Lets take a look at my Top 25 16 Bit Games (#25 – 21.) This list isn’t as one sided as the 8 bit list, though a majority of titles lean towards the Super Nintendo catalog.

Notable Omissions:

X-Men (GEN) – I pretty much enjoyed X-men back in the days. When I tried playing in a couple of years ago, I really couldn’t stand a lot of what was offered.

Super Castlevania IV (SNES) – More or less #26. Quality title through and through, though I always point out other Castlevania titles as the cream of the crop.

Contra III (SNES) – I never did spend copious amounts of time with Contra III. I definitely recognize how well received it was, as well as how much I enjoyed my time with it (what little time I’ve ever had) but the core 25 selections deserved their place more.

Earthbound (SNES) – I have yet to sit down and play more than four minutes of Earthbound. No particular reason other than “it’s somewhere in my game queue!”

—- — —- — —-

25. Earthworm Jim (GEN)

Rating: 8.8

Earthworm Jim had plenty of charm to it. Launching cows, a boss with a money for a head, a main character that’s literally an earthworm in a super suit, and so on. It was unorthodox, but that was part if the charm. The game was brutal in difficulty too, but with how off the wall things could be, it was more incentive to work harder just to see what comes next. Worth the trip if you have a sense of humor and some thick skin for the more notoriously difficult aspects.

24. Streets of Rage 2 (GEN)

Rating: N/A

For anyone else, Street of Rage 2 would be in the top five. Why is it so low on my list? Well it’s definitely a standout beat ‘em up title that needs to be experienced by all fans of the genre, but I never really got to play this one until the late 90′s, and it was never as frequently as others in the genre. The fact that I still feel strongly about Streets of Rage 2 that I added it to this list should mean something though. It’s definitely a timeless classic.

23. Mortal Kombat 2 (SNES)

Rating: 8.1

Mortal Kombat didn’t have much of a legitimate fighting engine until a number of sequels later, but Mortal Kombat 2 was without a doubt one of the finer releases in the entire franchise. The addition of the Babality and Friendship were a welcome tongue in cheek change of pace t the gruesome decapitations and dismemberment, but even those aspects were spruced up some. It might have lacked a tangible combo system (which was still better than what Mortal Kombat 3 offered) but the action and entertainment value never ceased with Mortal Kombat 2, even to this date.

22. Killer Instinct (SNES)

Rating: 8.5

From a fighting game with solid action and no feasible combo system, to a fighting game with solid action and a feasible combo system. Killer Instinct was rather technical for its time, with long winded combos, combo breakers, fatality like moves and a unique cast of characters. It was rewarding when a long combo gets strung together, and even more rewarding when a combo breaker could be unleashed to stop the progression of said combo. Killer Instinct is another franchise that could take the world by storm if its brought back to the limelight.

21. Super Mario Kart (SNES)

Rating: 8.9

The mascot racer that started the mascot racer craze, Super Mario Kart remains one of the best the sub genre has seen. The Mode 7 visuals can become nauseating to look at, but the gameplay, power ups and track layouts still remain as some of the strongest in the franchise. To this day, Rainbow Road in Super Mario Kart remains the premiere version of the track throughout the series, providing a more thrilling race whether you know the layout like the back of your hand or not. It was not my favorite of the franchise, but it was a launchpad to a successful line up of titles from Nintendo through several home consoles and handhelds.

Cyrax  (Mortal Kombat 9)

Also known as Mustard or LK-4D4, Cyrax is just about the most technical character on the Mortal Kombat roster. Complete with an arsenal of just about everything including unblockables, multiple projectiles, teleport, command grabs and frame traps; there is so much room for him to become a serious problem in the right hands. As a result, there learning curve for Cyrax is steep and ultimately the final product will be a personal creation of your own as there are so many different ways to play him. This is a set-up and trap oriented character, placing your opponent in non-favorable positions allows Cyrax to combo huge into a wide array of hurtful and rather annoying punishes. Usage of his meter can be used to extend combos for extra damage, reset situations or simply push players into the corner for wall juggles. Cyrax is all about experimenting with his special moves and figuring out what is the best way to follow up afterwards. Prepare to do a lot of thinking as he requires an outside of the box mindset. Far from a pick up and play character, the more time you spend with this guy, the larger the reward and payout as long as you focus on the practical set-ups and mind games. He can easily frustrate with bomb/net spamming!

