Captain Silver - SEGA Master System

 

    Talk about the most basic of basic. Captain Silver does not take any risks or tries to be different. Swing sword to attack. Collect points to gain 1Ups. Find keys to open hidden stores. Get power ups to raise your offense and defense. 

    The music is bland. Nothing special about it. The enemies are large, so it’s not difficult to hit them. Spam your attack to take out bosses fast. It’s not even a challenge when you’re fully powered. And from what I learned, the game is short. Depending on what version you have, there are only 3 to 6 levels. Since this is the U.S. Master System Version, there are only 4 levels. 

It’s so slow and boring. The biggest problem is not the gameplay, but how mediocre it is to play. It’s not a bad game, it’s just not very interesting. I say skip it if you’re looking for something more exciting to play. 

Alfred Chicken - Nintendo Entertainment System

     This is Alfred Chicken. A platformer for the Nintendo Entertainment System. It’s your standard platform game, with some variety. Alfred controls well with tight controls. He uses a dive attack to take out enemies with his beak. Lots of platform gimmicks in the level design and some obstacle puzzles. He even uses a little fun spaceship to fight bosses firing projectiles. 

     The music can be repetitive and a little annoying, because the songs are short and loops nonstop. The color palette is too washed out for my liking, but I can objectively see its charm for it.  The enemy placement is a little cruel, but nothing a little practice can’t handle. I did die a lot, but I managed to beat the first boss. GIT GUD is all it takes. 

    If you’re looking for a different platformer that isn’t Mario, I say try Alfred Chicken. It’s a little difficult, but that just means beating the game will be more triumphant. 

California Games - SEGA Master System

     California Games. Yup, It’s California and you are playing games. Well, trying to play games. A collection of Mini-games with the most unintuitive controls. Are you serious? Like really? REALLY!!? Why is moving right such a trial!? I am pushing every button on the controller. The SEGA Master System only has 2 and the directional pad!! Uhh!! To quote my favorite childhood YouTuber, “WHAT WERE THEY THINKING!?” -Angry Video Game Nerd 

     OK! Let’s get pass the bad controls. Let’s take a hour to figure it out. Well, MOSTLY figure it out. How are the games? They are Score Games. Your only goal is to get the highest score possible. You are competing against yourself, unless you have friends who are willing to play California Games with you. Yeah, good luck with that. 

     Final Verdict: This game is LAME! I hate it. I would title it “Rina HATES California Games”, but this is the first video of our new branding designs. Terrible controls. Boring mini-games. I do not recommend it. Go outside and play real games instead of this.

Al Unser Jr.'s Turbo Racing - Nintendo Entertainment System (NES)

     Al Unser Jr.’s Turbo Racing is an ambitious and difficult game. A professional racing simulator on NES is a welcoming idea, but the execution is what makes or breaks the game. Simulators are very niche, because it is usually the hardcore fans that like them. Objectively, this is a good game. The controls are tight and responsive. The graphics are excellent. Gameplay is a bit confusing, but you can learn the mechanics. You need to constantly shift gears to adjust your speed for turns and stay alert of your opponents on the track. Honestly, if you’re a retro racing fan, you’ll have a good time here. You’ll just need to practice the tracks, a lot. Going in without a feel of the tracks will likely send you crashing at every turn. So, Git Gud. 

     Overall, good game, just difficult and a little unintuitive. Probably be easier if you have the original instructions manual. I never figured out how to refuel my car during the race. You definitely need a tutorial before you start a race. Give it a shot if you’re a fan of racing simulators. It’s definitely interesting to see simulators on the Nintendo Entertainment System.

Buggy Run - SEGA Master System

    Buggy Run is an isometric racing arcade style game. It is difficult. This game makes you hit the ground running. You absolutely need to upgrade your engine and stock up on turbos to get a win. Your opponents are very quick and can take you out without warning with weapons. It took me lots of practice before I got my first win. Upgrading to max my speed was top priority, then the other upgrades followed. I can't stress enough that this game will not give you chances to catch up. It's get good to win. Use the prize money at every race to increase your speed and buy as many turbos you can. 

    Nothing wrong with a difficult racer. However, I would say all the upgrades are kinda superfluous, if all  you need to rely on is max speed and turbos to win a race. The game does offer a practice mode, so you can master all the tracks. It really feels like the game wants you to take it seriously, rather than treating it like a kiddy racer with colorful cars. Credit for not babying us.     

    It's not a bad game. It's just difficult. Maybe it takes itself too seriously at a fault. I say give it a shot if you're looking for a challenge. Just don't expect to win any races right away, unless you're an isometric racing game wizard. 

