by Brett Weiss
Video. Vertical Scrolling Shooter, 1 player.
thing and everything, including railroad gates,
1990.
trailers, gas tanks, stop signs, buildings, cars,
Based on Gerry Anderson’s British televi-
trains, trucks, tents, aircraft, gunboats, gun
sion series (circa 1960s), which employed a
batteries, tanks, and all-terrain attack modules.
form of puppetry called “Supermarionation,”
Shooting red or gray crosses brings forth sup-
Thunderbirds for the NES is a fairly standard port helicopters, which can link up with the
shooter, but fans of the show will appreciate
jetcopter to provide sideways missiles or addi-
the nostalgic kick of seeing the marionettes
tional forward missiles (a super cool feature
communicating in the introductory sequence
somewhat reminiscent of 1942). Shooting green and during certain points throughout the
crosses gives players extra bombs, which hit
game. Players pilot five different ships (one at
everything within a fairly large radius. Excellent
a time, of course) over North America, Asia,
controls, rock solid action, and smooth difficulty
and the Indian Ocean, dodging asteroids and
progression make Tiger-Heli one of the better other obstacles while blasting away at such en-shooters for the system. When compared to
emies as bombers, fighter jets, fireballs, gun
Taito’s 1985 arcade original, there is graphical
turrets, mines, boats, and fish. Destroying cer-
breakup and simplification of the visuals in
tain enemies unleashes power-ups, including
general, but most NES owners will gladly over-
orbiters, energy (weaponry upgrades), and
look these relatively minor flaws.
health. Certain areas require players to blast
through rocky terrain.
Tiles of Fate
PUBLISHER: American Video Entertainment.
Thundercade
DEVELOPER: American Video Entertainment.
PUBLISHER: American Sammy. DEVELOPER:
Action Puzzle, 1 or 2 players (alternating).
American Sammy. Vertical Scrolling Shooter,
1990.
1 or 2 players (simultaneous). 1989.
Tiles of Fate has players matching Chinese
Instead of the standard-for-the-genre air-
symbol tiles in order to make them disappear.
plane or spaceship, Thundercade features a
Each tile has a twin, but the “force of symme-
combat motorcycle, which cruises up the screen,
try” cannot flow across more than two right
firing a machine gun at soldiers, tanks, jets,
angles. Brick walls and time limits provide ad-
submarines, and other enemies. The motorcy-
ditional challenges. Fortunately, there are three
NINTENDO NES
195
helpful “forces of fate”: flash of chance, which
as a dagger, an axe, boots (for walking long dis-
allows symmetry to affect any matching tile;
tances), scrolls (for freezing or destroying all
force of balance, which destroys brick walls;
onscreen enemies), and potions (for restoring
and flag of knowledge, which knows where all
hit points and floating and traveling at high
the remaining matches are. An edit mode lets
speeds). Based on the 1988 computer game.
players design (but not save) their own puz-
zles. Unlicensed.
Tiny Toon Adventures
PUBLISHER: Konami. DEVELOPER: Konami.
Time Lord
Side-Scrolling Platform, 1 player. 1991.
PUBLISHER: Milton Bradley. DEVELOPER: Rare.
Steven Spielberg’s animated series comes
Side-Scrolling Combat, 1 player. 1990.
to playable life via the NES. Montana Max has
To thwart an alien invasion circa 2999,
kidnapped Babs Bunny, and it is up to her
players must travel back in time to four histor-
friends to rescue her. The main character is
ical zones: Castle Harman, Medieval England;
Buster Bunny, who is the best jumper, but play-
Deadman’s Gulch, Western U.S.A.; A Pirate
ers can switch control to Dizzy Devil (un-
Ship in the Caribbean; and World War II,
leashes spin attack), Furrball (climbs walls), or
France. Each era boasts music, visuals, and
Plucky Duck (glides and swims well). Through
weaponry befitting of the time, such as a
the game’s six short levels (Field of Screamz,
broadsword (with magical powers) in England
Motion Ocean, Sure Weird Forest, Boomtown,
and a six-shooter and shotgun in the Old West.
Wackyland, and Monty’s Mansion), players
Enemies are fitting as well, ranging from drag-
must bounce on bad guys, jump on moving
ons to cowboys to pirates to soldiers. The tried-
platforms, avoid traps, trigger switches, and
and-true run, jump, punch, kick, and use-
open doors. Enemies include Roderick Rat,
weapon formula is complemented by the
Danforth Drake, Rubella Rat, Captain Claw,
necessity of collecting five orbs in each level
Dr. Gene Splicer, and others. The colorful, car-
(some of which are found by solving light puz-
toon-like action will appeal to fans of the show
zles). Rare rarely lets gamers down, and Time
and to fans of such games as Super Mario Bros.
Lord is no exception. Somewhat similar to:
Double Dragon.
Tiny Toon Adventures Cartoon Work-
shop
Times of Lore
PUBLISHER: Konami. DEVELOPER: Novotrade.
PUBLISHER: Toho. DEVELOPER: Origin Systems.
Art, 1 player. 1992.