Positioning: Cyrax works fairly well from just about anywhere but due to the nature of his move-set it’s be to keep some distance for the better portion of a match because of his slow recovery.  Use his teleport  to keep him away from walls in order to avoid juggles or simply regain better positioning in the fight. Up close you should train your opponent to fear his command grab Cyber Beat (Back +FP-BP-FP-BP)

Offensive Strategy: His bomb placement plays an important part in literally keeping your opponent moving and on his toes. Alternate between close and far bombs and look to net the opponent for easy combos. Since his bombs are unblockable, expect your opponent to jump often, in which you should to looking to use his anti-air grab (Back – Fwd- FP)

Defensive Strategy:  Utilize his teleport function to remain from getting cornered but also learn his landing positions from different spots on the stage as it might put Cyrax right back in trouble. Other than blocking, there is no special up close defense of his to speak of. While waking up from a knockdown, especially with on bar of meter, it’s a good idea to practice using his Reverse Kick ( Down- Fwd- FK) as it allows the option of launching the opponent away for distancing or following up with his linkable throw to reverse the roles.

Special Move Usage:  All of Cyrax’s special moves are designed for either traps or maintaining a safe distance. Unless you keep these two things in mind, you’re simply not going to have any success with him. Toy around with your own ways to bait certain behavior by alternating between usage of his Net and Bombs, the less predictable means the more frustrated your opponent is likely to get as this will turn something as simple as blocking for themselves now a guessing game. EX versions of both special moves are very helpful as well, Electro Net will drain your opponents meter and Sticky Bomb will count as a free launcher to act as a combo starter or extender.

So it stands to reason that a game arriving comfortably in Sonic’s 20th Anniversary would strip everything down to the bare essentials, honoring the blue blur’s glory days by showcasing levels from each game in the series, making them work between two distinct generations of Sonic gameplay. As it turned out, the original release of Sonic Generations was met with mostly positive acclaim, and satisfied with it’s clever mix of remastered levels blending the old and new with (mostly) positive results. But where the two versions differ is that while the console version saw fit to place his 2D legacy against his High-Definition one, the 3DS version has its own to focus on, highlighting the changes made to his portable gameplay over the years.

Sonic Generations
For: Nintendo 3DS
Publisher: Sega
Price: $39.99
Release: 11/22/2011 (North America)

—————————————–The 3D Effect —————————————
For a console that has is main gimmick front and center, there are an unusual amount of opportunities to simply turn it off, at no consequence to the gameplay. But, like Super Mario 3D Land before it, this game can add itself to the ranks of titles that actually look strange and awkward with the effect turned off, as the attention paid to the game’s depth tricks gets lost in a sea of nigh inseparable color, the special stages especially suffering without the advantage of depth. With the effect on, the game’s more exciting moments literally pop out of the screen, along with some very impressive background elements. When Sonic Rush hit the DS in 2005, it played off of the dual screens of the original DS by making levels tailored towards shooting him from the top to the bottom screen at certain points in the stages. It’s easy to see that Dimps was set on flexing the same kind of creativity here, using the 3DS hardware to showcase a set of levels that you don’t just run through, but into and out of at will, traveling from the foreground, to the background, and even adopting a 3/4 perspective behind Sonic himself as the effect of running into the screen dazzles all the while.

The music is also noteworthy, as it’s also a celebration of the series. Arranged music from previous games plays in the menus, and during levels, the attention to the music is even more evident: Classic Sonic’s stages sound like they were composed on a high powered Genesis, while Modern Sonic gets all the bells, whistles and instruments you would expect from his Adventure days, the Mushroom Hill theme in particular rocking out in a way it’s subdued, tranquil counterpart never could. Sound effects are about par for the course, though there are a few that impress, like the music becoming muffled underwater or being drowned out by the high pitched whistling sound boosting creates.

