by Brett Weiss
player), and the fact that the computer players
other weaponry); riding a horse and a magic
frequently hold on to the ball after trying to
carpet; searching dungeons for treasure; boost-
dunk. Includes player substitutions, fouls, back
ing karma, compassion, and other virtues (by
court violations, and a Tournament mode (in
doing good deeds); and much more. Includes
which players have to beat two of the game’s
battery backup. Followed by numerous sequels
seven fictional teams). The elevated view is from
202
CLASSIC HOME VIDEO GAMES, 1985–1988
the side, and the screen scrolls horizontally to
disgrace to the popular comic book series. Play-
show the entire court.
ers guide a small, pitifully rendered version of
Wolverine, Cyclops, Storm, Colossus, Night-
Ultimate League Soccer
crawler, or Iceman up the screen, using his or
PUBLISHER: American Video Entertainment.
her special powers (along with bombs) to bat-
DEVELOPER: C&E. Sports/Soccer, 1 or 2 players
tle Juggernaut, The White Queen, Boomerang,
(simultaneous). 1991.
Sabretooth, and Magneto, along with scores of
Ultimate League Soccer lets players select
lesser villains. The computer or a second player
from eight different international teams, each
guides a tagalong X-Man, and solo gamers can
of which is ranked according to offense, de-
toggle control of the two characters selected.
fense, speed, skill, accuracy, and experience.
Five missions, each of which contains two keys
The game, which scrolls in all directions to
to find, are included: Practice (which takes
show the entire field, offers an overhead view
place in the Danger Room); Future City Street
and two modes of play: Ultimate League (a sin-
Fight; Search and Destroy the Robofactory;
gle game) and World Cup. Players can select
Subterranean Confrontation; and Battle
from four different uniform colors (white,
through a Living Starship.
green, gray, and red) and three different game
lengths and player formations. Penalty kick
Uncharted Waters
contests determine the winner of games that
PUBLISHER: Koei. DEVELOPER: Koei. Role-Play-
end in a tie. Unlicensed.
ing Game/Adventure, 1 player. 1991.
Ultimate Stuntman
Set in 1502, which is a decade after the leg-
P
endary voyage of Christopher Columbus, Un-
UBLISHER: Camerica. DEVELOPER: Codemas-
ters. Multi-Genre Game, 1 player. 1991.
charted Waters puts players in the role of a Por-tuguese captain, bartering for precious treasures
Ultimate Stuntman is a fun, good looking
as a merchant or plundering and pillaging as a
game that oozes with variety. In pursuit of Dr.
ruthless pirate. Players must: walk through the
Evil, players race (overhead view/vertical scroll-
streets of Lisbon; recruit sailors; sail the open
ing) through streets, over lakes, and across
seas; discover hidden ports (along the coast-
beaches, shooting enemies and dodging mis-
line) and new trade routes; rescue people in
siles, rockfalls, bombs, and other obstacles.
distress; fight Spanish and Turkish fleets (in
Then players take to the side-scrolling streets,
turn-based battles); gain allies for Portugal;
collecting keys, jumping on platforms, and
purchase and repair ships; stock ships with sup-
shooting robots. Crazy Climber-like action is plies; play cards; visit inns for food and gossip;
next as players, as a human fly, scale a building,
deal with typhoons and strong currents; and
with the added thrill of guiding a crosshair
much more. Much of the action is viewed from
around the screen, shooting giant spiders. More
overhead. Success increases the player’s sailing
shooting ensues, plus some puzzle elements in-
experience, sailing level, leadership, strength,
volving the diffusing of a bomb. Finally, play-
wisdom, courage, and intelligence. Includes
ers pilot a microlight plane, avoiding crashing
battery backup. Also released for the SNES and
into rocks and cliffs while shooting enemies.
Genesis. Followed by: New Horizons (SNES,
The Uncanny X-Men
Genesis).
PUBLISHER: LJN. DEVELOPER: Enteractive Video
Games. Overhead View Action, 1 or 2 players
Uninvited
(simultaneous). 1989.
PUBLISHER: Seika. DEVELOPER: ICOM Simula-
tions. First-Person Graphic Adventure, 1
Called “Marvel’s X-Men” on the title
player. 1991.
screen, The Uncanny X-Men marked the first
appearance of the mutant super-group on a
This adventure game finds the lead char-
video game console. Unfortunately, thanks to
acter exploring a haunted house, searching for
lousy gameplay and hideous graphics, it is a
his sister who disappeared after a car crash.
NINTENDO NES
203
This involves pointing and clicking on a vari-
zens drop flower pots out of windows, adding
ety of commands (exam, open, use, hit, speak,
to the challenge. If the cops show up, players
and the like) to interact with characters, solve
should stop fighting until the heat is off. Back-
puzzles (some of which are unreasonably
ground graphics largely consist of generic look-
tough), search for clues, manipulate objects
ing buildings. Nintendo released the game in
(including weapons), maneuver through the
the arcades the previous year as Vs. Urban
house, and more. Fans of Shadowgate and Déjà Champion.
