Stranger in a Strange Land – Super Mario Bros. 2 – Nintendo Entertainment System – 1988

SUPER MARIO BROS. 2
Nintendo Entertainment System
Nintendo
(c) 1988
Adventure Platformer

Every great series hits a few speed bumps on its way to greatness. Sometimes, the developers reach a limit to their creativity and sometimes, they go just a little too far with their ideas. Historically, these deviations don’t tend to be picked up so well by the fans of the series. While a given series may not fail because of it, the dark spot will always remain on the fans’ minds.

Don’t Pass On This One, Tuna Head – Maniac Mansion – Nintendo Entertainment System – 1987

MANIAC MANSION
Nintendo Entertainment System
Lucasfilms
(c) 1987
Genre: Point and Click Adventure

Some games stand the test of time much better than others. Great gameplay, interesting characters and plot, and a unique experience all around contribute to a game’s staying power. Sentient meteors, tentacles, and a plot to turn all of the world into zombies doesn’t seem to hurt, either. If you mention the name ‘Maniac Mansion’ to a Nintendo player of old, there is a good chance they will respond with a nostalgic “Awww!” or “That game’s awesome!”. Even with a PC port of the game, a sequel, and a television series, it stands to wonder if this classic really stands up to the test of time.

A Lost Chapter Found – Castlevania Legends – Game Boy – 1997

CASTLEVANIA: LEGENDS
Game Boy
Konami
(c) 1997
Genre: Platformer

Everyone who grew up with Nintendo has heard of a little game called ‘Castlevania’. There have been countless chapters to the story of Castlevania, but while researching the series, it can be found that some chapters of the series have been treated as alternate timelines or retracted from the series’ canon entirely. One such entry was ‘Castlevania: Legends’.

The Longest Day of the Year – Friday the 13th – Nintendo Entertainment System – 1988

FRIDAY THE 13TH
Nintendo Entertainment System
LJN
(c) 1988
Genre: Action Platformer

It almost seems laughable to review this given the reputation that this game has already, but you have to hear me out. Growing up, this game was a game that scared the hell out of me. I was five or so but bear with me. When I found it as I started my collecting, I figured shelling out a few bucks would be worth it, and it was definitely worth what I paid. It is well known for its unforgiving difficulty and repetitive nature, and it is certainly guilty of both of those things. If you have a couple of hours to kill, though, it’s not such a bad experience.

There’s No Place Like… – Sweet Home – Nintendo Entertainment System – 1989

SWEET HOME
Famicom
Capcom
Genre: Survival Horror/RPG
1989

I have always been a fan of RPGs and survival horror games. Tracing them back, you can find plenty of interesting works along the way, and Capcom had given its due to the genre as well with Resident Evil. Tracing back to 1989, however, brings up an interesting experience known as ‘Sweet Home or (Suito Homu), depending on your native language. It has picked up a bit of a cult following with its strange origins and extremely well translated entrance to American gamers in 2000.