PUBLISHER: Konami. DEVELOPER: Konami.
tem’s Wonder Boy series, stays faithful to the Side-Scrolling Combat/Demolition/Combat
basic elements of the original Wonder Boy for-Racing/Light Gun shooter, 1 player. 1989.
mula while the Master System sequels, Wonder
An atmospheric, richly illustrated, musi-
Boy in Monster Land and Wonder Boy III, in-cally adept game set in the Louisiana swamp
troduce RPG elements and swordplay. Adven-
lands, The Adventures of Bayou Billy is unusu-ture Island II was released for the Game Boy as ally diverse, incorporating three entirely dif-Adventure Island.
ferent genres. Five of the game’s nine stages
consist of Double Dragon-style fighting, with Adventure Island 3
players, as a Crocodile Dundee-like hero,
PUBLISHER: Hudson Soft. DEVELOPER: Hudson
punching, kicking, knifing, whipping, and hit-
Soft. Side-Scrolling Platform, 1 player. 1992.
ting (with a stick) a succession of bad guys and
Adventure Island 3 is similar to the second
alligators. A pair of shooting stages lets gamers
game in the series, but includes a fifth dinosaur
use a Nintendo Zapper or a standard controller
NINTENDO NES
33
to pick off enemies. Finally, two driving stages,
water), and more. Each screen is a puzzle, mak-
each featuring a behind-the-vehicle perspec-
ing the game a brain-straining challenge in
tive, have players shooting bullets and throw-
later levels. Includes password feature.
ing dynamite at planes, helicopters, and a
swamp stomper. The Adventures of Bayou Billy, Adventures of Lolo 2
which spawned an Archie comic book series of
PUBLISHER: HAL America. DEVELOPER: HAL
the same name, looks and sounds (voice effects
Laboratory. Action Puzzle/Maze, 1 player.
are included) better than it plays.
1990.
Despite marginally improved graphics
Adventures of Dino-Riki
and a somewhat higher level of difficulty, Ad-
PUBLISHER: Hudson Soft. DEVELOPER: Hudson
ventures of Lolo 2 is a lot like the first game in Soft. Vertical Scrolling Shooter, 1 player. 1989.
the series. Players guide Lolo around each of a
Adventures of Dino-Riki puts players in the
seemingly endless number of mazes, grabbing
titular role of a young man who walks, runs,
all the heart framers to open a treasure chest
jumps (over water and other obstacles), and
in order to exit to the next level. Each maze is
flies his way up five challenging (if graphically
riddled with such items as trees, flower beds,
plain) stages of jungles, deserts, swamps, and
deserts, rocks, and creatures. Lolo can use
quicksand. Armed with rocks, axes, boomerangs,
emerald framers to trap creatures, magic shots
and torches, Dino-Riki must shoot dinosaurs,
to turn enemies into eggs, bridges to cross lava,
spitting dolphins, spitting cobras, dragons,
hammers to crush rocks, and more. All the en-
flying cow skulls, flying fish, purple flies, and
emies from the first game return, but the puz-
other enemies, including the following bosses:
zles, though familiar in design, are new. Game-
Pteranodon, Tyrannosaurus, Monster Fly,
play is vaguely similar to Pengo (arcade, Atari Triceratops, and Giant Cobra. Power-ups Riki
5200), but with more emphasis on puzzle solv-
can grab include turbo boots (speed), power
ing. Includes password feature.
fists (upgrades weaponry one level), Airy the
bird (flight), and the impressive Macho-Riki,
Adventures of Lolo 3
which is a larger Riki who can throw mirror
PUBLISHER: HAL America. DEVELOPER: HAL
images of himself.
Laboratory. Action Puzzle/Maze, 1 player.
1991.
Adventures of Lolo
This third and final entry in the Adven-
PUBLISHER: HAL America. DEVELOPER: HAL
tures of Lolo series for the NES features the Laboratory. Action Puzzle/Maze, 1 player.
same type of heart frame-grabbing, monster-
1989.
trapping, puzzle-solving action found in the
In Adventures of Lolo, players guide the
first two games, but this time around players
can go at it as either Lolo or his girlfriend, Lala,
less number of mazes, grabbing heart framers.
switching between them as desired. The game
When all the hearts have been taken, a chest
also introduces underwater levels, a rainbow
opens up to reveal a jewel, which Lolo must get
egg and key (for accessing level three), and a
to advance to the next level. Certain heart
main map that players must navigate. Another
framers contain items for use in trapping or
new element is Grandpa’s Learning Tree, in
defeating the creatures that roam around each
which an old man shows players how to solve
maze, shooting fire, dashing toward Lolo, or
specific puzzles. Includes password feature.
otherwise trying to destroy our hero. Enemy
creatures include Skull, Medusa, and Rocky,
The Adventures of Rad Gravity
among others. Heart framer items include
PUBLISHER: Activision. DEVELOPER: Interplay
Productions. Side-Scrolling Platform, 1 player.
bridges for crossing over lava, hammers for de-
1990.