Rating:9.0

In part 1 of this feature, we’re going to focus on one of the newer additions to the combat, and my personal favorite, Dual wielding. If you’ve played the first game, you’ve killed more than enough Plated Sorok and Wood Jester wielding enemies to know how they fight and why you should want to. For newcomers, you’re about to become a literal ballet of offense and defense.

Dual weapons quickly became my favorite weapon when I started playing Infinity Blade II, and after being on the business end of a Wood Jester’s blade far too many times, I was more than happy to deal out some justice of my own using the exact same equipment! Using these weapons, the user becomes faster, has more agility (dodges), and is able to dish out longer combo strings, but at the expense of being unable to block. Don’t let that worry you however, as your newfound agility will get you out of ANY situation, no matter what class of enemy you’re up against. Heavy armored bosses can be outclassed by lightning quick parries and dodges. Smaller, faster dual wielding enemies can’t rely on their physical attacks to mix up an opponent as fast as they are, and as for light sword/shield enemies? Pfft. I can’t remember the last time one touched me.

Like the basic Sword/Shield setup, you’re given a left and right dodge, with the center guard button being swapped for a ducking action. This new feature is a blessing in more ways than one, as even the lowest attacks (such as kicks or punches) from enemies that have to be blocked or otherwise tanked by other classes can be easily avoided. Even most standard left/right swipes can be ducked with enough practice, and let me tell you, the risk is well worth the effort, especially as the claw of an inexplicable beast narrowly misses your scalp? Satisfying beyond words.

But I’m pretty sure you won’t choose this class because of the above average ability to avoid attacks..Not when dishing out the pain is that much sweeter. The second best thing about this class is it’s extraordinary ability to stack damage, and with your output being divided between two weapons, this means every slash you do in a combo string deals double hits. Even the super move for this class is . During a stun or perfect parry, the screen opens up to a series of taps that turn into an absurdly long combo ending with ANOTHER stun. The opportunities are endless.

As this is more of an intro, it’s light on jargon,but that’s what the comments are for Questions or specific tips can be for the comments below, and believe me I will be checking!

Stay Tuned for Part II, when we cover more uncharted ground with…Heavy Weapons!

Astaroth (Soul Calibur 5)

Spacing…Distance… Timing… 3 simple, yet sometimes hard rules, to keep in effect while using this gigantic killer. Power is far from a problem for this big guy, two good strikes can almost instantly steal a significant life lead during any portion of the match or simply tie up what was once a losing battle. By design, Astaroth thrives from powerful counter attacks meant to justly interrupt his opponent or perform strong punishes. This is where the character psychology comes into effect, no one needs to be told that Astaroth will hit them hard but training your opponent to respect that fact is crucial to his success. The start of almost any match with him needs to be focused on creating a gap between him and his opponent, his massive reach will have no trouble filling in the gap but should you allow your opponent to create a close range battle scenario, Astaroth is usually doomed against a large portion of the roster. His “quick” horizontal strikes are about as slow as anyone’s heavy vertical strike and is not desirable for counter acting close ranged pressure and quick strikes, HE IS DOOMED TO LOSE IN THESE SCENARIOS EACH TIME.

Positioning: Stay far far away and only battle up close under your own terms which should only be for punishes and applying pressure to put a round away. Because of his size, side dashes may not be as favorable as it may seem or act normally to avoid attacks since his massive frame tends to get catch the tail end of attacks and combos. Practice becoming familiar with the large amount of distance he needs both horizontally and vertically. Allow the opponent to stay too close on Astaroth for too long is more than likely a hopeless situation against talented players as well as button mashers.

