by Brett Weiss
moves. Unfortunately, unlike cer-
tain computer versions, there are
no beginner-friendly options for
showing all possible moves or
having the computer suggest
moves. The first video game ren-
dition of Othello was released in
1980 for the Atari 2600.
Overlord
PUBLISHER: Virgin Games. DE-
VELOPER: Probe Software. Action
Strategy, 1 player. 1993.
In Overlord, players are sent
More arcade fun on the NES: Operation Wolf, Super Sprint, by the Galactic Federation to be-and Gyruss, each complete with box, cartridge, and manual.
144
CLASSIC HOME VIDEO GAMES, 1985–1988
ated game in history” by the Guinness Book of
and, most importantly, the ability for Pac-Man
World Records). Players guide the famous pie-
to jump. In addition, there are two new power
shaped fellow around a maze, munching pellets
pills: green, which provides a temporary speed
and fruit (two pieces of fruit per screen) while
boost, and red, which gives double points. The
avoiding four color-coded ghosts (in the ar-
clapping and cheering sounds have been re-
cades, the ghosts were nicknamed Inky, Blinky,
moved, and the graphics aren’t quite as pol-
Pinky, and Clyde). By eating one of four Power
ished (an understandable difference), but this
Pellets, Pac-Man can temporarily turn the tables
hard-to-find game is one of the best arcade
on the ghosts. Gobbling ghosts grants progres-
ports in the NES library. There’s even a new
sively higher points, and a gobbled ghost will re-
feature: the ability to level select. One of many
turn to its home in the middle of the maze, only
Pac-Man sequels, Pac-Mania was also released to return shortly thereafter. Sequels to Pac-for the Genesis. Unlicensed.
Man, such as Ms. Pac-Man and Jr. Pac-Man, would introduce maze variations and other up-Palamedes
grades, but Pac-Man remains a timeless clas-
PUBLISHER: Hot-B. DEVELOPER: Hot-B. Action
sic.
Puzzle/Slide-and-Shoot, 1 or 2 players (simul-
taneous). 1990.
Pac-Man (Tengen)
Palamedes borrows from the “falling
PUBLISHER: Tengen. DEVELOPER: Namco. Maze,
block” formula established by Tetris, but alters 1 or 2 players (alternating). 1987.
gameplay considerably. As rows of color-coded
Unlike the Tengen version of Ms. Pac-
dice descend from the top of the screen, play-
Man for the NES, which introduced a variety of ers, guiding a little guy who runs back and
unorthodox features to shake up the dot-
forth along the bottom of the playfield, must
munching gameplay, the Tengen rendition of
make them disappear by shooting them. The
Pac-Man (which was first released as a licensed little guy’s ammo is a die, and the player can
game, and then as an unlicensed game) is iden-
cycle through the colors/numbers on that die at
tical to the Namco-published Pac-Man for the any time. For a descending die to disappear,
NES. Naturally, the packaging is different, most
players must shoot it with a die of the same
notably the Tengen release (which was unli-
color/number. By eliminating dice in a partic-
censed) naming the ghosts on the back of the
ular order (1–6, for example), players can make
box (the Namco version ghosts are unnamed,
entire rows of dice disappear. Like its coin-op
even in the manual). One of the most famous
counterpart (Taito, 1990), Palamedes for the video games of all time, Pac-Man was ported
NES offers two-player split-screen action.
to the Atari 2600, Intellivision, Atari 5200,
However, the arcade game has more realistic
Game Boy, and numerous other systems.
looking dice. Both offer great, strategic fun.
Also released for the Game Boy.
Pac-Mania
PUBLISHER: Tengen. DEVELOPER: Tengen.
Panic Restaurant
Maze, 1 or 2 players (alternating). 1991.
PUBLISHER: Taito. DEVELOPER: Taito. Side-
Scrolling Platform, 1 player. 1992.
An excellent port of Namco’s thoroughly
entertaining (if underrated) arcade game
Panic Restaurant puts players in the role of (1987), Pac-Mania is a lot like Pac-Man (guide a chef named Cookie, who must run, jump,
the pie-shaped icon around mazes, gobble dots
duck, climb, and battle enemies (pizzas, hot-
while avoiding ghosts), but with some inter-
dogs, toast, food-themed bosses, and the like)
esting differences, including: pseudo-3D graph-
through six pastel-colored, obstacle-ridden lev-
ics; themed mazes (Block Town, Pac-Man’s
els of play: Appetizer, Soup, Salad, Fish, Meat,
Park, Sandbox Land, and Jungly Steps); scroll-
and Dessert. Cookie’s standard weapon is a fry-
ing playfields; a pair of new ghosts named
ing pan, but he can pick up a large spoon, Fris-
Funky and Spunky; an isometric perspective;
bee-like plates, eggs (for throwing), a huge skil-
NINTENDO NES
145
let (which grants temporary invincibility), and
play, but adds the following fresh wrinkles: new
a pogo stick-like fork. Other items to grab in-
obstacles (including gargoyles, ghosts, and
clude candy (for health, ironically enough) and
sewer monsters); new types of houses (includ-
coins (for use in bonus stage slot machines).
