WORK IN PROGRESS
The popular and iconic Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), sold in Japan as the "Family Computer" ("Famicom") and in Korea as the "Hyundai Comboy," appeared on the shelves in 1983. It tooks two more years to reach America, where it came bundled at first with the cool but rather useless "zapper" gun and a robot friend named "R.O.B."
Despite its unpromising start, the Nintendo succeeded in single-handedly reviving the home video game industry, which since the heyday of Atari in 1980 had been almost decimated by poor quality control and competition from home computers. An important innovation was that Nintendo pursued an exclusive brand identity by requiring game developers to work only for Nintendo if they wanted to work with Nintendo at all. The brazen strategy worked, and the Nintendo console cradled many beloved franchises such as Final Fantasy, Castlevania, Dragon Warrior, and Mega Man, in addition to Nintendo's homegrown Mario (a character that first appeared in Donkey Kong), The Legend of Zelda, and Metroid.
Even as more powerful home consoles appeared on the market, the original Nintendo continued to outsell them, proving what we know to be a fact: people care more about having fun than about technological ability. And the Nintendo was very, very fun.
Batman: The Video Game: Tim Burton would approve of this game's dark atmosphere and soundtrack. It plays similarly to Ninja Gaiden, with superior level design and tight controls. Fans of wall jumping will love (hate) the final level.
Bionic Commando: Quite possibly the best platformer ever made... in which you cannot jump. But hey, at least you get an extensible arm. The engaging mission structure will keep you on your toes from beginning to end.
Blaster Master: This unique Metroid-like side-view adventure takes place in an open-ended world, which you explore mostly from inside a tank. The tank can jump and, delightfully, you can leave it at any time and move around as a tiny avatar. It's like playing with toys! By the way, Chalmers lets you save the state of any game at any time, and we we definitely recommend taking advantage of that feature for this game in particular.
Castlevania 1: If the cutesie themes of Mario are not your cup of tea, try some whips and chains. In Castlevania you are a vampire hunter. The first game in the series is punishingly difficult, but it's worth playing at least the first level, if only for the kick-ass soundtrack's "Vampire Killer."
Castlevania 2: Simon's Quest: The second game focuses more on RPG elements and exploration, and hints at the metroidvania genre to come.
Castlevania 3: Dracula's Curse: The third is a return to (plat)form, with the best aspects of the first two games.
Contra: Up, up, down, down, left, right, left, right, B, A, start.
Crystalis: This action/adventure/RPG didn’t make waves when it was released but has since become a cult classic.
Déjà Vu: If you ever played games on an old black-and-white Macintosh computer then you're probably familiar the MacVenture series: superb first-person adventure games oozing with atmosphere, real-time tactical combat, and—in the case of Shadowgate—magic. These Nintendo conversions add full color and memorable soundtracks.
Double Dragon: This game is based on the arcade side-scrolling beat-'em-up quarter sucker but modified for the home. It's fairer, with fewer cheap deaths, and better rewards careful gameplay and player skill. Watch out for Abobo!
Dr. Mario: More addictive than Tetris. The fun two-player mode might ruin a friendship or two, but it's worth it because Mario is better than friends.
Dragon Warrior 4: If you've heard of Final Fantasy but not of Dragon Warrior, it's likely because you're not Japanese. If you like one, you're sure to like the other. The games play as solid JRPGs, inspired by (but very different from) the Wizardry games for the Apple II computer. See the Super Nintendo section for enhanced remakes of the first three games in the series, original released for the Nintendo.
Final Fantasy 1: The first entries are rough around the edges, but you can see the seeds of what made this series popular for so long.
Gradius: Among the most famous of side-scrolling shooters, the fun upgrade system sported by each game has won the series many fans.
Ice Hockey: Sports games typically don't age well. This one did.
Journey to Silius: Originally based on 1984's The Terminator movie, Sunsoft lost the license midway through development and had to change the graphics. But this science-fiction run-and-gun still shows evidence of its original design. Graphics and music are exceptionally strong, perhaps due to being released late in the Nintendo's lifetime.
Kirby's Adventure: Kirby first appeared on Nintendo's handheld devices, but this living-room debut on the Nintendo features exceptionally high production values and introduces the enemy-copying abilities he later became famous for.
Mega Man 1: One of Capcom's greatest creations. If you only play one of these, play Mega Man 2, often cited as a fan favorite. It's our favorite as well!
Metal Gear: This first entry in the series is visually dated and has a few glaring typos, but is worth playing for its nail-biting stealth challenges and quirky use of items. Because you're supposed to move through the world in a certain order, the original game included a large map, which we recommend you use as well. [link?]. In case you played the original on the MSX2 computer, note that this Nintendo version features different level designs.
Metal Storm: Calling all Gundam and Robotech fans! In this run-and-gun you control a mech with a gravity control device that allows you to switch between walking on the floor and walking on the ceiling. Though Metal Storm was not widely available at stores, it was well-received by critics—Nintendo Power lists it among its "Unsung Heroes of the Nintendo"—and enjoys new popularity among retro gaming fans.
Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!!: This fun boxing game requires you to pay close attention to your opponent's "tells" as well as your own twitchy fingers. It also doesn't take itself too seriously: even if you're not normally a fan of boxing, you'll get the hang of this game in no time. Bonus: The Mike Tyson in this game won't bite your ear off.
Mother 1: EarthBound Zero: The Mother series of games is a cult favorite. They follow the familiar JRPG format, but take place in a contemporary, satirical version of America. The satire, however, oozes affection and good-natured humor. The first game in the series can be repetitive with its constant onslaught of attacks in the wilderness, but it rewards patience with a rich, varied world full of quirky characters and charming stories. Note that it was never released in English, so we're including a fan translation of it.
Ninja Gaiden 1: This katana-slashing, side-scrolling, wall-jumping platformer is notoriously hard and notoriously fair. If you have the skills or are willing to develop them, Ninja Gaiden and its sequels are among the best the Nintendo has to offer.
River City Ransom: The nonlinear setting and RPG elements make this beat-'em-up both ahead of its time and arguably unmatched since.
StarTropics: This charming but challenging action adventure is set in the south seas, with island tribes, submarines, talking dolphins, and monster-filled caves. Not as well-known as the Zelda series, it is just as fun, with a refreshing change of scenery. Note that you can access your magical items by pressing DOWN while paused (press START to pause). Those who bought the original game received a letter they would have to immerse in water in order to reveal a secret code needed at some point in the game. How awesome is that? Because you likely don't have that letter, we'll tell you the code: 747.
Strider: A somewhat non-linear action-adventure game with futuristic ninjas and a compelling story, inspired by the fighting arcade game of the same name. Since the original arcade game is a lot of fun too, we’'e including the Sega Genesis version of it. They really are totally different games despite taking place in the same world.
Super Dodge Ball: This cult favorite has the same characters and aesthetics as River City Ransom, and is indeed made by the same company.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: This action game lets you switch between any of the four ninja turtles while playing, each with a different weapon and fighting style. What started as a black-and-white, artsy comic book in Northampton, Massachusetts inspired not only this best-selling video game on the Nintendo but also an entire franchise of movies and toys. And it probably increased pizza sales, too.
Tetris (Tengen Version): Alexey Pajitnov's masterpiece. Due to licensing battles there ended up being two Tetris games for the Nintendo: for Chalmers we're including the much better version made by Atari, which allows for two-player simultaneous play, just like at the video arcades. Few Nintendo owners would remember this version, though, because it was sold for a very short while until lawyers yanked it off the shelves. (Learn about the whole story in this documentary.)
The Guardian Legend: This may be the only game in existence where you play as a transforming female robot, but that's not why it's so great. Like the first Zelda game, you explore the world on a grid, though here it is infested with aliens. Variations include underground corridors in which you are transformed into a fighter jet and play an overhead shooter level, complete with boss. A cool innovation is that your score is your experience points, which eventually level-up your character. Add in some of the most hummable tunes to be found on the Nintendo, and this one is a must-play.
The Legend of Zelda 1: Deservedly famous, but we recommend consulting an online guide if you don't enjoy pushing every single rock and shrub to try to find secret passages.
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) (or "Super Famicom" in Japan), was released in 1990, seven years after the original. It was not the first 4th-generation console (that would be the TurboGrafx-16, see below), nor the "coolest" (that would be the Sega Genesis, also see below), but when the numbers were finally tallied it proved to have sold the most units, continuing to sell strongly even when 5th-generation consoles hit the market. (Though note that Nintendo's handheld Game Boy, released a year before the Super Nintendo, sold even more units.)
The secret to the Super Nintendo's success seems obvious in retrospect: it built on and improved the popular, exclusive franchises of the original Nintendo. Gamers knew what to expect from the Super Nintendo, and it delivered in spades.
ActRaiser 1: The first ActRaiser is an unusual hybrid, mixing side-scrolling action with overhead urban-planning sections, similar to what you'd find in god games. Though this proved to be an addictive formula, it was sadly missing in ActRaiser 2, which was prettier but focused exclusively on action. Nonetheless, both games are solid platformers.
Castlevania 4: Super Castlevania: More whip-wielding, vampire-hunting action, upgraded to take advantage of the Super Nintendo, such as letting you use your whip to swing across pits, Indiana Jones-style. It was one of the first games for the Super Nintendo.
Chrono Trigger: An acclaimed RPG from the creators of Final Fantasy. Many consider it to be the best RPG of all time.
Civilization 1: Fans of Sid Meier's Civilization on the PC will need to take some time to get used to the new control scheme, but we can confirm that the same addictive Civ you know and love has otherwise been preserved on the Super Nintendo. We recommend that individuals with spouses or partners not get sucked into this game. Seriously. Don't even try it out.
Contra 3: The Alien Wars: Konami's run-and-gun takes the fun of the first two Contra games and adds improved graphics courtesy of the more powerful Super Nintendo.