Offensive Strategy: There isn’t a single option Astaroth has that isn’t doing to deal good damage so always mix up how you use his arsenal of attacks. Using the same setups in combination with his slow speed just makes him an easy read and predictable.  Learning all of his grabs and usage is crucial to his success as it is not only fun to watch but also helpful for the sake of winning. Astaroth has the unique ability to grab crouching opponents in addition to be able to chain these grabs from all of his properly timed counter attacks. Down+Back – A – A is easily his best low attack, it covers long range, moves in a 360 degree motion and can be used as a follow up to a lot of knock downed opponent scenarios.

Defensive Strategy: Not much to worry about until the fight has been taken out of his control by losing distance.  Once that is lost, knowledge of your opponent and their behavior becomes the largest aspect of his defensive play. Grabs and SOME counters are his only go to options but will get you nowhere without good intuition and some guessing. Putting in a lot of time and learning his match ups will give Astaroth better defense from instinctively knowing what the opponent wants to do when up close and how he should guard and counter.

Combo Usage: Astaroth is capable of “locomotion”, once you get started it can be hard to stop since he can put rounds away pretty quickly. His combo’s are short but the way you transition from one to the next is what makes his much a unique and overwhelming character. A huge portion of his short 2-3 hit combos possess a counter variant which can be chained and ended with grabs, learning the different variations of these will grant you at least one answer for every scenario. As a counter, try first learning the execution and proper in fight usage of (DOWN+BACK – B – B ~ DOWN + any grab command).

DISCLAIMER: Statements and theories expressed on the Button Check are simply building blocks and ground rules with the sole intent of providing less experienced players solid ground to develop themselves further. These are simply suggestions based on limited time (48 hours) spent on each character for analysis. Players are encouraged to drop in some helpful tips of their own on characters said player possess well enough understanding of. (Please hold back any tears if you think you are godlike, Best in the world, 1337 or possess any other self righteous undeserved sense of accomplishment over any characters reviewed on Button Check. This is a casual digest.)

Aeon Calcos (Soul Calibur V)

Aeon has a rather deceptive learning curve. While it is, for the most part, easy to pick up and play this character since his simplicity makes him user friendly, it’s easy to develop bad habits and lose sight of what he should not be doing at the same time. Calcos isn’t a combo oriented character, his strengths rely primarily on his power and zoning (playing from a certain space and distance). This is a perfect character for a player to understand how to play humble and grounded as he must look for openings, time correctly and punish hard. Playing overly aggressive with this character will actually place the player in a disadvantageous position, especially against the more speed oriented characters, as most of his normal attacks and special moves are slow on start up and can be easily interrupted. Far from being the flashiest on the roster, Aeon by design is meant to do great damage but in controlled intervals. You can easily walk on players with poor defense as he can very easily close a round out very quickly but don’t count on going too crazy with his attacks since he can just as easily fall victim to mindless button mashing to stop his pressure.

Positioning: A medium distance (3-4 body lengths) favors his combination of power and lack of speed. Becoming a good judge of this range will allow for much more safer attacks without running the risk of getting stuffed in mid animation (which he is prone to).

Offensive Play: This guy hurts. Vertical (B) attacks will often be your best friend for hard punishes as well as combo starters. These are slow and can be read easily; mix up movement with Aeon by using horizontal (A) pokes and lows to hide his seemingly repetitive animations. When up close utilize the speed of his grab, should it land or be tech’d (cancelled) by the other player, both scenarios will reset you back into a favorable spaced position.

Defensive Play: While it is crucial for Aeon to play from a medium distance, sitting back too long can prove harmful. Long range or projectile characters can easily outplay him from afar as he lacks any real  range tools. Being knocked down are especially dangerous as Aeon has weak wake up (ground recovery) options. Back rolling and guarding are one of the best ways he can defend himself back to his feet.

Go to combos: B,B,B, from a properly judged range is great, it deals exceptional damage as well as scores a knockdown on the last hit. This can be followed up with almost any of his horizontal ground attacks in addition to being relatively safe on block.

Combo 4 is a great tool to learn, it is highly effective in powering through close range pressure. Learn the timing and slight delay for the <- <- K input and this will easily be one of your best reasons to spend gauge.

