Comical Machine Gun Joe (Sega Master System review)

Developer: Sega R&D 2
Publisher: Sega Enterprises, Ltd.
Released: 1986

Comical Machine Gun Joe is an action game that was only released in standalone format in Japan.

+ Interesting risk-reward for catching downed foes, as they provide an additional hit at the expense of slowing you down.

+ Has some very cool hidden secrets, including ones that can net you huge bonus points, or change outfits worn by bosses.

- Game only has six stages that loop, with the trade-off being sky-high difficulty that limits your ability to progress.

- One level is simply a nighttime re-skin of the Down Town stage, which reinforces the lack of content on offer.

- Nothing to keep you around once the second loop starts, as the only change is a permanent spider enemy that blocks shots.

- Bullets tend to merge into the background in the Graveyard level, causing unforeseeable deaths from enemy fire.

- Music is annoyingly repetitive and you'll hear the same brief tune incessantly throughout your play-through.

Pit Pot (Sega Master System review)

Developer: Sega Enterprises, Ltd.
Publisher: Sega Enterprises, Ltd.
Released: 1986

Pit Pot is an action-adventure title that was released as part of a two-game compilation with Astro Warrior.

+ Has a similar exploratory vibe to The Legend of Zelda (1987, NES) and each room has excellent stage design.

+ Rather than being a smash-a-thon, the gameplay forces you to think methodically to avoid falling to your doom.

+ Difficulty options not only increase the challenge, they also boost the number of screens and introduce new enemy types.

- Cryptically, the action relies on blindly bashing every single block to uncover hidden items that are required to succeed.

- Hammer has a slow animation reset after hitting a gray block, which isn't ideal when you need to make another quick attack.

- Backtracking is a chore in tougher difficulties due to the unvaried scenery, and the short music loop can get tedious.

- PAL release doesn't include the Edit mode found in the Japanese version where you can design your own screens.

Black Belt (Sega Master System review)

Developer: Sega R&D 2
Publisher: Sega of America
Released: 1986

Black Belt is a side-scrolling beat-em-up that's exclusive to the Sega Master System.

+ Gameplay can be enjoyable in short bursts due to its rhythmic flow and endless waves of incoming enemies.

+ Encourages full use of your attack arsenal, as each boss has a weak point that must be identified for maximum damage.

- However, the action suffers from extreme repetition and is too derivative of Kung-Fu Master (1984, Arcade).

- Damage is unavoidable when enemy sprites overlap, as you can only hit one bad guy at a time, leaving you vulnerable.

- Poor collision detection (especially during boss fights) and your attacks can have no effect despite making clear contact.

- Would have benefited from a smoother difficulty curve, as even the first boss is hard as nails and there's no continues.

- Using the d-pad to jump leads to many accidental leaps, and having to press Down then Up for a high jump is cumbersome.

Great Golf (1986) (Sega Master System review)

Developer: Sega R&D 2
Publisher: Sega Enterprises, Ltd.
Released: 1986

Great Golf is a sports game that was only released in Asia and is unrelated to the similarly titled Great Golf (1987, Sega Master System).

+ Tournament mode can be played by up to four players (sharing two controllers) for couch-based competition.

+ Courses are meticulously crafted, with slivered fairways and staggered islands that test your ball striking accuracy.

+ Has an intuitive four-step process before each swing, and the mechanics on the putting green are uncomplicated.

- On-screen HUD doesn't tell you how far away the ball is from the cup, leading to awkward calculations and guesswork.

- Doesn't allow you to scroll the camera to peek ahead, and there's no clear indication of where the ball will travel.

- Could have used more wide open fairways during the first few holes to ease players in and help them learn the basics.

- Lack of crowd SFX make for a muted round of golf, and the isometric viewpoint isn't ideal when trying to avoid hazards.

Great Soccer (Sega Master System review)

Developer: Sega R&D 2
Publisher: Sega Enterprises, Ltd.
Released: 1986

Great Soccer is a sports title that was only released in Europe and Japan.

+ Does a respectable job of auto-selecting the nearest teammate, and the difficulty options are well balanced.

