Classic Home Video Games (1985-1988)
Page 30
solid video representation of the popular sport.
areas, each viewed from an isometric perspec-
Players can select clubs, apply backspin to the
tive. These include Central Park, The Street,
ball, aim the ball high or low, and hit a draw,
The Sewers, The Office, The Mansion, and
fade, or straight shot. Obstacles include wind,
Final Battle. Armakuni can punch, kick, and
water, out of bounds, bunkers (standard and
jump, and he can use throwing stars, a sword,
hard), and roughs (super, light, heavy, and deep).
and other weaponry, but the key to success in
Like the two-player arcade version (SNK,
this game is finding various objects (keys, bot-
1988), multiple overhead and behind-the-golfer
tles, staffs, credit cards, and the like) and discov-
viewpoints are employed. Despite its title, there
ering how to use them to get past such obsta-
is no fighting. Golf fans wanting to fight should
cles as locked doors, hidden entrances, alligators,
pick up Ninja Golf for the Atari 7800.
and panthers. The Last Ninja is a port of the highly popular The Last Ninja 2: Back with a
Legacy of the Wizard
Vengeance (Commodore 64), but with some
PUBLISHER: Broderbund. DEVELOPER: Falcom.
differences, including altered layouts, simplified
Adventure/Side-Scrolling Platform, 1 player.
combat, simplified graphics, and various san-
1989.
itized elements (the enemy jugglers throw pins
Legacy of the Wizard is a quest to find four instead of knives, for example). Includes pass-crowns in order to procure the DragonSlayer,
word feature.
which is a magical sword that can defeat a pow-
erful dragon. Players guide members of the
The Last Starfighter
Drasle family (one at a time) through vast un-
PUBLISHER: Mindscape. DEVELOPER: Mind-
derground caverns (comprised of hundreds of
scape. Side-Scrolling Shooter, 1 or 2 players
rooms), climbing ladders, pushing blocks to
(alternating). 1990.
solve puzzles, using magic to defeat monsters,
With The Last Starfighter, Mindscape took
and finding gold to purchase wings, keys,
the Commodore 64 classic Uridium (Hewson/
elixirs, jump shoes, fire rods (which increase
Graftgold, 1986), slapped on a The Last Starfighter range of current weapon), and other items.
title screen from the 1984 feature film, and al-
Each family member has different strengths and
tered the soundtrack accordingly. Viewed from
weaknesses, and each must be used to complete
a top-down perspective, the game has players
the quest, making for a complex adventure. In-
piloting a GunStar fighter ship over a series of
cludes password feature.
what look like metallic outer space aircraft car-
riers, firing lasers at swirling formations of
The Legend of Kage
enemy ships and at ground-based targets. Un-
PUBLISHER: Taito. DEVELOPER: Taito. Side-
fortunately, flat visuals make it all too easy to
Scrolling Combat, 1 or 2 players (alternating).
misjudge and run into the targets. As in De-
1987.
fender, the ship can turn around and shoot in The Legend of Kage (pronounced kah-gay)
the other direction. Similar to The Dreadnaught
for the NES is a mostly accurate port of Taito’s
118
CLASSIC HOME VIDEO GAMES, 1985–1988
1984 arcade semi-classic. Armed with throw-
In Legendary Wings, players guide a winged
ing stars and a sword that is severely limited in
soldier over land and sea, shooting, bombing
range (it can kill close-up bad guys and block
(ground-based targets only), and/or avoiding
enemy weaponry), the titular ninja must work
dragons, stone faces, horseshoe crabs, ninjas,
his way through four extremely short scenes:
earwigs, and other enemies, some of which
Forest (climb and jump through trees, battle
move in Galaga-like formations. Unfortu-
shinobis and yohbohs); Passage (run, swim,
nately, there is little incentive to kill entire for-
defeat 10 shinobis to reach the next level);
mations since scoring is absent, and since
Fortress (climb fortress walls, battle bomb-
power-ups (twin lasers, penetration shots,
throwing shinobis); and Castle (battle through
flame shots, and firebirds) are obtained by
each castle level and rescue Kiri). Kage can
shooting individual enemies. In Capcom’s ar-
jump far above the treetops, but once he is in
cade original (1986), destroying every enemy
the air, players cannot change his direction or
in a formation grants players bonus points or
cut short the jump, making for some frustrat-
power-ups. In addition, the side-scrolling
ing deaths. Power-ups, including eight-way
stages in the coin-op game are largely of the
throwing knives and a shadow ninja, are hid-
platform shooter variety. For some reason, the
den, as are certain exits. Kage moves with style,
NES rendition opts for flight-based horizontal
but most action fans will prefer a longer, more
action. As expected, the arcade game has
grounded adventure. Followed by: The Legend
crisper, more colorful graphics. Despite the
of Kage 2 (Nintendo DS).
aforementioned differences and shortcomings,
Legendary Wings for the NES is a solid, fairly The Legend of Zelda
intense shooter that should appeal to fans of
PUBLISHER: Nintendo. DEVELOPER: Nintendo.
such games as Xevious and Dragon Spirit.
