Tetris (NES review)

Developer: Nintendo R&D1
Publisher: Nintendo
Released: 1989

Tetris is a puzzle game that was also released on the Nintendo Game Boy in 1989.

+ Type-A is an endurance mode that's both hypnotically relaxing and maddeningly stressful, which is a captivating balance.

+ Type-B is an excellent way to test your problem-solving abilities, as you can set the speed and block height beforehand.

+ Controls are simple but effective, and learning to clear four lines in one move is a skill that's fun to master.

+ Music cleverly speeds up when blocks start to rise toward the top, which increases the urgency and intensity.

+ A neat feature is how the game calculates the different block shapes you've had to withstand throughout each attempt.

+ Cute cut-scenes vary depending on your final score, and the three selectable music tracks are instantly catchy.

- Lack of a two-player competitive mode is a real missed opportunity to increase the game's appeal and longevity.

Devil World (NES review)

Developer: Nintendo R&D1, Intelligent Systems
Publisher: Nintendo
Released: 1987

Devil World is a single-screen action game that takes some cues from Pac-Man (1980, Arcade).

+ Does enough to differentiate itself from its inspiration, and its deceptively simple premise hides a much deeper foundation.

+ Assorted mechanics all work together beautifully and create tension-filled, multi-layered gameplay.

+ Moving playfield is similar to Squish (1986, Game & Watch), and it's fun having to constantly re-evaluate your tactics.

+ Bonus items are a clever risk-reward idea, as while they gain you points they also temporarily stop you in your tracks.

+ Above-average graphics for the time, excellent Black Box style jingles, and the two-player mode is a nice addition.

- Would have benefited from a few additional stage layouts, as despite the enjoyable gameplay it does get repetitive.

- Bonus Rounds give chances to earn extra lives, but there's little deviation from the main stages and they lack imagination.

Clu Clu Land (NES review)

Developer: Nintendo R&D1
Publisher: Nintendo
Released: 1985

Clu Clu Land is an action-maze game that's part of the NES Black Box series.

A pattern of gold bars have been hidden by the evil Sea Urchin and it's up to you to find them before time runs out. Movement is controlled by hooking your hand around a turn post (or by hitting a wall / rubber trap) and enemies can be defeated with your electric shock waves. Initially, the controls are a bit of a nightmare to get used to, as you can't just move your character as in Pac-Man (1980, Arcades); instead you need to rely on momentum and timing as you swing around turn posts which isn't exactly intuitive. However, once you do become more accustomed to the controls you start to realise that the gameplay is actually very thoughtfully and cleverly designed to keep you multitasking at all times; there's always so much to think about and with the ticking clock and respawning enemies it really does force you to react quickly and strategically. One feature I did like is that you can pause the game to check your progress on the required gold bar pattern; this comes in handy when the clock is ticking and you just need to visualise what's missing without the threat of incoming enemies. The four stages do a good job of implementing new ideas to keep things fresh and I particularly like Stage 3's side exits that warp you to the other side of the screen. The biggest issue though is that there's only four stage layouts (discounting the intro stage which only appears once per game). While they each have interesting core mechanics and the patterns alter throughout, there's simply not enough variation and when compared to the 100 levels found in Wrecking Crew (1985, NES) it's hard not to feel short-changed.

Clu Clu Land's unconventional control scheme makes it tough to ease yourself into, but once you adjust there's definitely some fun to be had with its uniquely strategic gameplay. The lack of stage layouts is a legitimate complaint though and it's doubtful that it has much long-term appeal past a handful of play-throughs.

Random trivia: The 2002 Nintendo GameCube title Animal Crossing featured Clu Clu Land as an unlockable game.

Ice Climber (NES review)

Developer: Nintendo R&D1
Publisher: Nintendo
Released: 1985

Ice Climber is an action-platformer that was part of the Black Box series of games.