Vu should enjoy Uninvited, which was originally a Macintosh computer game (1986). In-
Vegas Dream
cludes battery backup.
PUBLISHER: HAL America. DEVELOPER: HAL
Laboratory. Gambling, 1–4 players (simulta-
The Untouchables
neous). 1990.
PUBLISHER: Ocean. DEVELOPER: Special FX
Vegas Dream is comprised of four differ-
Software. Third-Person Shooter/Platform
ent casino games: Blackjack (which includes
Shooter/First-Person Shooter, 1 player. 1991.
the ability to buy insurance, double down, and
Based on Brian De Palma’s 1987 feature
split pairs); Roulette; Slot Machines (Jackpot
film (which in turn was based on the 1959 TV
Bar and Pot’o Gold); and Keno. Unfortunately,
series), The Untouchables takes place in prohi-poker is not included. One Spot mode offers
bition era Chicago, with players controlling
standard gambling action while the more ad-
Eliot Ness and his elite squad of crime busters:
venturous Vegas Dream mode incorporates
Malone, Stone, and Wallace. There are seven
people who will approach you looking for side
levels of play, the first of which (Streets) finds
bets, romance, handouts, and more. Players
Ness, viewed from behind, popping out from
begin with $700 and can loan money to one
behind a wall, taking shots at gangsters appear-
another in this fun, nicely programmed gam-
ing in alleyway windows. Unfortunately, the
bling simulator. Includes password feature.
gun site is slow, and Ness must reload after
every two shots, causing sheer frustration. Sub-
Venice Beach Volleyball
sequent levels of play include: Warehouse
PUBLISHER: American Video Entertainment.
(jump on crates, shoot bad guys, grab evi-
DEVELOPER: Idea-Tek. Sports/Volleyball, 1 or 2
dence); Bridge (lie on ground for cover, use
players (simultaneous). 1991.
rapid fire to kill gangsters); Alley (similar to
Venice Beach Volleyball lets players select
Streets); Train Station (guide baby carriage
from four different two-player teams, each of
down stairs while avoiding enemy fire and ob-
which is rated according to speed, smash (spik-
stacles); Hostage (take out Al Capone’s hench-
ing ability), and receiving (how well the team
man using only one shot); and Rooftops (sim-
plays an opponent’s serve or hit). Players can
ilar to Streets). The SNES version is somewhat
compete or team up against the computer, and
similar, but has better graphics (of course) and
there are two types of serves (flat and jump),
some overhead view action.
two scoring systems (normal and rally point),
and three difficulty levels. The elevated view is
Urban Champion
from the side, and the action scrolls horizontally
PUBLISHER: Nintendo. DEVELOPER: Nintendo.
to show the entire court. Although unlicensed
Fighting, 1 or 2 players (simultaneous). 1986.
and somewhat limited (there’s only one court
Although sluggish and limited by today’s
and no tournament mode), VBV plays a decent
standards, Urban Champion was a fun game
game of beach volleyball.
upon release. Players control a blue- or green-
haired street brawler, each of whom has but
Vice: Project Doom
two surprisingly strategic fighting moves: a
PUBLISHER: American Sammy. DEVELOPER:
fast, soft punch and a slow, hard punch. The
Aicom. Side-Scrolling Platform/Demolition/
objective is to back the opposing fighter into a
Combat Racing/First-Person Shooter, 1 player.
manhole or reduce his stamina to zero. Citi-
1991.
204
CLASSIC HOME VIDEO GAMES, 1985–1988
Boasting cinematic visuals and robust,
Mega-Brain) guard doorways between each
challenging, fast-paced gameplay, Vice: Project
space station, and it is necessary to pick up keys
Doom begins with players driving up the screen to progress from level to level. Destroying space
(ala Spy Hunter), shooting at enemy vehicles.
station control centers plays a factor as well. In
The action then switches to a side-scrolling per-
two-player mode, shooting the other player’s
spective (ala Ninja Gaiden), with gamers jump-tank transfers fuel from the shooter tank to the
ing on platforms and over gaps, using a nifty
tank that has been shot. This is a nice port of
laser whip, grenades, and a .44 magnum to fend
Atari’s 1988 arcade game, which did benefit
off flying creatures, thugs on pogo sticks, and
from dual joystick control, detailed onscreen
other enemies. There’s also first-person shooter
instructions, and a much cooler title screen.
action (ala Operation Wolf), in which gamers
Followed by: Vindicators Part II (arcade), which guide a cursor around the screen, blowing away
was simply a stripped down version of the orig-
bad guys, destroying backgrounds, and gain-
inal Vindicators.
ing power-ups. The storyline, which is told
through cut scenes, revolves around the man-
Volleyball
ufacturing of an alien-produced gel that is ad-
PUBLISHER: Nintendo. DEVELOPER: Nintendo.
dicting and lethal to humans.
Sports/Volleyball, 1 or 2 players (simultane-
ous). 1987.
