Classic Home Video Games (1985-1988) Read online

  ing wheel and instrument panel), Bill Elliot’s

  In this fun, but minor platformer, a short,

  NASCAR Challenge lets players select from

  big-nosed caveman (hence the title) runs and

  three cars (Pontiac Grand Prix, Ford Thunder-

  jumps across the gaps and onto the platforms

  bird, and Chevrolet Lumina) for racing on two

  (cliffs, clouds, tree branches, and the like) of

  types of tracks: high banked ovals (Daytona

  four prehistoric island worlds: Paradise, Mon-

  and Talladega) and challenging road courses

  ster, Terror, and Chaos. Armed with a club, the

  (Sears Point and Watkins Glen). Prior to hitting

  caveman must fend off pterodactyls, tricer-

  the pavement, players can customize their ve-

  atops, spiders, sea serpents, turtles (who some-

  hicle in terms of tires, gear ratio, spoiler angle,

  times act as stepping stones), cobras, and other

  transmission (automatic or manual), and en-

  enemies. Eating grapes levels-up Bignose so he

  gine (racing or qualifying). During races, which

  can fire projectiles, making his job easier. Col-

  are against 15 other drivers, the backgrounds

  lecting bones gives Bignose currency for use in

  are simplistic and players can only see a short

  purchasing spells. Certain areas feature forced

  distance ahead. However, numerous strategic

  scrolling while others find Bignose using his

  considerations, including pitting, following a

  club like a propeller. An Aladdin Deck Enhancer

  good line, and drafting (positioning the car in

  NINTENDO NES

  49

  the vacuum behind the leader) provide players

  slow and hopelessly dated, but remains histor-

  with a relatively authentic racing experience.

  ically important. Followed by: The Blue Marlin

  Co-designed by Elliot himself.

  (NES), Super Black Bass (SNES), Bassin’s Black Bass (SNES), Black Bass: Lure Fishing (Game Bionic Commando

  Boy, Game Boy Color), Black Bass with Blue

  PUBLISHER: Capcom. DEVELOPER: Capcom.

  Marlin (PlayStation), and Super Black Bass Platform Shooter/Vertical Scrolling Shooter, 1

  Fishing (Nintendo DS).

  player. 1988.

  Blackjack

  In Bionic Commando, the protagonist can-

  P

  not jump, making for some unusual (if enjoy-

  UBLISHER: American Video Entertainment.

  DEVELOPER: Odyssey Software. Gambling, 1 or

  able) platforming action. The titular soldier

  2 players (simultaneous). 1992.

  uses an extendable bionic arm, which can grab

  onto surfaces to swing or pull him forward.

  Unlike Las Vegas Poker & Blackjack (In-

  Unlike the arcade original (Capcom, 1987), the

  tellivision) and Ken Uston Blackjack/Poker

  NES version features: vertical scrolling stages;

  (ColecoVision), both of which are from the

  permits necessary for entering certain areas;

  previous generation of consoles, and both of

  and a stage selection map. Armed with a nor-

  which depict a nicely drawn and animated

  mal gun, the soldier can add a wide gun, a

  dealer, Blackjack for the NES has decidedly sim-rocket gun, a three-way gun, a machine gun,

  plistic visuals, offering little more than white

  and a hyper bazooka to his arsenal. Enemies to

  text, a hand cursor, a solid green background,

  shoot include suicide bombers, helicopters,

  and five different card designs. In addition,

  gunners, laser cannons, jeeps, giant soldiers,

  there is no poker option. Fortunately, however,

  and more. Also released for the Game Boy. Fol-

  the game does feature a nicely programmed

  lowed by: Bionic Commando: Elite Forces

  version of “21,” letting players double down,

  (Game Boy Color), Bionic Com-

  mando Rearmed (PS3, Xbox 360),

  and Bionic Commando (PS3,

  Xbox 360).

  The Black Bass

  PUBLISHER: Hot-B. DEVELOPER:

  Hot-B. Sports/Fishing, 1 player.

  1989.