Special Move Usage:  Use Aeon’s Special moves SPARINGLY at best. They are highly risky, very punishable and mostly have unpractical setups.  However, it should be noted that his (Back – A) is a normal but has the properties of a special move and should be treated as such. It is a simple 1 hit horizontal but it staggers the opponent if it hits and also knocks them down for a chance to either back away back into a range fight or follow up with ground and pound. (With practice and quick timing, this can be followed up with his Finishing move)

Mobile gamers and MMORPG lovers alike are in for a fresh, new style of adventure to enjoy on the Android, Chrome and iOS as players will be able to select a vampire society to do battle against the opposing forces of supernatural enemies such as werewolves and ever popular zombies. Slip into the dark and strange world of creatures that go bump in the night, most importantly… survive.

Scheduled Release: Quarter 1- 2012

But enough with the pleasantries – here are my Top 25 8 Bit Games (#5 – 1)

05. Double Dragon

Rating: 9.2

There’s not a lot to say that hasn’t been said about Double Dragon. The lack of a second player playing the core game simultaneously with the first was a letdown, but Double Dragon was built in such a way that the omission wasn’t such a severe blow. The “leveling up” gimmick was phenomenal, allowing new attacks to be learned with each level gained. Each stage was felt diverse and offered plenty of challenge to them. On top of all that, the soundtrack was beyond amazing, still holding up as one of the most memorable 8 bit tunes of all time. Definitely one of the must play beat ‘em ups on any system.

04. River City Ransom

Rating: 8.7

From one solid beat ‘em up to another, River City Ransom is a cult classic that has seen spikes in its popularity over the last decade. Mindless premise and non existent difficulty aside, there was plenty going for River City Ransom. Two player simultaneous gameplay, skills that can be purchased from shops, money that can be obtained by beating up gangs that are trying to slow down your progress, food that recovers health and grants stat boosts, plenty of weapon variety, silly dialog and much more. This is that one game that has to be played to fully understand what the hub bub has been from those in the know.

03. Mega Man 3

Rating 9.1

Mega Man 2 might be the one so many harp on about being the flagship title in the franchise, but I tend to disagree. I cannot, nor will not doubt its greatness to the franchise and to gaming, but Mega Man 3 always felt like the most refined, thoroughly pleasant title I played in the entire Mega Man universe. The music resonated more, the boss battles felt just right, the difficulty as a whole didn’t seem punishing in the least, and the power up gains were about as novel as possible (even Top Man….ugh.) Sliding added a bit to the gameplay, as well as the first appearance of Rush, who aided in more than one way throughout the game. Mega Man 2 can be thought of as the best in the franchise to most Mega Man fans, but Mega Man 3 always felt the most polished, refined and the overall peak to the franchise. After Mega Man 4, the series never felt as prominent, until years later with Mega Man 10 on the Wii/XBLA.

02. StarTropics

Rating: 9.5

The most underrated and under appreciated first party titles ever, StarTropics was a blend of dungeons crawlers a la The Legend of Zelda, puzzle solving, a sprinkle of RPG elements and a story that was more fleshed out than one would expect from a Nintendo first part release. The abrupt turn towards the end was a tad bizarre, but the charm, difficulty and game world was fantastic. It also had some of the best music in an 8 bit video game, with one of the greatest end themes I’ve had the privilege of listening to. The sequel didn’t do the franchise justice, and felt more like a tacked together adventure, rather than an inspired return to the world of StarTropics. With kid Icarus getting the resurrection treatment, as well as other classics making a come back years later (Mega Man for Capcom, Punch-Out for Nintendo) I truly believe this is the time to unearth this hidden gem and reintroduce gamers to the world of StarTropics, and what it can offers players.