Third-Person Action Role-Playing Game, 1
player. 1987.
Legends of the Diamond
PUBLISHER: Bandai. DEVELOPER: Bandai. Sports/
Along with Super Mario Bros. 3, The Leg-
Baseball, 1 or 2 players (simultaneous). 1992.
end of Zelda is one of the most acclaimed titles Unlike most baseball video games, which
in the NES library. Gamers guide the sword-
feature fictional characters or contemporary
slashing, shield-wielding Link across a vast
Major League stars, Legends of the Diamond
overworld (consisting of 128 interconnected
showcases baseball greats of the past, includ-
screens of forests, lakes, and mountains) and
ing such legendary figures as Cy Young, Hank
through nine underworld mazes, hacking away
Aaron, Dizzy Dean, Lou Gehrig, Honus Wag-
at a variety of creatures while searching for (or
ner, Ty Cobb, and Babe Ruth (note the con-
purchasing) keys, a ladder, a raft, a map,
spicuous absence of Mickey Mantle). Players
boomerangs, bombs, a whistle, a magic wand,
don old-school uniforms, but can play in a
and more. Figuring out how to use certain
modern or a throwback stadium. The limited
items is an essential requirement for making it
NES graphics make the players virtually indis-
all the w
ay to the evil Gannon, who has im-
tinguishable from one another, but it’s a neat
prisoned the titular princess. Crisp graphics,
idea nevertheless. Gameplay evokes R.B.I. Base-
epic, non-linear gameplay, and a grand musi-
ball, but with wind conditions to make things cal score make Zelda a timeless classic. Fol-a little more interesting. Team names are
lowed by: Zelda II — The Adventure of Link
fictional, and gamers can play a solo match or
(NES), The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
enter an eight-game tournament. Random
(SNES, Game Boy Advance), and numerous
Mode lets the computer select the players and
other sequels.
their positions while Member Select Mode lets
gamers determine their own lineup.
Legendary Wings
PUBLISHER: Capcom. DEVELOPER: Capcom.
Lemmings
Vertical Scrolling Shooter/Side-Scrolling
PUBLISHER: Sunsoft. DEVELOPER: Ocean Soft-
Shooter, 1 or 2 players (simultaneous). 1988.
ware. Adventure Puzzle, 1 player. 1992.
NINTENDO NES
119
Although it lacks a two-player mode and
Based on the Lethal Weapon movie series,
voice effects, Lemmings for the NES is a re-
this mediocre, surprisingly easy game puts
spectable port of the classic computer game.
players in the role of Murtaugh (who can pick
Players guide a cursor around the screen, as-
up boxes) or Riggs (who can jump higher than
signing such tasks as digging, climbing, bridge
Murtaugh) as they make their way through a
building, and bashing to mindless lemmings
park, a camp, a mall, and other areas, punch-
in order to guide them past obstacles (lava,
ing, kicking, and shooting soldiers, kick box-
spring-loaded traps, holes, and the like) and to
ers, guards, helicopters, and other common-
their goal within a set time limit. The game of-
place enemies. To toggle between Murtaugh
fers 100 levels of play (as opposed to 125 in the
and Riggs, gamers must walk off the left side
SNES version and 180 in the Genesis rendi-
of the screen, which is strange. Even stranger is
tion), and the lemmings flicker a bit when the
that punching and kicking causes more damage
screen gets crowded. The NES lacks a mouse,
than shooting. Also released for the Game Boy
meaning computer versions of the game have
and Super NES.
better controls. Includes password feature. Also
released for the Game Boy, 3DO, and numer-
Life Force
ous other systems.
PUBLISHER: Konami. DEVELOPER: Konami.
Side-Scrolling Shooter/Vertical Scrolling
L’Empereur
Shooter, 1 or 2 players (simultaneous).
PUBLISHER: Koei. DEVELOPER: Koei. Turn-
1988.
Based Strategy, 1 player. 1991.
This Gradius spin-off is similar to its pro-
Taking place in the violent aftermath of
genitor (complete with manual power-up sys-
the French Revolution, L’Empereur puts players tem), but alters the formula by adding vertical
in the role of Napoleon Bonaparte, who starts
scrolling and two-player simultaneous action.
off as Officer in Charge of City Affairs and rises
Gamers fly their starship through the insides
in rank to First Consul and then Emperor.
of a galaxy-eating space monster (which is re-
With the goal of unifying Europe (46 European
plete with cities and volcanoes), shooting bul-
cities are included), Napoleon must: recruit
lets, missiles, and lasers at alien vessels, space
and train an army (infantry, cavalry, artillery,
rocks, a sphinx, a giant brain, and other ene-
and reserves); invade hostile nations (including
mies (including the terrain itself ). Although it
sea battles); collect taxes; pay stipends; build
suffers from slowdown, Life Force is a nice port bridges; survive harsh winters (and other hos-of Konami’s 1986 arcade game. The tough-as-
tile weather conditions); relocate his brothers
nails gameplay and colorfully detailed graphics
and son to rule over distant lands; invest in in-
will thrill shooter fans.
dustry and agriculture; fend off strikes, rebel-
lions, and military uprisings; and much more.
