by Brett Weiss
Classic Home Video Games,
1985–1988
ALSO BY BRETT WEISS
Classic Home Video Games, 1972–1984:
A Complete Reference Guide (McFarland, 2007)
Classic Home Video
Games, 1985–1988
A Complete Reference Guide
BRETT WEISS
Foreword by BILL KUNKEL
McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers
Jefferson, North Carolina, and London
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS CATALOGUING-IN-PUBLICATION DATA
Weiss, Brett, 1967–
Classic home video games, 1985–1988 : a complete reference guide /
Brett Weiss ; foreword by Bill Kunkel.
p.
cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-0-7864-3660-6
illustrated case binding : 50# alkaline paper
1. Video games— History.
I. Title.
GV1469.3.W472
2009
794.809 — dc22
2009016502
British Library cataloguing data are available
©2009 Brett Weiss. All rights reserved
No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying or recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.
Cover images: Digital Vision and Shutterstock ©2009
Manufactured in the United States of America
McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers
Box 611, Jefferson, North Carolina 28640
www.mcfarlandpub.com
To Mike, Kelly, Chris, and Cara Davis, whose love and support through the years
have had an immeasurable impact on my life
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Special thanks to my lovely (and loveable) wife, Charis Weiss, who helped me with the many computer conundrums that occurred during the writing of this book. Special thanks also to Ryan and Katie Weiss, who provide a constant source of inspiration, love, and amusement.
Special thanks also goes to Bill Kunkel, co-founder of Electronic Games Magazine; Rick Kelsey, friend and fellow writer; Leonard Herman, author of Phoenix: The Fall & Rise of Videogames; David Kaelin, owner of Game Over Videogames; Buddy Saunders, owner of Lone Star Comics and mycomicshop.
com; Thomas Sansone, editor of Video Game Trader Magazine; Chris “Cav”
Cavanaugh, editor for the All Game Guide; Michael Thomasson, owner of Good Deal Games; Earl Green, who runs thelogbook.com; Jesse Hardesty, the man behind the Oklahoma Video Game Exhibition; Bart Bush, key member of the Oklahoma Alliance of Fandom; Roy Thomas, editor of Alter Ego magazine; and Digital Press editor Joe Santulli and all the guys (and gals) who contribute to the always lively Digital Press message boards.
vii
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Acknowledgments
vii
Foreword by Bill Kunkel
1
Preface
3
Atari 7800 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Nintendo NES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Sega Master System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Glossary
255
Bibliography
267
Index
269
ix
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FOREWORD
by Bill Kunkel
More than any other companies in the his-
Simultaneously, a phrase was beginning
tory of electronic gaming, Nintendo, Sega, and
to permeate the world of seven-disk computer
later Sony established video games as a lifestyle,
games, intolerable delays in loading new con-
a hobby that would endure beyond the “video
tent, the incredible range of power among even
game craze” of the ’70s. Following the Great
the same company’s microcomputers as well as
Implosion of ’83, as the Age of Atari crumbled,
a labyrinth of audio and video augmentation
game console and software sales tanked and
boards that made system/software compatibil-
American industry and retail alike closed the
ity an issue in every purchase (“I can buy this
coffin lid on the video game as a viable enter-
really cool-looking game, but it’s going to play
tainment format and shoveled on the dirt.
like crap on my computer. If it plays at all.”).
In their heart of hearts, after all, most
Then there was the question of whether soft-
American retailers and even many executives
ware publishers should be making “games” at
within the industry itself had always viewed the
all, when they could concentrate their efforts
video game boom as a fad. Throughout the en-
on the more academic-sounding “simulations.”
tire mid–’80s, the only place most Americans
And all of it took that phrase from a mur-
played electronic games was on computers or at
mur to a command. That phrase was plug ’n’
the arcades. And the only games the computers
play.
offered were coin-op derivatives or text (and
The old joys of ripping a plastic-encased
later illustrated and even animated) RPGs and
game board directly out of the box, putting it
adventure games. For most Americans, video
into your game system and seeing it on the TV
games were now perceived as the carrot-on-the-
suddenly acquired a nostalgic appeal. More-
stick gateway to the computer-in-every-house-
over, computer gaming was, and remains, a so-
hold world that many people thought would
cially isolated experience. Online play has long
take place 20 years before it actually occurred.
allowed computer gamers to test their skills
But the Japanese never lost faith. Japanese
against gamers in remote locations, but the key
coin-op manufacturers had, in many ways,
word there was “remote.” People began to re-
helped create the second generation American
member how much fun it had been to play
video game boom (i.e., the Age of Atari) with
against their brother, sister, parents, and friends
games like Space Invaders and Pac-Man and head-to-head in the most comfortable room in
they saw no diminution of interest among Japa-
the house on a TV screen that was almost cer-
nese gamers.
tainly larger than your computer monitor.
