by Brett Weiss
emies move in a variety of patterns, and there
soft landings), and the ability to punch the var-
are ground-based targets as well, including eye-
ious soldiers, guards, giant spiders, man-eating
balls, snakes, skulls, and stars. Shooting P-marks
NINTENDO NES
179
releases capsules that can be grabbed to in-
communication, and battle tactics (firing
crease the ship’s speed and give it shields and
phasers and photon torpedoes at enemy ships),
three- and five-way firing capabilities. At the
and he can call on Commander Spock (sci-
end of each stage, players must destroy the evil
ence), Chief Engineer Scott, Lieutenant Uhura
Starbrain or repeat the level. One unusual fea-
(communications), Chekov and Sulu (naviga-
ture is the Trap Zone, which lets players fly
tion/helm), and Doctor McCoy for status re-
under certain segments of the space station to
ports. Kirk and company will also beam down
avoid enemies. Followed by numerous sequels,
to strange planets in order to talk to natives,
including Super Star Soldier (Turbografx-16), analyze plant life and ancient artifacts, use
Star Soldier: Vanishing Earth (Nintendo 64),
phasers to stun or kill hostile aliens, and more.
and Star Soldier R (Nintendo Wii).
Includes password feature. Much different than
the Game Boy version.
Star Trek: The Next Generation
PUBLISHER: Absolute Entertainment. DEVEL-
Star Voyager
OPER: Absolute Entertainment. Space Combat
PUBLISHER: Acclaim. DEVELOPER: ASCII. Space
Simulator, 1 player. 1993.
Combat Simulator, 1 player. 1987.
Under the tutelage of Captain Picard,
A difficult and fairly complex game, Star
players of Star Trek: The Next Generation com-Voyager for the NES (not to be confused with mandeer a holographic Starship Enterprise,
the Atari 2600 game of the same name) puts
utilizing the skills of Riker, Worf, Data,
players in the cockpit of a RH 119 warship,
LaForge, and O’Brien to perform various mis-
which is equipped with laser cannons, barrier
sions. A complex control scheme enables the
shields, a life support system, and a fully-inte-
crew to raise shields, fire phasers and photon
grated bio-computer named Adam. The mis-
torpedoes (during real-time battle sequences),
sion is to protect a stationary transport ship
find intruders and beam them off the ship, re-
called the CosmoStation Noah from intergalac-
pair life support systems, go into orbit, reallo-
tic terrorists. This is done by: selecting coordi-
cate power, set course and warp speed, perform
nates from a map screen; warping to various
sensor readings, and more. The NES version of
enemy sectors; avoiding black holes and aster-
the game is similar to its Game Boy counter-
oids; raising shields when under fire; visiting
part, but, of course, with better graphics and
planets for engine and weapon upgrades; dock-
sounds. The game features digitized faces of Pi-
ing with space stations to effect repairs; and, of
card and company and a passable rendition of
course, destroying enemy ships. As with most
the TV show theme song. Includes password
space combat simulators, the action is seen
feature.
through the view screen of the ship, giving the
game elements of a first-person shooter.
Star Trek: 25th Anniversary
PUBLISHER: Ultra Software. DEVELOPER: Kon-
Star Wars
ami/Interplay. Third-Person Graphic Adven-
PUBLISHER: JVC. DEVELOPER: Lucasfilm/Beam
ture, 1 player. 1992.
Software. Multi-Genre Game, 1 player. 1991.
Take charge of the Starship Enterprise as
This was the first Star Wars video game to
Captain Kirk in Star Trek: 25th Anniversary for reenact more than just a few select scenes from
the NES. While collecting data on strange dis-
the 1977 film. Players must do the following:
turbances in the local gravitational and mag-
pilot a land speeder on Tatooine; rescue
netic fields near Sigma Iotia, the ship and her
Princess Leia; survive the trash compactor;
crew are suddenly thrust into an uncharted re-
navigate the Millennium Falcon through an as-
gion of space. It is up to Kirk to return to the
teroid field; guide an X-Wing Fighter on a mis-
Iotian system and reverse an expanding rip in
sion to destroy the Death Star; battle bad guys
space before it destroys the galaxy. From the
with blasters and a light saber; run and jump on
bridge of the ship, Kirk controls navigation,
perilous platforms; and much more. Luke Sky-
180
CLASSIC HOME VIDEO GAMES, 1985–1988
walker, Princess Leia, and Han Solo are
or a giant brain in a jar. Standard enemies in-
playable characters while C-3PO, R2-D2, and
clude robots, trees, gun turrets, spaceships, and
Obi-Wan Kenobi lend the occasional helping
more.
hand. Enemies include such nasties as Jawas,
Banthas, Boba Fett, womp rats, and
StarTropics
Stormtroopers.
PUBLISHER: Nintendo. DEVELOPER: Nintendo.
Third-Person Action Role-Playing Game, 1
Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back
player. 1990.
PUBLISHER: JVC. DEVELOPER: Lucasfilm/Sculp-
StarTropics is similar to The Legend of
tured Software. Multi-Genre Game, 1 player.