Supporting 1-2 players (co-op), the objective is to use a hammer to break the arctic ice above you and then climb to the top of the mountain. There's 32 mountains to conquer and various enemies such as polar bears and condors try to stop you from succeeding. The controls are easily the biggest sticking point, as they're incredibly stiff and don't provide you with the finesse needed to react in an efficient and reliable manner. Similar to Psycho Fox (1989, Sega Master System), movement relies on momentum so your character always requires a run-up; however, the inputs aren't particularly responsive and you don't have much control over mid-air adjustments leading to many missed platforms and lost lives. The collision detection isn't the best either, as you'll often leap straight through the edge of a platform. Where the game does shine though is in its ever-changing level design, as with such a simple concept, the idea of leaping vertically ad nauseam could easily have become monotonous; instead, new layouts and mechanics (such as moving floors and enemies that bridge ice gaps you've created) are introduced to keep you guessing, in turn, helping to improve your skills and on-the-fly decision making. I also like how you can choose any of the 32 mountains at any time, as it allows less skilled players to at least see what the game has to offer, while giving pros a chance to skip ahead to more challenging levels. The music features the primitive Black Box style tunes you'd expect from the era, but the melodies here are very catchy and do a great job complimenting the on-screen action perfectly.

Ice Climber is a decent game for short bursts thanks to its above-average level design, but the fickle controls do ruin some of the fun. Also, while the core mechanic is solid, it's not enough to sustain an entire game, and when you factor in the title's short length it's doubtful that many people will want to return for repeated play-throughs.

Random trivia: In 2004, Ice Climber was re-released on the Game Boy Advance as part of the Classic NES Series.

Metroid (NES review)

Developer: Nintendo R&D1, Intelligent Systems
Publisher: Nintendo
Released: 1987

Metroid is an action-adventure game that was originally released on the Famicom Disk System in 1986.

Playing as a space hunter named Samus Aran, your mission is to penetrate the fortress planet Zebes and destroy the Mother Brain. Initially, you're armed only with a Beam, but additional weapons and abilities (such as Missiles and a High Jump) can be obtained. Where the game excels is in its level design, and the amount of unique areas is impressive. I also like how many secrets are littered throughout the fortress, as it encourages you to explore and use recently acquired items to your advantage (e.g. using Bombs to blast holes in the floor). A huge and obvious omission is an in-game map... certainly not ideal in a game this large and I'd highly recommend using an online map to guide you! Saying that, while a lot of backtracking is required it's actually quite satisfying to do so once you know the correct route, and most of that is due to being able to use your new powerful weapons on previously formidable foes! The Ice Beam is a particular highlight and I really enjoy its different uses that affect the gameplay style. For example, you can choose to blast enemies to dispose of them, or temporarily freeze them into a makeshift platform to reach higher areas; this opens up the level design in a grander fashion. The game is tough, but thankfully there are opportunities in pretty much every screen to pick up energy or items by defeating enemies. There is a ton of slowdown when too many sprites are on screen though, something you'll see all too often. The music is very minimalist which creates a dark, brooding atmosphere that lends itself perfectly to making you feel isolated and alone.

Metroid is a game that was well ahead of its time and its huge world and open-ended nature shows how developers were beginning to push the NES console in fresh and exciting ways. It's a shame then that it's not particularly accessible to new players today, and the lack of an in-game map is a real head scratcher.

Random trivia: There's multiple endings depending on how quickly you beat the game.

Mach Rider (NES review)

Developer: Nintendo R&D1, HAL Laboratory
Publisher: Nintendo
Released: 1985

Mach Rider is a vehicular combat-racing game that was part of the NES Black Box series.