+ Curling shots is a joy and is reminiscent of the crazy amounts of spin you can add in the Sensible Soccer games.

- Replayability is low, as the game contains only two teams with no discernible difference apart from their jersey colour.

- Extremely light on content, as single matches are your sole option and you can't customise the length of each half.

- Players have exactly the same statistics regardless of their position, making every match a repetitive experience.

- There's a noticeable delay when attempting to execute passes, and the game frequently ignores your button inputs.

- Controlling a defender and goalkeeper at the same time can be problematic and leave the net wide open when marking.

Teddy Boy (Sega Master System review)

Developer: Sega Enterprises, Ltd.
Publisher: Sega Enterprises, Ltd.
Released: 1986

Teddy Boy is an action-platformer that was first released in the Arcade in 1985.

+ Figuring out the best position to safely attack each level is enjoyable, and the intelligent enemy A.I. is tough to outwit.

+ Shrewdly adds extra intensity by collapsing your current platform if you haven't moved within a set amount of time.

+ After losing a life, the game doesn't reset the stage and instead remembers how many foes you have left to destroy.

- Mid-air adjustments are overly sensitive on the horizontal axis and it's unbearably easy to miss your intended target.

- Early difficulty spike is enormous and there's nothing that prepares you for the speed and aggressiveness of enemies.

- Buttons are reversed which can cause issues in the heat of battle, and the repetitive music grates the more you play.

- After a handful of rounds, you've seen everything the game has to offer and it doesn't improve on its initial core ideas.

Robotron: 2084 (Atari 7800 review)

Developer: General Computer Corporation
Publisher: Atari Corporation
Released: 1986

Robotron: 2084 is a wave shooter that was first released in the Arcade in 1982.

+ Ferocity and speed of the gameplay is mesmerising and the difficulty is more forgiving than the Atari 5200 version (1983).

+ Throws an enormous amount of sprites and animations around the playfield, and there's never any flicker or slowdown.

+ Having only a second or two to survey the most urgent threat(s) prior to the wave commencing is endlessly gripping.

+ Deciding whether to rescue humans or deal with the onslaught of robots is a great hook that adds risk-reward.

+ Using two controllers to fire and strafe works brilliantly and gives you just the right amount of manoeuvrability.

- Doesn't play nearly as well with just a single controller, as you can't be as nimble when evading / shooting enemies.

- Unlike the Atari 5200 port, this doesn't have a playfield border and the transition screens / SFX aren't as impressive.

Ballblazer (Atari 5200 review)

Developer: Lucasfilm Games
Publisher: Atari Corp.
Released: 1986

Ballblazer is a sports game that was also ported to the Atari 7800 in 1988.

+ Action is impressively fast-paced with no slowdown despite the split-screen, and the graphics fit the futuristic vibe.

+ Brilliant scoring system to keep the competition tense, ranging from 1-3 points depending on your distance from the goal.

+ Has some clever ways to outwit your foe, such as swerving the ball and using the boundary to your advantage.

+ Two-player mode is the highlight and shooting the winning goal when the posts are at their narrowest is euphoric. 

+ Bass-heavy intro music rocks, and there's some innovative audio cues to signal when you can blast an opponent.

- Camera alternates between two angles and it can be very disorientating when it suddenly moves to a side-view.

- While there's nine CPU skill levels, it's a shame a Tournament mode wasn't implemented to prolong play sessions.

Choplifter (Sega Master System review)

Developer: Sega R&D 2
Publisher: Sega Enterprises, Ltd.
Released: 1986

Choplifter is a 1982 scrolling shooter (Apple II), although this version is based on the 1985 Arcade remake.

+ Missions have greater depth than the original game, a wider range of enemies / hazards, and there's a two-player mode.

+ Adds much needed variety in the way of new locales that test your skills in close quarters and wide-open spaces.

+ Travelling deeper and deeper into enemy territory is nerve-wracking and making it out alive is extremely gratifying.

+ Graphics are gorgeous and the awesome parallax effects don't interfere with the smooth scrolling / frame-rate.

