Summary
TheNESsuccessfully relaunched the console market in a big way when it hit North America in 1985. It was bundled with the perfect game,Super Mario Bros.This game helped Nintendo cement its dominance over other consoles and even toy companies at the time.
Super Mario Bros. is, of course, one of the most famous NES games of all time, but Nintendo didn’t churn out an endless supply of hits. For every entry in theSuper Mario Bros.andThe Legend of Zeldafranchises, there was something not quite as successful. Let’s celebrate the games that went nowhere on the NES, but are fondly remembered by those who played them.
Clu Clu Landis a game whose name is more fun to say out loud than it is to play. Players are an odd red sphere who must go around a maze to find a pattern. Once part of the pattern is found, an object that looks likea Rupee fromThe Legend of Zeldawill appear.
For example, the pattern in the first level can look like a heart after completion. The oddest thing about the game is that this red creature will move on its own. The only way to control it is by swinging around the map’s poles. The momentum is wild, and the enemies are rampant, making this one hard to master.
Devil Worldwas never released in North America in its initial run. It began in 1984 with Japan and then European territories got it years later in 1987. Part of the reason why it was never released in its full form in the West wasthe religious iconography, which was a big no-no in the 80s and 90s.
LikeClu Clu Land,Devil Worldwas similar toPac-Man. Players would have to grab a cross from the maze before they could pick up pellets. Also, creatures at the bottom of the screen turned a crank that switched the camera angle at the behest of a demon at the top of the screen, which made navigating increasingly difficult. It’s certainly a bizarre title from Nintendo.
Donkey Kongis a classic arcade title that most have probably played or at least seen. The sequel,Donkey Kong Jr., is probably a bit more obscure but still known.Donkey Kong 3,however, is a wild departure for the series in many ways and has to be unpacked.
First, Mario is not the star. It’s some random exterminator that was called in to deal with pests that Donkey Kong was unleashing from things like hives. Players had to fight off bugs while trying to push Donkey Kong up a series of ladders to get him to knock down these hives. There wasa tower-defense elementtoo, as players had to protect flowers from the invading bugs.
There’s a genre that Nintendo doesn’t deal with anymore:light gun games. The genre used to be popular as a whole in the 80s and 90s, especially in arcades, although consoles were inundated with them as well. Nintendo made games likeDuck Hunt,Hogan’s Alley, andWild Gunmanthat worked with the NES Zapper.
Of the many they made,Gumshoeis probably one that slips through the cracks time and time again. A detective will walk automatically through a level, and players could force him to jump if shot at. Players would also have to shoot enemies coming toward him or else it was game over. This game was unique in that it wasn’t a light gun game wherein enemies were coming at the screen like a jump scare.
One of the first things players will notice aboutKung Fuis the catchy music. It is on a loop and perhaps, eventually, it will grow tiresome, but it is a retro bop for sure. Technically, thegame is a brawlerbut one that is faster-paced.
Enemies will come toward players in large droves as they scroll through a level. They could be punched or kicked and that was it. This was developed by Nintendo, but it is based on another company’s arcade game,Kung-Fu Masterfrom Irem. As a fun bonus fact, the game is known asSpartan Xin Japan with both NES and arcade versions.
StarTropics
WHERE TO PLAY
Tropical adventure of epic dimensions!A teenager’s dream vacation on a tranquil south sea island … A shooting star!? … It’s an omen of disaster! Mike’s archaeologist uncle has been kidnapped. Mike alone can rescue him. Thus begins the test of island courage.Happy villagers eagerly assist, but endless enemies threaten every step. Mike’s search leads him through the lush wilderness of the StarTropics. As he travels on foot, or by submarine through this sunny land of dark secrets and deadly peril, Mike is a tireless fighter.Using common sense, an island yo-yo, magic potions, and mysterious new weapons and skills, Mike must defend himself. Restore his strength with coconut milk. Help him defeat strange creatures, sea monsters and hidden attackers.Join Mike in his adventure. Journey to the StarTropics.Modern-day adventure in an island paradise!
StarTropicswas the American branch of Nintendo’s attempt at making an entry inThe Legend of Zeldaseries. Players would go through a series of islands as a young child, Mike, who was tasked with locating his kidnapped uncle. Most of the game is played from a top-down perspective and this style makes it look a lot like earlyFinal Fantasygames.
Once a dungeon was entered, however, the perspective shifted and Mike got bigger and more detailed. A yo-yo was the main weapon, although more pieces of gear could be collected during the adventure. There were two games on the NES and then that was it for this series, save for Easter Eggs ingames likeSuper Smash Bros. Ultimate.