1
2
FOREWORD BY BILL KUNKEL
All of these things converged when Nin-
digm to the “joypad,” an interface that all but
tendo brought its Nintendo Entertainment
demanded an endless diet of platformers. For
System (complete with a dorky robot that was
the first time, the idea of multiple action but-
eliminated from the system with appropriate
tons (direction was now controlled with the left
swiftness) and Sega introdu
ced its Sega Mas-
hand via the directional joypad) and the timing
ter System to America. Video games were once
required in pushing them became the driving
again embraced as part of a lifestyle, as fixed a
force behind most games of this period. Move-
member of the pop cultural pantheon as pop
ment was largely confined to North-East-
music, movies, and comic books. There will be
South-West commands and the trick was in
good years and bad years, we realized, but the
perfectly timing a jump over a ravine or onto
idea of the video game itself as a staple of pop-
a mushroom.
ular entertainment was here to stay.
The Nintendo/Sega (and later Sony) era
The Nintendo/Sega (and later Sony) era
taught us to once again love video games and,
revolutionized the concept of what you could
to this day, Nintendo and Sony remain the
do with video games. Elaborate, action-driven
world’s most successful producers of video
adventures joined the video game landscape
game hardware. So take a stroll back through
and the platform and scrolling shooter genres
the mid and late ’80s, when a new voice and a
became the dominant categories. After all, the
new culture took back the right to enjoy video
Nintendo/Sega era redefined the nature of
games.
gaming by transitioning gamers from a joy-
Take it away, Brett...
stick-driven, one or two action button para-
Bill Kunkel (AKA The Game Doctor) and his partner Arnie Katz “invented” video game journalism in Video magazine in 1978 and then, with Katz and Joyce Worley, created Electronic Games in 1981. Kunkel has designed games, consulted, written numerous game strategy books, and served as an expert witness in much of the industry’s seminal litigation. His memoirs, Confessions of the Game Doctor , were published in 2006, and he’s a regular colum-nist at J2Games.com.
PREFACE
The year 1984 was a bad one for the U.S.
tive consciousness of a nation and quickly sup-
home video game industry. No new consoles
planted the Atari 2600 as the system that the
were released in 1984 (or in 1983, for that mat-
general public most frequently associated with
ter), and the Atari 5200 and ColecoVision,
video games. Nintendo put the U.S. home
which had seemed so fresh and innovative in
video game market back on the map, and the
1982, were (or already had been) abandoned by
industry has been going strong ever since (de-
their manufacturers, not to mention most of
spite such intermittent misfires as the Pana-
their owners. The ubiquitous Atari 2600 was
sonic 3DO and the Philips CD-i).
still being produced, but it was increasingly ob-
I got my very own NES, along with its
vious that the antiquated system was a primi-
killer app ( Super Mario Bros. , of course), in Autive relic of another time. Atari was losing
gust of 1987 as a birthday present from my
money by the bucketful, prompting Warner
older brother. Before the year was up, I added
Communications to sell the company. INTV
such quality titles as Castlevania, Contra, Ikari rescued the aging Intellivision from oblivion
Warriors, Ghosts ’n Goblins, Double Dribble, and in 1984, keeping it afloat until 1991, but sales
The Legend of Zelda to my NES library. I was of INTV games barely registered a blip on the
thrilled with the NES, but still kept my favorite
consumer radar. What had once been a thriv-
system —the ColecoVision—hooked up to my
ing industry, boasting gross sales of $3.2 bil-
19-inch television set, which sat on a desk in
lion in 1982, was on the verge of extinction.
