Classic Home Video Games (1985-1988) Read online

  tection-oriented gameplay of Sentinel evokes titude, control pitch, load and arm missiles,

  Crossbow, but it’s not as good or as well known and other such maneuvers. The joystick and

  as that arcade classic. Originally available only

  fire buttons work fine, however, in Arcade

  in PAL format (Europe and elsewhere), Sen-

  Mode, which has players simply guiding a cur-

  tinel was released in NTSC format (U.S. and

  sor around the screen, shooting enemy heli-

  Canada) by ResQsoft, the company responsible

  copters. Reality Mode is a combination of Ar-

  for rescuing the Atari 7800 version of Klax

  cade Mode and Flight School, the latter of

  from prototype-only status.

  which is more trouble than it’s worth for all but

  the most patient and most dedicated of flight

  Summer Games

  sim fans. The instrument panel in this compli-

  PUBLISHER: Atari. DEVELOPER: Epyx. Sports/

  cated game depicts ammo supply, radar screen,

  Olympics, 1–8 players (alternating, 2-player

  fuel gauge, rpm readout, compass heading, oil

  simultaneous). 1987.

  pressure, and more. Fans of Tomcat: The F-14

  Flight Simulator may want to give Super Huey A good looking, nicely playing port of the

  a whirl. The sequels, Super Huey II and Super popular computer game, Summer Games for

  Huey III, were only released for computers.

  the Atari 7800 lets players compete in six dif-

  ferent Olympic events: Diving, 4

  × 400-Meter Relay, 100-Meter

  Dash, Gymnastics, Freestyle Relay,

  and 100-Meter Freestyle. Some

  events require precise timing while

  others demand that players jiggle

  the joystick back and forth as fast

  as possible for increased velocity.

  All are fun, especially when com-

  peting head-to-head against an-

  other player (up to eight players

  representing any of 18 different

  countries can enter, but only two

  appear onscreen at once). Unlike

  the 2600 version, the 7800 rendi-

  tion does not include Rowing or

  Skeet Shooting. However, a vari-

  ety of graphical upgrades, includ-

  ing enhanced opening ceremonies,

  make these omissions fairly easy

  to overlook. The sequel, Summer

  Games II, was only released for

  computers.

  Super Huey

  PUBLISHER: Atari. DEVELOPER:

  Atari. Flight Combat Simula-

  tor/First-Person Shooter, 1

  player. 1988.

  This port of the Cosmi com-

  Summer Games and Winter Games for the Atari 7800, each pic-puter game suffers from the lack

  tured with box, instruction manual, and cartridge. Both titles of keyboard control, which is used

  include various Olympic-style sporting events.

  24

  CLASSIC HOME VIDEO GAMES, 1985–1988

  Super Skateboardin’

  OPER: Absolute Entertainment. Sports/Wres-

  PUBLISHER: Absolute Entertainment. DEVEL-

  tling, 1 or 2 players (simultaneous). 1989.

  OPER: Absolute Entertainment. Sports/Skate-

  A graphical upgrade over the 2600 version

  boarding/Side-Scrolling Platform, 1 player.

  1988.

  of the game, Title Match Pro Wrestling for the 7800 nevertheless suffers from the same horri-Unlike 720°, Skate or Die, and most other ble, needlessly convoluted control technique

  skateboarding titles, this cartridge doesn’t fea-

  in which players alternate between “joystick

  ture any actual skating moves, such as aerials,

  mode” and “button mode.” Simple punches

  rail slides, or hand plants. What Super Skate-

  and kicks are the easiest, most effective moves

  boardin’ does have are coffee makers, projec-since airplane spins, power lifts, rope dives,

  tors, radios, TVs, computers, and light bulbs

  back drops, bear hugs, and other fancy maneu-

  to turn off, the latter of which require jump-

  vers are a chore to pull off and deplete the

  ing in order to reach. The building players skate

  wrestler of energy. When the wrestler gets

  through is a maze of rooms connected by door-

  pinned or bear hugged, the player can jiggle the

  ways, elevators, escalators, and air ducts, and

  joystick quickly to try and escape. Modes of

  it’s easy to get turned around. Gamers with a

  play include One on One and Tag Team Match,

  good sense of direction can memorize the

  the latter of which is more enjoyable (though

  routes and item locations after repeated play,

  that’s not saying much). The side-view perspec-

  but the action doesn’t offer enough long-term

  tive shows a ring, an audience, a camera man,

  fun to warrant that kind of attention. The

  and an overhead scoreboard. Fans of the sport

  graphics are colorful, and the sound effects are

  should stick with Pro Wrestling for the NES.

  varied, but the there’s nothing particularly

  “rad” about the game, other than its use of the

  Tomcat: The F-14 Flight Simulator

  now outdated term on the box. Designed by

  PUBLISHER: Absolute Entertainment. DEVEL-

  David Crane of Activision fame.

  OPER: Absolute Entertainment. Flight Combat

  Simulator, 1 player. 1989.

