Classic Home Video Games (1985-1988)

by Brett Weiss

  Playing Game, 1 player. 1991.

  Poindexter, and other enemies and obstacles.

  Magic items include a punching glove, Frisbees,

  Like many action-oriented RPGs, Faria

  an airplane, a submarine, a spaceship, and

  borrows heavily from The Legend of Zelda.

  more. Like the Kirby and Mario platformers, Players explore forests, towns, puzzle-filled

  Felix the Cat offers cute, cartoon-like graphics, dungeons, and maze-like towers, with the time-nice animation, smooth controls, and a rollick-

  worn objective being to rescue the proverbial

  ing good time. Best of all, the game stays true

  princess. To battle the various monsters that

  to the spirit of the Felix franchise. Also released

  inhabit the land, adventurers can use nine dif-

  for the Game Boy.

  ferent swords, plus five types of bows: wood,

  bamboo, iron, steel, and cross. Other helpful

  Ferrari Grand Prix Challenge

  items include armor, shields, wings (for travel-

  PUBLISHER: Acclaim Entertainment. DEVEL-

  ing to previous townships), a flashlight, bombs,

  OPER: System 3 Software. Formula-1/Indy Rac-

  magic glasses, magic rope, and more. As play

  ing, 1 player. 1992.

  progresses, gamers can increase their hit points,

  striking power, defensive power, and fighting

  Viewed from behind the player’s car, Fer-

  experience. The challenge and complexity of

  rari Grand Prix Challenge has gamers racing

  Faria will please most fans of the genre. In-against 24 cars and 8 teams on 16 twisting,

  cludes battery backup.

  turning tracks. The playfield takes up the top

  two-thirds of the screen while the bottom one-

  third shows the dash board displaying speed,

  Faxanadu

  gear (players can select from automatic or

  PUBLISHER: Nintendo. DEVELOPER: Hudson

  Soft. Third-Person Action Role-Playing

  three-speed transmission), revs, lap number,

  Game/Side-Scrolling Platform, 1 player.

  lap time, position, radio (which gives such

  1989.

  warnings as oil on the track), rear view mirror,

  and course map. Signs along the way keep play-

  The elf town of Elois is under attack by

  ers advised of forthcoming turns and overhead

  meteorites and monsters, and it is up to the

  view pit stops, in which players furiously push

  player to journey through towns, fields, and

  buttons to make the pit crew change tires as

  dungeons, battling monsters to gain experi-

  fast as possible. Background graphics include

  ence, ultimately confronting the Evil One in

  mountains and buildings, but roadside scenery

  his fortress. By visiting shops, the hero can pur-

  is sparse, depicting redundant gray and green

  chase swords, shields, hints, keys, and armor.

  striped grass. The Genesis version features a

  He can also use magic (deluge, fire, thunder,

  customizable car, two-player split-screen ac-

  death, and tilt) and a variety of items, includ-

  tion, and selectable road and weather condi-

  ing a ruby ring (for moving rocks), wing boots

  tions. Also released for the Game Boy.

  (for flying), and a mattock (for destroying

  walls). Platforming action comes in the way of

  Fester’s Quest

  jumping, climbing ladders, and a side-view

  PUBLISHER: Sunsoft. DEVELOPER: Sunsoft. Ad-

  perspective. Includes password feature.

  venture, 1 player. 1989.

  84

  CLASSIC HOME VIDEO GAMES, 1985–1988

  In this largely humorless Addams Family

  Fire ’n Ice

  spin-off, the bald, but bold Uncle Fester trav-

  PUBLISHER: Tecmo. DEVELOPER: Tecmo. Maze

  els streets and sewers, rescuing townsfolk from

  Puzzle/Non-Scrolling Platform, 1 player. 1993.