Airwolf - Nintendo Entertainment System (NES)

     Airwolf is based off an 80’s American television series. It is a fast-paced arcade style game, that takes practice to get use to playing. Once you do, it is a fun game to pass the time with. All in all, it is a score game. Each mission has the same objectives, but they get more difficult as you progress. Save the hostage, take out the enemy target, and escape. The enemies are frantic and infinite. Just keep firing and conserve your missiles for the bigger targets. When rescuing the hostages, take it slow. Don’t just drop like I instinctively did. You will crash. If you’re running out of fuel, head to the fuel station. More points can be gained by taking out the enemy control tower. If you don’t take it out, the enemies will be alerted and more will attack you rapidly. It’s a risk over reward points system. Very simple, but challenging. 

     If you need a quick game to pass a short time, Airwolf is good choice. Fast action and fun gameplay. May take practice, but once you get it, it’s a simple arcade style game. Get your best score and try to top it. 

Bubble Bobble - SEGA Master System

    It's Bubble Bobble! A Taito Arcade Classic! What's to say? It's Bubble Bobble, and it plays great! Controls are tight. Music is clean and faithful to the arcade original. There is sprite flickering, but not bothersome. It is difficult, as it is a port of an arcade game, but you get unlimited continues and passwords. This version is very faithful to the arcade original, and you get an additional 100 rounds! More Bubble Bobble to play! 

    Yes! Definitely play this version of Bubble Bobble, or even the Mega Drive version. They both have the extra rounds and are arcade faithful. It's even more fun with 2-players! 

Air Fortress - Nintendo Entertainment System NES

 

     Before Kirby, before Lolo, there was Hal Bailman. Your mission: Destroy the cyber alien space stations that threaten your home world. You are the last hope, because your fleet was already wiped out. Infiltrate and destroy each station’s power core, then escape before they explode. 

     Gameplay has two phases for each level. Flying into the fortress and traversing the inside to seek and destroy the power core. Collect as much power ups as you can in the flying segment, because they will increase your survival rate to accomplish your mission. You have unlimited continues, but a pro can beat the game within a hour. 

     Controls are tight and responsive. Enemies and level design is difficult, but very fair. Music is good and atmospheric. Graphics are simple, but very clean designed. A very solid title from Hal Laboratory. 

     I definitely recommend Air Fortress. It is a Certified Hal Laboratory classic. If you’re in the mood for a space shoot’em up and an exploration game, play Air Fortress. 

Bruce Lee - SEGA Master System

 

    Bruce Lee on the SEGA Master System is a Fan-Made Home Brew port of the Classic Commodore 64 game from 1984. You play as Bruce Lee on an epic treasure hunt. On your way, you must fight and avoid two competitors. A heavy sumo wrestler and a fast ninja. Dodge traps and unlock secret doors, to beat your enemies to the great treasure. 

    This is an excellent port of a vintage computer game. Full of nice colors and great sprite designs. Bruce looks great and is fun to control. This game plays similarly to the Namco arcade classic, Mappy. You run around avoiding your enemies as you collect tokens and find hidden doors to progress the game. It’s difficult, but I’ve beaten much more difficult games, so it’s not an issue. My only complaint is that Bruce’s attacks are faulty. His punches are useless due to his lack of reach. If you punch an enemy, expect to take a hit or two before he goes down. The only effective way to beat enemies is to do a jump kick repeatedly at them. 

    If you’re a Bruce Lee fan, a SEGA Master System fan or a curious retro gamer, definitely play this game. To think this is a Fan-Made Home Brew game, and it is more entertaining and enjoyable than other games I’ve played on the Master System. 

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer - Nintendo Entertainment System NES

 

    Alright. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer on the NES. You play as Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn as the second player. Tom is sleeping in class and is dreaming that he’s on a mission to save his girlfriend, Becky. Tom and Huck must traverse a variety of six stages. Each with their own bosses. 

    This game is ROUGH. Where do I begin? Tom and Huck attack with projectiles that arch. You can get a slingshot upgrade. But it is temporary and you can’t hit enemies low to the ground. The music is not great, too. You have no momentum when you jump. You are so stiff, that any jump can cost you a life. The enemies are relentless. You need to keep attacking to avoid fast approaching attacks. I know that games like Adventure Island does the same with its enemies. But, Tom Sawyer is no Master Higgens. At least Master Higgens has momentum when he jumps. 

    Uhh!! Honestly, it’s bad, but it’s not the worst game ever. It’s like a C- grade. If you like to play this as a lawls play through with a friend, I can see some enjoyment out of this. If you’re curious and like a very stiff playing challenge, I guess give it a shot. I rather play Super Mario Bros. instead with Rina. 