my bedroom. Despite the advances made by
As fate would have it, a Japanese outfit
Nintendo, I still enjoyed the simple pleasures of
called Nintendo (which began in 1889 as a
munching dots, climbing ladders, and shoot-
playing card manufacturer) was more than
ing descending armadas of alien invaders that
eager to save the proverbial day. In 1985, the
the ColecoVision, Atari 2600, and other older
company test-marketed their Nintendo Enter-
systems offered. (The NES was home to a num-
tainment System (called the Famicom in Japan)
ber of retro arcade ports, such as BurgerTime, in select locations in New York City and re-Galaga, and Ms. Pac-Man, but the emphasis leased it nationwide in early 1986, giving birth
was definitely on the newer, more elaborate
to the next generation of home video game
games.)
consoles. Bolstered by the legendary launch
As biased toward the ColecoVision (and
title Super Mario Bros. , which fascinated con-other outdated systems) as I was, I had to admit
sumers with its expansive gameplay, delightful
that the NES games were vastly superior in
audio/visuals, and plethora of secrets and sur-
many ways, especially in terms of graphics,
prises, the Nintendo NES captured the collec-
controls (the NES D-pad was a huge improve-
3
4
PREFACE
ment over previous joysticks and control
the subject (compared to various other com-
discs), and the epic nature of the games. Play-
mercially viable pop culture art forms), espe-
ing such adventure titles as Metroid and The cially in terms of literate, comprehensive, thor-Legend of Zelda was a liberating experience
oughly researched reference guides. To help fill
when compared to the relatively confining na-
that gap, I wrote a book called Classic Home
ture of most games for previous consoles. I
Video Games, 1972–1984: A Complete Reference
found myself powering up Nintendo’s gray box
Guide (McFarland, 2007), which chronicled
with increasing frequency, spending hours
every video game console released during that
upon hours hopping on monsters, jumping
time, plus all the cartridges for those systems,
across treacherous chasms, beating up bad
regardless of the release dates of those car-
guys, battling bosses, completing objective-
tridges. That book covered what I (and certain
specific levels, playing relatively realistic bas-
other historians) call the golden age of home
ketball and hockey, and undertaking compar-
video games, which includes such consoles
atively complex missions, many of which
as the Atari 2600, Intellivision, and ColecoVi-
revolved around rescuing the proverbial
sion.
damsel in distress (usually a princess).
The book you hold in your hands picks
The NES revitalized my interest in home
up where the first volume left off. Classic Home
video games in general, spurring me to pur-
Video Games, 1985–1988 covers the three sys-
chase the inevitable consoles that followed,
tems released during that prolific era, plus all
such as the Sega Master System (1986), the Sega
<
br /> the games produced for those systems regard-
Genesis (1989), and the Super Nintendo (1991).
less of the release date. Included is every
Games like Shinobi (Master System), Sonic the U.S.–released game for the Nintendo NES, the
Hedgehog (Genesis), and Super Mario World Sega Master System, and the Atari 7800. Those
(Super NES) offered new worlds to explore,
of you who read the first volume of Classic
new challenges to conquer, and new shelves to
Home Video Games know I included the 7800
build (for my increasingly large library of
in that book (since it was a throwback to ear-
games).
lier systems, and since it completed the “tril-
Unlike many gamers, simply buying a new
ogy” of classic Atari consoles), but I have up-
game, playing it to death, and then getting rid
dated it for the present work, expanding most
of it wasn’t enough for me. I wanted to keep
of the entries and adding newly relevant infor-
each cartridge (along with its accompanying
mation, such as comparisons to similar NES
box and manual), especially the games that I
and Master System titles.
thoroughly enjoyed. To me, building a good li-
As with the first volume, this book is de-
brary of video games is akin to having a nice
signed to be a video game version of a classic
collection of books or movies. You never know
American movie guide, directing readers to the
when the urge might hit to revisit (or share
games they may enjoy. Each entry describes the
with a friend) an old favorite, be it Orwell’s
gameplay in detail and includes pertinent data
1984, Spielberg’s Close Encounters of the Third for that title, and most entries contain critical
Kind, or Shigeru Miyamoto’s Super Mario
analysis. The review elements reflect my opin-
Bros. (The fact that Miyamoto is not a house-
ions, of course, but I tried to remain as objec-
hold name underscores the relative infancy of
tive as possible when considering the merits (or
and the lack of respect accorded to the video
lack thereof ) of each game. When possible (and
game industry when compared to books and
when relevant), I compared the games to their
movies.)
arcade, computer, and other-console counter-
Over the years, I have amassed countless
parts.