The Game Over Club: HEAVY BARREL (The Grade)

The Game Over Club: HEAVY BARREL (The Grade): "NOT THAT POWER-UP!!" Genre: Run and Gun Players: 1 or 2 players co-op Levels: Around 6 Game Play: 3 Graphics: 3 Music: 2....

HEAVY BARREL (The Grade)

"NOT THAT POWER-UP!!"

Genre: Run and Gun
Players: 1 or 2 players co-op
Levels: Around 6

Game Play: 3
Graphics: 3
Music: 2.5
Difficulty: 2.5
Fun: 3

14 out of a possible 25

PASSING GRADE!

Data East serves us a fine run and gun military game. While the music and graphics are nothing to write home about, that's not to say they're bad. Just serviceable. 

For those that don't know you play as one of two soldiers out to stop...uh, well, I don't know much of the story to be brutally honest. But I don't think that really matters. You got a small arsenal of rifles, two types of grenades, shotgun shot, flamethrower among others. 

Its one of those nice 2 player simultaneous games that the NES doesn't have enough of. I highly recommend the game. The controls are really good and responsive. And the fact that by snagging keys you can unlock chests for further weapons is really cool. And there's a lot of chests scattered about, and not enough keys.

You even get that early NES voice synthesizer. Although it leaves a lot to the imagination. Instead of "Heavy Barrel!" you get "Heav-e-barl!". All in all though, a very fun game! Check this one out.

In the meantime, in between time!
-Will ^>^

The Game Over Club: NES Triva #3

The Game Over Club: NES Triva #3: "YOU THINK YOU KNOW NES TRIVIA?!" Step right up and take the challenge then! This time around, the question may be a tad bit tou...

NES Triva #3

"YOU THINK YOU KNOW NES TRIVIA?!"

Step right up and take the challenge then! This time around, the question may be a tad bit tougher.

QUESTION #1: What are the names of the 2 cute dinosaurs you play as in Bubble Bobble?

QUESTION #2: In stage 6-4 of Ninja Gaiden, who is the boss?

QUESTION #3: In Batman Stage 1-2, towards the end of the level a ninja is doing something. What is it?

QUESTION #4: What spell does NOT appear in Zelda II: The Adventure of Link?

A. Fairy
B. Spell
C. Armor
D. Jump

QUESTION #5: What are the names of the 2 cars in Rad Racer?

QUESTION #6: True or False, it takes 4 missiles to open a red door in Metroid?

A. True
B. False

QUESTION #7: What item do you receive in Dungeon 4 of the Legend of Zelda (2nd Quest)?

A. Bow
B. Magic Book
C. Wand

QUESTION #8: In Mega Man 4, which Robot Master should be defeated first?

A. Bright Man
B. Ring Man
C. Toad Man

QUESTION #9: Who is the most broken player in Tecmo Bowl?

QUESTION #10: The world ends in what year in Crystalis?

A. 1995
B. 1997
C. 2001

THE ANSWERS...

1: Bub & Bob, 2: Your Father, 3: Smoking, 4:C, 5: 328 Twin Turbo & F1 Racer, 

6: False, it takes 5 missiles, 7:B, 8:C, 9: Bo Jackson of L.A., 10:B

Where do you rank?!

10 - NES Grand Champion

9 - Supreme Master

8 - Guardian of Nintendo Lore

7 - NES Ace

6 - Nintendo Savant

5 - Standard Koopa Troopa'

4 - Guardian of Peach's pets

3 - Pipe Cleaner

2 - Lantern holder of the Wrecking Crew

1 - Cave dweller in Zelda

0 - Slime Food

Chime in with your results in the comments section below! I'd love to know where you all ranked. Enjoy!

In the meantime, in between time!

-Will ^>^

The Game Over Club: NES Trivia #2

The Game Over Club: NES Trivia #2: "A GLUTTON FOR PUNISHMENT EH?!" You see an apparition of what appears too be an old wizard. He hovers slightly above the ground ...

NES Trivia #2

"A GLUTTON FOR PUNISHMENT EH?!"