stroying rocks, ammo for turning monsters
into eggs (which can be used to float across
Rad Gravity is a fun, variety-packed game
34
CLASSIC HOME VIDEO GAMES, 1985–1988
in which players, as the titular, big-headed pro-
Adventures of Tom Sawyer
tagonist, must travel to nine different planets
PUBLISHER: Seta. DEVELOPER: Seta. Platform
and an asteroid belt, using a laser sword, super
Shooter/Vertical Scrolling Shooter, 1 or 2 play-
sword, power pistol, vertigun, maxigun, and
ers (alternating). 1989.
crystal bombs to battle a variety of aliens and
Loosely based on characters created by
creatures. Other useful items include: four
Mark Twain, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
types of armor; a teleporter; a translator (for
finds the titular scruffy scamp asleep in class,
deciphering alien text); and an energy disk (for
dreaming of floating down the Mississippi on a
floating over hazardous areas). Activities in-
mission to rescue Becky Thatcher. The result-
clude : jumping over obstacles (Rad jumps
ant adventure takes Tom through six levels
higher in low-gravity worlds); riding elevators;
(The Abandoned Ship, Down the River,
shutting down a security system; opening
Through the Forest, In the Haunted House, In
doors to secret areas; stopping a conveyor belt;
the Sky, and Deep in the Cave), most of which
finding a gravity device; solving puzzles; run-
are side-scrolling, and most of which involve
ning around upsi
de down; and much more.
running, jumping, climbing, avoiding obsta-
The Adventures of Rad Gravity is long and chal-cles (barrels, rocks, hail, and the like), throw-
lenging, meaning the password feature for sav-
ing rocks, and shooting a slingshot (at a vari-
ing progress is a virtual necessity.
ety of enemies, including birds, bats, scorpions,
mutant moths, and skeleton warriors). The
The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwin-
vertical scrolling action takes place on a raft,
kle and Friends
which Tom must steer past whirlpools, fish,
PUBLISHER: THQ. DEVELOPER: Radical Enter-
penguins, and eagles. In two-player mode, the
tainment. Side-Scrolling Platform, 1 player.
second gamer controls Huckleberry Finn.
1992.
Though drab visually, Adventures of Tom
Based on Jay Ward’s classic, satirical car-
Sawyer presents a fairly entertaining challenge.
toon series, this game has players guiding
Rocky and Bullwinkle through five levels, in-
After Burner
cluding mountains, a pirate ship, and a moving
PUBLISHER: Tengen. DEVELOPER: Tengen.
train. Play alternates between the flying squir-
Third-Person Shooter, 1 player. 1989.
rel and the charging moose as needed. For ex-
A pale, but playable port of Sega’s immer-
ample, Rocky can fly to otherwise unreachable
sive, graphically rich 1987 arcade game (the sit-
platforms, but only Bullwinkle can climb stairs.
down version of which had a spiffy rotating
Both are equipped with bombs for fending off
cockpit), After Burner puts players at the helm Boris Badenov and Natasha Fatale, who pester
of the F-14 Thunder Cat jet (viewed from be-
our heroes with bombs of their own. Jumping
hind), which is equipped with air-to-air guided
is slight, meaning it’s difficult to leap over the
missiles and a vulcan cannon for blasting su-
various snakes, lizards, spiky balls, and other
personic fighters, class 1 fighters, harrier class
obstacles. Soda cans restore health, and keys
jump jets, and helicopter gunships. To dodge
provide access to certain stages. Plagued by
the enemies and their fire, players can fly upside
sluggish controls, poor animation, repetitive
down, use the after burner, or perform a rolling
sound, and uninspired platforming, The Ad-
maneuver, but the jet stays near the center of
ventures of Rocky & Bullwinkle and Friends
the screen during flight (the sky and horizon
doesn’t do its source material justice. The game
tilt and spin in accordance with the jet’s turns
is much different than its Genesis and SNES
and rolls). Special bonus stages let players refuel
counterparts, which include throwable nuts
and acquire more missiles. Unlike the Master
and berries and a pair of mini-games (among
System version, the NES game does not include
other differences). The Game Boy version is
the “Get Ready!” voice effects. Unlicensed. Also
different as well.
released for the Sega 32X. Sequels include :
After Burner II (arcade, Genesis), After Burner
NINTENDO NES
35
III (Sega CD), After Burner Climax (arcade), Al Unser Jr. Turbo Racing
and After Burner: Black Falcon (PSP).
PUBLISHER: Data East. DEVELOPER: Data East.
Formula-1/Indy Racing, 1 player. 1990.
Air Fortress
Endorsed by Indy racer Al Unser, Jr., who
PUBLISHER: HAL America. DEVELOPER: HAL
provides tips on how to handle each course,
Laboratory. Side-Scrolling Shooter, 1 player.
this elaborate racing simulation lets players
1989.
drive Unser’s car or design one of their own.