In the year 2112, Earth has been invaded by evil forces and it's your job to rescue all survivors. The modes on offer are Fighting (split into ten sectors where you must reach the checkpoint before time expires and without running out of energy), Endurance (reach certain distances before time expires), Solo (similar to Endurance, but with no enemies) and Design (create your own courses). The A button accelerates, while B fires your machine gun that can destroy enemy vehicles and some roadside objects; however, rocks and balls are immune to bullets so they must be dodged. With driving being a key component, the poor implementation is puzzling and most of your time will be spent swerving like a madman in an attempt to avoid crashing for the millionth time. Cornering is the worst offender due to the dodgy side-camera angles that don't follow the road on bends (stopping you from seeing what's actually in front of you). This results in non-stop blind corners and tons of unavoidable collisions where rocks appear from nowhere. The obvious thing would be to slow down, but fellow riders are constantly on your heels and will destroy your bike if you move out of top gear. What follows is some aggravating and unfair gameplay that favours dumb luck over twitch-based skill. The choppy frame-rate doesn't help matters either and trying to make precise movements is nigh-on impossible. It's disappointing as the core concept is appealing and some of the ideas (e.g. the cool rear view camera) are cutting edge. The ability to create your own courses is great, but again the dire gameplay makes it a moot point.

Mach Rider is an innovative title that tries to combine several genres, but shamefully fails to master even a single one of them. The controls, racing and combat are littered with rampant programming issues and the feeling of never being in control is tough to ignore in a game that requires razor-sharp accuracy.

Random trivia: The game was later re-released on the Virtual Console for the Wii (2007), 3DS (2013) and Wii U (2014).

Wrecking Crew (NES review)

Developer: Nintendo R&D1

Publisher: Nintendo

Released: 1985

 

Wrecking Crew is an action game that was released as part of the NES Black Box series.

It contains 100 stages and the objective in each is to demolish the flashing walls, doors and ladders using Mario or Luigi's hammer. The foreman Spike tries to impede your progress, and if an enemy or fireball touches you you'll lose a life. While you can't directly attack opponents, you can knock down pillars to capture them in drums, or send them to the bottom of the level by blowing up dynamite. What might initially seem like a pure action title is just as much of a puzzler, which adds to its depth and stops it from being a mindless destruction game. The clever and intricate stages start off basic, but eventually morph into larger areas; I particularly like those that require you to use dynamite to drop platforms and then destroy a previously unbreakable wall. Other enjoyable stages play like a game of dominos, as you hit one beam and watch as carnage happens around you! Some levels can feel impossibly difficult to start with, but with persistence there's usually a snigger-inducing way to blow up a row of enemies and make your life a whole lot easier. Similarly, it's always fun to smash a supporting beam and watch a drum land directly onto a bad guy! Enemies attack non-stop, and the fact that they're always hot on your heels (with no direct way to attack them) gives the game an intense, claustrophobic feel that's perfect for an Arcade style title. The game can be incredibly tough at times, but the ability to select any level from the title screen lessens some of the frustration. The Design mode also allows you to create up to four stages; it's a fantastic addition but unfortunately the Save/Load feature doesn't work.

 

Wrecking Crew is a unique game that manages to successfully blend action and puzzle elements into a fun, cohesive whole. It does get a bit repetitive after a while, but there's a ton of content here and the ability to choose any level, at any time, makes it a great game to return to.

  

 

 

Random trivia: The Save/Load feature works on the Famicom version if used alongside the Data Recorder.

Tennis (NES review)

Developer: Nintendo R&D1, Intelligent Systems

Publisher: Nintendo

Released: 1985

 

Tennis is a sports game that was one of 18 launch titles in Europe and North America.

It features five skill levels and allows you to play either singles or doubles matches in a best of three sets. The shot selection includes a smash, volley and lob, as well as forehand and backhand shots. Unfortunately, the game is barebones in terms of content, as you have no control over set length or surface. Likewise, you can't play against another human opponent; singles is purely against the CPU, while doubles only allows you to play alongside another human. Things don't improve on the court either; for example, when a ball is approaching, your player constantly switches between the forehand and backhand position, which makes it difficult to line up correctly prior to a swing. This affects the action as you'll often miss or end up with the ball hitting your player! Placing shots is tough too, as the timing of your swing dictates where the ball will travel; it's awkward to become accustomed to, especially if you're used to holding a direction on the controller. Due to how little control you have over shot location it does feel more like a glorified version of Pong (1972, Arcades) rather than a Tennis simulation. In the higher difficulties it's impossible to win a point using the long game; this forces you to switch to the short volley game, but this area is lacking too, as most of the time your player will either swing at thin air, or take a ball in the face! Serving is the only part that's well implemented, and I like how there's a secret fast serve which rewards skilful play by achieving perfect timing. My favourite part of the game is the strangely aggressive CPU player who frequently charges the net with his racket cocked!