You see an apparition of what appears too be an old wizard. He hovers slightly above the ground and looks at you with a nasty scowl. "If you wish to leave my dreaded tower that I so cleverly captured you alive, you need to answer my trivia! Score enough points and you may leave. Failure...and it's GAME OVER for you!!" 

Question #1: Who is the main bad guy in Donkey Kong Jr.?

A. Mr. Game and Watch
B. Mario
C. Pauline

Question #2: In Kirby's Adventure, what is the first power-up you can take in World 1's museum?

A. Sword
B. Cutter
C. Suplex
D. Ice

Question #3: Who do Billy and Jimmy Lee fight in Double Dragon 2?

A. Shadow Warriors
B. Black Shadow Warriors
C. Scorpion Gang

Question #4: Gradius has an upgrade system. What is the last power-up?

A. Shield
B. Option
C. Laser

Question #5: True or False, Nester appears in NES Play Action Football?

A. True
B. False

Question #6: Who is the main villain in The Immortal?

A. The Dragon
B. Dunric
C. Mordamir

Question #7: What is the name of the Parrot in Startropics?

A. Perry
B. Percy
C. Peter

Question #8: What sword defeats the Egyptian Boss in 8 Eyes?

A. Africa's Sword
B. Spain's Sword
C. Germany's Sword

Question #9: Who are you trying to save in The Adventures of Bayou Billy?

A. Belle 
B. Annabelle
C. Anna

Question #10: Which event does NOT appear in World Class Track Meet?

A. 100m Dash
B. 200m Hurdles
C. Triple Jump
D. Long Jump

Question #11: In 1943, what does the Yashichi give you?

A. Max Energy
B. Extra Life
C. Max Firepower

Answers: 1:B, 2:A, 3:B, 4:A, 5:A, 6:C, 7:C, 8:B, 9:B, 10:B, 11:A

FINAL SCORE

11 - (Grand Wizard) You replace the old wizard as master of trivia!

10 - (Wizard) You defeat the wizard and rescue a fair princess!

9 - (King) You defeat the wizard and his tower crumbles to dust!

8 - (Dragon Fighter) You kill the wizard and claim his treasures!

7 - (Knight) You escape the tower with a fair damsel!

6 - (Warrior) You barely escape the wrath of the wizard!

5 - (Soldier) The Wizard commands you to sweep his tower forever!

4 - (Guard) The Wizard zaps you to ashes!

3 - (Coward) The Wizard turns you into a Slime!

2 - (Lunkhead) The Wizard laughs at you and summons a demon that drags you to another dimension!

1 - (Town Drunk) The Wizard traps your soul in a bottle. Your empty husk cleans his lavatory!

0 - (Fodder to Dodongo) The Wizard shakes his head and throws you to his pet Chomp-Chomp for dinner.

Did you score enough points? Hope you had fun!
In the meantime, in between time!

-Will ^>^

The Game Over Club: NES Trivia #1

The Game Over Club: NES Trivia #1: "THINK YOU'RE HOT STUFF?" You know your Nintendo trivia do you? Well put your money where your mouth is! This is (of course)...

NES Trivia #1

"THINK YOU'RE HOT STUFF?"

You know your Nintendo trivia do you? Well put your money where your mouth is! This is (of course) questions related to Nintendo's best console, the NES. So check your answers at the bottom and see where you rank in the scheme of all things Nintendo!

Question #1: In Q-Bert (Ultra Games) what is the name of the purple snake that chases after you?

A. Snakey
B. Rattles
C. Coily

Question #2: How many Wheel of Fortune Games were there for the NES?

A. 1
B. 3
C. 4

Question #3: In Xevious (Bandai) what is the name of the space ship you pilot?

A. Sol
B. Solvalou
C. Solvus

Question #4: In Super Mario Bros. (Nintendo) what is Bowser's original nickname?

A. King Koopa
B. King Kupa
C. King Donkey Kong Jr.

Question #5: There is a special password in Metroid that gives Samus Aran a unique look. What is it?