Donkey Kong Country: This game made waves when it came out, because no one suspected that the Super Nintendo was capable of producing graphics this advanced. It looked as good as a next-gen console game. But the real reason we're including this game is that it's very, very fun, including a wide variety of environments and a clever switch-at-any-time two-player mode that makes it a living room favorite.
Dragon Warrior 5: Bride of Heaven: Like the first three Dragon Quest remakes for Super Nintendo, these two games were not released outside of Japan, so we're including fan translations to English. Dragon Quest V includes monster collecting, which may have been indirectly responsible for the rise of the Pokémon phenomenon years later. It is also the first game to be credited with having a playable pregnancy. How fun!
Final Fantasy 4: These three games were all critical and commercial successes. Feel free to play them out of order: each game is its own story in its own universe. FF4 (released as Final Fantasy 2 in the West) was considered a landmark of the series, with a character-driven plot and critically acclaimed score by Nobuo Uematsu. FF5 gave players a much greater degree of freedom to customize their characters through an expanded "Job System." It was never released in English for this platform, so we have included a high-quality, fan-translated version. FF6 (released as Final Fantasy 3 in the West) features 14 playable characters, the most of any main entry in the series.
Front Mission: This science-fiction tactical RPG featuring mechas from the makers of Final Fantasy is as lauded for its plot twists as it is for its gameplay. The fanmade English translation is especially good.
Gradius 3: This home version of the famous arcade side-scrolling shooter is both loved and hated for its difficulty. Do check out its prequels on the original Nintendo as well.
Harvest Moon: The first entry in the Story of Seasons series.Is it an RPG? A farming simulator? We don't know. All we know is that it's incredibly addictive, and especially popular with girls. Girls belong to a gender widely acknowledged to have good taste, especially by other members of that gender. Enjoy!
Mega Man 7: This game features the same platforming action present in the first six entries, updated to take advantage of the graphics and sound capabilities of the Super Nintendo. Otherwise, it's a bit too similar to previous Mega Man games, though critics seemed to appreciate it on its own merits.
Mega Man X1: A futuristic, even more science fiction take on Mega Man, set 100 years after the original series, includes the same addictive formula of getting a new weapon and/or power from each boss you defeat, whose levels can be tackled in any order. This time around, however, these powers allow you to reach previously inaccessible areas in other levels to collect other permanent upgrades, incentivizing the replaying of levels. Ultimately the X series is more sophisticated than the original series, and all the more addictive for it.
Mother 2: EarthBound: Like the first game in the series, it achieved very little critical or commercial success upon release, but has since become a cult favorite.
Populous 1: Help your tribe or flood them to death in what is widely considered to be the first god game, and its sequel.
SimCity: This version of the famous city simulation game, originally for the Commodore 64, gets some special Nintendo franchise treatment, such as Bowser attacks and a statue of Mario.
Street Fighter 2: The World Warrior: The most popular arcade game since Pac-Man. This version for the Super Nintendo is practically indistinguishable from what you'd play down at the arcade, and considered by many to be the definitive home version.
Super Mario All-Stars + Super Mario World 1: Super Mario Bros., released on the original Nintendo, defined the platformer genre. But it was Super Mario Bros. 3 for the Nintendo that perfected it. SMB2 was also a lot of fun, though it plays quite differently than the others (and indeed was originally developed separately, as a game in an unrelated series). For Chalmers we're including these Super Nintendo remakes of all three, which offer gentle cosmetic upgrades but otherwise leave the games intact. The package also includes the original SMB2, theretofore released only in Japan, and Super Mario World, which took everything that was great about SMB3 and dialed it up a notch.
Super Mario Kart: This go-kart racer is arguably the best party game for Super Nintendo. Dropping from first place to sixth place just before the finish line because some asshole you thought was your best friend just clocked you in the butt with a blue turtle shell never gets old. It is often high on critics' "best game ever" lists.
Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars: The first game in the Mario RPG series, this critically acclaimed spinoff by the makers of Final Fantasy features gameplay inspired by both that game and the eponymous platformer.
Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island: This prequel to the entire Mario franchise puts you in the role of the dinosaur Yoshi, as you carry Baby Mario throughout the 48 levels in order to reunite him with his brother Luigi. The hand-drawn aesthetic was an artistic choice made in reaction to the highly advanced pre-rendered graphics found in Donkey Kong Country (see above).
Super Metroid: Few games have an entire genre named after them. Metroid is one of them. This was the third entry in the series, and its more mature graphics and gameplay arguably made it more fun.
The Legend of Zelda 3: A Link to the Past: The third game in the Zelda series uses a ¾ top-down perspective similar to that of the first, and is widely considered today to be one of the best video games of all time.
For their next home console, released in 1996, Nintendo could no longer play it safe. The Super Nintendo, released six years earlier, was a winner, but it had faced tough competition from Sega, which had just released the Sega Saturn. More critically, Sony's PlayStation (see below) was already available for two years, and had completely changed the rules of the industry in its deliberate appeal to older gamers. Though Nintendo tried to undercut the competition with an especially low price for the Nintendo 64, sales were disappointing. Perhaps it was because it had arrived too late to the market. But also it appeared to some to be a throwback because it relied too much on Nintendo's well-worn, more childish franchises. Technically, it was also old-fashioned: it was to be the last home console to use the cartridge format. Both the PlayStation and the Sega Saturn used new optical disc technology, which was slower and less reliable but offered room for bigger games with more content.