Linus Spacehead’s Cosmic Crusade
The turn-based battles take place via a hex
PUBLISHER: Camerica. DEVELOPER: Codemas-
map, with terrain consisting of mountains,
ters. Third-Person Graphic Adventure/Side-
hills, forests, swamps, grassy plains, sand bars,
Scrolling Platform, 1 player. 1992.
rivers, lakes, seas, ice, and fortresses. Four game
scenarios tell the story of Napoleon’s storied
Part point-and-click adventure, part side-
life: Napoleon’s Beginning, Desire for Power,
scrolling platformer, this is the second game to
End of Revolution, and Glorious Empire.
feature Linus Spacehead (the first being Linus
Adapted from the 1989 computer game.
Spacehead from the Quattro Adventure multi-title cartridge). Using five commands (look,
Lethal Weapon
pick up, talk, give, and use), players, as Linus,
PUBLISHER: Ocean. DEVELOPER: Eurocom. Side-
will interact with the alien environment in a
Scrolling Combat/Platform Shooter, 1 player.
number of ways, including: using a teleport ma-
1993.
chine; finding the correct keys to enter various
120
CLASSIC HOME VIDEO GAMES, 1985–1988
areas; mailing a letter; acquiring a passport;
prompting Ariel to turn back into a mermaid,
riding a surf board; and much more. Items to
say goodbye to her beloved Eric, and return to
use include an anti-gravity slide, a bridge, gun-
the water to save her friends, Flounder, Sebas-
powder, a missile targeting device, and more.
tian, and Scuttle. Ariel must swim through five
There are mini-games as well, such as a bumper
levels (Sea of Coral, Sunken Ship, Sea of Ice,
car race and a slot machine. In the platform
Undersea Volcano, and Ursula’s Castle), avoid-
stages, the mission is to grab candies to earn
ing or throwing bubbles at ghosts, eels, sharks,
extra lives. Released on the Genesis as Cosmic
spineballs, and halibut. In addition, she will
Spacehead, which has better, more stylized
search for dinglehoppers (forks), snarf blatts
graphics and a two-player Pie Slap mode. Un-
(pipes), hearts (extra health), and shells (for
licensed.
opening treasure chests and knocking out en-
emies). Opening treasure chests releases pearls
Linus Spacehead’s Cosmic Crusade (Al-
that make Ariel faster and stronger, the latter of
addin Version)
which enables Ariel to push rocks and barrels
PUBLISHER: Camerica. DEVELOPER: Codemas-
for gaining access to certain items. Cute visu-
ters. Third
-Person Graphic Adventure/Side-
als, charming music, fun action, and easy
Scrolling Platform, 1 player. 1993.
gameplay (despite exploration elements and a
The Aladdin rendition of Linus Space-
non-linear final level) make The Little Mermaid
head’s Cosmic Crusade looks and plays like the ideal for younger gamers.
standard version, but was produced in a com-
pact cartridge format. Requires the Aladdin
Little Nemo: the Dream Master
Deck Enhancer. Unlicensed.
PUBLISHER: Capcom. DEVELOPER: Capcom.
Side-Scrolling Platform, 1 player. 1990.
Little League Baseball Championship
Series
Based on Windsor McKay’s early 1900s
P
comic strip ( Little Nemo in Slumberland), and UBLISHER: SNK. DEVELOPER: SNK. Sports/
Baseball, 1 or 2 players (simultaneous). 1990.
on the 1989 feature film ( Little Nemo: Adven-
tures in Slumberland), Little Nemo: the Dream Developed by the company responsible for
Master finds the title character on a mission to the super popular Baseball Stars (NES), Little rescue King Morpheus and restore peace to
League Baseball offers the same type of fun, ar-Slumberland. The surrealistic platforming ac-
cade-style action, but with juvenile players and
tion takes Nemo (who can run, jump, and
less emphasis on team management and stats.
duck) through eight colorful, dream-induced
In addition, the game follows official Little
levels: Mushroom Forest, Flower Garden, House
League Baseball rules, such as six-inning
of Toys, Night Sea, Nemo’s House, Cloud Ruins,
games. There are 16 different international
Topsy-Turvy, and Nightmare World. The ob-
teams, each ranked according to pitching, bat-
jective in each area is to collect all the keys so
ting, defense, and running. And there are two
Nemo can exit to the next level. Nemo will meet
modes of play: Exhibition and Championship
numerous animals through his adventure. To
Series. Gameplay is simple and intuitive, and
tame them, ride them, and gain their powers (fly,
some cool cut scenes add to the game’s already
dig, throw punches, swim, and more), Nemo can
top-notch presentation, which includes nice
feed them candy, making for a fun and varied
animation and large characters with distinctive
adventure.
traits (chubby, short, lanky, and the like).
The Little Mermaid
Little Ninja Brothers
PUBLISHER: Capcom. DEVELOPER: Capcom. Ad-
PUBLISHER: Culture Brain. DEVELOPER: Culture
venture, 1 player. 1991.