  The first realistic fishing

  video game, The Black Bass lets

  armchair anglers catch black bass,

  brown trout, rainbow trout, and

  pike, but only bass increase the

  player’s score. There are four lakes

  (Lake Amada, Japan Lake, Lake

  More, and San Lake) and five

  types of lures: pencil bait, frogs,

  shallow runners, spinners, and

  plastic worms. Players can change

  the color of the lure (according to

  weather conditions), choose a

  fishing spot, move the fishing pole

  Commando and Bionic Commando, both published by Cap-from side to side, and let out and

  com, a third-party company. As with Konami and Rare, most reel in the line. The Black Bass is

  Capcom games for the NES are high in quality.

  50

  CLASSIC HOME VIDEO GAMES, 1985–1988

  split pairs, make insurance bets, and draw five

  The Blue Marlin

  card charlies. The cards are dealt from a “deal-

  PUBLISHER: Hot-B. DEVELOPER: Hot-B.

  ing shoe,” which consists of one, three, or five

  Sports/Fishing, 1 player. 1992.

  decks of cards. Unlicensed.

  The first of several sequels to The Black

  Bass, The Blue Marlin improves upon its pred-Blades of Steel

  ecessor with more detailed graphics, a wider

  PUBLISHER: Konami. DEVELOPER: Konami.

  variety of fish (including marlin, sailfish,

  Sports/Hockey, 1 or 2 players (simultaneous).

  sharks, tuna, swordfish, dorado, and bar-

  1988.

  racuda), the ability to navigate a boat (as op-

  One of the best, most exciting sports

  posed to simply selecting a fishing spot), and

  games of the 1980s, Blades of Steel is fast paced, more. During the reeling in of fish, the game

  six-on-six action, featuring smooth skating,

  offers intense battles and even some multiple

  quick, crisp passing, and furious shots on goal.

  choice questions. Relative to the limitations of

  There are face-offs, icing penalties, slashing,

  the medium, the simulation of deep-sea fishing

  and checking, but if play gets too rough, a fight

  in Florida and Hawaii is fairly accurate.

  will break out. This switches the game to bat-

  tle mode, which is a one-on-one, side-view

  The Blues Brothers

  slugfest that adds substantial enjoyment to an

  PUBLISHER: Titus Software. DEVELOPER: Titus

  already fun game. Like its arcade counterpart

  Software. Side-Scrolling Platform, 1 or 2 play-

  (Konami, 1987), Blades of Steel for the NES

  ers (simultaneous). 1992.

  helped usher in a new era of realism in sports

  The Blues Brothers is little more than a

  video games. Also released for the Game Boy.

  mundane platformer, besmirching the name of

  Followed by: NHL Blades of Steel (Game Boy

  the raucous, rousingly good comedy (1980) on

  Color), NHL Blades of Steel ’99 (Nintendo 64, which it is based. Jake or Elwood (or both in
<
br />   PlayStation), and NHL Blades of Steel 2000

  two-player mode) must run, jump (over gaps

  (Game Boy Color, Nintendo 64, PlayStation).

  and onto moving platforms), crawl, and climb

  (stairs and ladders) their way through five

  Blaster Master

  chapters: Stairway to Heaven, Wear-House,

  PUBLISHER: Sunsoft. DEVELOPER: Sunsoft. Plat-

  Jailhouse Rock, Underworld, and Demolition

  form Shooter, 1 player. 1988.

  Experts, each filled with such enemies as

  Blaster Master has players piloting the

  snakes, blobs, sharks (swimming does come

  S.O.P.H.I.A., a tank-like vehicle that travels un-

  into play), spiders, evil cops, and/or mad dogs.

  derground through maze-like passages, using

  The musically inclined (at least in the movie)

  missiles and other weapons to destroy mutants.

  heroes can kick eggs at enemies and ride a dog

  After killing the boss of each level, players will

  and a snake, and springs allow for heightened

  acquire such items as Hyper, which crushes

  hops, but most of the action consists of simple

  walls, Hover, which enables the vehicle to reach

  avoidance, which quickly gets old. Endlessly

  higher areas, and Dive, which allows for free

  looping versions of the “Peter Gunn Theme,”

  swimming under water. Players can jump out

  “Everybody Needs Somebody To Love,” and

  of the vehicle to climb ladders, enter doorways,

  other tunes is the supposed “strength” of the

  throw grenades, and more. Non-linear game-

  game. Also released for the Game Boy. Much

  play, richly textured graphics (which include

  different than the more adventurous SNES ver-

  lots of greens and browns), and unusual game-

  sion. Followed by: Blues Brothers 2000 (Nin-

  play make Blaster Master worth looking into.

  tendo 64).