Bonanza Bros. - SEGA Master System

 

     Bonanza Bros. is a port of the SEGA arcade game of the same name for the SEGA Master System. You play as the anti-hero criminal siblings, Robo and Mobo. You must break into different highly guarded stages to steal loot and make your way to the exit. Each stage is full of guards and you have a timer to complete the job. 

     For an arcade port on the SEGA Master System, this is very well done. The pre-render graphics still look good to this day. The controls are tight and the music is very well composed. It isn’t too difficult of a game. Honestly, the only reason I lost is because I was being careless or not really paying attention. My only complaint is this version of the game is not 2-player co-op. However, the characters Robo and Mobo have their own design perks. Robo, the tall red one, can swing down ropes to escape enemies. Mobo, the blue short one, can dodge enemy projectiles with ease. 

     If you like arcade classics and are a fan of the Master System, definitely play and add Bonanza Bros. to your retro collection. Just the novelty of this being on the Master System and it playing well is very charming. Very recommended. 

The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle and Friends - Nintendo Entertainment System NES

THE ADVENTURES OF ROCKY AND BULLWINKLE AND FRIENDS IS TERRIBLE!! 

THE CONTROLS ARE BAD!! 

THE GAMEPLAY IS BROKEN!! 

THE MUSIC IS EAR PIERCINGLY PAINFUL TO LISTEN TO!! 

WHAT WAS WRONG WITH THESE DEVELOPERS!!? 

There is nothing redeeming about this game. There are no pros. I got nothing. Play anything else. Don’t waste your time. 

Bomber Raid - SEGA Master System

    Bomber Raid is a flying shoot’em up. It’s your standard affair. You are a lone plane fighter taking on a whole army. Each stage is a mission to destroy a target. You can upgrade and increase your firing power by collecting power ups. It’s as basic as it gets. 

   The key to a good shoot’em up is the charm and fun factor. Bomber Raid is, ok. It is difficult, but nothing that practice can’t accomplish. My tip is if you lose a life within the first minute of a level, just restart with a fresh set of lives to recollect power ups. There are unlimited continues. Those power ups are dire for defeating the boss of each level. Unless you’re a wizard of dodging, don’t fight the bosses with your stock pea shooter weapon. 

    If you’re a fan of the genre, by all means play Bomber Raid. Good tight controls, fair and difficult gameplay, and the music is fine. You can do a lot worse on the SEGA Master System. No complaints here. Just practice and GIT GUD. 

the Adventures of Rad Gravity - Nintendo Entertainment System (NES)

    I’m gonna give it to you straight: I did not enjoy playing this game. I gave it a few hours and all that I got from it was an assault to my senses, frustration and a headache. This game physically hurt me when I played it. What’s so bad about it? Well, let me tell you.
    First thing that happens when you power on the game is a terrible pain to your ears. High pitched frantic sounds that hardly make comprehensive music. The gameplay music is also terrible. There are only three music tracks in the whole game. Only three! The title theme, the space theme, which is really only atmospheric sounds than music, and the gameplay theme. That’s it!
    The game is very unfairly difficult. I like challenging difficult games, but this is difficulty done wrong. The level designer can kiss my anime cottontail Ass! The enemies endlessly respawn. There is no point of defeating them, when they immediately come back. You have to be pixel perfect on platforms, or you will miss them completely. I did not beat the first and second level with skill, but with brute force and luck.
    The controls are just bad. There is a delay when you jump. In a pixel perfect platformer, this is unacceptable. I ran off of and missed so many platforms, all because the jumping is so off timing. Majority of my time playing this game is missing crucial jumps. Uhh!! 

    Rad Gravity is an ambitious game. I give it that. His character design is interesting too. I cannot recommend this game whatsoever though. Find something better to play.

Black Belt - SEGA Master System

    Black Belt is an Americanized sprite swap video game of the classic Anime Fist of the North Star. It’s your standard arcade style game play of beating enemies and progressing to a boss. It’s fine, until you reach a boss fight. The hit detection is terrible. The bosses are completely unreadable of their actions. It’s a guessing game of avoiding attacks and some how making hits. I tried so many times to beat the first boss, just to win by luck. There is no strategy. It’s all random. Swing away as much as you want, the game decides if your attack counts as a hit. You will waste most of your lives away on the first boss beating it, and have nothing left to experience the second boss. I can’t learn how to beat a new enemy, when it’s impossible to not lose on the prior one. 

    Uhh!!! Terrible!! Just play the arcade classic Kung-Fu Master instead. Fist of the North Star is a classic anime, but this game sure isn’t. Avoid at all cost! 