 

Tennis is an extremely basic sports game that hasn't aged well, and the exclusion of a multiplayer VS mode is unforgiveable. Even if you focus on what's here the lack of options makes for some mundane matches, and you're much better off sticking to Jimmy Connors Tennis (1993, NES) instead.

 

 

Random trivia: This game was a playable extra in Animal Crossing (2002, GameCube).

Barker Bill's Trick Shooting (NES review)

Developer: Nintendo R&D#1

Publisher: Nintendo

Released: 1990

 

Barker Bill's Trick Shooting is a light-gun game that was only released in Europe and North America.

 

There's four modes, including Balloon Saloon where balloons rise from behind a panel and you must shoot them before they exit the top of the screen. The dog from Duck Hunt (1985, NES) sometimes pops up and care must be taken to not blast him as you'll lose one of your ten credits! It's basic, but I like that the balloons move at different speeds, as it forces rapid decisions in terms of which one to hit next. In Flying Saucers, saucers are thrown into the air and it's your job to shoot them before they hit the ground. The simple, yet genius part is that you gain more points the closer the saucer is to landing; this adds a fun risk-reward element and basically makes you gamble for a high score. Window Pains tasks you with shooting items as they fall from the top of the screen, but you must be careful not to fire when they're behind a glass pain. The items fall at varying speeds which challenges your timing, and having barriers (that change location in each round) is a fantastic idea to test your accuracy. Lastly, Fun Follies amalgamates all of the above into an endurance mode. It also features exclusive mini-games such as Trixie's Shot, where you need to shoot coins when they're revealed by a dancing woman. This is the only mode where the hit detection is shaky and it makes things unnecessarily difficult. Bill's Thrills appears if you reach Round 9 and your job is to shoot food before it hits the assistant's head. It's nerve-racking waiting for the food to fall and considering you only have one shot it's fun in a Western quick-draw kind of way! Even failure is hilarious when you see the assistant's angry reactions!

 

Barker Bill's Trick Shooting doesn't have a ton of content, but it's still an enjoyable carnival game with great controls and well thought-out modes. Its main flaw is that it plays things safe and does nothing to advance the genre when compared to Nintendo's first generation Zapper titles such as Hogan's Alley (1985) and Wild Gunman (1985).

 

 

 

Random trivia: The game is based on a 1952 cartoon series called Barker Bill's Cartoon Show.

Mario Paint (SNES review)

Developer: Nintendo R&D#1, Intelligent Systems

Publisher: Nintendo

Released: 1992

 

Mario Paint is an art game that requires the SNES Mouse peripheral.

 

Drawing Board offers 15 colours, 75 texture patterns and 120 stamps. You can sketch with tools such as pens, airbrushes and shapes, and custom stamps can be created using pixel art on a 16x16 grid. While the mouse isn't as accurate as modern optical devices, it still works well and allows for a decent amount of precision. The tools are plentiful too and provide lots of ways to construct your masterpiece. One neat addition is a pre-drawn colouring book, but the most enjoyable feature is pixel art creation, as its simplistic nature isn't overwhelming for the artistically challenged like myself! In Music Composition you build songs using 15 sound effects and loops. It's a good way of teaching basic music notation but the clever part is that it uses familiar icons rather than complicated notes. There's plenty of fun to be had, especially when you start adding in random cow noises! Animation mode gives you four, six or nine frames to work with. Drawings can be copied to new cells and the speed of movement can also be controlled. It's basic, but I love that you can overlay them onto your existing artwork, and simultaneously play tracks created in the Music Composition mode! Best of all, a Save/Load feature is available to backup everything you've done. Gnat Attack is a mini-game where you swat insects before they sting your hand; once you've swatted 100 you face King Watinga. Like Kaboom (1981, Atari 2600) it pushes your reactions to the limit and the lack of a traditional controller makes twitch-style movements much easier. It's highly addictive and strategising attacks around enemy patterns is a real joy.