A. Justin Bailey
B. Narpas Sword
C. Justine Bailley

Question #6: What does R.O.B. stand for?

A. Robotic Operational Bystander
B. Robot On Buddy
C. Robotic Operating Buddy

Question #7: What was the last game released on the NES?

A. Mega Man 6

B. Wario Woods

C. Jungle Book

Question #8: Which one is NOT a princess.

A. Toadstool

B. Lana

C. Pauline

D. Daisy

Question #9: What is the name of Dungeon 8 in the Legend of Zelda? (First Quest)

A. Lion

B. Manji

C. Skull

Question #10: True or False, Mr. Gimmick was released in Europe but NOT North America.

A. True

B. False

And the answers...

1:C, 2:B, 3:B, 4:A, 5:A, 6:C, 7:B, 8:C, 9:A, 10:A

WHERE DO YOU RANK?

10 - Game Master

9 - Nes Wizard

8 - Nintendo Champion

7 - NES Stud 

6- Apprentice to Mario

5- Average Toad

4- Octorok licker

3- Apprentice to Luigi's assistant

2 - Squire to Link

1 - Washer of Samus' Space Ship

0 - Kin of Goomba 

All in good fun! Hope you liked it.

In the meantime, in between time!

-Will ^>^

The Game Over Club: Data East (The Grade)

The Game Over Club: Data East (The Grade): "FUCKING GARBAGE!!" This is what I used to say while I was playing Tag Team Wrestling. A game I unfortunately bought at a yard...

Data East (The Grade)

"FUCKING GARBAGE!!"

This is what I used to say while I was playing Tag Team Wrestling. A game I unfortunately bought at a yard sale. Getting into the upper levels of that game was like pulling teeth. And that was a good day. Running me haggard and worn out from the quest of golden titles, I swore bloody vengeance on...wait, let me see it. There it is! Data East! Damn you for making a crappy wrestling game!

Good cover, suckered me in...

I was done with them. The graphics, the controls, the overall design...no more from that gutter company!

It wasn't a few years later when I changed my tune. I went over to a friends place and he was playing "an awesome game where you fight ninjas!" Needless to say it was a beat em' up, and I was interested. He told me the game was Bad Dudes. Cool!

Now this is a good game!

He let me play what felt like hours. And hours in a good way! I had so much fun. The game had its graphical glitches sure, but it was a hell of a lot of fun. And that's what I remembered most. Well, that and the kick arse sound track. Man oh man I loved that intro track, and that boss theme was so sweet. Yes, I'm humming it right now as you read this (sue me humanoid!).

After a few hours he popped the game out and that's when I realised the front cover had that dreaded insignia! DA-TA EA-ST...data east...WHAT?! How can this be? I assumed all of their games were complete trash. Well humanoids I was wrong. And here's a quick breakdown of each game with grade, and, a final grade for the company itself. 

• Bad Dudes (A) Awesome music, graphics and controls
• Breakthrough (C) eh, its an okay game
• Burgertime  (A) excellent game, great music, controls are good too
• Cobra Command (B-) nice visuals, music is meh, gameplay is solid though
• Heavy Barrel  (B+) one of Data East's best, great run and gun game that gets really tough at the end!
• Joe and Mac  (A) Interesting game here. A very solid run and gun game with an interesting twist.
• Karate Champ (D) Ugh...bad sound, horrid controls, ugly graphics. Stay clear people!
• Karnov  (C) Visuals and music are okay. Just an okay game.
• Kid Nikki (D) There's better games of its ilk to play. Pass on this one.
• Rampage (B) a pretty solid rendition of the arcade game. Considering this is an 8 bit system, very nice.
• Ring King (B) despite the between round scenes this is a great boxing game that gets NO love.
• Robocop (A) Just fantastic, music is catchy (but a bit repetitive), graphics are awesome, controls too.
• Side Pocket (C) eh, its billiards, what can you really expect. Solid, by pool standards lol.
• Tag Team Wrestling (F) Sucks, bad everything. Stay away.