Adventures of Lolo 3 - Nintendo Entertainment System (NES)

    Lolo and Lala are back! And this time, they team up on a warpath of vengeance. The son of the defeated King of Eggerland has turned their friends to stone. It's up to Lolo and Lala to defeat the son of the king, to cure their friends. A journey full of puzzles, enemies and traps. All from the great devs of Hal Laboratory. 

    Another great Lolo game in the franchise. Now with an over world and interacting none playable characters. You can even switch to Lala in the over world screen. No two player co-op though. Which is kinda lame, but understandable. Too many things can go wrong with the puzzles. This game will stump you. Believe me, I only played it twice and it's tough. Any false moves and you're done. It's difficult. but very fair. This is a thinking person's game. So, turn on your brain and eat your healthy breakfast, before you take this game on. 

    I highly recommend this game. The entire Lolo trilogy on NES is so worth your time. If you're only going to play one, play this title. It is peak Lolo, before he was put aside to make room for Kirby. If you like brain games, definitely try Lolo 3 anytime.     

Battlemaniacs - SEGA Master System

 

    In the country of Brazil 🇧🇷, the SEGA Master System is still an active and popular console in their market. Games for the Master System are being produced and sold. A company named Tec Toy is developing, malfunctioning and publishing them. It is quite the rabbit hole of history for the Master System. 

With that said; STAY AWAY FROM BATTLEMANIACS!! 

    It is a buggy mess. The controls are really fluid. Your character feels so light without any traction. The hit boxes for enemies are so bad. Especially for the first level boss. Your damage from enemies is game ending. You take a hit, there is no recovery time. You will be left vulnerable until your health is relentlessly depleted. The traps are too precise. When a fireball comes at you, it is guaranteed to hit you. 

    This game is infuriating to play! If you have the patience and will power to complete it, well more power to you. I can understand if you’re a Brazilian and this game is the only one you have at the moment. But, there are better games out there. Play Battletoads in Battlemaniacs on the Super Nintendo / Famicom instead. TERRIBLE GAME!! 

Adventures of Lolo 2 - Nintendo Entertainment System (NES)

     Lolo is back! Princess Lala has been kidnapped, again! It’s up to Lolo to conquer the puzzles and mazes of the Evil King Egger. With the same principle gameplay as the first title, but now you can push captured enemies into moats and float on them to cross. Neat. 

     Well, it’s Lolo, again. Hal Laboratory’s poster boy, before the Pink Star Warrior came to be. Controls are tight and fluid. Puzzles are challenging. Difficulty is tough, but not impossible. A thinking person’s kind of game. Just play in small sessions, because the music is very repetitive and droning. 

     I really enjoy these games. I highly recommend them if you’re into puzzle gaming. This series won’t hold your hand too. I only played this game twice. I played it a month later and completely forgot the puzzle solutions. I was just as stumped as I was the first time. So, you can absolutely enjoy this game for years. Play it on a boring rainy day for some cozy fun. 

Battle Out Run - SEGA Master System

    Out Run! A SEGA Arcade Certified Classic. Only now with a twist on the SEGA Master System. You must beat the clock by avoiding other cars and obstacles on the road. Upgrade your car using the mobile car shop inside the big rig truck that picks you up midway in every level. These upgrades are key to making your car more efficient and easier to handle on the road. 

    Each stage has a boss you must take down to progress. Ram your car into them to make'em come to a complete stop. Collect your cash bounty to continue upgrading your car as you complete the game. Not much to this, but fun nonetheless. Each level and boss gets more difficult as you progress. Be smart with your bounty money and show your opponents who's boss! 

    Different from the original, but FUN! I highly recommend Battle Out Run on the SEGA Master System. It's a game you can get better and better at, with practice and memorization. Music is excellent and the controls are great. My only complaint is the engine sounds buzzing and drowning out the great music, when using your nitro speed up. Just a little annoying, that's all. Play this game!    

Adventures of Lolo - Nintendo Entertainment System (NES)

       

     Before there was Kirby, there was Lolo. HAL Laboratory’s biggest franchise series on the NES. You play as Lolo and you’re on a mission to rescue your girl, Lala. You storm the Evil Labyrinth Castle full of puzzles and Monsters, and you will not stop until Lala is saved! 

     Lolo has no attacks. He must avoid the monsters and traps in each floor of the castle. Fortunately there are unlimited continues. A total of 50 levels to complete in the game. If you fail a puzzle or get trapped, you push the Select button to restart. This can be a difficult game, but logical minds can persevere. The controls can be a bit tricky, cause the movements are not grid based, but that can be used to your advantage too. 

     The Adventures of Lolo on the Nintendo Entertainment System is a fantastic title and a great start to its trilogy series. If you love puzzle games and have the patience to overcome difficult obstacles, absolutely play this game. It’s a simple premise with basic gameplay, but the mechanics and charm is so much fun.