 

Mario Paint is undoubtedly basic by today's standards but it has that classic Nintendo charm and tons of content to sink your teeth into. It's very accommodating to newcomers, and even if you don't find yourself enamoured with the artistic side of the game there's still the awesome Gnat Attack to provide some Arcade-style fun!

 

 

 

Random trivia: Gnat Attack was later reused in WarioWare, Inc.: Minigame Mania (2003, Game Boy Advance).

10-Yard Fight (NES review)

Developer: Nintendo R&D1

Publisher: Nintendo

Released: 1985

 

10-Yard Fight is an American Football game that's part of the NES Black Box series.

 

It supports 1-2 players with five skill levels, but unfortunately there's no option to select your team. Formations are randomised and you never actually get to pick plays; instead, each offensive snap is preceded by a player in motion, and when he reaches your preferred spot you hike the ball. The manual claims this equates to 183 formations and 133,407 plays but that's a gross exaggeration! Even Tecmo Bowl (1989, NES) had a handful of plays, but here the lack of play-calling voids any real strategy. The gameplay has a heavy focus on passing, making the running game essentially non-existent unless the ball carrier is your quarterback. It's also very slow and waiting for a motioning player to pass by your linemen is excruciating! On top of this, there's no timeouts and the clock doesn't stop if you head out of bounds, meaning last minute drives are tough to execute. I do like the ability to shake off defenders by quickly mashing the d-pad though. Defense works okay but you can only choose one of two pre-determined players to control prior to each snap. Due to your teammates apparent inability to tackle there's times when the randomised formations dictate that both of your selectable players are on the same side of the field; if the opposing team throw a lateral to the opposite side you're screwed as there's no way to reach them before they gain a first down! Special teams wise, the kicking mechanic is decent but it's impossible to miss, and kickoffs can only reach the 30-yard line. Overall, the game is severely lacking in presentation, as there's barely any content and no halftime show as in Soccer (1987, NES).

 

10-Yard Fight is like many other Black Box titles in that it's a very basic interpretation of the sport, and there's not enough content to keep you playing. It has a number of fundamental gameplay issues too and it's impossible to recommend this over more accomplished games such as Tecmo Bowl and Tecmo Super Bowl (1991, NES).

 

 

 

Random trivia: The game was first released in the Arcades in 1983.

Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins (Game Boy review)

Developer: Nintendo R&D1

Publisher: Nintendo

Released: 1992

Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins is the sequel to the platform game that appeared on Nintendo's handheld three years earlier.

Your quest is to collect six coins, open up the Castle and stop Wario from using his magic spell on the people of Mario Land. On top of the Mushroom and Fire Power items (the latter of which now hops along the ground), there's also a Carrot that allows you to float through the air. Similar to Super Mario Bros. 3 (1990, NES), there's a hub world where you can explore the environment and choose which level to tackle next; this gives the game a more open feel that peaks your interest. During gameplay, the first thing that strikes you is the chunky sprites which are a huge step up from the original. The controls are fine but they're also floaty and Mario's jumps never have any weight to them. The gameplay is lacking in both atmosphere and excitement, and while the level design is good it never really captures your imagination and feels like a generic platformer that had the Mario license slapped on. There are some fun moments though, such as Mario Zone where you slowly descend with rabbit ears while collecting coins and avoiding spikes. The Ghost House stages in Pumpkin Zone are also enjoyable, as well as the Star Zone auto-scrolling level where you avoid hoards of angry stars. There's some secret levels to be found, although they're short and not really worth the effort. Most of the levels pose little challenge but the difficulty skyrockets during the final level due to lava pits and lack of checkpoints; most of the trouble comes from the floaty controls that hinder precision platforming. The bosses are dull and have no charisma, but I do like that you can save your progress in up to three slots.