DATA EAST (B-) 

A pretty solid company. It had some great games on the NES (Burgertime, Bad Dudes, Heavy Barrel, Joe and Mac). But it had its fair share of stinkers. And their stinkers stunt REAL REAL bad! So that was my little review of an often forgotten company of the 80's and 90's. 

In the meantime, in between time!

-Will ^>^ 

The Game Over Club: No Time for the NES, Man!

The Game Over Club: No Time for the NES, Man!: OVER 107 GAMES... And that's just the downstairs collection! My NES library has expanded greatly the last few months. But all this co...

No Time for the NES, Man!

OVER 107 GAMES...

And that's just the downstairs collection! My NES library has expanded greatly the last few months. But all this collecting, and hoarding, and hunting, has left me with one big problem. No time to really delve into these great (and not so great) titles!

ITS JUST WAITING FOR ME...

Here's just a small taste of the games I've picked up from local pawn shops, yard sales both in town and up North, as well as Kijiji ads.

• North and South
• Spy Hunter
• Little League Baseball (Made by SNK and uses the Baseball Stars engine its great!)
• Top Gun: The Second Mission
• Castlevania 3 (with manual)
• Xenophobe
• Super Mario Bros./Duck Hunt/World Class Track Meet
• MUSCLE
• Willow (Boxed)
• Ninja Gaiden (Boxed)
• Golgo 13 (extra copy for Retro Matt)
• Play Action Football (Boxed)
• Ski or Die
• Palamedes
• Athena
• Adventures of Bayou Billy
• Heavy Barrel
• Isolated Warrior
• TMNT (Extra copy for Retro Matt)
• Kirby's Adventure (Finally got THIS!)
• Raid on Bungeling Bay
• Rocket Ranger
• Air Fortress
• RBI Baseball
• Pinball
• Vindicators
• Gauntlet 2 (extra copy for Retro Matt)
• Back to the Future

I think that's it. I hope that's it! Humanoids that's almost 30 new NES games! I've scratched the surface of maybe 60% of them. Ugh. I really need to STOP buying and just focus on, oh I don't know, PLAYING!!

I can hear my inner child screaming at me with a bowl of Coco Puffs in hand; "Will! Look at all of dos' cool games you have! Let ME take care of them!" Oh man. But its so true isn't it? Back when we were kids we would dream of the days when we could get jobs and make our own money, buy all the stuff we never got a chance to get when we were smaller.

But there's bills to pay, people to see, other hobbies to pursue, and significant others to impress, woo, or keep happy. Ha. Oh who am I kidding? I'm sitting here typing this to anyone out there reading this right now (and thanks by the way humanoid), go and play those retro games of yours. Enjoy them when you get a free moment from life. 

All the games that I have and no real time to play. Or, too many games to play and not enough time when we DO get a chance. Either way, happy gaming eh!

In the meantime, in between time!

Will ^>^

The Game Over Club: It's Over! Plus, Skate or Die 2 (The Grade)

The Game Over Club: It's Over! Plus, Skate or Die 2 (The Grade): I did it! At the beginning of this year I set out a goal to complete more than 17 new NES games. And today, that is, August, 25, 2013 I did ...

It's Over! Plus, Skate or Die 2 (The Grade)

I did it! At the beginning of this year I set out a goal to complete more than 17 new NES games. And today, that is, August, 25, 2013 I did it. I surpassed my original record of 17 games from 2010. Let me tell you...it feels pretty darn good!

Which game did I beat to surpass the mark you ask?

 A favourite of Video Power

Skate or Die 2 by EA is one great NES game. The controls take a little while to get used to. But once you get past that you'll be thrashing and cruising along the streets in no time! The graphics are really nice too, with added cut scenes between stages. It's a nice little touch too. As far as music goes, its okay. It's definitely not as great as Ultra's original Skate or Die. But, the sound effects, and in particular the voice synthesisers are TOP NOTCH. Probably the best on the toaster.

Time to get rad and bad dudes!