Though the Nintendo 64 earned the respectable second place in console sales for the 5th generation, it was nevertheless a distant second to the PlayStation. (Sega, meanwhile, managed to trip on its own shoelaces and the Saturn flopped.)
At the end of the day, the Nintendo 64 remains well-loved by the Nintendo fanbase. Those "well-worn" franchises were brought to the world of 3D with grace and poise, and remain classics to this day.
Banjo-Kazooie: Much like Super Mario 64, this commercially and critically acclaimed 3D platformer from the makers of Donkey Kong Country allows you to tackle and unlock levels in a non-linear fashion, as you guide a bear and a bird who jump, climb, swim, fly, and roll their way to victory over the evil Gruntilda.
Conker's Bad Fur Day: The “adult” version of Donkey Kong 64 or Banjo-Kazooie, this critically acclaimed 3D platformer features violence, alcohol, tobacco, and profanity. What more could you want? An entire level and boss based on feces, you say? You got it.
Diddy Kong Racing: Race in a car, hovercraft, or airplane in this spinoff of Donkey Kong 64. Fans of kart racers will enjoy it.
Donkey Kong 64: The first Donkey Kong game to feature 3D gameplay, this platformer features five playable Kong characters, many mini-games and puzzles, and a four-player deathmatch mode. It received nearly universal acclaim from gaming publications upon release, though a number of modern reviewers do not appreciate its emphasis on item collection. It also boasts the DK Rap, quite possibly the worst song ever to grace a video game.
GoldenEye 007: The third-best-selling N64 game (after Super Mario 64 and Mario Kart 64), this pioneer of console first-person shooters was most famous for its four-player splitscreen deathmatch gameplay. This feature alone made it one of the most important killer apps for the N64, which was competing with the (technically superior) PlayStation at that time. In 2011, the game was selected to be one of 80 titles from the past 40 years to be part of the Art of Video Games exhibit in the Smithsonian American Art Museum.
Mario Kart 64: The second game in the series after Super Mario Kart for the Super Nintendo, Mario Kart 64 is probably an even better party game than its predecessor, due to the addition of four-player support. It also boasts a graphical upgrade, due to the N64's support for true 3D graphics, and changes in elevation and other racetrack features not possible without such support.
Mario Party: We recommend giving this series a miss if you only enjoy solo gaming, but if you like board games and have friends, enjoy the party!
Paper Mario: The first entry in a unique RPG series, this exceptionally accessible game blends RPG and platforming elements, and allows you to influence the outcome of battles with your manual dexterity via so-called action commands. We love the paper-cutout aesthetics in particular.
Perfect Dark: A spiritual successor of Goldeneye 007, this first-person shooter runs on an upgraded version of its engine, and features both a single-player campaign and various multiplayer options, including a cooperative campaign. Both critically acclaimed and commercially successful, Perfect Dark is often cited as one of the greatest video games of all time. An enhanced remake was released for the Xbox 360 in 2010.
Star Fox 64: This reboot of the original Star Fox for the Super Nintendo is beloved for its smooth animation, detailed graphics, voice acting, and use of multiple gameplay paths. The game also supports four-player simultaneous gameplay. It was remade for the 3DS in 2011.
Super Mario 64: Though Tomb Raider had already brought exploration of fully 3D environments to the mainstream for wealthy PC gamers, Super Mario 64 was, for many, a revolutionary experience. And though we take such 3D gaming for granted now, the game has lost none of its charm or fun, proving that it was not riding upon that novelty in order to succeed. The ability to replay levels and complete optional objectives in order to earn additional stars to unlock yet more levels gives this game that "just one more level and then I'll go to bed!" quality. Of particular note is the fully controllable camera, which when not controlled by the player swivels and colludes with the level design to prompt the player where to go next.
Super Smash Bros.: This is the first game in what is arguably the best series in the arena fighting genre. Instead of memorizing an individual character's moves and using split-second timing to bring a single opponent's health to zero (as in the Tekken or Street Fighter series), in Super Smash Bros. you must use aerial and platforming skill to knock your opponents out of a large 2D platforming arena. With four-player support and a large cast of Nintendo characters with different abilities, matches can get chaotic indeed.
The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask: For most video game fans, these two games require no introduction. Guinness World Records lists Ocarina of Time as the highest-rated game ever reviewed. Bringing the venerable Zelda series into the 3D realm, it is also considered by many gamers and critics to be the greatest video game ever made. Majora’s Mask, though almost equal in critical praise, divided fans due in part to its darker tone. Both titles are well worth playing.