01. Super Mario Bros. 3

Rating: 9.7

This might be one of the only predictable #1′s in this entire project. I can’t help it though – Super Mario Bros. 3 is as flawless as a video game can be. The mechanics were immaculate. The visuals were immaculate. The audio? Immaculate. Each stage was bite sized in many respects, but were challenging enough where having 99 lives without trying is not the case. The power ups were brilliant, blending the staples of the series with not only creative power ups (Frog Mario that helped swim through water stages like a pro, yet was awkward to use on land) but somewhat evolutions (Hammer Bros. Mario being a somewhat slight step up from Fire Mario, with a projectile invulnerable shield when ducking.) The 8 and 16 bit days of Mario were a time where the franchise didn’t pity you or hold your hand, like most of the newer releases do, and I loved it! This is Mario at his purest form, and Nintendo at their very best in both creative direction and gameplay. But I’m sure most of you already know this.

The absolute worst aspect of playing the Mass Effect 3 demo is knowing that at some point it’s going to end. This fact becomes a looming burden over the shoulder, only recognizable by those who are by some chance capable of pulling yourself out of the quickly engaging story and action as the Reapers make devastating first contact. Don’t worry, this review contains no spoilers but upon playing the demo for yourself, you will understand how hard that is.

Although a demo, faithful Mass Effect series fans won’t be alienated from their decisions made from the previous games. At the start of the demo, players are asked a series of questions based on focal points through the series and will reflect on player interaction during cinematics. (It is for this reason that the experience reflected in the review may vary from yours depending on the extent of effect these decisions have on what events occur during gameplay) Another interesting addition is the option to select exactly how the game can be played between 3 different options that while change the game to focus heavily on action, traditional RPG or solely story. What follows next is what feels to be an instant immersion into the Mass Effect universe that we’ve all come to know and love along with an astounding graphical overhaul, complimented by a tense action atmosphere on a scale never before seen. Apocalyptic disaster fills the landscapes and backdrops on a new scale, displaying the biggest amount  of overall action as humanity’s imminent battle for survival against the Reapers begins to unfold.

Players must battle alongside Councilor Anderson against a small horde of fleeing Husks and combative Reaper infantry. At one point the demo has the player perform a new heavy biotic punch, executed by holding down the melee button, in order to break through battle damaged terrain for escape. A number of other additions are exhibited during this escape including the ability to perform leaps over large gaps by pressing and holding the sprint button and climbing ladders. These small but welcomed additions allow players further interaction with the world outside of simply picking up highlighted items, activating panels and opening doors. Shepards movement feels to be a lot more fluid and the transition of the camera during turns, both walking and sprinting, comes off as a lot less stiffer than before. Performing rolls and taking cover has never felt more natural, there is even a new ability to lunge over or around small objects while sprinting to evade danger or simply cover distance faster without interruption.

The single player campaign is broken into two segments, the second following a mission in which Shepard must assist Wrex in retrieving a captured female Krogan, alongside Dr.Mortin. This area is more combat driven and players must eliminate all opposing forces in the facility before she is released.  Here players can become more familiar with the improvements made on controls, experience the intellect of the A.I. and be challenged by a large Synthetic known as Atlas. Combat is as fun as always, maybe even more so due to the attention to lively detail supplied in every backdrop of roam-able areas.

Multiplayer

I was terrified when the announcement was first made that there would be a multiplayer component to Mass Effect 3. So many things could go wrong in terms of the development team splitting their focus from what is to be their most epic release yet. If this demo has done nothing else, it surely has put my heart at ease. The demo allows player to create and customize their own characters from a limited number of available species, classes and sexes broken down into 3 males and 3 females (more are can be unlocked via play through). Colors, weapons, powers and equipment all are customizable and some areas can be leveled up or improved with enhancements. Unlockable items are available through any 3 of the packs via an in game store which allows you to purchase bundled items that are randomized and contents vary depending on which pack you buy. These packs allow you to unlock items, weapons, attachments and even characters with either a chance or promise at an “uncommon” or rare unlock.

You can create or join lobbies that consist of 4 players in a co-operative stand off against various Cerberus militia than span up to 10 waves, each more challenging than the next. Objective based waves occur during intervals in which players must complete various time sensitive missions including assassin hunts, terminal hacks and intel gathering. Failure to complete these objectives will terminate the entire mission and will result in game over.