  aliens and battling bosses to gather clues. Dur-

  ing his quest, he will enter seven houses (each

  The follow-up to Solomon’s Key (NES) and

  containing an Addams family member) and six

  Solomon’s Club (Game Boy), Fire ’n Ice remains labyrinthine buildings. To ward off globules,

  a deviously difficult puzzler, but changes the

  hovering aliens, slime replicators, giant scor-

  formula enough to keep things interesting. On

  pions, and other enemies (which appeared dur-

  a mission to protect Coolmint Island, the wiz-

  ing a recent alien invasion), Fester can bran-

  ard Dana, who can no longer jump or shoot

  dish a gun, a whip, TNT, and missiles. Other

  fireballs, must create, push, climb, and destroy

  useable items include bulbs (for seeing under-

  ice blocks to extinguish flames in 15 worlds,

  ground), keys (for entering buildings), money

  each containing 10 rooms. Every 10th room of

  (for buying hotdogs), and a noose, the latter of

  a world is a boss level, adding monsters, ghosts,

  which makes Lurch appear and kill all on-

  and other enemies to the action. Enemies vary

  screen enemies. Two viewpoints are featured:

  in abilities, such as those holding umbrellas

  overhead and first-person maze. There’s lots of

  cannot be destroyed by an ice block falling from

  shooting, so the manual recommends playing

  above. As in Solomon’s Club, gamers can play

  the game with a turbo/rapid-fire joystick.

  through the worlds in virtually any order. In

  addition, a special Edit Mode lets gamers de-

  sign and play their own rooms. The lack of bat-

  Final Fantasy

  tery back-up means players cannot save their

  PUBLISHER: Nintendo. DEVELOPER: Square.

  creations, but a password feature does enable

  Third-Person Role-Playing Game, 1 player.

  players to save their progress through the stan-

  1990.

  dard game.

  Along with Phantasy Star (SMS, 1988) and

  Dragon Warrior (NES, 1989), Final Fantasy Firehawk

  helped popularize console role-playing games

  PUBLISHER: Camerica. DEVELOPER: Codemas-

  ters. Overhead View Free-Roaming Shooter, 1

  in the United States. In this game, players cre-

  player. 1992.

  ate a party of four adventures (called Light

  Warriors) from six different character classes:

  The helicopter gunship players pilot in

  fighter, black belt, thief, red mage, white mage,

  Firehawk moves fast and can shoot bullets,

  and black mage, each of whom can mature into

  launch bombs, rotate, and fly in all directions.

  an adult over time, and each of whom has dif-

  Throughout the game, players can acquire

  ferent strengths and weaknesses. For example,

  extra shields, ammo, and fuel and can power-

  unlike the fighter, whose specialty is wielding

  up the helicopter with faster firing, faster ma-

  weapons and armor, the black mage excels at

  neuvering speed, bigger bullets, and triple

  casting powerful magic spells. Gameplay con-

  firing. There are seven missions, each of which

  sists of exploring a huge world (in
cluding

  has players destroying military targets (run-

  towns, castles, forests, and caves), talking to

  ways, tank hangers, heli landing pads and the

  characters to garner clues, setting sail on the

  like) and rescuing paratroopers, the latter of

  ocean, opening treasure boxes, and much

  which are found by following a moving arrow.

  more. Random, turn-based battles frequently

  Once a paratrooper has been located, the ac-

  occur, with players selecting from a menu of

  tion switches to behind the helicopter, where

  such options as fight, run, magic, drink, and

  heat-seeking sights will automatically track and

  item. During battles, the overhead perspective

  lock onto enemy choppers moving across the

  switches to side-view. Includes battery backup.

  screen. Players must time their shoots accord-

  Followed by: Final Fantasy II (SNES), Final ingly to destroy the enemy choppers and give

  Fantasy III (SNES), and numerous other se-

  the paratrooper time to climb up a rope ladder

  quels and offshoots (including a PSP remake).

  and safely into the helicopter. Unlicensed.