  Tank Command

  PUBLISHER: Froggo. DEVELOPER: Froggo. Verti-

  Designed by Dan Kitchen (of Activision

  cal Scrolling Tank Shooter, 1 player. 1988.

  fame), Tomcat: The F-14 Flight Simulator is a Players commandeer an XT-87 attack ve-complex game in which players must launch

  hicle in Tank Command, one of the harder to

  (from the flight deck of the U.S.S. Enterprise)

  find games in the 7800 library. The objective is

  and land the titular craft, engage in combat

  to capture the enemy flag, which is a mere three

  missions (using a computer defense system,

  levels away. The game is short, but the difficulty

  machine guns, and three types of missiles), and

  level amps up in a hurry, making for an un-

  monitor a variety of instruments (including

  even gaming experience. Piloting the tank is a

  fuel, altitude, wing angle, and speed). During

  dangerous job since the terrain is covered with

  night flights, players must rely even more on

  pillboxes, heavy artillery, camouflaged traps,

  the elaborate instrumentation, especially in

  anti-tank weapons, and other obstacles. Play-

  combat situations. This cartridge is an up-

  ers can blow up missile silos, ammo and fuel

  dated, more graphically detailed (especially in

  dumps, buildings, huts, and other items for

  terms of the cockpit control panels) version of

  extra points, and it’s important to refuel when

  the Atari 2600 game of the same name, but with

  necessary. The pink color scheme is off-put-

  enemy bogeys that are harder to engage, mak-

  ting, but the game has sufficient graphical de-

  ing for a less enjoyable experience. Similar to:

  tail. Tank Command is marginally enjoyable,

  Ace
of Aces, Super Huey, and F-18 Hornet.

  but fans of vertical scrolling war games should

  stick with Commando or Ikari Warriors.

  Touchdown Football

  PUBLISHER: Atari. DEVELOPER: Imagineering.

  Title Match Pro Wrestling

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

  PUBLISHER: Absolute Entertainment. DEVEL-

  1988.

  ATARI 7800

  25

  The only gridiron game available for the

  pulling a water skier through three mediocre

  7800, Touchdown Football is flawed almost to looking levels (Obstacle Slalom Run, Shark &

  the point of being unplayable. The six-on-six

  Alligator Main Course, and High-speed Death

  action offers plenty of plays to select from (nine

  Run) of rocks, piers, tree stumps, enemy

  formations and three blocking schemes), and

  boaters, and other obstacles, some of which,

  the field and players look pretty good. How-

  annoyingly enough, are hidden. There are

  ever, field goals are all but impossible to make,

  ramps to jump, and the faster the player makes

  the animation is choppy, the action moves

  it through the course, the higher their score.

  much too slowly, and rushing is limited to the

  The game ends after the third level, but it’s very

  quarterback running the ball. The player on

  difficult to get there, thanks in part to frustrat-

  defense always controls the free safety. Inter-

  ing controls that take lots of time getting used

  estingly, there’s only one cheerleader on the

  sideline, and she looks as though she may have

  had one too many shots of testosterone. The

  view of the action is from an elevated side per-

  spective, with the screen scrolling left and right

  (only 25 or so yards of the field are visible at

  any given time).

  Tower Toppler

  PUBLISHER: Atari. DEVELOPER: Atari. Climbing,

  1 or 2 players (alternating). 1988.

  Derived from the computer semi-classic

  Nebulus, Tower Toppler is a good looking, highly unusual game in which players guide a

  frog up stairs, up elevators, across platforms,

  and over gaps in order to reach the top of eight

  different smoothly rotating towers. The frog is

  equipped with snowballs for destroying bounc-

  ing cannonballs and flashing blocks, but the

  rest of the enemies and obstacles, which include

  evil robots, mutant molecules, flying eyes, and

  rolling cannonballs, are indestructible. Certain

  jumps must be timed perfectly, and some floors

  will vanish, making for a frequently frustrat-

  ing experience. However, the game has a certain

  quality that virtually forces players to stick with

  it until they have at least reached the top of two

  or three towers. Between each level there’s a

  side-scrolling bonus round in which the frog

  hops in his sub and stuns and catches fish. The

  NES version, which is called Castelian, is similar, but with different bonus rounds in which

  the frog hops on clouds and gathers gems.

  Water Ski

  PUBLISHER: Froggo. DEVELOPER: Froggo.

  Tower Toppler for the Atari 7800, complete with Sports/Water Skiing, 1 player. 1988.

  box, instruction manual, and cartridge. The

  This vertical scrolling game has players

  version that was produced for the Game Boy and

  maneuvering a boat up the Pharonna River,

  NES is called Castelian.