 

In reality, Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins should be a superior sequel due to its greater emphasis on world variation, secret levels and graphical upgrades. However, while it still plays well it simply lacks the charm of its predecessor and ultimately ends up being rather underwhelming for a Mario title.

 

 

Random trivia: The two Super Mario Land titles on the Game Boy are the only two Mario games not to feature any input from creator Shigeru Miyamoto.

Volleyball (NES review)

Developer: Nintendo R&D1, Pax Softnica

Publisher: Nintendo

Released: 1987

 

Volleyball is a Black Box sports game that was originally released on the Famicom Disk System in 1986.

It supports 1-2 players (competitively) and there's seven national teams to choose from. There's no difficulty levels as such, but teams do have strengths and weaknesses. The action is six-on-six and the first team to score 15 points wins the game in a best-of-five. On Offense you're allowed three hits to get the ball back over the net; after receiving the ball you can then set it high or low, before attempting to leap and spike it to your opponents' side. If you served as the rally started you earn a point; if not, no points are awarded but you gain serve advantage. Meanwhile, on Defense, you can jump to block shots from your opponent by leaping at the net. The controls are fiddly and unintuitive so for the first few games you'll likely be thinking more about which button to press rather than reacting. Spikes can be problematic to pull off as the ball's apex is much higher than the camera angle allows; as a result, you'll need to rely on some guesswork to time your jumps and spikes. When you do get the hang of things the game is mildly entertaining, especially as you learn to set up and spike with precision. It's satisfying when you do manage to whack the ball over the net while knocking an opponent down! The computer doesn't always select the best team-mate though, and there's times that you'll find yourself wrestling with the controls due to your intended player moving away from the ball. Sadly, you can't control the game length and only single matches are available (no tournament mode whatsoever). Two-player mode is fun though and it's amusing to line up for a spike only to cheekily attempt a Drop Shot!

Volleyball is a ho-hum sports title when played alone but it does shine brighter in competitive, multiplayer mode. It has a few niggly issues that will likely annoy you, but for such an early NES title it does have a decent shot selection and the developers clearly put some effort into making this more than just a generic sports game.

 

 

 

Random trivia: The game was re-released on the Wii Virtual Console in 2007, and on the Wii U Virtual Console in 2014.

Urban Champion (NES review)

Developer: Nintendo R&D#1

Publisher: Nintendo

Released: 1984

 

Urban Champion is a one-on-one fighting game and an adaptation of a 1984 Game & Watch title called Boxing.

 

It supports 1-2 players and the objective is to push your opponent back two screens and into the manhole. To do this you can attack high or low while using either your quick, yet weak punch (A button), or strong yet slow punch (B button). Incoming punches can be blocked or dodged and you'll also need to avoid falling flower pots that stun you; occasionally cop cars even patrol the area and temporarily freeze both fighters! As a concept, Urban Champion is undeniably simple and how much enjoyment you get from it depends on whether you like uncomplicated, easy to play games. For me, I found the combat to be very enjoyable and in many ways it reminds me of Kung Fu (1985, NES) with its basic, yet loveable action. The controls are responsive and the fine balance between knowing when to attack or counterpunch is great, and ensures that the gameplay never turns into a mindless button masher. It's hilarious when a random police car shows up and the fighters retreat to the side of the screen, pretending nothing's happening! However, it can be a nuisance when you have an opponent towards the screen edge and the cops reset all of your hard work! The game's main flaw is that it does take a long time to become even remotely challenging and only at Round 48 does the CPU starts behaving in a more unpredictable manner. Additional locations would also have helped, as fighting on the same street where the only variance is store names gets old. However, the gameplay really shines with two players as the satisfaction you get from punching your friend into a manhole is awesome!

 

Urban Champion doesn't have much depth but it's a real guilty pleasure and the simple beat-em-up style is perfect if you're looking for a quick game to enjoy. It's great for multiplayer sessions too and provides lots of laughs regardless of skill level.

