by Brett Weiss
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