But don't think I'm resting my laurels now. Oh no, no, no! I'm going to keep going kiddies. Maybe I'll reach 20 brand new endings before the year is out. I actually have a few games lined up for that. Isolated Warrior, Heavy Barrel, Golgo 13 and a few more.

Your girlfriend CJ kinda looks like Ariel

What a year in NES games. No doubt I'll do a year end review. Maybe highlight some of my key battles from the past year. Do a final grade for each new game beat, as well as nominate my Nintendo Entertainment System game of the year! Stick around for that one guys!

In the meantime, in between time!

-Will ^>^

The Game Over Club: The End Game

The Game Over Club: The End Game: Our collections will get trashed. Think about that one. To all the collectors, both casual and hardcore. You must be what, in your 20'...

The End Game

Our collections will get trashed.

Think about that one. To all the collectors, both casual and hardcore. You must be what, in your 20's? 30's? At some point in time your Final Fantasy 3's, 6's, and 7's will all be thrown away. Maybe you'll just give them away. Maybe you'll be lucky enough to sell them.

For the past few years I've amassed a nice little collection of video games. Oh yes I have my original Nintendo games. The rarest being a boxed (complete) copy of Final Fantasy and King's Quest V. I have my Chrono Trigger on the PS1, my copy of Zelda 64 as well. But in the long run, who will inherit my collection?

Will my kids or grandchildren respond with a "Yippee!" or "Hurrah!" when the lawyer states that all of my games will go to them? I doubt it! They'll roll they're stupid little eyes and look up the price tag of a few selected games on their Icrystals to see how much they can get. And just trash the rest. I'm serious.

Have you guys and gals out there on the Internet ever thought about where your collections will go after you pass away? Or are you naive enough to think you can just get rid of most of your bulk (i.e. sell it off) before then? I doubt it.

Dear reader I don't want to sound so pessimistic, really I don't! Nothing would make me happier than to see my little grand son Francois playing Super Mario Bros. on an original Nintendo Entertainment System. Something that will give them a bit of joy (even though to them the graphics will look horrid!). But I digress.

I have hundreds of games. And I can safely say that I only buy what interests me, or I buy fun games. Ninety percent (that's a rough estimate kiddies) of my collection is fun. Truth! I just wonder if my kids and grand kids will think the same. Because I would hate to have to giveaway, throwaway, or - gasp, sell the majority of my collection. I guess only time will tell. And at the end of it all we all must make that final decision of our own.

^>^

NES GAMES I ALWAYS WANTED

As a young lad I would wake early in the morning and pour my cereal and quietly make my way to the living room. There I would set down the bowl and rush over to the TV and cover the speaker with my hand so it wouldn't wake my parents (whose room was just above, the TV was old and made a loud sound when turned on). There my twin brother Matt and I would exchange turns as one would play, and the other would continue their breakfast.

Marathon sessions of this was tradition. Still is.

This was tradition. This was a way of life. Want to know something else? Another tradition of mine was to think about all the sequels that Nintendo should have made for the NES. I always wanted these games to come out on my all-time favourite system:

• Punch-Out 2, 3
• TMNT 4
• Startropics 3
• Super Mario Bros. 4
• Double Dragon 4
• River City Ransom 2
• The Legend of Zelda 3 (with silver finish this time!)
• Battletoads 2

Take for example Punch-Out 2. The original came out in what, '87-'88? The sequel would have been released in '91 easily. My idea for the game is this; have four circuits just like the first one. Load the roster of boxers to 12-14. All of the boxers are new except the champions (have Piston Honda, Bald Bull, and Mr. Sandman as the champs).

Create a 2 player vs. mode. One controls Little Mac, the other player picks one of Mac's rival boxers. Have an 8 man tournament mode when friends come over, hell, make use of the NES Satellite or Four Score 4 player adapters! This time around have a battery save pack in the game so it will save your fastest bouts and progress. Add in at LEAST 2 new knockout punches. And finally, since at the time Mike Tyson wasn't the champ of the real boxing world (and Nintendo probably didn't want to renew their contract), have 3 special "Dream Fights". 

