by Brett Weiss
Based on Oliver Stone’s 1986 war movie,
which won the Oscar for best picture, Platoon
Pipe Dream
for the NES has players guiding an American
PUBLISHER: Bullet-Proof Software. DEVELOPER:
soldier through the heart of a confusing, dead
Distinctive Software. Action Puzzle, 1 or 2
end-laden, Vietnamese jungle, dodging air
players (alternating). 1990.
strikes, booby traps, and other obstacles while
A nice port of the addictively challenging
shooting (with an M-16 rife) and bombing
computer game (1989), Pipe Dream has play-
(with grenades) guerillas and snipers. Innocent
148
CLASSIC HOME VIDEO GAMES, 1985–1988
villagers should not be killed or it will lower
Area, Guerilla Attack in the Jungle, and De-
the player’s morale—six dead innocents equals
struction of Communications Headquarters),
game over. The Jungle & Village stage features
punching and kicking (including jump kicks)
a side-view perspective while Tunnel System
commandoes, frogmen, bike soldiers, green
and The Bunker have players guiding a
berets, and other enemies along the way. By en-
crosshair targeting sight. The final stage, 3-D
tering huts and vehicles or defeating certain
Jungle, shows the soldier from behind. In ad-
bad guys, Bart can obtain grenades, brass
dition to shooting and getting shot (cheap hits
knuckles, a bullet-proof vest, a combat knife,
are plentiful), players will search for such help-
and a machine gun.
ful items as a torch, a map, flares, a compass,
and medical supplies.
Power Blade
PUBLISHER: Taito. DEVELOPER: Taito. Platform
Popeye
Shooter, 1 player. 1991.
PUBLISHER: Nintendo. DEVELOPER: Nintendo.
Thanks to the all-powerful Master Com-
Climbing, 1 or 2 players (alternating). 1986.
puter, Earth of 2191 has become a veritable
Despite missing a few relatively minor
utopia. Unfortunately, alien terrorists attack,
flourishes, Popeye for the NES is an excellent taking the computer off-line. It is up to the
port of Nintendo’s own 1982 coin-op classic.
player, as Nova (the computer’s chief security
Players guide the beloved Sailor Man as he
officer), to restore systems control. To achieve
walks across floors, climbs ladders and stairs,
his objective, Nova, who looks like the Termi-
and catches floating objects (hearts, musical
nator, must run, jump (on platforms and over
notes, or letters spelling out HELP) tossed
gaps and other obstacles), climb, and fire a
down by Olive Oyl. While Popeye gathers ob-
boomerang-like weapon through six sectors,
jects, he must avoid Bernard the vulture, the
destroying such enemies as ghosts, soldiers,
Seahag’s bouncing skulls, and a bottle-throw-
bats, and spaceships. The boomerang can be
ing Brutus in hot pursuit. Popeye can punch
powered up considerably, and Nova can also
the skulls and bottles, and, after eating a can
hurl grenades and don a metal, shield-like suit.
of spinach (one per screen), he can punch Bru-
In each of the game’s six selectable sectors (each
tus and the vulture. The aforementioned ab-
of which are timed), Nova must find the agent
sences in the NES port include: the “Popeye!!
assigned to that sector. Completing all six sec-
Catch” text and Popeye holding out a flower at
tors grants Nova entrance to the control center.
the beginning of the game; the celebratory
Mega Man fans should enjoy this high quality giant Popeye face that appears after the third
game.
screen; Wimpy eating hamburgers during the
second screen; and various other nitpicks. A
Power Blade 2
must-own for Donkey Kong fans. Also released PUBLISHER: Taito. DEVELOPER: Taito. Platform
for the Atari 2600, Atari 5200, Intellivision, and
Shooter, 1 player. 1992.
ColecoVision.
As in the original Power Blade, Special
Agent Nova wields a formidable, upgradeable,
P.O.W.: Prisoners of War
boomerang-like blade. However, Nova has
PUBLISHER: SNK. DEVELOPER: SNK. Side-
learned a few new tricks, including the ability
Scrolling Combat, 1 player. 1989.
to slide under low obstacles and enemy fire (ala
Other than missing the two-player simul-
Mega Man 3). In addition, each of the game’s
taneous mode found in the arcade original
four selectable stages contains a special power
(SNK, 1988), P.O.W. for the NES plays pretty suit: the Newt Suit allows Nova to cling to and
well. As special forces agent Bart, gamers must
move along walls and ceilings; the Wet Suit lets
walk (somewhat slowly) and climb their way
him move quickly under water; the Rocket Suit
through four nicely illustrated levels (Escape
enables him to fly; and the Patriot Suit has twin
from Prison Camp, Attacking the Industrial
orbs that circle around Nova’s body and absorb
NINTENDO NES
149
enemy fire. While Nova is wearing one of the
based action has players orbiting planets, de-
suits, the weapon becomes the Power Blade,
stroying outposts, freeing aliens, and more.
which is more powerful than the boomerang-
Somewhat similar to: Star Control (Genesis).
like blade, but doesn’t return. Enemies to de-
Unlicensed.
stroy include wall cannons, robots, fish, slime
monsters, caterpillars, and more.