  26

  CLASSIC HOME VIDEO GAMES, 1985–1988

  to. The fire buttons move the skier right and

  hitting and shooting (with a phaser) critters,

  left while the joystick operates the boat, which

  pods, tentacles (the floor-based tentacles from

  is a setup that is hardly intuitive. Water Ski is the arcade game are missing), rollerbabies, and

  one of the harder to find (not to mention

  snotterpillars. There are weapons (laser pistol,

  harder to play) games for the Atari 7800.

  electric rifle, poofer gun, grenades) and bonus

  point items (such as skulls and screwdrivers)

  Winter Games

  to pick up and elevators to ride. Some may find

  PUBLISHER: Atari. DEVELOPER: Epyx.

  the going a bit slow, but the two-player split

  Sports/Olympics, 1–8 Players (alternating, 2-

  screen mode (which actually lets gamers play

  player simultaneous). 1987.

  at the same time, unlike the Atari 2600 version)

  This nicely realized port of the popular

  will please most anyone looking to mindlessly

  computer game lets players compete in four

  kill some aliens. Also released for the Atari

  Olympic events: Speed Skating (side-view two-

  Lynx and the NES, the latter version of which

  man race); Ski Jump (points earned for dis-

  is disappointingly bland.

  tance and style); Bobsled (viewed from be-

  hind); and Biathlon (cross-country skiing and

  Xevious

  rifle shooting). The game plays very well and

  PUBLISHER: Atari. DEVELOPER: Atari. Vertical

  Scrolling Shooter, 1 or 2 players (alternating).

  is loaded down with graphical detail, but it’s

  1987.

  missing the Luge, Slalom, and Hot Dog events

  found in the 2600 version, as well as Figure

  Xevious is an extremely accurate port of

  Skating from the Commodore 64 game. The

  the 1982 Atari arcade game. The playfield has

  lavishly produced opening ceremonies do a

  been shortened (the score and number of ships

  great job of getting players in the spirit of

  remaining appear at the top of the screen), and

  things, but it’s too bad there are no closing cer-

  the blaster targeting sight is closer to the ship,

  emonies. It would’ve been nice to watch the

  meaning players have to get dangerously close

  contestants accepting their medals.

  to ground-based targets before they can shoot

  them. However, the sound effects are about 90

  Xenophobe

  percent accurate, the graphics are nicely emu-

  PUBLISHER: Atari. DEVELOPER: BlueSky Soft-

  lated, and the much-maligned 7800 joysticks

  ware. Platform Shooter, 1 or 2 players (simul-

  are perfectly designed for the action. Also,

  taneous). 1989.

  scrolling is smooth, and the game handles lots

  Despite the lack of a three-player mode

  of onscreen activity with seeming ease. There

  and the fact that gamers can only control Mr. M.

  are more than 20 different types of enemies to

  Brace (as opposed to one of nine different char-

  shoot, and players can select from four

  acters), Xenophobe for the Atari 7800 is a nice difficulty levels. Nitpickers will notice that the

  port of the 1987 Bally Midway arcade game

  ground-based targets don’t blink like they do in

  (which was undoubtedly inspired by the Alien

  the coin-op classic and in the NES version. Xe-

  films). Players walk, crawl, crouch, and jump

  vious spawned two sequels: Super Xevious (ar-their way through nine different spac
e stations,

  cade) and Xevious 3D/G+ (PlayStation).

  NINTENDO NES

  In 1984, the Japanese company Nintendo,

  movement, and hidden secrets and surprises.

  which had achieved tremendous success in the

  Those who grew up on comparatively primi-

  arcades with Donkey Kong (1981), approached

  tive previous consoles, such as the Atari 2600

  Atari about distributing the American version

  and the ColecoVision, were truly mesmerized

  of their popular Famicom system in the United

  by Super Mario Bros. ’ epic nature and expansive States. For a variety of reasons (which Steven L.

  game play.

  Kent details in his indispensable The Ultimate

  Scores of other landmark Nintendo-brand

  History of Video Games), the prospective deal NES games followed in the wake of Super

  with Atari failed, and Nintendo took it upon

  Mario Bros. , including Metroid and The Legend itself to test market their Americanized Fami-of Zelda, and the company began publishing

  com (dubbed the Nintendo Entertainment Sys-

  the long-running Nintendo Power magazine in

  tem) in New York City in 1985, leading to a na-

  1988. The NES hit its zenith in 1990 with the

  tionwide release in 1986.

  introduction of Super Mario Bros. 3. Released in Initially, due to the fabled Great Video

  conjunction with the feature film The Wizard

  Game Crash of 1983/1984, U.S. retailers were

  (1989), which was more or less an extended

  wary of carrying a new video game system.

  commercial for the game, Super Mario Bros. 3

  Wisely, Nintendo marketed their brainchild as

  sold more than 18 million copies worldwide,

  more than just a simple game console, packag-

  making it the best-selling video game cartridge

  ing the deluxe version of the NES with a me-

  of all time. The Wizard also showcased the

  chanical Robot Operating Buddy (R.O.B. for

  technically advanced Power Glove controller,

  short) and a Zapper light gun (for use with

  a black and gray gauntlet that looked really cool

  Duck Hunt and other target games). They

  and created a lot of buzz, but was extremely

  called their video game console an “entertain-

  inefficient and lacking in precision of move-

  ment system” and referred to its cartridges as

  ment when it came to actually playing games.

  “game paks.”

  Numerous third-party companies, such as

  The aforementioned marketing ploy was

  Capcom, Jaleco, and Data East, got in on the

  useful in getting the Nintendo NES on to store