By that I mean, if you meet certain conditions and have excelled enough in the game you can face off against either Link, Samus, or Mario! How effin' cool would that be!? Are you sold yet? Doesn't that sound like a great game (million dollar seller?). Exactly. Even if you had to trim the roster to 10, get rid of Tyson, take out the 2 player vs., and multiplayer tournament modes it still sounds awesome!

Could you have imagined any of those games? I know I have, especially Punch-Out's 3 and 4! I must have dreamed up that one at least a 100 times or so.But any of those games listed above could have came out around '92-'94. And they most certainly would've been great hits (hmm, maybe not Startropics 3?). In any event it was a travesty we never got these installments. But one can always dream can't they? ^>^

The Game Over Club: LEGENDARY WINGS (NES) The Grade

The Game Over Club: LEGENDARY WINGS (NES) The Grade: Capcom's often forgotten shooter Legendary Wings is a stellar shmup. The game may not be as hard as others of its ilk but, the game has ...

LEGENDARY WINGS (NES) The Grade

Capcom's often forgotten shooter Legendary Wings is a stellar shmup. The game may not be as hard as others of its ilk but, the game has a nice balance of difficulty. You can stockpile continues (that's collecting hearts humanoids) and amass a nice little point total if you can find the LUCKY areas. And finding those will be key to surviving this game.

This angel will kick your ass

You want to keep the firebird power-up as long as possible. Why? Not only does it look cool (it does) but its firepower and bomb speed are unmatched. The other great thing about it is you can take 3 hits before you drop down a weapon level.

Here's a big hint, after you see this guy:

"Ew! Burping fumes!"

Shoot every ground leveled enemy you can see. One of them will explode and shoot out a tornado. Unlike the enemy above, this one won't send you into an enemy filled Danger Zone. Instead you'll be whisked away to a Lucky Zone. Beware you can still die in Lucky Zones, but you should breeze through them quickly.

"DIVE!"

This has Capcom greatness all over it (before they lost their collective minds) great graphics, nice music, a ton of Mega Man sound effects (wha??), and it's also a 2-player simultaneous game! There's not many of its kind on the nes! Final Grade: A

The Game Over Club: TENGEN: AN EASY SET TO COMPLETE?

The Game Over Club: TENGEN: AN EASY SET TO COMPLETE?: I sit down and stare at my bookcase full of games (not books, games people!) and wonder if I'll ever be able to own a complete set. A co...

TENGEN: AN EASY SET TO COMPLETE?

I sit down and stare at my bookcase full of games (not books, games people!) and wonder if I'll ever be able to own a complete set. A complete set of anything really. NES, Genesis, SNES....but as I ponder and wonder how my bank account would cry buckets of blood, I saw it. Tucked away at the back. I caught a glimmer of hope. 

TENGEN.

Fly with the best, or die like the rest!

Perfect! I may not be able to sell my own grandpappy down the river for an entire collection of NES games (that's around 800+ games humanoids) but I could for a complete set of Tengen ones (sorry grandpappy!).

Tengen much better known as Atari (yes, THAT Atari) released unlicensed games back in the 80's and early 90's. In total, the catalog reaches about 20+ games. And they are:

•  After Burner
• Alien Syndrome
• Fantasy Zone*
• Gauntlet
• Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom*

• Klax*
• Ms. Pac-Man*
• Pac-Man*
• Pac-Mania*
• RBI Baseball

• RBI Baseball 2
• RBI Baseball 3*
• Road Runner
• Rolling Thunder
• Shinobi*

• Skull & Crossbones*
• Super Sprint
• Tetris*
• Toobin'*
• Vindicators

*games marked with this are category (5) (Average) as of NintendoAge.com's rarity guide. All others are (4) and below.

 "Do you like your aliens extra crispy?"

 There is still time for Klax...

"I hope that wasn't a shark that poked my butt!"