ing mansions, haunted houses, and kids’ club-
Mega Man fans should enjoy Panic Restaurant houses); the choice to play as a female cyclist;
to some degree, but it’s short and easy to beat.
and, most importantly, obstacles and houses
on both sides of the road. As in Paperboy, lev-Paperboy
els are set up like days of the week, with each
PUBLISHER: Mindscape. DEVELOPER: Mind-
level ending in a bonus round. If the player
scape. Mission-Based Racing, 1 or 2 players
misses hitting the porch or paperbox of a sub-
(alternating). 1988.
scriber’s house, that house becomes a non-sub-
scriber. If the player hits every subscriber house
Based on the wildly popular 1984 Atari ar-
in a level, a former subscriber will re-subscribe.
cade game, which stood out thanks to amus-
Hitting non-subscribers’ windows, runaway
ing voice effects, unusual gameplay, and a han-
baby carriages, burglars, and other such targets
dlebars controller, Paperboy for the NES has nets extra points. Also released for the Genesis,
players riding a bicycle up a narrow pathway
SNES, Game Gear, and Game Boy.
consisting primarily of a sidewalk and the left
side of the road, throwing newspapers at houses
Peek-A-Boo Poker
lining the left side of the screen. Hitting the
PUBLISHER: Panesian. DEVELOPER: Panesian.
windows of non-subscribers nets points, as
Gambling, 1 player. 1991.
does hitting the porches and paperboxes of
subscribe
rs. There are other targets as well,
One of three adult games produced by
such as bushes, tombstones, and garbage cans,
Panesian for the NES ( Hot Slots and Bubble but numerous obstacles (including motorcy-Bath Babes are the other two), Peek-A-Boo cles, tornados, breakdancers, dogs, and cars)
Poker is a poorly programmed, hard-to-find
make things difficult. Aiming is tough, due in
strip poker simulator that lets players select
part to the game’s isometric per-
spective. The game plays okay, but
is a huge disappointment visually,
especially when compared to the
more colorful, more detailed,
more faithfully ported Master
System version. The NES game
does add a two-player mode, but
it lacks the trio of difficulty levels
found in the arcades and Master
System. Also released for the
Game Boy, Atari Lynx, Genesis,
Nintendo 64 (remade in 3D), and
other systems.
Paperboy 2
PUBLISHER: Mindscape. DEVEL-
OPER: Mindscape. Mission-Based
Racing, 1 or 2 players (alternat-
ing). 1992.
The console sequel to the ar-
cade classic Paperboy (Atari, 1984),
Paperboy is based on Atari’s 1984 arcade game, but Paperboy 2
Paperboy 2 features similar game-
was only released for home systems, including the NES.
146
CLASSIC HOME VIDEO GAMES, 1985–1988
from three different 8-bit babes: Full House
ing talisman. Thanks to detailed graphics and
Francine, Pok-er Penny, and Double Dealing
fitting music, the game does a nice job of im-
Debbie. For every $1,000 the player wins (up
mersing players in a distinctly Chinese envi-
to $5,000), a picture of the girl in question ap-
ronment. The combat system gets the job done
pears on screen, each time more scantly clad,
as well. This is a much better game than FCI’s
meaning the game does contain nudity. Unli-
more well-known (i.e. infamous) Hydlide.
censed.
Pictionary: The Game of Video Quick
Pesterminator: The Western Extermi-
Draw
nator
PUBLISHER: LJN. DEVELOPER: Software Cre-
PUBLISHER: Color Dreams. DEVELOPER: Color
ations. Board Game, 1 or more players (simul-
Dreams. Side-Scrolling Platform, 1 player.
taneous). 1990.
1990.
Based on the once-popular board game,
Like all Color Dreams-published games
Pictionary has players using the NES control for the NES, Pesterminator is unlicensed, mean-pad to try and draw a picture based on a par-
ing the company produced the game without
ticular word. To advance his or her piece on the
agreeing to Nintendo’s Machiavellian licensing
board, the drawing player’s own team must
fees. Amusingly enough, however, the game
guess what is being drawn. Clunky drawing
does star a licensed character: Kernel Kleanup,
controls and the necessity for players to close
who is the black-and-white, top hat-wearing
their eyes or look away when a word is being
mascot for the obscure Western Exterminator
given make this an awkward process. In addi-
Company. Players guide the slow, poorly ani-
tion to drawing, there are four arcade-style
mated Kernel across the interconnected floors
mini-games: Attack of the Paint Zombies (up-
and up and down the stairs of such two-story
side down Space Invaders); The Warehouse
constructs as a house, a hotel, and a warehouse,
Shuffle (move and stack crates); Four Alarm
bopping badly drawn bees, beetles, spiders,
Rescue (similar to Circus Atari); and Leapin’
flies, and other creatures with a hammer in
Energy Capsules! (jump on platforms to catch
order to complete the area. Mixing up the ac-
energy balls).
tion a bit is a pair of shooting levels in which
gamers pilot a helicopter and swim in the sea.