  Followed by: Blaster Master Boy (Game Boy),

  Blaster Master 2 (Genesis), Blaster Master: Bo Jackson Baseball

  Enemy Below (Game Boy Color), and Blaster PUBLISHER: Data East. DEVELOPER: Beam Soft-Master: Blasting Again (PlayStation).

  ware. Sports/Baseball, 1 or 2 players (simulta-

  neous). 1991.

  NINTENDO NES

  51

  Two-sport superstar Bo Jackson may have

  Mode and Battle Mode), a feature that would

  been a fine athlete, but the NES game bearing

  become a staple of the popular series. Blowing

  his name is a real clunker. The action begins

  up a brick wall may reveal the exit to the next

  with an instrumental rendition of the National

  level, or it may uncover a power-up item, such

  Anthem (“sung” by a rather attractive lady),

  as a remote control detonator, Bomberman

  but goes down hill from there. The player’s

  symbol (hidden bonus round), flame face

  pitcher is invisible (represented by an arrow),

  (bomb blast extender), wall pass (walk through

  and the batter and pitcher are too close to-

  walls), skate (walk faster), or vest (fireproof

  gether. The batter can’t move inside the bat-

  against your own blast). Multi-tap adaptor re-

  ter’s box, and pitching and swing selection,

  quired for three-player action. Followed by:

  which employs an onscreen menu, is awkward

  Bomberman ’93 (TurboGrafx-16), Super Bomb-to use. Voice effects are included, but they get

  erman (SNES), Mega Bomberman (Genesis), old pretty quickly. Bo also starred in Bo Jack-Bomberman: Act Zero (Xbox 360), and numer-

  son: Hit and Run! (Game Boy), which features

  ous other sequels.

  baseball and football.

  Bonk’s Adventure

  Bomberman

  PUBLISHER: Hudson Soft. DEVELOPER: Hudson

  P

  Soft. Side-Scrolling Platform, 1 player. 1994.

  UBLISHER: Hudson Soft. DEVELOPER: Hudson

  Soft. Maze, 1 player. 1989.

  Though sporting fewer levels and fewer

  colors than its more popular, better sounding

  Bomberman is a simplistic, though fun

  TurboGrafx-16 progenitor (which gave that

  and addictive little game, in which players plant

  console a mascot), Bonk’s Adventure for the

  bombs, run away, then plant more bombs. The

  NES nevertheless retains a high degree of

  mazes consist of concrete panels and brick

  playability and cartoonish humor. Gamers

  walls, the latter of which may reveal one of the

  guide the titular big-headed cave boy as he

  following power-ups when destroyed: in-

  runs, jumps, swims, and climbs (using a special

  creased bomb blast radius, the ability to deto-

  wall-biting technique) his way through per-

  nate bombs via remote control, and increased

  ilous Dinosaur Land (including inside a di-

  running speed. Prior to exiting each level,

  nosaur itself ), collecting smiling faces and

  Bomberman must walk around destroying a

  searching for the beautiful Moon Princess. To

  bunch of goofy little smiley faced characters,

  battle the many beasties he will come across

  avoiding their firepower in the process.

