Introduction A Boy and His Blob: Trouble on Blobolonia was developed by Absolute Entertainment and published by Konami’s overseas arm INTV, released for the NES in 1989 as a puzzle-platformer built around a unique companion mechanic rather than combat. Players control a young boy who can feed different flavored jellybeans to his shapeshifting alien companion,…
Introduction Bonanza Bros was developed and published by Sega, ported to the Genesis in 1991 from its 1990 arcade original, casting players as one of two ghostly thieves, Robo and Mobo, sneaking through buildings to steal valuables while avoiding patrolling guards. Rather than direct combat, the core mechanic revolves around timing and stealth, players can…
Introduction Flicky was originally released by Sega as an arcade game in 1984 before being ported to the Genesis in 1991, casting players as a small blue bird tasked with herding a flock of baby chicks called Chirps safely to an exit while avoiding cats and other predators roaming each single-screen stage. Its core loop…
Introduction Arkanoid was developed and published by Taito, released for the NES in 1987 as a home conversion of the 1986 arcade original that helped define the breakout-style genre. Players control the Vaus, a small spacecraft acting as a paddle, bouncing a ball upward to destroy grids of colored bricks across increasingly elaborate stages, with…
Introduction Sonic Spinball was developed by Sega Technical Institute and published by Sega, released for the Genesis in 1993 as a pinball spin-off built around Sonic the Hedgehog’s speed and physics rather than his usual platforming stages. Set across four large, interconnected pinball tables inside Dr. Robotnik’s volcanic base, players launch Sonic like a ball,…
Introduction Dynamite Headdy was developed by Treasure and published by Sega, released for the Genesis in 1994 as a puzzle-platformer starring a living puppet named Headdy who can detach and launch his own head as both a weapon and a tool. Different interchangeable heads grant different abilities, from a hammer head for smashing obstacles to…
Introduction Goof Troop was developed and published by Capcom, released for the SNES in 1993 as a licensed adaptation of the Disney Afternoon animated series of the same name. Players control Goofy or his son Max, either solo with AI assistance or in two-player cooperative mode, working through an island full of block-pushing puzzles, item…
Introduction Kirby’s Dream Course was developed by HAL Laboratory and published by Nintendo, released for the SNES in 1995 as an unusual hybrid of golf and pinball starring Kirby as the ball itself. Rather than swinging a club, players launch Kirby across isometric courses filled with hazards, ramps, and enemies, aiming to eat every enemy…
Introduction Kirby’s Avalanche was published by Nintendo, released for the SNES in Europe in February 1995 and North America that April, as a Western localization built directly on top of 1993’s Super Puyo Puyo, with the original Puyo Puyo cast and most of its music replaced by characters and songs from the Kirby series. The…
Introduction Yoshi’s Cookie was developed by Bullet-Proof Software and published by Nintendo, released for the SNES in 1993 as an enhanced follow-up to the original 1992 NES and Game Boy versions of the same tile-matching puzzle game. The game’s concept began development as an unrelated arcade title called Hermetica by Home Data, which performed poorly…
Introduction Ms. Pac-Man was published by Williams under license from Nintendo, released for the SNES in 1996 as a home conversion of the classic 1982 arcade sequel to the original Pac-Man. Players once again guide Ms. Pac-Man through a maze, eating dots and fruit while avoiding four uniquely behaving ghosts, Blinky, Pinky, Inky, and Sue,…
Introduction Tetris Attack, released in Japan as Panel de Pon, was developed by Intelligent Systems and published by Nintendo, produced by Game Boy creator Gunpei Yokoi, released for the SNES in Japan in October 1995 and internationally the following year. The Japanese version featured an original cast of fairy characters in a mythical fantasy setting,…