Air Fortress has players piloting a space-
Customizable components include color,
ship through an Air Base, shooting beams at
speed, acceleration, durability, suspension, pit
such repetitious enemies as missiles, robotic
crew speed, and turbo, the latter providing up
machines, and generic looking mechanical
to 40 mph more than the standard velocity. The
shapes. Energy power-ups and crash beam bul-
game sports a behind-the-car perspective and
lets collected in the Air Base will determine the
boasts 16 different twisting, turning, courses,
ship’s initial power settings for the next area of
each in a different country. Prior to entering a
the game, which is the main body of the Air
World Grand Prix Series (as opposed to one of
Fortress where players abandon the spaceship in
two different Time Trial modes), players must
favor of a jetpack. In the Air Fortress, in addi-
race a qualifying lap to determine their pole
tion to shooting enemies, players must navi-
position. Includes battery backup. Followed by:
gate tunnels to find the central reactor of said
Al Unser Jr.’s Road to the Top (a go-kart racer for fortress, blow it up, and then find their way out
the SNES).
in order to reach the next Air Base (there are
eight levels in all). Air Fortress could use a wider Alfred Chicken
variety of power-ups and enemies, but it’s cer-
PUBLISHER: Mindscape. DEVELOPER: Twilight.
tainly playable. Includes password feature.
Side-Scrolling Platform, 1 player. 1994.
One of countless quirkily cute platform-
Airwolf
ers of the era, Alfred Chicken finds the title PUBLISHER: Acclaim. DEVELOPER: Acclaim.
character on a mission to rescue a hot chick
Flight Combat Simulator, 1 player. 1989.
named Floella from the fiendish Meka Chick-
Based on the CBS TV series (1984–1986),
ens. Tasks related to this endeavor include
Airwolf for the NES is 20 different missions of firing bombs at monsters, dive-bombing ene-helicopter action. Players pilot their supersonic
mies, pecking through ice, picking up invinci-
jet copter — which is outfitted with a satellite
bility presents, opening doors to secret rooms,
transmitted map display, a Doppler sensor, and
jumping on moving platforms, bouncing on
a radar jammer — through the not-so-friendly
springs, swimming like a duck, and much
skies (which are viewed from inside the cock-
more. To complete a level, every balloon must
pit of the helicopter), using machine guns and
be popped, and diamonds can be grabbed for
heat-seeking missiles to destroy flying missiles,
extra points and lives. Blocks must be pecked to
ground missiles, and enemy planes. When it’s
allow Alfred access to otherwise restricted lo-
time to rescue POWs, the game switches to a
cations, giving the game additional challenges.
side-view perspective, where players must
In addition, unlike most side-scrollers, Alfred
avoid obstacles (control towers, mountains,
Chicken frequently scrolls vertically. An excel-and e
nemy fire) and land gently (ala Lunar
lent soundtrack is icing on the proverbial cake.
Lander) to keep from crashing. A similar land-Also released for the Game Boy. Followed by:
ing method is used to make repairs and restock
Super Alfred Chicken (SNES).
ammunition at a friendly airbase. The recogniz-
able (to fans of the show) theme music in Air-
Alien Syndrome
wolf is nice, but it hardly makes up for the dull PUBLISHER: Tengen. DEVELOPER: Tengen. Over-gameplay.
head View Free-Roaming Shooter, 1 or 2 play-
ers (simultaneous). 1989.
36
CLASSIC HOME VIDEO GAMES, 1985–1988
Although not as challenging or as graph-
ferent teams, sporting such fake names as the
ically rich as Sega’s original 1986 arcade game,
L.A. Breakers and the New York Slicks. Features
Alien Syndrome for the NES is preferable to its include three-pointers, slam dunk close-ups
Sega Master System counterpart, thanks in
(ala Double Dribble), league play, fouls, steals large part to the NES game’s inclusion of the
(which the computer opponent is especially
two-player simultaneous mode. The game
good at), jump passes, substitutions for tired
evokes the Alien film series as players, control-players, and more. The overhead view court,
ling Ricky or Mary, explore seven different
which scrolls vertically (and a just a bit horizon-
maze-like, multi-room spaceships in order to
tally), goes black for a second and switches
shoot H.R. Giger-influenced aliens, rescue cap-
sides every time the ball crosses half court,
tive humans, and exit before the timer runs
making for a discombobulating experience.
out. Each spaceship is equipped with a num-
ber of helpful items, including warps, fireballs,
Alpha Mission
laser cannons (an especially effective weapon),
PUBLISHER: SNK. DEVELOPER: SNK. Vertical
and flame throwers. A mapping system, which
Scrolling Shooter, 1 player. 1987.
is something the Master System port lacks,
Based on SNK’s 1985 arcade game, Alpha
helps players keep track of their position in re-
Mission is a battle against the invading Seven lation to the captives. Unlicensed. Also released
Stars Alliance. Players guide a SYD fighter ship
for the Game Gear. Remade for the PSP and
up the screen, shooting lasers and missiles at
Wii.
ground-based targets and at a variety of cir-
cling, zigzagging, diving, and otherwise pesky
Alien 3
airborne alien vessels. By flying over letter