  NINTENDO NES

  85

  Fisher-Price: Firehouse Rescue

  screen. Players must maneuver each toy onto

  PUBLISHER: GameTek. DEVELOPER: Imagineer-

  the playfield and over a matching shadow of

  ing. Maze/Action, 1 player. 1992.

  that toy. If the object is not placed properly, or

  it is placed over the shadow of a different toy, a

  Fisher-Price: Firehouse Rescue features two

  buzz will sound, letting gamers know of their

  types of extremely basic gameplay. During the

  error. In more challenging levels, players must

  first part of each level, the action is viewed from

  flip the images and work against a time limit.

  overhead, and players must drive a fire truck

  The game is designed to help children ages

  around a maze of streets and to a house. Once

  three to six develop object recognition and eye-

  the truck reaches the house, a side-view is

  hand coordination, but boredom can set in

  shown, with players rescuing (with a fire truck

  after repeated play. The action is comple-

  ladder) Fisher Price toy people trapped in the

  mented by such traditional favorites as “Twin-

  upper level of said house. There are no enemies

  kle, Twinkle Little Star.”

  or obstacles to speak of, and there’s no actual

  representation of fire (this is a kids’ game, after

  all), but harder difficulty levels do introduce

  Fist of the North Star

  side-scrolling mazes and keys to find before

  PUBLISHER: Taxan. DEVELOPER: Shouei System.

  Side-Scrolling Combat, 1 player. 1989.

  reaching houses. The tune “Barnum and Bai-

  ley’s Favorite” plays during the title screen.

  In Fist of the North Star, a karate expert

  named Ken walks (stiffly and awkwardly),

  Fisher-Price: I Can Remember

  punches, kicks, crouches, and jumps (on brick

  PUBLISHER: GameTek. DEVELOPER: Beam Soft-

  platforms, over gaps, and up stairs) his way

  ware. Board Game, 1 or 2 players (simultane-

  though eight boring levels of bad guys who are

  ous). 1990.

  capable of a variety of attacks, including fire-

  Designed for children ages three to eight,

  balls, sliding kicks, clenching claws, and white

  Fisher Price: I Can Remember is essentially an light bombs. When killed, enemies explode or

  electronic version of Concentration, the classic fly off the screen. Defeating certain enemies in-memory game. From a playfield consisting of

  creases Ken’s strength or, in the case of besting

  12, 16, or 20 boxes (depending on the skill

  20 baddies, charges him up for a special shoot-

  level), players take turns flipping boxes two at

  ing attack. Power-up items include flags for re-

  a time, with the objective being to create

  gaining energy, a silver necklace for restoring

  matches. Each box contains a small toy, such

  shooting power, and a gold necklace for using

  as a roller skate or a drum, and completing the

  Gento Karate (transparency/invincibility). Fist

  entire board reveals a large Fisher Price toy or

  of the North Star is based on the anime and

  grouping of toys. The graphics are flat, blocky,

  manga series, which was originally serialized

  static images, and such standards

  as “Old MacDonald” and “Mary

  Had a Little Lamb” play in loops.

  Similar to Hunt & Score for the

  Atari 2600, but the Atari game ac-

  tually offers a 32-square board.

  Fisher-Price: Perfect Fit

  PUBLISHER: GameTek. DEVEL-

  OPER: Beam Software. Action

  Puzzle, 1 or 2 players (alternat-

  ing). 1990.

  In Perfect Fit, Fisher Price

  Like most consoles, the NES is no stranger to children’s educa-toys drop down, one at a time, out

  tional titles. Pictured are Fisher Price: Perfect Fit, Donkey Kong

  of a chute on the left side of the

  Jr. Math, and Sesame Street ABC.

  86

  CLASSIC HOME VIDEO GAMES, 1985–1988

  in Japan (as Hokuto no Ken) in the weekly magThe second Flintstones game for the NES,

  azine, Shonen Jump.