Who would have thought that Tengen's (superior) version of Tetris would be a little harder to come by?! Not for all the money in Russia (Rubble). And just because they're unlicensed doesn't mean they're crappy and suck huge balls. Nintendo cranked out plenty of stinkers and even licensed quite a number of them (Ikari Warriors anyone?). 

I really like Gauntlet, Rolling Thunder, Klax, Ms.Pac-Man, and of course Tetris. Check it out. You may be pleasantly surprised by this little (Big) company. While you and I may never have a complete masterwork of NES games, you can be in the minority of the general populace who has a complete Tengen set. ^>^

THE NES AND SPORTS TITLES

They're a dime a dozen. A turd pile in the middle of the room. Everyone sees them, and nobody but the collector's or the really hardcore want them. They are the sports games. Collecting dust in every bin, shelf, container, and case you can think of. But there are some truly great sports titles. Some that mock the sport they represent even. For beginning collectors, or maybe the novice nes gamer, here are a few suggestions!

BOXING:
A no-brainer. Mike Tyson's Punch-Out! Or the re-release Punch-Out! They're the kings of pugilism for a reason. Fun, and a spoof on the sport itself. Every owner of the old toaster should have this game.

Others: Ring King (OK), George Foreman's KO Boxing (yuck)

The Undisputed Champ!

BASEBALL: 
Way too many games in this genre. From RBI Baseball, Bases Loaded, Dusty Diamonds All-Stars, Baseball Simulator 1000, Legends of the Diamond, Little League Baseball....oh boy the list goes on and on. So, it depends on what you want. Do you like a full simulation with official rosters? Go with RBI Baseball. Do you like wacky and zany baseball (with no official MLB roster) go with Baseball Simulator 1000 or Baseball Stars 2.

A home run!

FOOTBALL (AMERICAN): 
Not that many entries in the gridiron series. Still, there's some quality games here and it really depends of taste and preference. Most people would say the two best football games for your money are Tecmo Bowl and Super Tecmo Bowl. The original has no official roster. The sequel even has the Super Bowl itself! Stick with those two. I should mention Nintendo's NES Play Action Football as you can play with 4 players with the NES Satellite or the 4 Score adapter.

Others: John Elway's Quarterback (OK), 10 Yard Fight (yuck)

Big Time Touchdown!

BASKETBALL: 
Basketball is unfortunately not well represented on the NES. Especially with official rosters at the time. While good games are listed, nothing really stands out as the best. You have Double Dribble by Konami, Jordan vs. Bird, Magic vs. Bird, Hoops, Archrivals...yeah. I would stick with Double Dribble.

Others: Ultimate Basketball (would have been the top spot, but its WAY too difficult).

Good music, sounds effects suffered.

HOCKEY: 
While there's not many games in the Hockey field, what's there is actually pretty good! A flip of the coin is generally decided which of the two (that being Ice Hockey and Blades of Steel) is best. Want cartoon shenanigans? Go with Ice Hockey. If you're looking for more realism and fighting go with Blades of Steel.

Other: Wayne Gretzsky Hockey (yuck)

Gretzsky on steroids!

TRACK: 
The best of the bunch will most often be Track and Field 2 by Konami. But others exist. If you have a Power Pad the heavy breathing inducing World Class Track Meet is a must. California Games is a stay clear game, and well, stay clear of Winter Games. Crappy controls and terrible sound. You've been warned!

Go for the gold! Invest in turbo fire.

SOCCER: 
I think for silly and over the top antics on the pitch, Nintendo World Cup blasts apart all other soccer games. Plus you can play with 4 players! If you want a little more realism (just a wee bit more mind you) turn to Goal! Or, Goal! 2.

Take that Pele!

OTHERS:
Super Spike V' Ball is the best beach volleyball game on the system. For ridiculous mayhem with a ball, pick up a copy of Super Dodgeball. If you enjoy thrashing and gnashing on the pavement than Skate or Die 1 and 2 are for you. Stay clear of 720 degrees....yuck! And that for the most part covers it! These titles are plenty and in bountiful numbers, but, there are some really fun gems in here!