by Brett Weiss
bad guys, Peter is armed with a lame, short-
more accurate controls, superior graphics, five
range sword, which requires Peter to get close
playable characters, and a two-player mode pit-
to enemies to stab them or knock them off a
ting one fighter against another. Items to use
ledge. Peter can also wield a musket, and he
include: windy shoes (for revisiting places);
can tap (with his weapon) cannonballs to send
bait (for attracting enemy soldiers); arms (for
them bowling over pirates. Although playable,
mystic spells); mirrors (for repelling enemy
Peter Pan and the Pirates is plagued by unimag-spells); and much more. Fighting styles include
inative level design, slow flight, sparse sound
kung-fu, wrestling, boxing, martial arts, kick
effects, redundant music, mediocre graphics,
boxing, and karate. Includes password feature.
and dull combat.
Followed by: Flying Dragon (Nintendo 64).
Frankenstein: The Monster Returns
Formula One: Built to Win
PUBLISHER: Bandai. DEVELOPER: Bandai. Side-
P
Scrolling Combat, 1 player. 1991.
UBLISHER: Seta. DEVELOPER: Winky Soft. For-
mula-1/Indy Racing/Sports Car Racing, 1
The Frankenstein monster has risen from
player. 1990.
the dead, laid waste to the city, and kidnapped
a girl named Emily. As a brave villager intent on
Released by Seta, who later published F1
rescuing the damsel in distress, players must
Roc and F-1 Roc II for the SNES, Formula One: work their way through four levels, jumping
Built to Win is a fast and fun career racer, in on platforms, using keys to open doors, climb-which players drive a Mini Cooper, a Vector
ing stairs and cliffs, and battling warthogs, bone
W2, a Ferrari F40, and a Formula 1. The action
fish, purple dogs, demon horses, water drag-
takes place in 10 locales: New York, Detroit,
ons, evil statues, Dracula, Medusa, and, of
Miami, Yellowstone, Denver, Dallas, Los Ange-
course, the Frankenstein monster himself.
les, San Francisco, Hawaii, and Las Vegas, the
Gamers can punch, execute jump kicks, use a
latter of which offers playable slot machines.
club and a mace, wield a sword, and grab
Success on the various tracks lets gamers in-
power-ups for hurling fireballs (including
crease their ranking and earn cash to purchase
three-way fire). Areas to battle through include
faster cars (referenced above) or better car
a forest, a sewer, a graveyard, and an Evil Di-
parts, including tires, turbo, engines, and
mension. Frankenstein: The Monster Returns is bumpers. As in such games as Pole Position (ar-somewhat similar to Castlevania, but not as
cade) and Rad Racer (NES), the roads twist and good. The graphics are nice, but stiff anima-turn, and the view is from behind (and slightly
tion and mediocre combat ruin the fun. In-
above) the player’s car. Scenic backgrounds add
cludes password feature, cut scenes, and lots of
to the experience.
text. British novelist Mary Shelley’s creepy cre-
ation made his video game debut in 1983 with
Fox’s Peter Pan and the Pirates
Frankenstein’s Monster for the Atari 2600.
PUBLISHER: THQ. DEVELOPER: Equilibrium.
Side-Scrolling Platform, 1 player. 1991.
Freedom Force
Loosely based on the Fox animated televi-
PUBLISHER: Sunsoft. DEVELOPER: Sunsoft. Light
sion series (1990–1991), Peter Pan and the Pi-
Gun Shooter, 1 or 2 players (alternating). 1988.
rates has Peter Pan running, jumping, and
Freedom Force is a nice looking game that
flying (as long as he has flight energy from eat-
is set in and around a terrorist-infested airport.
ing food) through Neverland, the “magical is-
Players, armed with a Zapper light gun (which
land where dreams come true and children
works great), must avoid shooting innocents
never get old.” The objective is to rid Never-
while killing pistol-packing, grenade-throwing
land of pirates (a level is not complete until all
bad guys that seemingly pop up at random.
the pirates have been defeated), including the
Shooting icons grants players ammo, health, a
extremely wicked Captain Hook, who must be
stiffer challenge, or one of three different weap-
forced to walk his own gangplank. To battle
ons: a .38 caliber gun, a .44 magnum, and a
88
CLASSIC HOME VIDEO GAMES, 1985–1988
grenade launcher. Scenes to shoot through in-
With its solid black backgrounds, simplis-
clude: Aircraft, Jetway-Loading Ladder, Ticket
tic looking enemies (which move in zigzagging
Counter Lobby, Airport Entrance, and Un-
and curving patterns), and basic (yet rapid-
known Guerilla Hideout. Between rounds
fire) gameplay, Galactic Crusader is a throw-there’s a mini-game in which players shoot let-
back to the previous generation of console
ters to break a code.
gaming. Players pilot a metamorphic starship
up the screen, firing away at space corals,
Friday the 13th
urchin crafts, poisonous ticks, dragon wasps,
PUBLISHER: LJN. DEVELOPER: LJN. Adventure, 1
corrosive spiders, and other enemies while
player. 1989.
avoiding them and their fire. The starship can
Based on the famous slasher film series
morph from a huge flying insect into a metal-
(which began in 1980 and spawned numerous
lic destroyer and can attach and detach special
sequels), Friday the 13th takes place at Camp firing devices to and from its front and rear.