  (including huge bosses), Bonk does a midair

  Bomberman inspired lots of sequels, most of

  spin and “bonks” them with his huge, inde-

  which increased the entertainment value con-

  structible head. Power-ups are obtained by

  siderably with the inclusion of multi-player ac-

  bonking Bani Bani flowers, which provide

  tion. Also released for the TurboGrafx-16 and

  higher jumps, extra energy, and pieces of meat,

  various other systems.

  the latter giving Bonk the ability to simply run

  over enemies. Flowers can also transport Bonk

  Bomberman II

  to special bonus zones that test the cave boy’s

  PUBLISHER: Hudson Soft. DEVELOPER: Hudson

  jumping, spinning, climbing, and swimming

  Soft. Maze, 1–3 players (simultaneous). 1993.

  skills. Also released for the Game Boy and ar-

  As the title indicates, Bomberman II is the

  cade. Sequels include: Bonk’s Revenge (Turbo-

  second game in the Bomberman series. The

  Grafx-16, Game Boy) and Bonk 3: Bonk’s Big

  basic action remains essentially the same: guide

  Adventure (TurboGrafx-16, TurboDuo).

  an odd looking little fellow around more than

  50 mazes delineated by concrete panels, brick

  Boulder Dash

  walls, and other small squares, setting bombs to

  PUBLISHER: JVC. DEVELOPER: Data East. Maze,

  blow up pursuing creatures and the brick walls.

  1 or 2 players (alternating). 1990.

  However, the ante has been upped tremendously

  First released in 1984 as a computer, arcade,

  with the inclusion of multi-player action (VS

  and ColecoVision game, Boulder Dash was up-

  52

  CLASSIC HOME VIDEO GAMES, 1985–1988

  dated by Data East in 1990 for the arcades and

  trying to get past such enemies and obstacles

  the NES. Players control Rockford as he tun-

  as skeletons, gho
sts, zombies, spike pits, float-

  nels underground, collecting the required

  ing platforms, and Dracula himself (including

  number of diamonds to make exit doors ap-

  his shadow, bat, and wolf beast forms). Harker

  pear. Dropping a rock on an enemy makes it

  begins the game with a hacking/slashing

  explode, breaking objects and obstacles around

  weapon, but can pick up rocks, triple rocks,

  it. Rocks can also be used to block objects, such

  axes, and enemy-burning torches. Like Castle-

  as amoebas, which turn into diamonds when

  vania, Bram Stoker’s Dracula is superior to Fri-surrounded. Boulder Dash is similar to Dig day the 13th, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and most Dug, but is more strategically complex. Highly other horror-themed NES games. Also released

  recommended. Includes password feature. Also

  for the Genesis, SNES, Game Boy, and Game

  released for the Atari 5200. Followed by: Boul-

  Gear. The Sega CD version is much different.

  der Dash II: Rockford’s Revenge (Atari 5200) and Boulder Dash EX (Game Boy Advance).

  Break Time The National Pool Tour

  PUBLISHER: FCI. DEVELOPER: Pony

  A Boy and His Blob: Trouble on

  Canyon/Opera House. Sports/Billiards, 1 or 2

  Blobolonia

  players (simultaneous). 1993.

  PUBLISHER: Absolute Entertainment. DEVEL-

  In The National Pool Tour, players maneu-

  OPER: Absolute Entertainment. Adventure

  ver a cursor around the table to line up their

  Puzzle/Side-Scrolling Platform, 1 player. 1990.

  shot. Then, using a moving cue and a meter,

  Developed by David “Pitfall! ” Crane, A

  players select the power of the shot. The table

  Boy and His Blob shares some things in com-

  is viewed from overhead while the moving cue

  mon with Pitfall! (including a side-view per-

  and meter appear in windows along the bot-

  spective and caverns to navigate), but it fea-

  tom 1/3rd of the screen (the table takes up the

  tures a highly original component: that of

  top part of the screen). There are four oppo-

  an alien blob following players as they run

  nents of varying difficulty and six modes of

  around collecting treasure, climbing stairs,

  play: Nine Ball, Rotation, Eight Ball, 14–1 Rack

  shooting vitamins at enemies (including sub-

  Game, The National Pool Tour, and Practice.

  way serpents, popcorn, and magic marshmal-

  Voice effects and overbearing music supple-

  lows), and dodging falling rocks, stalactites,

  ment the action.

  chocolate kisses, and other obstacles. The blob