  The Surprise at Dinosaur Peak! is much harder to find than The Rescue of Dino & Hoppy, but Flight of the Intruder

  it’s just as fun. At any time, players can select

  PUBLISHER: Mindscape. DEVELOPER: Imagi-

  between Fred and Barney, which is important

  neering. Flight Combat Simulator, 1 player.

  for getting past certain areas. Both characters

  1991.

  can run, jump, and use items (bowling balls,

  Set during the Vietnam War, Flight of the

  stone hammers, and the like), but Fred scales

  Intruder for the NES is based on the 1990 fea-cliffs while Barney climbs poles, ropes, and

  ture film, and on the 1990 computer game.

  vines. Also, Fred wields a club while Barney

  Faced with 12 missions, players can fly two

  carries a sling. There are 12 levels of play, with

  planes: the F-14 Phantom all-weather intercep-

  activities ranging from using crocodiles as

  tor, which fires at North Vietnamese MiG 21

  trampolines to battling dinosaurs to using

  jets; and the A-6 Intruder all-weather carrier-

  Pterodactyls to fly over gaps to riding in mine

  based strike bomber, which destroys ground

  carts to playing prehistoric hardball. The ob-

  and sea targets while avoiding flak and ground-

  jective is to rescue Pebbles and Bam-Bam. Fans

  to-air missiles. Viewpoints include cockpit,

  of the Flintstones animated series, which orig-map, and bombing/strafing, the latter of which

  inally ran on ABC during prime time from 1960

  is from behind the plane. While landing, play-

  to 1966, will especially enjoy the game’s car-

  ers must consider thrust, altitude, vertical ve-

  toon-like graphics and nicely recreated theme
/>   locity, and range, along with the lowering of

  song.

  the landing gear and arrestor hook.

  Flying Dragon: The Secret Scroll

  The Flintstones: The Rescue of Dino &

  PUBLISHER: Culture Brain. DEVELOPER: Culture

  Brain. Side-Scrolling Combat/Fighting, 1

  Hoppy

  player. 1989.

  PUBLISHER: Taito. DEVELOPER: Taito. Side-

  Scrolling Platform, 1 player. 1991.

  Despite poor controls, Flying Dragon

  boasts an interesting mixture of genres. It of-

  A time-traveler from the 30th century has

  fers side-scrolling combat/platforming action,

  kidnapped Dino the dinosaur and Hoppy the

  with players punching and kicking ninjas and

  hopposaurus. To rescue his beloved pets, Fred

  jumping over obstacles. However, much of the

  Flintstone must help Gazoo rebuild the friendly

  game consists of one-on-one fights, with the

  alien’s time machine. The result of this

  added twist of having to hit certain areas of the

  confluence of events is a standard, yet fun and

  opponent’s body marked by red symbols. Oppo-

  colorful platformer. Players guide a nicely an-

  nents consist of a boxer, a kickboxer, a wrestler,

  imated Fred as he runs, jumps, and climbs

  and karate, kung-fu, and martial arts experts.

  through jungles, the town of Bedrock, an ice

  RPG-style power-ups include increased punch-

  village, dungeons, and other areas, clubbing

  ing, kicking, and jumping abilities, plus keys

  criminals, prehistoric animals, and barrels, the

  for opening doors and cosmic saucers for

  latter of which release such helpful items as

  throwing at enemies. Includes password fea-

  coins for using a slingshot, an axe, and

  ture. Followed by: Flying Warriors (NES).

  boomasaurus egg bombs. Periodically, Fred will

  play a simple one-on-one basketball game

  where he can win the ability to fly, swim, and

  Flying Warriors

  jump long distances.

  PUBLISHER: Culture Brain. DEVELOPER: Culture

  Brain. Side-Scrolling Combat/Fighting, 1 or 2

  players (simultaneous). 1991.

  The Flintstones: The Surprise at Di-

  nosaur Peak!

  The sequel to Flying Dragon: The Secret

  PUBLISHER: Taito. DEVELOPER: Taito. Side-

  Scroll, Flying Warriors offers the same type of Scrolling Platform, 1 player. 1993.

  side-scrolling combat and one-on-one fight-

  NINTENDO NES

  87

  ing action, but improves upon the formula with