Pin Bot
Clumsy controls, repetitious music, and
PUBLISHER: Nintendo. DEVELOPER: Rare. Pin-
hideous coloring help make Pesterminator a
ball, 1–4 players (alternating). 1990.
typical entry in the Color Dreams library.
A video version of Williams’ 1986 pinball
machine, Pin Bot for the NES does a nice job in-Phantom Fighter
corporating most of the elements found in the
PUBLISHER: FCI. DEVELOPER: Pony Canyon.
arcade original, including: the robotic voice
Side-Scrolling Combat, 1 player. 1990.
(which, admittedly, is a bit choppy); the solar
In Phantom Fighter, players are thrust into
system theme; multi-ball play; jet bumpers;
the role of Kenchi, a Chinese martial arts expert
and the mysterious robot visor. In addition,
who must rid eight towns of zombie-like Kyon-
there are a number of new features well-suited
shies, who come in a number of shapes, sizes,
to the video format, such as different ball
and colors. As these undead baddies jump
shapes, six progressive levels of difficulty, and
around scratching with their claws, players
enemies that attack the flippers and steal the
must dodge, punch, and kick them. Progress-
ball. The playfield scrolls vertically, but con-
ing through the game grants players a nice va-
tains a split to show the flippers at all times. For
riety of new martial arts skills (jump kicks,
those wanting a more accurate port of the
windmill jumps, better punches, the ability to
game, it was included in Pinball Hall of Fame:
run faster, and the like) and such special weapons
The Williams Collection for the PS2, PSP, and as a sacred sword, a tonten, and an enemy-freez-Nintendo Wii.
NINTENDO NES
147
Pinball
ers placing pipe pieces of varying shapes strate-
PUBLISHER: Nintendo. DEVELOPER: Nintendo.
gically on a grid. As play begins, a pipe piece
Pinball, 1 or 2 players (alternating). 1985.
appears, and that piece must be positioned on
Despite the lack of a nudge button for
the board. And then another appears and so on.
shaking the table, this NES launch title plays a
To remove a previously placed pipe, a new one
pretty realistic game of pinball, especially in
can be placed on top of it. The objective is to
terms of sound effects, flipper movement, and
construct a continuous pipe, enabling a sub-
ball physics. The table, which features
stance called “flooz” to flow unobstructed
bumpers, playing cards, seals, baby chicks pop-
through said pipe. Level progression requires
ping out of eggs, spinners, and other targets, is
flooz to pass through a certain number of
basic in design and extends vertically over two
pipes. Also released for the Game Boy. Fol-
non-scrolling screens, each of which has a pair
lowed by:
Pipe Dreams 3D (PlayStation).
of flippers. There’s also a bonus stage screen
where players guide Mario as he walks back and
Pirates!
forth along the bottom of the playfield, using a
PUBLISHER: Ultra Games. DEVELOPER: Rare.
construction girder to rebound the pinball back
Action/Adventure/Role-Playing Game, 1
up into a playfield containing 12 bingo lamps,
player. 1991.
two bumpers, and a lady who walks back and
forth along the top. When the damsel in dis-
An excellent version of the computer
tress falls, Mario should save her.
game, which was called Sid Meier’s Pirates!
(1987), Pirates! for the NES is an elaborate ad-Pinball Quest
venture in which players portray one of four
PUBLISHER: Jaleco. DEVELOPER: Jaleco. Pinball,
different swashbuckling scoundrels: an English
1–4 players (alternating). 1990.
Buccaneer, a Dutch Adventurer, a Spanish
Pinball Quest features four different ta-
Renegade, or a French Explorer. Gameplay con-
bles, the foremost of which — RPG Mode — is a
sists of the following: bartering with enemy
vertically scrolling castle comprised of the fol-
merchants; plundering towns; laying siege to
lowing stages: Graveyard, Witch, Mines, River,
forts; sword fighting with garrison command-
Throne Room, and Final Battle. Targets to aim
ers (from a side-view perspective); firing can-
for in RPG Mode include tombstones, ghosts,
nons at an armada of naval foes (from an over-
knights, skull bumpers, turtles, and candles
head perspective); negotiating with crooked
(among other items), and players can earn gold
governors; getting married (aarrr!); visiting
to shop for stoppers and stronger flippers. The
taverns; and much more. Like its Genesis
storyline, which is told via text pop-ups, in-
cousin ( Pirates! Gold), Pirates! includes battery volves rescuing a princess kidnapped by gob-backup. Followed by: Sid Meier’s Pirates!: Live
lins. The other three tables in this cartridge are
the Life (Xbox).
more traditional. These include: Pop! Pop!,
which has a bowling and billiards theme; Cir-
Platoon
cus, which includes slot machine bonus levels;
PUBLISHER: Sunsoft. DEVELOPER: Ocean Soft-
and Viva! Golf, which features sand traps, go-
ware. Platform Shooter/First-Person Shooter/
phers, and water hazards. Ball physics are
Third-Person Shooter, 1 player. 1988.
loopy, but Pinball Quest offers varied objectives and loads of fun.