• Adept (Human Male)
•  Soldier (Human Male)
•  Engineer (Human Male)
•  Sentinel (Human Female)
•  Infiltrator (Human Female)
•  Vanguard (Human Female)

Two maps are playable, Firebase Ghost and Firebase White, which are medium sized maps with ground cover based vantage points and scattered munitions. Both take minimal time getting used to but all difficulties are very trying until you level up significantly. It is recommended that novice players start off from the Bronze difficulty and work their way up. With a good team and set strategy the multiplayer becomes extremely fun and rewards handsomely for successful missions and doing so in a speedy time frame. Completion of wave 10 requires players to hold at at an extraction point until pick up arrives during a final rush from Cerberus.

The A.I. does not slouch and neither should your teamwork if you want to succeed. Players can revive downed teammates before they bleed out or are executed by the enemy, similar to Gears Of War. All the elements of strategy, fun and challenge are all present, making this multiplayer component an overall success for Mass Effect fans new or original.

But enough with the pleasantries – here are my Top 25 8 Bit Games (#10 – 6)

10. Castlevania 3 (NES)

Rating: 8.4

Arguably one of the best titles in the franchise, Castlevania 3 shares a few similarities with the original title, such as balls to the wall difficulty and piss poor jumping mechanics. The branching paths during the game however, broke it open for more replay value. On top of that, a whip wielding Belmont wasn’t the only character that could be used, as three other characters can be “swapped in” with each adding their own benefits and disadvantages, from the wall climbing yet weak melee Grant, to the heart intensive Alucard, son of Dracula. If you have previous anger management issues, I’d highly advise you to avoid this one like the plague, but if you don’t mind being pushed to your limits at times, Castlevania 3 will more than do so, but provide more than enough good times throughout.

09. TMNT 2: The Arcade Game (NES)

Rating: 7.8

The amount of money I begged my parents for just to play Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Arcade Game at a local bodega, could probably cut the US deficit by 15%. The NES version wasn’t a bastardization, but rather a working within the hardware limits. Two player action was omitted sadly, and the action wasn’t the same in many respects, but my God did I put a ton of time into it. The two extra stages were a welcome addition as well, lengthening the title somewhat. It might not have been the best arcade port, but for a massive TMNT: The Arcade game junkie such as myself, I had more than a blast with the home port.

08. Batman (NES)

Rating: 8.6

Sunsoft unknowingly (possibly) created one of the best movie licensed video games ever in Batman. Bearing little resemblance to the feature film, the focus as more on battling random running thugs, jetpack minions and spike ceiling traps, rather than any plausible Gotham City debacles that took place during the movie. I mean, Joker can summon lightning bolts from the sky for crying out loud – how friggin’ epic is that? Batman in the NES is proof positive that a movie licensed game can not only stray far from the source material and succeed, but it can succeed with flying colors.

07. Punch-Out (NES)

Rating: 9.3

There are numerous video games in which pattern based gameplay is a staple, from boss battles in Super Mario Bros. 3 to the puzzles within StarTropics. Punch-Out weaved together pattern based gameplay with over-the-top boxers and helped create one of the more thoroughly memorable titles in gaming. Little Mac has to box his way through a myriad of characters who all have their own cues in which they are either open for an attack, or to alert of an incoming barrage of punches. Even though Super Punch-Out and Punch-Out Wii were stellar games in their own right, neither truly captured the spectacle and enjoyment that Punch-Out managed to flaunt at all times.

06. Zelda 2: The Adventures of Link (NES)

Rating: 8.9

Similar to Castlevania 2 and Super Mario Bros. 2, Zelda 2: The Adventures of Link was never well received by gamers, mostly due to its radical departure from its first installment. The gameplay and pacing was quite different sure, though that did not diminish the title whatsoever in my eyes. The journey felt grand, with more than enough content to keep me satisfied for a long time. The leveling up system added a welcome divergence, and for a 2D side scrolling title, it was a breath of fresh air to not die as many times to instant death pits as other 2D side scroller titles. Was it conventional? Not at all, but the adventure was inviting and felt more epic in some respects to the title that preceded it.