw cart
For 1 player only
graphics: 2
sound: 3
gameplay: 2
Find Burgertime on eBay here!
NES
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