Predator
PUBLISHER: Activision. DEVELOPER: Pack-In
Power Punch II
Video. Platform Shooter, 1 player. 1989.
PUBLISHER: American Softworks. DEVELOPER:
Disappointingly mediocre, Predator puts
Beam Software. Sports/Boxing, 1 player. 1992.
gamers in the role of Dutch Schaefer, the char-
Power Punch II was originally intended to
acter played by Arnold Schwarzenegger in the
be a follow-up to Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out!! , but 1987 sci-fi/action flick. Dutch begins with
Tyson’s legal difficulties (i.e. the trial for the
nothing but his fists, but can pick up a machine
rape of Desiree Washington) during the pro-
gun, a laser rifle, and grenades as he runs,
duction of the game caused Nintendo to back
jumps across chasms, avoids rolling boulders,
out of the project and Beam Software to change
and otherwise makes his way through a scor-
the principal boxer’s name to Mark “Tough
pion- and guerilla-infested South American
Guy” Tyler (his appearance was altered as well).
jungle. He can also acquire different types of
Gameplay evokes Punch-Out!! to some degree
bullets, including boomerang, continuous,
(the view is behind the player’s fighter), but a
shotgun, and reaction. Depending on which
>
variety of features were added, including: cut
caves players enter, the action consists of 20–30
scenes; a side-view training mode (which takes
levels, with Predator himself showing up in-
place on an intergalactic transport shuttle); and
frequently.
12 alien opponents, including 9763 Borg, Hel-
met Skull, Grathnox 4 (who’s a tank from the
Prince of Persia
waist down), and “Fighting” Fly-Mo (who’s a
PUBLISHER: Virgin. DEVELOPER: Movietime.
flying saucer from the waist down). Despite
Side-Scrolling Platform, 1 player. 1992.
these additions, Punch-Out!! is a far superior A scaled down port of Jordan Mechner’s
game. Power Punch II was initially produced
popular computer game (which Broderbund
under the working title of “Mike Tyson’s In-
released in 1989), Prince of Persia puts players tergalactic Power Punch.”
in the role of a young adventurer who has been
thrown into a dungeon by the evil and traitor-
P’radikus Conflict
ous Jaffar, Grand Vizier to the Sultan of Persia.
PUBLISHER: Color Dreams. Color Dreams.
The nicely animated hero has escaped his cell,
Overhead View Free-Roaming Shooter, 1
but he must brave 12 levels of the obstacle-filled
player. 1990.
(spikes, chasms, slicers, poisonous potions,
The space vessel in P’radikus Conflict ro-
moving platforms, multi-story falls) dungeon
tates and thrusts like the ship in Asteroids, but to rescue the proverbial princess, and he’s only
the screen scrolls in all directions, making the
got an hour in which to do it. Gameplay con-
game more like Bosconian or Sinistar. Unlike sists of the following: running from room to
the comparative arcade classics, however,
room; executing tricky jumps; climbing up and
P’radikus Conflict has slow, unresponsive con-down ledges; sword-fighting against dungeon
trols, is far too easy (thanks to dumb enemies
guards; stepping on pressure plates to open exit
that fire slow projectiles), and is a bit more
doors and open and close gates; and more.
complex. While blasting ships out of the sky,
When players go from one room to the next,
P’radikus pilots will earn credits to purchase the screen briefly goes black, and the player
fuel, armor, shields, warp drive, and such
suddenly appears in the next room. However,
weapons as shock waves, mines, missiles, atomic
unlike other versions, the NES game scrolls just
cannons, and clocking devices. The mission-
a little to the right and left. Also released for
150
CLASSIC HOME VIDEO GAMES, 1985–1988
the Genesis, SNES, and numerous other sys-
the latter of which consists of hooking, trip-
tems.
ping, elbowing, and charging. The SNES ver-
sion has a Season mode and better graphics and
Princess Tomato in the Salad Kingdom
sound effects, but both lack crowd noise.
PUBLISHER: Hudson Soft. DEVELOPER: Hudson
Soft. First-Person Graphic Adventure, 1
Pro Wrestling
player. 1991.
PUBLISHER: Nintendo. DEVELOPER: Nintendo.