Zelda, but is set in a tropical island paradise.
1992.
Mike Jones comes to visit his uncle, but dis-
The Empire Strikes Back follows the 1980
covers that he has been kidnapped by aliens,
feature film fairly closely, giving players, as
sending the intrepid young man on an exotic
Luke Skywalker, the opportunity to: ride a
adventure. In the overworld areas (viewed
Taun-Taun through the ice caverns of Hoth;
from a top-down perspective), Mike walks
look for Yoda and battle creatures on Dagobah;
around talking to people or travels about via
wield a blaster and a light saber; battle AT-AT
submarine. While in dungeons, Mike battles
Walkers while aboard a snow speeder (ala Em-
creatures, jumps over gaps (something not seen
pire Strikes Back for the Atari 2600); go to in Zelda), and opens doorways (by defeating
Cloud City; rescue Han Solo and Princess Leia;
certain creatures or jumping on buttons).
find and confront Darth Vader; and much
Mike’s primary weapon is a yoyo. Other
more. Throughout the game, Luke can pick up
weapons and items he can obtain include: a
icons for various force powers, including the
shooting star; a torch; a baseball bat; a sling-
ability to levitate, jump farther and higher, run
shot; a miracle mirror (for reflecting back
faster, reflect ene
my shots, and increase the
magic shots); spiked shoes; a super laser; a
power of the light saber and blaster. As in Star
magic anklet (for jumping further); a magic
Wars for the NES, there’s lots of platforming watch (for slowing or stopping enemies); and
action. However, the shooting stages give the
more. Includes battery backup. Originally
game plenty of variety.
packaged with a letter containing a vital secret
code. Followed by: Zoda’s Revenge: StarTropics
Starship Hector
II (NES).
PUBLISHER: Hudson Soft. DEVELOPER: Hudson
Soft. Vertical Scrolling Shooter/Side-Scrolling
Stealth ATF
Shooter, 1 player. 1990.
PUBLISHER: Activision. DEVELOPER: Imagineer-
ing. Flight Combat Simulator, 1 or 2 players
Xevious fans should enjoy (or at least find
(alternating, simultaneous). 1989.
something familiar in) Starship Hector, a typical top-down shooter. Players fly over land and
This dated, but playable game puts play-
sea, dropping bombs on ground-based targets
ers in the cockpit of a Stealth Advanced Tacti-
and firing bullets at enemies that fly in zigzag
cal Fighter, performing barrel rolls, loops,
patterns. However, unlike Xevious, Starship dives, and banks, and firing cannons and mis-Hector includes horizontal levels in which the siles at enemy planes. To track an enemy, play-player’s ship is viewed from the side (ala Life
ers should keep an eye on the radar scope. In-
Force, which also features two perspectives).
dicators to monitor include altitude, fuel
There are no weapon power-ups, unfortu-
supply, heading, angle of attack, and damage
nately, but dropping bombs on certain struc-
sustained (the bottom half of the screen dis-
tures releases items that can replenish the ship’s
plays the control panel). Stealth mode (invisi-
health. The six levels are called “Histories,” and
bility) can only be used once per mission, and
at the end of each one is a boss, such as a bat-
after each mission there’s a side-view landing
tery of cannons, a giant statue, a golden pharaoh,
sequence. An unusual two-player Dogfight
NINTENDO NES
181
mode lets the second gamer assume control of
players can find, including bombs, bullets, or-
the enemy plane closest to the center of the
anges (for throwing), turbo drinks (for run-
view screen. The game contains more than 100
ning faster), hyper drinks (for temporary in-
missions around the globe.
vincibility), dog whistles (for calling canine
backup), and more.
Stinger
PUBLISHER: Konami. DEVELOPER: Konami.
Street Fighter 2010 — The Final Fight
Side-Scrolling Shooter/Vertical Scrolling
PUBLISHER: Capcom. DEVELOPER: Capcom.
Shooter, 1 or 2 players (simultaneous). 1987.
Side-Scrolling Combat/Platform Shooter, 1
player. 1990.
Featuring both horizontal and vertical
scrolling (à la Life Force), Stinger has players pi-Street Fighter II fans will surely be disap-
loting a jet fighter over land and sea through
pointed with Street Fighter 2010, a difficult game seven cute levels (oceans, the Arctic Circle,
that eschews the fighting genre the series is fa-
outer space, and the like) filled with such odd-
mous for in favor of cumbersome side-scroll-
ball enemies as radishes, donuts, footballs,
ing action. Players guide street fighter Ken as he
clothes hangers, and vinyl records. Bosses in-
runs, jumps, punches, kicks, and shoots his way
clude such characters as Sigmund Squidmund,
through five different planets (including a post-
Master Blaster (a boom box), and Solar B.
apocalyptic Earth), each of which has aliens
Threeyes. The jet can fire cannons and drop
(plant monsters, skeletal fish, centipedes, cy-
bombs, and it can shoot clouds to release bells.
borgs, and the like) and bosses to destroy.