Third-Person Action Role-Playing Game, 1
Though not a game in the strictest sense,
player. 1991.
Cartoon Workshop lives up to its name by let-Viewed from overhead, Times of Lore
ting participants create their own animated
finds the Kingdom of Albareth under attack.
short films. From a selectable list of Buster
As a Knight, a Valkyrie, or a Barbarian, players
Bunny, Babs Bunny, Plucky Duck, Furrball,
must confront this siege by journeying through
Calamity Coyote, and Little Beeper, players can
forests, towns, dungeons, seashores, deserts,
include up to two characters on screen at once,
and other locales, engaging in real-time battles
each of whom can perform such actions as
with bandits, orcs, ghosts, slimes, skeletons,
skipping, jumping, skating, eating, swimming,
and other enemies. The action covers the entire
kicking a ball, and/or blasting off in a rocket.
screen, but pop-ups appear on the bottom half
They can also be placed in a variety of settings,
of the screen when it’s time to make selections
such as a lake, a city, a desert, a forest, or an
(look, grab, hold, give, speak, and the like) and
ocean. Music, sound effects, and captions can
talk to characters (conversations are conducted
be added as well. Based on Steven Spielberg’s
via key phrases). In addition to battling crea-
cartoon creation, Tiny Toon Adventures (syndi-tures, players must use keys to open doors, eat
cated, 1990–95), which was the subject of nu-
food to recover energy, and pick up such items
merous other video games, including Tiny
196
CLASSIC HOME VIDEO GAMES, 1985–1988
Toon Adventures: Buster’s Hidden Treasure
Toki
(Genesis) and Tiny Toon Adventures: Buster
PUBLISHER: Taito. DEVELOPER: Taito. Side-
Busts Loose (SNES). Similar to: Wacky Worlds Scrolling Platform, 1 player. 1991.
Creative Studio (Genesis).
Despite visual flatness, Toki for the NES is a nice port of TAD Corporation’s 1989 arcade
Tiny Toon Adventures 2: Trouble in
game. Players guide a man-turned-monkey
Wackyland
through six levels of play (Labyrinth of Caves,
PUBLISHER: Konami. DEVELOPER: Konami.
Lake Neptune, Caverns of Fire, Ice Palace, Dark
Side-Scrolling Platform, 1 player. 1993.
Jungle, and Golden Palace), jumping over ob-
Buster Bunny, Babs Bunny, Plucky Duck,
stacles, climbing up and down vines, swim-
Hampton Hog, and Furrball the cat have been
ming, and jumping on or spitting fireballs at
invited to a new amusement park, but each ride
such enemies as ape warriors, smoke genies,
is a trap. In Train, Hampton walks across the
armor lizards, and guardian squids. Weapons to
top of a moving train, jumping over flags, at-
grab include double, wave, three-way, flame,
tacking rats, and collecting cupcakes. Roller
and power meter. Other useful items include
Coaster finds Babs riding up and down hills
keys (for entering locked rooms), football hel-
and loops, grabbing grapes and avoiding ob-
mets (for protection against enemies), fruit (for
stacles by jumping and by flipping upside
extra points), clocks (for additional time), and
down. Log Ride puts Furrball aboard the titu-
shoes (for jumping higher). Also released for
lar log, surfing up and down side-scrolling hills
the Atari Lynx. Fans of the game should also
while jumping over fish, logs, and other obsta-
check out Toki: Going Ape Spit for the Genesis.
cles. Bumper Cars is the oddball overhead-view
event, with players bumping enemy cars into
Tom & Jerry
holes. Finally, earning four golden tickets
PUBLISHER: Hi Tech Expressions. DEVELOPER:
grants entrance to the Fun House, in which
Software Creations. Side-Scrolling Platform, 1
Buster jumps over gaps, hops on moving plat-
player. 1991.
forms, turns flips to attack enemies, walks up-
Tom has kidnapped Jerry’s nephew Tuffy
side down, avoids a love-struck Elmyra, and
and locked him in the attic. As the running,
more. Tiny Toon Adventures 2 is brief, but cute, jumping, climbing Jerry, players must work
fun, and challenging.
their way from the basement up through the
house, throwing marbles at bats, bees, spiders,
To the Earth
and other enemies along the way. Unlike the
PUBLISHER: Nintendo. DEVELOPER: Nintendo.
more simplistic (though graphically superior)
Light Gun Shooter, 1 player. 1989.
SNES game (which is called Tom and Jerry), A nice change of pace from such tradi-the NES game equips Jerry with a variety of de-
tional light fun fare as Duck Hunt and Hogan’s fensive weapons, including bubble gum, a meat
Alley, To the Earth puts the action in outer space cleaver, a hammer, and invisible ink. In addi-
(four stages in all), with players firing away at
tion, Jerry can eat cheese for extra points and
fast spaceships that begin in the distance and
enter hidden mouse holes to play bonus stages.
whiz close by, creating a neat visual effect.