Sports/Wrestling, 1 or 2 players (simultane-
Princess Tomato has been kidnapped by
ous). 1987.
the evil Minister Pumpkin, and it is up to Sir
Cucumber, a Knight of the Realm, to rescue
Pro Wrestling offers enjoyably simple game-
her, restore King Broccoli to the throne, and
play and nice visual detail, including a referee,
bring peace to the formerly blissful Salad King-
a cameraman, and an animated crowd. There
dom. The fanciful setting of the game will ap-
are six selectable wrestlers (including a judo
peal to younger, Veggie Tales-era gamers while expert and a football star), each capable of such
the old-school formula (read text, click on
outrageous wrestling techniques as The Ama-
commands to interact with surroundings, view
zon’s piranha bite, Fighter Hyabusa’s back
static imagery) will resonate with those who
brain kick, and Kin Corn Karn’s Mongolian
recall the early days of personal computer ad-
chop. Players engage in a series of five-minute
venture games. There are 14 commands from
matches, culminating in a fight against the
which to choose: move, look, check, talk, take,
mysterious Great Puma, a.k.a. “the perfect
use, give, buy, hit, fight, praise, dump, item,
wrestler.” Throws, top-of the-ring jumps, and
and Percy. Battles take the form of “finger
fighting outside the ring are all part of the fun.
wars,” which are basically games of rock-paper-
Simultaneous action offers two-out-of three
scissors. The trial-and-error gameplay of
fall matches with no time limit.
Princess Tomato in the Salad Kingdom can get tedious, but the unusual (for this genre), semi-Punch-Out!!
charming theme does set it apart from the
PUBLISHER: Nintendo. DEVELOPER: Nintendo.
proverbial pack.
Sports/Boxing, 1 player. 1992.
Punch-Out!! is the same game as Mike
Pro Sport Hockey
Tyson’s Punch-Out!! , but a character named Mr.
PUBLISHER: Jaleco. DEVELOPER: Jaleco.
Dream replaces the troublemaking Tyson (now
Sports/Hockey, 1 or 2 players (simultaneous).
a convicted felon), whose contract with Nin-
1993.
tendo had mercifully expired. Followed by:
Viewed from an overhead perspective (the
Super Punch-Out!! (SNES).
hockey rink scrolls vertically), Pro Sport Hockey lets gamers select from 24 teams comprised of
The Punisher
P
288 NHLPA players, each rated according to
UBLISHER: LJN. DEVELOPER: Beam Software.
Third-Person Shooter, 1 player. 1991.
speed, shot speed, quickness, defense, and
power. There are three modes of arcade-like
In The Punisher, players maneuver Marvel
play: Super Cup (a seven-game series), Exhi-
Comics’ skull-chested vigilante (who is viewed
bition, and Training. On offense, players can
from behind) left and right along the bottom of
aim the puck, but if the goal is in sight, the puck
an automatically scrolling playfield (which
will automatically travel toward the goal no
moves left to right), aiming a cursor around
matter what direction the player is facing.
the screen while shooting at thugs, hoods,
Holding the button down creates a more pow-
felons, and other targets, including background
erful shot. On defense, players can check, stick
objects and such comic book criminals as Hit-
check, and select auto or manual goalie con-
man (who flies around in a helicopter) and the
trol. Several features can be turned on or off,
Kingpin (who must be defeated in hand-to-
including offsides, overtime, icing, and penalties,
hand combat). The Punis
her is armed with an
NINTENDO NES
151
automatic machine pistol and grenades and can
five times) or challenge the computer to a game
pick up an automatic assault rife, a rocket
of rock-paper-scissors. The latter subtracts 60
launcher, and a Kevlar vest. The action takes
seconds, but lets winners exchange any two
place in the streets of New York City, and Pun-
pieces on the board. Unlicensed.
isher can take alternate routes by entering the
subway, manholes, and doorways. The Pun-
Puzznic
isher and the cursor move in unison, making
PUBLISHER: Taito. DEVELOPER: Taito. Action
for an awkward control scheme, but holding in
Puzzle, 1 player. 1990.
the A button while pressing the control pad
A solid adaptation of Taito’s 1989 arcade
does give the cursor independent movement.
game (which was a possible inspiration for
Tetris Attack), Puzznic has players guiding a Puss N Boots: Pero’s Great Adventure
cursor around the screen, using said cursor to
PUBLISHER: Electro Brain. DEVELOPER: Shouei
move blocks of varying colors and designs
System. Platform Shooter/Side-Scrolling
(such as diamonds, spheres, pyramids, and
Shooter, 1 player. 1990.
plusses). Blocks are moved horizontally, but go
Sent back through time and across the
downward when positioned above an empty
world by Count Gruemon, Pero (a.k.a. Puss N
space. Elevators make blocks go up. The objec-
Boots), who committed the Cat Kingdom
tive is to clear the screen by getting matching
crime of befriending a mouse, must locate and
blocks to touch. The cartridge also contains
defeat Grueman and the mad Dr. Gari-gari and
Gravnic, in which players move all the shapes si-use their time machine to get home. Much of
multaneously by shifting their gravity. Also re-
the game plays like a traditional platformer,
leased for the PlayStation.
with Pero running, jumping, and battling
(with a pistol, bombs, and a boomerang) his
Pyramid
way through The [Old] West, London, and
PUBLISHER: American Video Entertainment.
New York. However, four of the game’s seven
DEVELOPER: Thin Chen Enterprise. Action
stages (The Ocean, Arabia, Space Wars, and
Puzzle, 1 player. 1990.
Liberty) put Pero at the helm of a vehicle, such
In Pyramid, players must rotate and
as a submarine, a car, an airplane, or a hot air
strategically fit together stones that fall down