- Difficulty is off the charts from Stage 1 and the game doesn't offer you any continues to aid learning and progression.

- Screen doesn't always scroll far enough ahead, leading to unforeseeable enemies that pot-shot you for quick kills.

- Shots don't always destroy clearly struck targets, and there's a mountain of flicker when rescuing hostages.

Marksman Shooting / Trap Shooting / Safari Hunt (Sega Master System review)

Developer: Sega Enterprises, Ltd.
Publisher: Sega Enterprises, Ltd.
Released: 1987

Marksman Shooting / Trap Shooting / Safari Hunt is a light-gun compilation that requires the Sega Light Phaser.

+ Marksman Shooting's gun accuracy is superb and it's fun working out the most pressing target to hit before it disappears.

+ Safari Hunt's three unique areas have crafty ideas including fish that jump out of water and animals that hide behind trees.

+ Trap Shooting features different backdrops and a neat scoring system depending on how far away you shoot the target.

- After a handful of rounds in Marksman Shooting, you've seen everything and the target speed doesn't continue to accelerate.

- Marksman Shooting could have used some friendly targets or alternate locales to add variety and ease monotony.

- Hit box in Safari Hunt and Trap Shooting is small and there's no visual indication of how far your shots missed target.

- Overall, the compilation has little personality or playfulness when compared to Nintendo's Duck Hunt (1985, NES).

Great Ice Hockey (Sega Master System review)

Developer: Sega Enterprises, Ltd.
Publisher: Sega of America
Released: 1986

Great Ice Hockey is a sports game that's exclusive to Sega's 8-bit console.

+ Unlike some of the Sega Master System's 'Great' titles, this one allows you to select the difficulty level and game length.

+ Nice, truncated rendition of each team's national anthem, and steals are much easier than Great Basketball (1987, SMS).

- In 1P, you can only play as the USA, which is a missed opportunity to learn the strengths and weaknesses of each team.

- Screen scrolling is broken up into three sections, which is jarring and doesn't give you a good view of your surroundings.

- Your teammates are shockingly inept at playing defense and choose to stay in the opponent's half during a CPU fast break.

- Can be erratic when auto-selecting the nearest teammate to control, and the end result can leave you wildly out of position.

- Diagonal shots can be exploited for easy goals, and the stadium is lifeless apart from a brief crowd noise when you score.

Food Fight (Atari 7800 review)

Developer: General Computer Corporation
Publisher: Atari Corporation
Released: 1986

Food Fight is a single-screen action game that was originally released in the Arcade in 1983.

+ Can choose your starting point from Level 1-16, which is excellent for those looking to warp ahead to tougher stages.

+ Scoring system is clever, as while you need food to eliminate foes, each item left at the end of a round earns 100 points.

+ Managing to carry an item of food to the cone affords you the luxury of having it available to throw on the next screen.

+ Manholes are an important part of the gameplay, as they force you to carefully think ahead and plan the best route.

+ Instant replay feature is mind-blowing for the time period, and it even shows you the entire stage you've just completed.

+ Features some fun animations, such as Charley's eyes rolling when hit by food which then proceeds to swarm him!

- Short jingles are fun, but some whimsical music would have complimented the gameplay and enhanced its personality.

Centipede (Atari 7800 review)

Developer: General Computer Corporation
Publisher: Atari Corporation
Released: 1986

Centipede is an action game that was first released in the Arcade in 1981.

+ New multiplayer modes are real highlights, as they allow friends to either battle together or against each other.

+ Fun multitasking element, as the mushrooms make it seem like you're fighting against the environment, as well as foes.

+ Giant spider makes the bottom of the screen feel claustrophobic, and the scorpions at the top add a risk-reward element.

+ While the Atari 5200 version (1983) maintained the Arcade's high challenge, this port has difficulty options to ease you in.

+ Despite the lack of any trackball support, the controls do an admirable job of allowing you to move / dodge with precision.

+ While you can shoot individual sparks, a rapid fire option is available to make longer play sessions more comfortable.

- SFX are perfectly serviceable, but they don't mimic the original game's sounds as closely as the Atari 5200 port.