 

 

 

Random trivia: In 2011, the game was re-released as part of the 3D Classics range on the Nintendo 3DS.

Popeye (NES review)

Developer: Nintendo R&D#1

Publisher: Nintendo

Released: 1986

 

Popeye is a multi-screen platform game that was originally released in the Arcades in 1986. 

 

Supporting 1-2 players (alternating), your quest as Popeye is to battle Brutus, Seahag and Bernard and win Olive Oyl's affection. Your main attack is a punch that can defeat most projectiles and enemies, but eating spinach grants you temporary invincibility to stun Brutus. The first screen takes place at a Dock and tasks you with collecting 24 hearts that Olive throws down; these must be obtained before they sink in the water otherwise you lose a life. Ladders and stairs allow you to move between platforms and similar to Pac-Man (1980, Arcades) there are areas where you can exit and reappear on the other side. Next up is the Street with 16 musical notes to collect; there's also a springboard to launch yourself upwards. The final screen takes place on a Ship (with the added threat of Bernard who swoops in to attack) and you must continually collect letters that spell out HELP; this then builds a ladder to the top to free Olive Oyl. Once you've completed all three screens the game loops with a higher difficulty. What makes the action fun is that despite the simplistic gameplay there's always tons to think about; Brutus has a wide range of unpredictable attacks, including an uppercut from the platform below, that really keeps you on your toes. The constant threat of an item sinking is the water heightens the intensity and the shift in music during this time is helpful in focussing your attention. A minor criticism is that you can't hide on a ladder between platforms meaning it's all-or-nothing when climbing them. While the graphics are basic the music is good with a nice rendition of the Popeye theme.

 

Popeye has pretty much everything you could want in an early Arcade game and this home console port is recommended to anyone that enjoys Donkey Kong. Being an early NES Black Box title means it is light on content but the gameplay is so fun that you'll find yourself returning to it time and again for a quick blast.

 

 

 

Random trivia: The game's designers were Genyo Takeda (creator of Punch-Out!!!) and Shigeru Miyamoto (creator of Mario).

Stack-Up (NES review)

Developer: Nintendo R&D1

Publisher: Nintendo

Released: 1985

 

Stack-Up is an action-puzzler and one of only two games to require R.O.B. the Robot (the other being Gyromite, 1985).

 

In Memory mode you have to set up the blocks in a specific pattern and input a series of commands so R.O.B. moves them to another pattern; all of the required moves need to be entered before he starts moving so careful planning of the entire sequence is crucial. It sounds mundane but remembering where the robot will be positioned after a series of moves is surprisingly fun, especially in later rounds where you sit nervously waiting to see if you've not only inputted everything correctly, but whether R.O.B. will successfully pull off the moves without knocking over blocks! There's many: "Oh, no, why did I do that?!" moments that are genuinely hilarious if you're with a group of people that can take pleasure in your failures! It's very satisfying when you get it correct though as you feel like you've achieved something by programming a robot! Bingo mode is more action orientated; the objective is similar to Memory except it takes place on a 5 x 5 grid and you need to move Professor Hector in real-time so he lights up a full row. R.O.B. will then perform that move but to make things more difficult enemies try to stun you or even light up an unwanted row to control R.O.B. and sabotage your attempt! In my opinion, these faster paced games are where the robot shows his limitations as it's impossible to make him react quickly and it's more infuriating than it is enjoyable. The main issue with the entire game is that it has no way to confirm if you've constructed the blocks correctly and it relies on complete trust from the player; therefore, you can simply move onto the next round with no repercussions!

 

Stack-Up is a pretty barebones game with little depth but Memory mode is a guilty pleasure that will keep you and your friends entertained for a while. Unfortunately the rest of the game is forgettable and the fact that it has no way to track your progress is a big flaw that discourages you from chasing a high score.

 

 

 

Random trivia: In Japan, the game was known as Robot Block, or simply just Block.