It might seem weird to play games designed for a tiny handheld device on your living room TV. Trust us: it works. Still, why include Game Boy games in Chalmers when we have games from the more capable consoles? The answer is that the compact screen and relatively weak processing power of handhelds forced game designers to focus on addictive fun rather than technological prowess. Did it work? Well, we've got one word for you: Pokémon, the biggest selling franchise of all times. The Game Boy (1989) together with the Game Boy Color (1998) outsold Nintendo's home consoles and reached a much broader audience. Relatedly, the Game Boy was also the first console to explicitly cater to female gamers.
For Chalmers we generally preferred to include the Game Boy Color versions of games, because they will look better on your TV, but we couldn't resist a handful of "puke green" classics from the original.
As we mentioned before, the Gamesir controller we include in Chalmers can be used with Android phones. Want to turn your phone into a Game Boy? We recommend this Game Boy/Game Boy Color emulator.
Gargoyle's Quest: Ghosts 'n Goblins: Gradually upgrade your gargoyle in this entertaining but challenging metroidvania / RPG spinoff of the Ghosts ‘n Goblins franchise.
Kirby's Dream Land: Kirby;s Dream Land is the first video game in the Kirby series and marks the debut of Kirby himself. Part 2 added the ability to copy enemies, a feature that was introduced in Kirby's Adventure for the NES.
Super Mario Land 1: The first game launched alongside the original Game Boy in 1989. The second is notable for the introduction of Wario, who went on to star in the third.
The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening DX: The same Zelda gameplay you know and love, but with a an engrossing plot unlike that of any other game in the series.
The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages: Like Link’s Awakening, these two interconnected games are overhead action RPGs, and they are known for their colorful graphics and fun gameplay, including areas affected by the seasons and optional side quests to obtain upgrades for Link. Oracle of Seasons has a focus on action, while Oracle of Ages focuses on puzzles. Completing one will give you a password to play an alternative version of the other, and playing that version will allow you to access passwords to obtain items or upgrades in the first. We know of no other games implementing this unique feature.
Pokémon: Crystal Version: Gold and Silver were the second set of Pokémon games, after Red and Blue, and introduced the ability to breed Pokémons. For Chalmers we're including the Crystal remake, which combines the gameplay of Gold and Silver and adds the ability to let you play as a girl.
Pokémon Pinball: "Gotta catch 'em all!" is a mantra that fits even this pinball game, in which you play two tables, Red and Blue, in an attempt to fill your Pokédex with all 151 critters. The Pokédex is saved between games, so you can build it up over time. This kind of persistence between games is, to our knowledge, unique to the pinball genre.
Pokémon: Yellow Version: The Pokémon phenomenon was introduced to the world for the first time in video game form, as a pair of games for the original Game Boy, Red and Blue, each with a different set of Pokémons to collect. This Yellow version for the Game Boy Color combines most of the content of those two and adds some other enhancements. Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen for the Game Boy Advance are enhanced, prettified remakes, so you may consider playing those instead. We've included Yellow in Chalmers for nostalgic reasons.
The Game Boy Advance, released in 2001, was a radical departure from the original Game Boy and Game Boy Color: it tilted the screen to "landscape" instead of "portrait" and contained truly powerful electronics, as capable as those of the Super Nintendo. This allowed game developers to forego minimalism and go for ambitious, big games, albeit in a more compact format. Indeed, GBA games on Chalmers don't feel much like handheld games at all, and for our purposes serve as an extension to the Super Nintendo catalog.
If you want to play on your Android phone we recommend this Game Boy Advance emulator.
Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow: More metroidvania goodness from the same company that brought you Castlevania: Symphony of the Night on the PlayStation.
Metroid: Zero Mission: The first Metroid game was originally released for the original Nintendo, and immediately founded a genre. Though at first glance it may look like any other shooting platformer, it in fact takes place in an open-ended world that is mapped for you as you go along. The levels are all connected, though some of them are only opened later in the game, as you collect new abilities and powers. For Chalmers we've skipped the original Nintendo version and are including this GBA remake, called "Zero Mission," instead. It’s largely the same game, just smoother and more refined. Metroid: Fusion is its chronological sequel, though you might notice that it was in fact released before Zero Mission.
Pokémon: Emerald Version: Ruby and Sapphire were the third set of Pokémon games, after Gold and Silver. For Chalmers we're including the Emerald remake, which combines the gameplay of Ruby and Sapphire and expands the plot and length of the game.
Pokémon: FireRed Version: This fourth set of Pokémon games is a return to form, as they are essentially remakes of the original Red and Green (Green was the Japanese version of Pokémon Blue), with much enhanced visuals and an expanded game world.
Sigma Star Saga: This role-playing space shooter hybrid game has you exploring the 2D overworld on foot and playing shooter levels in space as random battles.
Sega started off as one of the biggest arcade game manufacturers. When that market declined, the company began to invest in home video games. After a failed first attempt, the SG-1000, Sega released the Master System in 1985 in order to compete with the Nintendo. It was an ambitious move, and indeed the Master System was packed with the latest technology, even supporting wow-inducing peripherals such as a light gun and 3D glasses (they impressed a young emblemparade enough to beg his mom to buy one).