Crystal Lake, where players alternate control
Additional firepower — pulsar waves, plasma
between six camp counselors. The objective is
blasts, and corkscrew bullets— is obtained via
to keep children safe from serial killer Jason
weapon capsules. Much maligned for its ar-
Vorhees (he of the hockey mask and machete).
chaic look and gameplay, Galactic Crusader is Three viewpoints are used: a top-down map; a
nevertheless a solid shooter. Unlicensed.
side-view perspective where players throw
stones at wolves, zombies, crows, and bats; and
a behind-the-counselor view inside maze-like
Galaga: Demons of Death
cabins. An axe, a machete, a lighter, a torch, a
PUBLISHER: Bandai. DEVELOPER: Namco. Slide-
key, a pitchfork, and other helpful items can be
and-Shoot, 1 or 2 players (alternating). 1988.
found, but getting lost is all too easy.
Despite tinny sound effects, somewhat
Fun House
easier gameplay, and the addition of “Demons
PUBLISHER: Hi Tech Expressions. DEVELOPER:
of Death” to the title, Galaga for the NES is vir-Hi Tech Expressions. Game Show/Overhead
tually a note-for-note port of Namco’s time-
View Free-Roaming Shooter, 1 player. 1991.
less 1981 arcade game (w
hich was the sequel to
Loosely based on the kids’ TV game show,
Galaxian). Players guide a fighter right and left which ran from 1988 to 1991, Fun House puts
along the bottom of the screen, shooting up-
players in a pair of rollerblades, rotating right
ward at waves of ships and bug-like aliens that
and left and speeding ahead in all directions,
fly out onto the screen, gather into formation
throwing tomatoes at targets while avoiding
near the top, and then dive-bomb like crazy.
blobs, boingers, bananas, and schmutz balls.
The two most memorable aspects of the coin-
To progress to the next room (there are 72
op classic—the challenge stages, in which play-
overhead-view rooms in all), players must hit
ers fire with impunity, and the dual firing tech-
all the targets and grab a key within a set time
nique, which is achieved by freeing a captured
limit. Slime-covered ramps, moving floors, and
ship — are kept fully intact, helping make this
icy floors increase the challenge, but the ap-
a retro favorite among NES owners. Galaga was pearance of coins (for extra lives), glop clocks
also released for the Atari 7800 and Game Boy
(for extra time), and sneakers (for increased
Color. Followed by: Gaplus (arcade), Galaga speed) make things somewhat more manage-
’84 (arcade), Galaga ’90 (TurboGrafx-16), able. Though the game bears little resemblance
Galaga Legions (Xbox 360), and other sequels
to its source material, Fun House definitely lives and offshoots.
up to the first name in its title.
Galactic Crusader
Galaxy 5000
PUBLISHER: Bunch Games. DEVELOPER: Sachen.
PUBLISHER: Activision. DEVELOPER: Activision.
Vertical Scrolling Shooter, 1 or 2 players (al-
Demolition/Combat Racing/Futuristic Rac-
ternating). 1990.
ing, 1 or 2 players (simultaneous). 1991.
NINTENDO NES
89
One of the best racing games in the NES li-
coin-op classic (which stunned gamers of the
brary, Galaxy 5000 is similar to R.C. Pro-Am, day with its four-player simultaneous action),
but is set in the 51st century and includes
Gauntlet for the NES has a number of differ-
jumping. Players race their armored turbocraft
ences, including 100 all new levels, the last of
around twisting, turning tracks on nine dif-
which contains a sacred orb that is accessible
ferent planets (this was when Pluto was still
only if players have collected all the digits or
considered a planet), trying to beat three other
letters of a password hidden in clue rooms from
cars. In two-player mode, gamers earn bonus
earlier levels. The NES game also has moveable
points by getting a screen’s length ahead of
walls (ala Gauntlet II) and a spiffy new title the other player’s vehicle (ala Auto Racing for screen, but is missing the many onscreen hints
the Intellivision). There are five turbocraft
(such as “save keys to open doors”) and mem-
models, each outfitted with two different weap-
orable voice effects (such as “Elf needs food
ons (machine gun, guided missiles, bombs,
badly”). The view of this quickly paced dun-
fireballs, and the like) for use in destroying ob-
geon crawler is from overhead, with players, as
stacles and other cars. Earned money can be
a warrior, elf, wizard, or valkyrie, scurrying
used to repair the turbocraft or purchase a new
around five worlds (including Castle, Dark For-
one. Two different control schemes are avail-
est, and Lost Caverns), shooting monsters
able.
(which re-spawn via generators), grabbing keys
to open doors, collecting treasure, drinking po-
Gargoyle’s Quest II: The Demon Dark-
tions (for speed, power, and health), and
ness
searching for the exits. Includes password fea-
PUBLISHER: Capcom. DEVELOPER: Capcom.
ture. Although originally released with Nin-
Platform Shooter/Adventure, 1 player. 1992.
tendo’s blessing, Gauntlet was later re-released as an unlicensed game. Also released for the
As in the original Gargoyle’s Quest (Game
Game Boy Advance (via Gauntlet/Rampage).