Created by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera,
Shooting enemies gains energy while misses
the dueling cat and mouse team of Tom and
and getting shot depletes energy. A limited
Jerry began in the 1940s as a series of theatrical number of smart bombs are available, and de-shorts, leading to decades of TV cartoons and
stroying comets provides players with barrier
even a feature film.
shields. Other objects to shoot include laser
bombs, hyper missiles, asteroids, and bosses,
Tombs & Treasure
the latter of which includes a swirling, dragon-
PUBLISHER: Infocom. DEVELOPER: Tokyo
like creature called Zambuka.
Shoseki. First-Person Graphic Adventure, 1
player. 1990.
NINTENDO NES
197
A famous archaeologist has disappeared
and one of three types of missiles (hound, wolf,
in the ruins of Chichen Itza. To make it through
and tiger, each varying in quantity and power)
the ancient Mayan city, which includes tem-
to battle fighters, attack copters, submarines,
ples, sacrificial lakes, and the deadly Ball Court,
battle cruisers, tanks, and other enemies. The
players must collect and use items in strategic
game is short, offering just four missions:
ways. This involves pointing and clicking on
Training, Destroying an Aircraft Carrier, De-
icons representing various forms of action, in-
stroying an Enemy Base, and Destroying a
cluding go, look, take, put, use, move, push, pull,
Space Shuttle. Radar helps players monitor en-
smash, join, and wash. The screen is divided
emies, and a sighting device is used for target-
into five windows: Location, Message, Icon,
ing enemies. Other gauges to monitor include
Text, and Action. Unlike such similar games as
altimeter, air speed indicator, fuel meter,
Déjà Vu and Shadowgate, Tombs & Treasure artificial horizon, and damage indicator. In ad-features turn-based, RPG-style monster bat-
dition to combat, players must refuel (while
tles. Includes password feature. Based on the
airborne) and land on aircraft carriers, mak-
1987 Japanese computer game, Taiyou no Shin-
ing for a very difficult (i.e. frustrating) game.
den Asteka II.
Top Gun: The Second Mission
Toobin’
PUBLISHER: Konami. DEVELOPER: Konami.
PUBLISHER: Tengen. DEVELOPER: Tengen. Boat/
Flight Combat Simulator, 1 or 2 players (si-
Watercraft Racing, 1 or 2 players (alternating,
multaneous). 1989.
simultaneous). 1989.
The sequel to Top Gun: The Second Mission When Atari’s Toobin’ appeared in the ar-once again puts players in the cockpit of an F-
cades in 1988, it was a wildly original concept,
14 Tomcat, but there are two additional game
pitting Bif against Jet as they rode on inner
modes, meaning players can now battle it out
tubes down such overhead-view rivers as the
against an opponent (via split-screen action)
Colorado, Nile, Styx, Canals of Mars, and
or one-on-one against the “enemy’s finest pi-
Jurassic, steering around obstacles (whirlpools,
lots.” Standard missions include Destroy Enemy
dinosaur tails, bullets, and more) and throwing
Bomber, Destroy Top Secret Helicopter, and
cans at such enemies as alligators, hunters, and
Destroy Enemy Space Shuttle, with players
cavemen. Technically, the NES has a two-player
shooting down tanks, submarines, fighters,
simultaneous mode, but it’s a far cry from the
choppers, and other enemies while en route to
quarter-muncher. One player steers the inner
the ultimate destination. Gamers have unlim-
tube while the other throws cans. Gone is the
ited bullets, plus three types of missiles:
coin-op classic’s racing mode, in which Bif and
phoenix, sparrow, and sidewinder, each vary-
Jet each has his own inner tube. Also gone are
ing in quantity and power. As in the original
a number of graphical flourishes, such as the
Top Gun, players must land their plane, but this between-level parties and Bif and Jet entering
time it’s much easier. Top Gun, the popular film the river through a starting gate. In addition,
starring Tom Cruise, was the subject of numer-
the NES version doesn’t have the same feel as its
ous other video games, including Top Gun:
coin-op counterpart, thanks to the latter’s five-
Guts and Glory (Game Boy) and Top Gun: Fire button control scheme. Also released for the
at Will! (PlayStation).
Game Boy Color. Unlicensed.
Top Players’ Tennis Featuring Chris
Top Gun
Evert & Ivan Lendl
PUBLISHER: Konami. DEVELOPER: Konami.
PUBLISHER: Asmik. DEVELOPER: Home Data.
Flight Combat Simulator, 1 player. 1987.
Sports/Tennis, 1–4 players (simultaneous).
1990.
Loosely based on the 1986 feature film,
Top Gun puts players in the cockpit of an F-14
Top Players’ Tennis does a nice job simu-
Tomcat, using an unlimited supply of bullets
lating the popular sport and even features two
198
CLASSIC HOME VIDEO GAMES, 1985–1988
of the all-time greats as playable characters.
control of a “most unprecedented regular dude”
Gamers can pull off lots of hits and moves, in-
named Jake, who runs, jumps, shoots (holding
cluding top spin, side spin, lob, fast and slow
down a button charges the weapon), and uses
serve, slice, ground stroke volley, smash, back-
magic through 12 levels of play, including
hand, forehand, dive, and jump. Holding the
Amusement Park, Under the Big Top, Dark
button in increases the strength of the shot