The Sega Master System didn't make much of an impact in North America and Japan, though it sold well in Europe and in Brazil, enough to establish a foothold. Sega was unable to cultivate big franchises like Nintendo's Mario and Zelda (Alex Kidd and Wonder Boy didn't quite catch on). Nevertheless, the Master System had quite a few kick-ass games that we are thrilled to include in Chalmers.
Alex Kidd in Miracle World: Probably the most well-known Alex Kidd game, since it was built into most Master System II consoles.
Alex Kidd in Shinobi World: A hilarious parody game that combines Alex Kidd and Shinobi.
Kenseiden: An early example of a side-scrolling ARPG, this type of game is still rare today.
Phantasy Star 1: Surprisingly addictive, this science fiction and fantasy hybrid JRPG was one of the best games on the Master System. Don't forget to check out its sequels on the Genesis!
Shinobi: Sega included various changes to make this ninja game more forgiving than its arcade version. Less famous than its sequels on the Genesis, it still received critical acclaim in its time.
Wonder Boy 1: Nintendo fans will know this arcade game as "Adventure Island."
Wonder Boy 2: Monster Land 1: A direct sequel to Wonder Boy, unlike Adventure Island's sequels this arcade port is an action RPG, and was regarded as one of the better titles available on the Master System.
It was a long time coming, but Sega finally achieved fleeting market dominance with 1988's Genesis (called "Mega Drive" outside of North America). Its success was partly due to its clever marketing as a "cool" teenage console, with Sonic the Hedgehog as its carefully crafted mascot, but also because Nintendo was slow to innovate. The Genesis was launched a full two years before the Super Nintendo.
The Genesis's more lasting appeal was the diversity of its catalog: it could handle adventure and sports games just as well as arcade classics. And it was designed to be upgradeable so that it could keep pace with technological innovation, the most important add-on being the CD drive, which actually included an extra processor that allowed for an expanded catalog of lush, cinematic games.
Aladdin: This platformer bucked the trend of movie-license games being utter garbage. It has smooth gameplay and animation that makes it really feel like you're controlling a cartoon character.
Altered Beast: Defeat your enemies as a werewolf, a weredragon, a werebear, and a weretiger. The arcade version is better, but this one a respectable. Since it came with the Sega Genesis, practically everyone played it.
Decap Attack: A spiritual sequel of sorts to the Sega Master System's Psycho Fox, this innovative platformer stars a headless mummy character with a face in his chest, who is occasionally able to obtain a skull which he can use as a boomerang weapon. If you get hit, though, you lose it. Do your best not to lose your head.
Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine: A Western take on the addictive Puyo Puyo puzzle game. Almost as good as Dr. Mario for ruining friendships.
Dragon's Fury: A remake of Devil's Crush, the critically lauded pinball game for TurboGrafx-16.
Earthworm Jim 1: Hilarious animations and tight controls make these two platformers among the best on the Genesis. Some of the minigames can be frustrating, however, so they are not for the faint of heart!
Flashback: The Quest for Identity: The plot is a shameless ripoff of Schwarzenegger movies such as Total Recall and The Running Man. But it's terrific, and we strongly recommend playing it to completion. It features unique rotoscope animation, an improvement on the technology used in the famous Prince of Persia.
Gunstar Heroes: A fan favorite, this is Treasure's take on the run-and-gun genre. Contra and Metal Slug fans take note!
Landstalker: The Treasures of King Nole: An isometric action RPG (though, like Zelda, without any RPG stat growth) with nice graphics and gameplay, and very fun puzzles.
Mega Turrican: An interactive romp through animation history.
Micro Machines 1: These overhead racers use miniature vehicles and unconventional environments to hold your attention. Great for multiplayer! Micro Machines Military added weapons, so you can attack your opponents.
Phantasy Star 2: With a unique blend of science fiction and fantasy, this series had the best JRPGing on the Genesis, as good if not better than Final Fantasy on the Super Nintendo.
Shining in the Darkness: A rewarding game for fans of old-school dungeon crawlers such as Wizardry. To be able to get anywhere in this game you're going to have draw maps with graph paper. That's pretty awesome if you're into that kind of thing! Avoid this game if you're not.
Shinobi 1: Shadow Dancer - The Secret of Shinobi: A side-story of sorts to the Shinobi series, this game features tighter and arguably more challenging gameplay than its peers.
Shinobi 2: The Revenge of Shinobi: Not as difficult as Shinobi: The Shadow Dancer, but still fun for those who want to practice their finger ninjutsu.
Sonic & Knuckles: Originally released as a cartridge that could be joined with Sonic 3 to create a combined super-game. But this game is still worth a look on its own.
Sonic Spinball: Frustrating and yet unique, this title saw mixed reviews. But for Sonic and pinball fans, this mash-up is the only one of its kind.
Sonic the Hedgehog 1: You may have heard of this series. If not, you'll be up to speed (ha!) in no time. Do yourself a favor and stick to these early games, because the later 3D entries suck. A nice hidden feature in the second game is the ability to plug in a second gamepad and control the fox character, Tails, who is normally controlled by the CPU.