Teleroboxer (Virtual Boy review)

Developer: Nintendo R&D1

Publisher: Nintendo

Released: 1995

 

Teleroboxer is a first-person boxing game and a launch title for the system in America and Japan.

You play as a robot called Harry and your goal is to win the Teleroboxing Tournament by defeating seven challengers (plus a hidden fighter if you go undefeated). The matches consist of five, one-minute rounds and you must deplete your opponents strength bar to zero; if it goes the distance the winner is the boxer with the most strength remaining. It uses the controller in a unique way as the L and R triggers throw punches from each side of your body. You can combine these with the d-pad to pull off a range of attacks such as Body Blows, Uppercuts and Hooks. Likewise, when used on their own both d-pads control your left and right fists for blocking or dodging shots. There's also special attacks you can use by holding button combinations until your fists start to flash. The gameplay is vaguely reminiscent of Mike Tyson's Punch Out!! (1987, NES) except fellow boxers have little personality and aren't very memorable; the only one that's slightly interesting is the fourth opponent (Picky) as it must be beaten within 50 seconds otherwise it explodes and you lose the match! The controls sound intuitive but the amount of buttons and combinations you need to memorise makes the learning curve frustratingly high. Even the first CPU opponent is no pushover and will quickly pummel you if you button mash as it's more of a simulator than an Arcade take. Defensive strategy is important as you block shots and then counter punch to soften up your opponent. Unfortunately, it's all just very dull as the gameplay is uninspired, monotonous and rigid in terms of how you need to beat each fighter. Even the music is generic but at least the first person perspective shows what the system can do from a virtual reality standpoint. The game also saves your progress and individual fight record.

 

Teleroboxer is a mediocre boxing game with convoluted controls, brutal difficulty and none of the classic Nintendo charm that made Punch Out!! so special. There's nothing else like it on the system though so if you enjoy methodical, slow-paced sports games you might get some short-lived enjoyment out of this one.

 

 

 

Random trivia: During the end credits you get to punch portraits of the development staff!

Virtual Boy Wario Land (Virtual Boy review)

Developer: Nintendo R&D1

Publisher: Nintendo

Released: 1995

 

Virtual Boy Wario Land is a platformer and the follow-up to Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3 (1994, Game Boy).

 

As Wario you must search the caves of the Aldegara Waterfall to uncover its hidden treasures. There's ten levels (and four bosses) and the objective in each is to find the key that unlocks the exit. You can collect coins, hearts (100 grants you an extra life), as well as power-ups such as Eagle Wario (can fly) and Sea Dragon Wario (breathes fire). Most enemies can be killed by dashing into them but if you take damage as regular Wario you lose a life. The levels have a timer (20 minutes each) but the action is slower paced and more methodical than a Mario platformer. There's a real sense of wonderment to the levels and you can't wait to get started so you can explore everything it has to offer. This includes trying to find the many hidden areas, some of which can only be accessed if you have a power-up, making replayability high. The levels are varied and see you swimming underwater, climbing up waterfalls, wandering around mysterious forests, sinking in the desert sand and navigating creepy castles; it's all been done a million times but here every section is incredibly tight and well designed. Some neat 3D effects are included such as spike balls that swing in and out of the screen and giant sea creatures that leap from their cave. The bosses are innovative with unique attack patterns that use both the foreground and background; they can be challenging though so some trial and error is involved. Your progress is saved directly to the cartridge (a rarity on the VB) so you can pick up where you left off at a later date. There's a couple of awesome cut-scenes that tie the story together and show off the system's parallax scrolling capabilities and 3D effects. There's also some great variations of the main theme that sound fantastic whether they're upbeat, moody or atmospheric.

 

Virtual Boy Wario Land is the standout game on the console and one you'll want to play again and again. You can tell that the developers put their heart and soul into crafting each level with real care and the end result is a fun and lengthy adventure that puts the system's strengths on full display.

 

 

 

Random trivia: The game was originally titled Wario Cruise and this name featured on the back of the Virtual Boy system box at launch.