Game Reviews

Doozie Dozen - NES Games (3rd Gen)

At Christmas in 1987, I was fortunate enough to get my wish from Santa - the coveted Nintendo Entertainment System. It had been on the North American market for a year and there was a tremendous amount of hype. For my buddies, it was in 1987 - at Christmas or for birthdays - that everyone was getting the console. Games were expensive so you chose carefully and considered the games that you might be able to enjoy when hanging out with friends at their place. Trading games with friends happened but wasn't so common for me in particular. This list, much like the other Doozie Dozen lists, is my top twelve choices of games for particular consoles, arcade or computer. These are the games that have had the greatest influence on my life and ones that I would recommend to others to try and the ones that I would love to play through again. The games are ranked for each list based on my preference to play them. 

N.B. I have linked a youtube gameplay video for each entry, although I cannot assure that the uploader will keep the video active or that a company won't put in a successful removal request. Feel free to search online for these games.

12. Megaman series (starting in 1987)

I used to go to Liam's house to play Megaman games. He was really keen on them. I thought that the organization of the bosses was a great feature. It was cool that you could jump into different levels right away. Megaman is a historically important console game because it took Super Mario to the next level as a platformer where the emphasis was on shooting and jumping instead of just jumping. Megaman had more range for his shots. The bosses were original and Megaman had a great look. It is no wonder that this has been one of the most successful characters in gaming. 

11. Battletoads (1991)

Battletoads was another NES game that I played at my friend, Liam's house. I really liked the arcade-style gameplay where you can finesse attack or just fall back on button mashing. The music for the game was definitely a highlight and the game seemed pretty tough at the time so it was worth playing. Battletoads was a good two-player experience and a fun alternative to the NES Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles game that came out a little earlier. Battletoads had more freedom of movement. 

10. The Uncanny X-Men (1989)

I remember being in elementary school and spending a lot of time perusing video games at one of the earliest game retailers in the city. It was in the mall near my house and the games were kept behind the counter, but the jewel boxes were available to flip through. I had gotten into the Marvel Uncanny X-Men comic books as a kid, so seeing that there was an NES game for those characters was pretty exciting. I waited a long time for a chance to play the game. When I finally played it I was pretty disappointed. The game's graphics weren't very good and the game had areas that seemed really difficult to figure out and then pass the levels. I don't think I finished the game, but it still stands out in my mind because of what the X-Men meant to me overall. 

9. Bubble Bobble (1988)

My friend David had Bubble Bobble and I played it at his house. He wasn't into the game, so after twisting his arm to play it at his place, I put in for a trade. He wanted my Double Dragon II, so the deal was done. I often tried to trade back, but David was a little jerk and constantly made excuses. Bubble Bobble was a lot of fun and there was a clear sense of progression through the hundred levels. It played like an arcade game (it was launched by Taito as an arcade game) and the music was super catchy. In fact, I can still sing the melody to the game on command. The game was a good two-player experience and a game girls enjoyed playing also. 

8. Super Mario Bros. 2 (1988)

I remember that there was something dark and disturbing about Super Mario 2. The graphics were a huge upgrade from the first game, but the levels were not structured in the linear way that those for Super Mario 1 were. As a result, the space of the game seemed chaotic. This was underscored by moments where you could ride eggs to secret platforms on the left of the screen. The ability to choose from four unique characters was great and overall the game is one of the best for the console. In my mind, I can see many of the boss levels and recall the secret passages found in the nighttime bonus areas. 

7. R.C. Pro-Am (1988)

This game was inane and the sounds of the game then accompanied as feedback to whet the appetite for passive-frenzy. There was something addictive about the formula though and the compelling aspect of gameplay was the quest to defeat the NPCs. The tracks were fairly uniform but the trophy case was neat. The game played fast and I remember one of my family's cats would paw at the screen trying to chase down the cars. I played this game a lot with my sister and later found a mini-game in the Playstation 2 game, Muppets Party Cruise that played just like R.C. Pro-Am. 

6. Double Dragon I/II (1988/1990) 

Double Dragon II was an improvement on the first, adding greater variety to NPCs and environment tiles without losing the fun qualities of simple gameplay. The game was a beat'em-up where you could finesse attack to avoid taking damage or simply button mash while relying on using continues when running out of lives. This sequel had a lot of levels on top of buildings where falling off the edges was an added hazard. In a way, Double Dragon was Super Mario for tough guys. Instead of fireballs, there were a variety of weapons to pick up, bash with, and then throw. Double Dragon I was a great game as well, and the Abobo boss music was memorable. I often went to B-mode (standard fighter) and would play Abobo vs Abobo to listen to the catchy tune. These games were great two-player experiences. 

5. Super Mario Bros. 1 (1985)

Super Mario Bros. was the game that came with my NES console. The whole family had hours of fun playing through the simple platformer. It was exciting to discover the secret warp areas and to smash every brick block looking for hidden item drops. There were only a couple of difficult areas in the game and I had fun playing this game with my older sister. This game is a timely classic and because the playthrough is so quick, it is a game that you can go back to time and time again.

4. Guerrilla War (1989)

This was definitely one of my favourite games for NES. It was a great arcade game, so being able to buy it for NES and play again and again without feeding quarters was truly rewarding. There is a good variety of levels and weapons. The enemies pop up everywhere and the POWs are pretty funny. You felt bad killing the prisoners, but sometimes they just knew too well how to get in the damn way. The tank was a nice added feature granting shield and heavy ordnance for a period that really bailed you out in this fast-action top-down shooter. 

3. Contra (1988)

I spent many sleepovers at Paul's house playing Contra late into the night. The alternation of levels with side-scrolling and gallery shooting broke up the monotony in gameplay. There was a great variety of weapons as well, and it was easy to target enemies. The action was fast-paced and it made for a great two-player experience. The catchy theme music is a soundtrack that I can still sing on command. 

2. The Legend of Zelda (1987)

My generation often just refers to this game as "Zelda". This was a game that you had to play through if you owned a Nintendo. I used to go over to my best friend, Matthew's house to play it. We often had to sneak into his parent's bedroom and pull the NES out of their closet and hook it up to the small television at their bedside. The risk and secrecy of our act heightened the gaming experience. Zelda had an amazing story and the progression was unique and memorable. There was a lot to do and a lot to see. The recent remaking of the game for the Oculus Rift is very exciting. 

1. Super Mario Bros. 3 (1990)

The NES started becoming popular in North America in 1987 and if you want to recall how long it stayed popular you can reference the Super Mario Bros. games. There was a lot of hype around the third installment in the series which got an added boost from the movie, The Wizard, starring Fred Savage (popular from The Wonder Years and The Princess Bride). Super Mario Bros. 3 didn't disappoint. The action was great with the addition of a flying Mario. The maps were extensive and the exploits were unique. It wasn't a game that one could complete quickly and each land was original and a game unto itself. This game brought a lot of hope to gamers who had seen incredible progress in gameplay and graphics in a few short years.