Chubby Cherub (NES review)

Developer: Tose
Publisher: Bandai
Released: 1986

Chubby Cherub is an action game and one of the first third-party titles released on the NES.

+ Features simple, Arcade-style fun, secret levels to uncover, as well as bonus points for meeting unique stage objectives.

+ Flying depletes your power metre quicker than walking, so careful management of your surroundings is always required.

+ Food items vary in point and power metre increase amounts, so there's risk-reward in grabbing them while avoiding foes.

- Enemies can shoot farther than you, so trying to get in their path for a shot is perilous and trickier than it needs to be.

- Collision detection is extremely suspect, both in terms of item collection and attempting to shoot incoming enemies.

- Boss battles occur every three stages, but they're a weak excuse for variety, as they require the same tactics every time.

- There's only one music track in the entire game, which becomes painfully repetitious after the first few loops.

Action Fighter (Sega Master System review)

Developer: Sega R&D 2
Publisher: Sega
Released: 1986

Action Fighter is a top-down driving / shoot-em-up game that was originally released in the Arcade in 1986.

+ Driving concept has promise and neatly meshes the action of Bump 'n' Jump (1982, Arcade) and Spy Hunter (1983, Arcade).

+ Transition when landing or going airborne is good, and the ability to change vehicles is a fun way to add variety.

- Doesn't give you any chance to settle in, as there's no difficulty options and the action is rock-hard from the get-go.

- Enemies are total bullet sponges and the fact they take multiple shots to destroy makes you feel endlessly under-powered.

- Shoot-em-up areas suffer from white bullets that tend to blur into the cloud-based backgrounds for cheap hits.

- End of stage bosses have little imagination and they each involve repeating the same attack pattern ad nauseum.

- Once you've beaten the opening mission there's nothing else to see, as no new ideas / locales are thrown into the mix.

Snail Maze (Sega Master System review)

Developer: Sega
Publisher: Sega
Released: 1986

Snail Maze is a maze game that was hidden in the BIOS of early Sega Master System consoles.

+ Intricate maze layouts to test your noggin, specifically Round 12 which foregoes short corridors in favour of long straights.

+ Ticking clock gives the gameplay some tension and it's immensely rewarding when you figure out the correct route.

- No real pay off for completing all 12 mazes and instead the game kicks you back out to the BIOS screen.

- Nothing to keep you occupied once you know the maze layouts and it's a chore having to enter a code to access the game.

- A two-player competitive option would have enhanced replayability and added longevity to the primitive gameplay.

- Unfortunately, the game never received a standalone release, meaning those lacking an early BIOS are out of luck.

- Music consists of a short ten-second loop, which (while catchy) does start to drive you insane after a couple of rounds.

Fantasy Zone (Sega Master System review)

Developer: Sega R&D 2
Publisher: Sega
Released: 1986

Fantasy Zone is a shoot-em-up that was originally released in the Arcade in 1986.

+ Learning which of the 11 different weapons and power-ups are most effective encourages repeat play-throughs.

+ Tons of enemy types, bosses are inventive, and the collectable coins add a great risk-reward element to the gameplay.

+ A really cool additional challenge comes from disabling the weapon timer by first purchasing all the engine power-ups.

- However, without this trick the weapons last a very short amount of time, making their usefulness rather limited.

- Mega-expensive Rocket Engine isn't worth the price of admission, as your ship's movements end up being ultra twitchy.

- Difficulty level is sky-high and the need to ferociously button mash quickly leads to physical fatigue.

- Missing the radar screen from the Arcade original, and enemies have a tendency to blur into the background.

Astro Warrior (Sega Master System review)

Developer: Sega
Publisher: Sega
Released: 1986

Astro Warrior is a vertically-scrolling shooter that was bundled with either Hang On (1985) or Pit-Pot (1985).

+ Stage 1 eases players into the action by gradually revealing gameplay elements without fear of enemy projectiles.

+ Levels cleverly plant barriers that block your shots until destroyed, which adds some tension as foes swarm the environment.