Streets of Rage 1: Easily the equal of the Double Dragon beat-'em-up series, Streets of Rage introduced us to Yuzo Koshiro's thumping soundtrack, the perfect accompaniment for rhythmically pummelling your opponents' faces.
Toe Jam & Earl 1: Overhead-perspective games. The boom box minigames and phat beats made them instant Sega classics.
Wonder Boy 5: Monster World 3: The fifth in the series, this side-scrolling action RPG was appropriately marketed as Wonder Boy V: Monster World III in Japan.
Wonder Boy 6: Monster World 4: The critically acclaimed sixth and final game associated with Wonder Boy was sadly only released in Japan until years later when it finally saw a Virtual Console release in English. This is the original Mega Drive game, painstakingly translated to English by the well-known DeJap team.
Sega had a handheld console, too. Launched in 1990, the Game Gear sold poorly compared to the Game Boy despite being in full color (this was 8 years before the Game Boy Color). Sales were hampered by a lack of third-party games and a short battery life, which were also the fatal flaws of the flopped Atari Lynx handheld.
"Play Station" began as a joint project between Nintendo and Sony, possibly as an upgrade kit to the Super Nintendo, the idea being that Sony would supply the technology and Nintendo the marketing and brand recognition. What happened next would completely change the video game industry: Nintendo scrapped the deal, and after a failed attempt to sell the technology to Sega instead, Sony decided to go at it alone, launching the product as PlayStation in 1994. Since it was their first entry into the market, Sony had no legacy to maintain nor consumer loyalty to which to pander, allowing the PlayStation to be innovative and fresh. The result was was a massive hit that left Nintendo and Sega far behind, leading to even greater success with the PlayStation 2. And so Sony would be running the show for the next decade (up until the 7th generation arrival of Microsoft's Xbox 360—another surprise upstart—in 2005).
The PlayStation suffered from various hardware annoyances, such as overheating, a finicky CD drive, and region locking, but boy was it fun. Unlike Nintendo, Sony opened up their hardware for any game developer to jump in, and they came in droves, creating a diverse catalog of games that made the competing Nintendo 64 seem quaint in spite of it being a more powerful and polished machine.
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night: This is perhaps the most popular metroidvania game in existence, and arguably the one most responsible for its subsequent popularity. If you love the precise platforming and whip-wielding of the Castlevania games, you'll like this game. If you like leveling up, the gradual growth of abilities, finding and using new kinds of armor and weapons, and other RPG trappings, you'll like this game. If you like unlocking areas of the game world gradually via your growing abilities to navigate it, like in the Metroid games, you'll like this game. If you like all three, you'll love this game.
Diablo: It's easier to play on a PC, but still a classic.
Dragon Warrior 7: The last Dragon Quest game to be released in the U.S. under the Dragon Warrior name, Dragon Warrior 7 features the same extensive class system that made earlier entries in the series so addictive for its many fans. The seventh in the series is particularly famous for its length, with some players claiming over 100 hours of gameplay, not including side quests.
Final Fantasy 7: FF7 was a smash hit, and a coup for Sony against Nintendo. The game was simply too big to fit on the cramped Nintendo 64 cartridge format.
Lunar 1: Silver Star Story: A popular and critically lauded JRPG. It features high-quality animated cutscenes, which were considered revolutionary at the time, and an excellent and irreverent English translation. The version for the Sega Saturn was a bit better due to improved movie playback, but this version is otherwise almost identical.
Lunar 2: Eternal Blue: The second entry in the classic JRPG series. Originally released for the Sega Genesis, the PlayStation version gets updated graphics, sound, animation, and script.
Even if you're a serious gamer, chances are you've never heard of NEC or its awkwardly named TurboGrafx-16 console, released in 1987 in cooperation with Hudson (the creators of the Lode Runner game). Though it was a huge hit in Japan (where it was called "PC Engine"), it was marketed poorly abroad and didn't quite take off. American consumers didn't know quite what to make of it, as its technology placed it somewhere between the 3rd and 4th generations of consoles. Was it supposed to compete with the original Nintendo or with the Super Nintendo? Like the Sega Genesis, it later had a CD add-on that enabled more advanced games, but that was still not enough to make a dent on the world market.
Despite its relative obscurity, it features the best versions of games that were available on other consoles as well as some groundbreaking originals. We're certain that even if you don't have nostalgia for the TurboGrafx-16 you're going to enjoy it on Chalmers.
Wonder Boy 3: Dragon's Curse: One of two different games unfortunately marketed as "Wonder Boy III", this one is the true sequel to Wonder Boy in Monster Land. It's an early example of what is now called a “metroidvania” game: an open world of adventure, with power-ups and upgrades that unlock more and more of the world.
R-Type: For fans of side-scrolling shooters, this game needs no introduction. The general consensus is that the Turbografx-16 version of this game is one of the, if not the, best home versions of the game that was released.
Castlevania: Rondo of Blood: This grisly, glorious prequel to Symphony of the Night was released only in Japanese on the TurboGrafx-16. Though it has a Super Nintendo version in English, this one is way better, so we are including it and its fan-made English translation. We hate compromises.
