Introduction Strikers 1945 II was developed and published by Psikyo, released in arcades in 1997 as the direct sequel to the original 1995 Strikers 1945. The game expanded the roster of playable World War II-themed fighter planes with new aircraft and refined each one’s weapon patterns and special bomb attacks, while introducing a wider variety…
Introduction 1941: Counter Attack was developed and published by Capcom, released in Japanese arcades in February 1990 and reaching North America that May as the third entry in the studio’s 19XX vertical shoot ’em up series, following 1942 and 1943: The Battle of Midway. Set in a fictionalized continuation of the earlier games’ World War…
Introduction Strikers 1945 was developed and published by Psikyo, released in arcades in 1995 as the Japanese shoot ’em up studio’s tribute to Capcom’s earlier 19XX series, borrowing that franchise’s WWII fighter-plane theme while building an entirely original game around it. Players choose from a roster of real and fictional World War II-era aircraft, each…
Introduction Zelda II: The Adventure of Link was developed and published by Nintendo, released on the NES in Japan in January 1987 and reaching North America later that year as the direct sequel to 1986’s The Legend of Zelda. The game took the series in a markedly different direction from its predecessor’s top-down overworld exploration,…
Introduction Little Nemo: The Dream Master was developed and published by Capcom, released on the NES in September 1990, loosely based on the 1989 animated film Little Nemo: Adventures in Slumberland, itself adapted from Winsor McCay’s pioneering early-1900s newspaper comic strip. Players guide young Nemo through a dreamlike platforming world, using handfuls of candy to…
Introduction Shadow of the Ninja, released in Japan as Kage, was developed and published by Natsume, released on the NES in 1990 as a fast-paced action platformer set in a dystopian near-future America under the rule of the tyrant Emperor Garuda. Players choose between two ninja protagonists, Hayate and Kaede, each armed with a sword…
Introduction Ninja Gaiden III: The Ancient Ship of Doom was developed and published by Tecmo, released on the NES in Japan in June 1991 and North America that August as the third and final entry in the original NES Ninja Gaiden trilogy. Ryu Hayabusa returns once more, now investigating the assassination of his father and…
Introduction Ninja Gaiden II: The Dark Sword of Chaos was developed and published by Tecmo, released on the NES in Japan in April 1990 and North America that May as the direct sequel to 1988’s Ninja Gaiden. Players once again control ninja Ryu Hayabusa, fighting through side-scrolling stages against the Jaquio’s forces after the villain…
Introduction Batman: The Video Game was developed and published by Sunsoft, released on the NES in 1989 as a tie-in to that year’s blockbuster Tim Burton-directed Batman film. Players control the Caped Crusader through a series of side-scrolling stages set in a shadowy, industrial version of Gotham City, using batarangs and a limited melee attack…
Introduction Adventures of Lolo was developed and published by HAL Laboratory, released on the NES in 1989 as a puzzle game built around navigating a blue creature named Lolo through single-screen rooms filled with enemies, moveable blocks, and treasure chests. Players must collect a set number of hearts scattered throughout each room, sometimes hidden inside…
Introduction Kung Fu was developed by Irem and published by Nintendo, released on the NES in 1985 as a home conversion of Irem’s own 1984 arcade game, known outside Japan as Kung-Fu Master. Loosely inspired by Jackie Chan’s film Wheels on Meals, the game has players controlling martial artist Thomas fighting his way up five…
Introduction DuckTales was developed and published by Capcom, released on the NES in 1989 as a licensed adaptation of Disney’s popular animated series of the same name. Players control the wealthy adventurer Scrooge McDuck, using his signature cane both as a weapon to bounce on enemies pogo-stick style and as a tool to smash open…