Grabbing a bell earns bonus points, but bounc-
There are also walls to climb, annoying projec-
ing the bell around by shooting it turns the bell
tiles to avoid, ledges to grapple, and more.
different colors. A colored bell grants a power-
Gameplay is sluggish, the controls are unre-
up, such as speed, dual cannons, lasers, or a
sponsive, and there’s plenty of slowdown. De-
force field barrier. Other power-ups include
spite its title, the game has nothing to do with
three-way fire, five-way fire, and behind-the-jet
the popular Final Fight series.
shots. Like most Konami games, Stinger exudes playability. The two-player cooperative strate-Strider
gies are especially fun. Based on the 1983 Seibu
PUBLISHER: Capcom. DEVELOPER: Capcom.
Denshi arcade game.
Side-Scrolling Platform/Adventure, 1 player.
1989.
Street Cop
P
Loosely based on Capcom’s 1989 arcade
UBLISHER: Bandai. DEVELOPER: Bandai. Side-
Scrolling Combat, 1 player. 1989.
game, Strider puts players in the title role, a running, jumping, hack-and-slash secret agent
In Street Cop, players guide a rookie law
who wields a cipher (called a laser sword in the
enforcement officer through six areas (Park,
literally interpreted Sega Genesis version) and
Harlem, Warehouse, Construction Site, Down-
can obtain special boots and a variety of “power
town, and Business District), chasing after and
tricks,” including warp and three types of pro-
arresting bad guys within a specified time limit.
jectile weapons: fire, spark, and spark ball. The
A radar map at the bottom of the screen helps
foremost variances from the coin-op classic are
players track the criminals. Unlike most games
the addition of keys and readable data disks,
of its type, Street Cop requires the Nintendo which are important for level progression.
Power Pad control mat, which is used for run-
Backtracking is required, further separating the
ning (at three different speeds), jumping, turn-
game from its arcade roots. The Master System
ing corners, entering buildings, swinging a
version is a more straightforward port of the
baton, squatting (both hands and feet must be
coin-op classic. Followed by: Strider Returns:
pressed on the mat), and changing directions.
Journey from Darkness (Genesis, Game Gear)
Stepping on the pad also operates various items
and Strider 2 (arcade, PlayStation).
182
CLASSIC HOME VIDEO GAMES, 1985–1988
Stunt Kids
behind-the-back levels from Contra). The alien PUBLISHER: Camerica. DEVELOPER: Codemas-warmonger Red Falcon has returned, forcing
ters. Motocross Racing, 1 or 2 players (simul-
the Rambo-esque Scorpion and Mad Dog back
taneous). 1992.
into action. As players run, jump, flip, and
Sporti
ng a side-view perspective, Stunt
shoot their way through Tropics of Torture,
Kids has players racing their motorcycle through Massacre Mountains, Radioactive Lava Fields,
the Countryside, a Park, and a Construction
and five other exciting levels, aliens will con-
Site, jumping on ramps and over rocks, brick
stantly attack. A machine gun that fires straight
walls, tree stumps, barrels, picnic tables,
and diagonally is the standard weapon, but
swings, and other obstacles. There are also
players can grab power-ups in the form of
coins and fruit to collect and frogs, snails, and
lasers, a flamethrower, rapid fire, barriers (for
other creatures to avoid, including a skate-
temporary invulnerability), mega shells, and
boarder named Menacing Mike. As in Excite-
the ever-popular spread gun. Super C is based bike, players can do wheelies and lower the
on the arcade game Super Contra (Konami,
front wheel, the latter of which makes for
1988), with the title change made to avoid any
smooth landings on ramps (though Excitebike
connection to the real-life Iran-Contra Scan-
has better controls). Turbo boosts are used for
dal. Super C is less detailed graphically than its extra speed. The one-player mode is a race
coin-op counterpart, but does feature three
against the clock while two-player action in-
extra levels. Followed by: Contra Force.
corporates a split-screen perspective. Unli-
Super Cars
censed.
PUBLISHER: Electro Brain. DEVELOPER: Electro
Brain. Sports Car Racing/Demolition/Combat
Sunday Funday
Racing, 1 player. 1991.
PUBLISHER: Wisdom Tree. DEVELOPER: Wis-
dom Tree/Color Dreams. Side-Scrolling Plat-
Viewed from overhead, Super Cars has
form, 1 player. 1995.
players racing against other cars around twist-
ing, turning, scrolling streets. The tracks con-
The last U.S.-released NES cartridge, Sun-
sist of straights, tunnels, bridges, oil slicks, dirt day Funday is an altered rendition of Menace piles, U-turns, and right-angle turns and are
Beach. Instead of rescuing a sexy girl from
lined with barriers to keep drivers away from
Demon Dan, players must make it to the
the grass, rocks, and trees. Gameplay evokes
church on time. Enemies have been changed as
Super Sprint, but is more elaborate as players well, such as replacing ninjas with young boys.
can enter garages to spend earned money on
Either way, prurient or pious, gameplay and
fuel, repairs, power steering, turbo chargers