Boy), The Demon Darkness puts players in con-Remade for the Nintendo DS.
trol of the winged gargoyle enemy from Ghosts
’N Goblins. In the side-scrolling platform areas (dungeons, bridges, and the like), Firebrand
Gauntlet II
(called Red Devil in Ghosts ’n Goblins) can
PUBLISHER: Mindscape. DEVELOPER: Mind-
jump, cling to walls, fly (briefly), and shoot
scape. Maze Shooter/Adventure, 1–4 players
magic fireballs at the various enemies. Other
(simultaneous). 1990.
magic players can acquire includes: blockbuster
(destroys blocks that get in the way); claw (lets
Based on Atari’s 1986 arcade game, Gaunt-
Firebrand climb up spikes with impunity);
let II for the NES, like the original Gauntlet for essence of soulstream (regains lost stamina);
the NES, is missing the onscreen hints, but at
and darkfire (the most powerful magic of all).
least Gauntlet II retains some of the voice ef-During the overhead view world map areas,
fects, along with the much-appreciated four-
Firebrand talks to zombies, ghouls, and other
player mode (via multi-tap adaptor). The top-
characters in order to gain helpful items and
down action of Gauntlet II evokes the first game advance the storyline. New to the series are
in the series as players guide Thor the Warrior,
magic tornadoes Firebrand can use as plat-
Thyra the Valkyrie, Merlin the Wizard, or
forms for reaching high areas.
Questor the Elf through more than 100 treasure-
rich dungeon mazes, shooting battle axes,
Gauntlet
swords, magic, or arrows (depending on the
PUBLISHER: Tengen. DEVELOPER: Tengen. Maze
character) at such enemies as ghosts, demons,
Shooter/Adventure, 1 or 2 players (simultane-
and sorcerers. Potions give players extra armor,
ous). 1987.
magic power, speed, shot power, and more.
Although it retains the basic gameplay and
Items in Gauntlet II that were not found in the all four playable characters from Atari’s 1985
original Gauntlet include: “It” enemies, which
90
CLASSIC HOME VIDEO GAMES, 1985–1988
make all monsters attracted to the player’s
century, and the goal is to unify the 14 tribes
character; large, fire-breathing dragons; pools
of the Mongul Plains (in Mongul Conquest
of acid; reflective shots that bounce off walls;
mode) or the entire world (in World Conquest
and more. Also released for the Game Boy. Fol-
mode). This involves collecting taxes, drafting
lowed by: Gauntlet: The Third Encounter (Atari and hiring troops, purchasing food and
Lynx), Gauntlet IV (Genesis), Gauntlet Legends weapons (daggers, swords, axe
s, lances, pikes,
(arcade, various), Gauntlet: Dark Legacy (ar-
and bombs), sending out spies, attacking other
cade, various), and Gauntlet: Seven Sorrows
countries, marrying off daughters, managing
(PS2, Xbox).
rebellions, coping with hostile weather, and
much more. Players monitor map screens and
Gemfire
select from numerous text menus, and the key
PUBLISHER: Koei. DEVELOPER: Koei. Turn-
to success is to understand how each of the
Based Strategy, 1 or 2 players (simultaneous).
commands given affects all the factors in the
1992.
game, and to plan subsequent moves accord-
ingly. Includes battery backup. Adapted from
Gemfire puts players on a quest to reunite
the 1989 computer game. Followed by: Genghis
six different gems (each housing a wizard or a
Khan II: Clan of the Gray Wolf (Genesis, SNES).
sorceress) with a magical crown and free
Princess Robyn, who has been put in jail by
King Eselred, the evil ruler of Ishmeria. Using
George Foreman’s KO Boxing
a combination of military and domestic tac-
PUBLISHER: Acclaim Entertainment. DEVEL-
tics, players must unite all the provinces of the
OPER: Beam Software. Sports/Boxing, 1 or 2
players (simultaneous). 1992.
land under one banner. This entails cultivat-
ing the land, protecting provinces, trading for
Take on the role of the former Heavy-
food and gold, plundering neighboring prov-
weight Champion in George Foreman’s KO Box-
inces, gaining the support of the people, ex-
ing, which features a behind-the-boxer view-
panding into other lands, hiring creatures to
point similar to that of Mike Tyson’s Punch-
fight wars, recruiting vassals from other rulers,
Out!! Foreman, who must work his way past 12
investing in an army, and much more. Armies
fictional opponents in a series of three-round
consist of five units: cavalry, infantry (which
fights, can block, dodge left and right (there is
claims two units), archers, and a special unit
no movement around the ring), throw left and
consisting of mercenaries, monsters, wizards,
right crosses and jabs, and execute super-
and sorceresses. Battles are view from an an-
punches, the latter of which are earned by per-
gled/overhead perspective, with players select-
forming the right combinations of successful
ing from such options as wait, move, command