Kotter's Disinformation

HD...3D...Motion Sensors...There's all kinds of new technology that is taking gaming to a level never thought imaginable when we were all sitting around and playing pong.  So why is it that I’d rather download and play old school NES games on my Wii than blow crap up in almost life like Blu-Ray brilliance thanks to the PS3?  Sure part of it’s the nostalgia factor, but there’s also something to say about the games themselves.  Compared to what we have today the technology of yore seems very limited, but then it was ground breaking and game designers made the most of it and turned out some pretty bad ass games that are still worth wasting a weekend on today.

Here are five Old School NES games that will always have a special place in my heart.  They may not be the best games of all time, just ones I remember fondly. 

5.       Excitebike:

Reason this game rocks: It’s easy enough to learn in about 20 seconds yet some of the levels are just hard enough to make you want to throw controller against the wall from time to time…always the sign of a great game.

Is it everything I remembered:  Well, kind of…the game is still fun but it got pretty monotonous pretty quick and the build your own track feature isn’t as cool as it was when I was as kid.

Play or Pass: I wouldn’t pass on it, but I also wouldn’t spend a whole weekend playing it either.  Bust it out if you’ve got 15 minutes to kill while the wife is getting ready.

4.       Skate or Die

Reasons this game rocks: It was the closest I ever got to skate boarding without killing myself.  Plus you had five different events and up to eight people could compete so there wasn’t a lot of waiting to play when you had everybody over.

Walk down memory lane: I remember hating this game when I first bought it because I could never get enough speed in the ramp events.  Solution…go out and buy the NES Advantage controller.  Bye, bye button mashing…hello Skate or Die supremacy.

Is it everything I remembered: Umm…well you see that’s the problem you can’t download the game on Wii.  Yes I know there is probably an emulator out there that I can download but that would require me not being lazy and we can’t have that.  So if anyone knows a link where I could relive some childhood memories with Skate or Die let me know.

3.       Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out!!

Reason this game rocks: Mike Tyson back before he got a hunger for ears, you as the ultimate underdog Little Mac and a bunch of wacked out, crazy characters…what more do you need?

Is it everything I remembered: So you can’t download the Mike Tyson version to Wii, but still my answer to that question is yes, yes and yes.  Sure more realistic boxing games have come out since, but this one may still be the best.

Play or Pass: Get ready to rumble.

2.       Baseball Stars

Reason this game rocks: It was the first sports game that I ever played that allowed you to create or buy players and build your own roster.  It even kept track of your stats through out the season.  Plus the game also featured an all female team with a wicked underhanded pitcher.

Walk down memory lane: I bought this game on a complete whim but it quickly became one of my favorites, also one that caused mass levels of frustration.  The game had a major glitch and liked to reset its memory whenever it saw fit.  I probably recreated my team about once or twice a month.

Is it everything I remembered: Much like Skate or Die, Baseball Stars is not available to download on the Wii.  I did happen to come across an emulator for this one, but using a keyboard to play the game just isn’t the same.

1.       Super Mario Bros.

Reason this game rocks: It’s the game that introduced us to the most popular and well known video game icon of all time.  Hell, almost 30 years later Mario, Luigi and the gang are still going strong.  On top of that it was the one game (sorry I don’t count Dunk Hunt) that every NES owner had in common, even if you didn’t like, you at least played it.

Walk down memory lane: Unlike most of today’s video games, Super Mario Bros. had no save option what so ever.  So if you wanted to beat it you needed to clear your schedule because you were going to be a while.  I beat this game only once in my life (and what a day it was) and only because I lucked out and managed to pull off the turtle on the stairs trick where you could load up on extra guys. 

While I think Super Mario Bros. 2 was a better game and Super Mario Bros 3 took the franchise to a whole new level, I will always have found memories of the game that introduced me to the NES.