Introduction The Goonies II was developed and published by Konami, released for the NES in 1987 as a loose sequel to the arcade platformer The Goonies, itself based on the 1985 film. Rather than repeating the arcade original’s stage-based action, The Goonies II restructures the series into a Metroidvania-style adventure, sending Mikey through a large…
Introduction Romance of the Three Kingdoms was developed and published by Koei, released for the NES in 1990 as a home console adaptation of the studio’s PC grand strategy series based on the classical Chinese novel of the same name. Players take control of one of many warlords during China’s Three Kingdoms period, managing cities,…
Introduction Rad Racer II was developed and published by Square, released for the NES in 1990 as a sequel to Rad Racer. It follows the same pseudo-3D racing format as the original, sending players down a fixed set of named courses against the clock and rival traffic, but drops the original’s stereoscopic 3D glasses gimmick…
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…