+ Sense of speed is impressive and despite the huge bosses and fast moving enemies there isn't a hint of slowdown.

- Lacks content with only three short levels, and the game overcompensates by being brutally difficult in Stages 2-3.

- Losing a life and access to your items basically results in you needing to reset the game due to being too under-powered.

- The same items drop in predetermined areas, which minimises strategy and makes each play-through feel repetitive.

- Ability to hold a button down for rapid fire is pointless, and its slow burst speed forces you to continually tap instead.

The Ninja (Sega Master System review)

Developer: Sega R&D 2
Publisher: Sega
Released: 1986

The Ninja is an action game and a redesigned port of the 1985 Arcade title Ninja Princess. 

The mission is to battle your way through to the Ohkami Castle and rescue the princess from the evil Ninja Warriors leader Gyokuro. You can throw ninja darts which can be powered-up by collecting red scrolls, run faster by obtaining blue scrolls, or press both face buttons for temporary invincibility. The challenge can be incredibly high at times and that's partly due to the controls, as trying to fire and manoeuvre around the playfield independently (and accurately) is nigh-on impossible with the mushy Master System d-pad. Enemies also swarm with little notice, but I do appreciate how they don't respawn; this gives you a fighting chance and once you realise you can retreat and scroll the screen downwards you'll give yourself much more room to outsmart them. Using the temporary invincibility option is also massively beneficial and helps to even  the playing field. There's a good range of enemies to keep things interesting too and the level design cleverly introduces hazards (e.g. rivers that split the playfield in two) that impede your progress and force you to think of new tactics on the fly. I also like the pre-stage map screen which is reminiscent of Road Fighter (1985, MSX), as it gives you a visual demonstration of your journey and how far you have left to travel. Where things do falter are the auto-scrolling levels where you must dodge horses and rocks while defeating enemies; here, there's no shadows to indicate safe zones which makes spatial distancing a nightmare to judge. The music is catchy though and one neat feature is how the tunes change depending on which scroll you currently possess.

The Ninja doesn't get off to the best start due to its awkward control scheme and high degree of difficulty, but once you adjust and experience the diverse level design it becomes a real grower. It's an acquired taste for sure, but fans of both the action and shooter genres might get some enjoyment out of this one.

Random trivia: The game wasn't released on the Sega Master System in Brazil until 1993.

Mario Bros. (NES review)

Developer: Nintendo
Publisher: Nintendo
Released: 1986

Mario Bros. is an action-platformer that was first released in the Arcades in 1983.

It supports 1-2 players (co-op or competitively) and the objective is to eliminate all enemies in each stage by punching from above to stun them and then subsequently kicking them. Enemies include Turtles (single hit required) and Crabs (require two hits), and an alternative method of attack is to use the limited POW block which knocks over everything on all floors. If you're used to side-scrolling Mario platformers the inputs can be jarring, as movement relies on momentum and you have no control in mid-air. Once you've adjusted though, the gameplay has that simple but addictive Arcade style action that's perfect for high score chasers. A fun and strategic part is the ability to hit certain parts of the platforms above you to control how the enemies react; for example, hitting Turtles on the front edge of your sprite will drop them onto the ledge below (saving you time so you don't have to jump up a level to kick them), whereas bopping Crabs slightly before they cross your vertical path results in them jolting backwards (giving you the necessary time to leap again to get in the required two hits). And then there's the inspired POW block which almost acts like a panic button to get you safely out of hairy situations! Additionally, the collectable coins that randomly appear provide a great risk-reward element (while topping up your point total) and the constant threat of hazardous fireballs if you take too long adds tons of intensity. Unfortunately, the gameplay starts to wear thin after a while, and a big reason for that is the lack of any variety in the level design (only one layout) and the inclusion of just five enemy types.

Mario Bros. is a good game to while away an hour or so, as it has some entertaining gameplay (especially in co-op mode) and historically interesting enemy types that are mostly unique to this Mario title. However, it does lack in replayability due to the stingy singular layout, so regrettably the fun is rather short-lived.

Random trivia: This game features the first ever appearance of Mario's brother, Luigi.