Wonder Boy 3: Monster Lair: This is the other game marketed as "Wonder Boy III", though it plays quite differently, as an action arcade game with some shooting scenes.
Castlevania 1 [Nintendo]
Castlevania 2: Simon's Quest [Nintendo]
Castlevania 3: Dracula's Curse [Nintendo]
Castlevania 4: Super Castlevania [Super Nintendo]
Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow [Game Boy Advance]
Castlevania: Circle of the Moon [Game Boy Advance]
Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance [Game Boy Advance]
Castlevania: Bloodlines [Mega Drive]
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night [PlayStation]
Castlevania: Rondo of Blood [PC Engine CD-ROM]
Contra [Nintendo]
Super C [Nintendo]
Contra 3 [Super Nintendo]
Final Fantasy 1 [Nintendo]
Final Fantasy 2 [Nintendo]
Final Fantasy 3 [Nintendo]
Final Fantasy 4 [Super Nintendo]
Final Fantasy 5 [Super Nintendo]
Final Fantasy 6 [Super Nintendo]
Final Fantasy Tactics Advance [Game Boy Advance]
Final Fantasy 7 [PlayStation]
Final Fantasy 8 [PlayStation]
Final Fantasy 9 [PlayStation]
Final Fantasy Tactics [PlayStation]
Gradius [Nintendo]
Gradius 2 [Nintendo]
Gradius 3 [Super Nintendo]
The Legend of Zelda 1 [Nintendo]
The Legend of Zelda 2: The Adventure of Link [Nintendo]
The Legend of Zelda 3: A Link to the Past [Super Nintendo]
The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask [Nintendo 64]
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time [Nintendo 64]
The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening DX [Game Boy Color]
The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages [Game Boy Color]
The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons [Game Boy Color]
The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap [Game Boy Advance]
Mega Man 1 [Nintendo]
Mega Man 2 [Nintendo]
Mega Man 3 [Nintendo]
Mega Man 4 [Nintendo]
Mega Man 5 [Nintendo]
Mega Man 6 [Nintendo]
Mega Man 7 [Super Nintendo]
Mega Man X1 [Super Nintendo]
Mega Man X2 [Super Nintendo]
Mega Man X3 [Super Nintendo]
Mega Man: The Wily Wars [Mega Drive]
Mega Man 8 [PlayStation]
Mega Man X4 [PlayStation]
Mega Man X5 [PlayStation]
Mega Man X6 [PlayStation]
Mother 1: Earthbound Zero [Nintendo]
Mother 2: Earthbound [Super Nintendo]
Mother 3 [Game Boy Advance]
Metroid: Zero Mission [Game Boy Advance]
Metroid: Fusion [Game Boy Advance]
Super Metroid [Super Nintendo]
Super Mario All-Stars + Super Mario World 1 [Super Nintendo]
Super Mario 64 [Nintendo 64]
Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island [Super Nintendo]
Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars [Super Nintendo]
Super Mario Land 1 [Game Boy]
Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins [Game Boy]
Super Mario Land 3: Wario Land [Game Boy]
Dr. Mario [Nintendo]
Super Mario Kart [Super Nintendo]
Mario Kart 64 [Nintendo 64]
Mario Party [Nintendo 64]
Paper Mario [Nintendo 64]
Super Smash Bros. [Nintendo 64]
Dragon Warrior 1 [Nintendo]
Dragon Warrior 2 [Nintendo]
Dragon Warrior 3 [Nintendo]
Dragon Warrior 4 [Nintendo]
Dragon Warrior 5: Bride of Heaven [Super Nintendo]
Dragon Warrior 6: Land of Illusion [Super Nintendo]
Dragon Warrior 7 [PlayStation]
Phantasy Star 1 [Sega Master System]
Phantasy Star 2 [Mega Drive]
Phantasy Star 3: Generations of Doom [Mega Drive]
Phantasy Star 4: The End of the Millennium [Mega Drive]
Pokémon: Yellow Version (= Red + Blue) [Game Boy Color]
Pokémon: FireRed Version (= Red remake) [Game Boy Advance]
Pokémon: LeafGreen Version (= Blue/Green remake) [Game Boy Advance]
Pokémon: Crystal Version (= Gold + Silver) [Game Boy Color]
Pokémon: Emerald Version (= Ruby + Sapphire) [Game Boy Advance]
Pokémon Pinball [Game Boy Color]
Wonder Boy 1: Adventure Island [Nintendo] or [Sega Master System]
Wonder Boy 2: Monster Land 1 [Sega Master System]
Wonder Boy 3: Dragon's Curse [PC Engine]
Wonder Boy 3: Monster Lair [PC Engine CD-ROM]
Wonder Boy 5: Monster World 3 [Mega Drive]
Wonder Boy 6: Monster World 4 [Mega Drive]
Shinobi [Sega Master System]
Shinobi 1: Shadow Dancer - The Secret of Shinobi [Mega Drive]
Shinobi 2: The Revenge of Shinobi [Mega Drive]
Shinobi 3: Return of the Ninja Master [Mega Drive]