Videomation
P
This six-on-six Volleyball game for the
UBLISHER: THQ. DEVELOPER: Western Tech-
nologies. Art, 1 player. 1991.
NES lets players compete as the men’s or
women’s U.S. team against seven different
Videomation lets aspiring artists use a va-
countries: Russia, China, Cuba, Japan, Brazil,
riety of virtual tools (pencil, line, arrow, square,
Korea, and Tunisia. The Training mode is for
circle, paint bucket) to draw and paint designs
practice while the Game mode presents a
and pictures on the screen. The tools can be ad-
tougher challenge. Players can feint, block, vary
justed to move slowly or quickly and thin or
the strength and direction of serves, set the ball
wide, and players can erase, select from a vari-
high or low, and spike the ball hard or across.
ety of colors, and add stamps and animations.
Unfortunately, poor controls and bad collision
Art cannot be saved, but, as with any video
detection make the game virtually unplayable.
game played on a TV, the images can be recorded
The elevated view is from the side, and the
on video cassette.
screen scrolls horizontally to show the entire
court.
Vindicators
PUBLISHER: Tengen. DEVELOPER: Tengen. Verti-
Wacky Races
cal Scrolling Tank Shooter, 1 or 2 players (si-
PUBLISHER: Atlus. DEVELOPER: Atlus. Side-
multaneous). 1988.
Scrolling Platform, 1 player. 1992.
Set in the year 2525, Vindicators has play-
Despite being based on a racing cartoon,
ers driving a battle tank (which can rotate and
Wacky Races for the NES is not a racing game.
fire in all directions) through 14 labyrinthine
Rather, it’s a standard (if fairly enjoyable) plat-
space stations (viewed from overhead), shoot-
former in which players guide Muttley through
ing tanks, turrets, mines, and flying saucers
such areas as a desert, a castle, a forest, an is-
while gathering up fuel and battle stars, the lat-
land, downtown, an ice village, a mountain,
ter of which are used to upgrade/customize the
and a western town. Muttley runs, jumps (over
tank’s speed, fuel, shot range, shot power, shot
cacti, spikes, houses, and other obstacles),
speed, and force shields. Battle stars are also
crouches, and bites (fish, cats, snowmen, snakes,
good for purchasing smart shots (which track
and other enemies), and he can gather bones
most any type of enemy) and bomb cannons.
to earn bombs, wings (for better jumping con-
Enemy bosses (including Sentry Robot and
trol), sonic barks, and health. Th
e graphics are
NINTENDO NES
205
flat (if nicely drawn), but the game does in-
The last licensed NES game released in
clude other racers from the TV show as bosses.
North America, Wario’s Woods is a clever and Muttley’s ultimate goal is to rescue the nefari-engaging take on the “falling block” subgenre
ous Dick Dastardly. Actual racing games based
invented by Tetris. As bombs (provided by
on Hanna-Barbera’s cartoon franchise include:
Sprite) and monsters (unleashed by Black Bat)
Wacky Races (Dreamcast, Game Boy Color)
descend from the sky, Toad, in a rare starring
and Wacky Races: Crash & Dash (Nintendo DS, role, must scurry about, arranging them in
Wii).
groupings of three or more (horizontally, ver-
tically, or diagonally) in order to make them
Wall Street Kid
vanish. Toad can climb, kick objects, move
PUBLISHER: Sofel. DEVELOPER: Sofel. Business
stacks, and more. For the bombs and monsters
Simulator, 1 player. 1990.
to disappear, they must be of the same color,
and at least one bomb must be in the line.
This cartoonish point-and-click stock
Pulling off chain reactions, eliminating dia-
market simulator has players buying, selling,
monds, and making rows of monsters disap-
and trading stocks (blue chip, speculative,
pear cause special things to happen, such as
cyclical, and growth) from such semi-familiar
raising the ceiling (the fiendish boss Wario is
companies as YBM, Yapple, and American De-
on hand to lower the ceiling) or turning the op-
press. Armed with $500,000, players must in-
ponent’s bombs into diamonds (in two-player
vest wisely to make their assets grow. To help
split screen mode). The SNES version of
facilitate the process, players can consult
Wario’s Woods has better graphics, battery
the “Wall Street Times” and get advice from
backup, a VS Com mode, and diamonds that
Connie the Arrogant Advisor and Ruth the
can be lifted, dropped, and kicked.
Ruthless Banker. Other aspects of Wall Street
Kid include keeping physically fit (by swim-
Wayne Gretzky Hockey
ming, going to the gym, and hiking) and pam-
PUBLISHER: THQ. DEVELOPER: Bethesda Soft-
pering your girlfriend with gifts. Includes pass-
works. Sports/Hockey, 1 or 2 players (simulta-
word feature.
neous). 1991.
Wally Bear and the NO! Gang
Viewed from overhead, Wayne Gretzky
P
Hockey is one of the lesser sports games for the UBLISHER: American Game Cartridges. DENES. Players can shoot, pass, demand passes