Tag Archives: Boss Battles

APh Technological Consulting, Intellivision, Mattel Electronics

Advanced Dungeons & Dragons: Treasure of Tarmin, Intellivision

4 Comments

An early, proto RPG based on the TSR AD&D universe, released for the Intellivision in 1983. It’s actually a sequel to the previous Intellivision AD&D game: Cloudy Mountain.

Treasure of Tarmin is one of my all-time favourite Intellivision games; it’s like an early prototype version of Dungeon Master, with crude graphics and minimal sound. That said: playing Treasure of Tarmin is a great experience if you learn how to play it properly. Reading the manual helps. As does configuring the controls correctly.

Continue reading Advanced Dungeons & Dragons: Treasure of Tarmin, Intellivision →

Arcade, Seibu Kaihatsu, Tecmo

Raiden, Arcade

3 Comments

A 1990 release into arcades by Tecmo of Japan, Raiden is an action-packed shoot ’em up with a vertical screen and impressive 2D graphics.

Continue reading Raiden, Arcade →

Arcade, Taito

The NewZealand Story, Arcade

3 Comments

Taito‘s 1988 arcade release, The NewZealand Story, is a super-cute platform game featuring a kiwi called Tiki, who is on a rescue mission to save his friends who have been kidnapped by a Leopard Seal. Tiki can jump and shoot arrows from his bow (as kiwis do), as well as commandeer various different floating or flying vehicles to get around in.

The NewZealand Story was an instant hit with gamers and is still much loved today.

Continue reading The NewZealand Story, Arcade →

Acclaim Entertainment, Megadrive/Genesis, Probe Software

Alien 3, Megadrive/Genesis

Leave a comment

Probe Software developed this side-scrolling version of Alien 3 for Acclaim in 1992.

It is a run-and-gun platform game with you playing a bald Ripley trying to rescue cocooned prisoners while fending off waves of attacking aliens.

Continue reading Alien 3, Megadrive/Genesis →

Nichibutsu, PC Engine

Terra Cresta II, PC Engine

2 Comments

This 1992 sequel to the arcade classic Terra Cresta is a PC Engine exclusive – it did not appear in arcades first.

It’s more of a remake than a sequel, but is incredibly varied and a more than worthy successor to Terra Cresta. As far as mainstream ‘Bullet Hell’ shooters go there are few better.

Continue reading Terra Cresta II, PC Engine →

Arcade, Nichibutsu

Terra Cresta, Arcade

2 Comments

Terra Cresta is the sequel to the classic Moon Cresta and is a beautifully-made, vertically-scrolling shooter with progressive weapons build-up, and challenging ‘Bullet Hell’ action.

It was developed by Nichibutsu and released into arcades in 1985.

Continue reading Terra Cresta, Arcade →

Athena, Famicom Disk System

Lutter, Famicom Disk System

1 Comment

Lutter is an obscure-but-interesting combination of platform game and maze game, but with RPG elements – like levelling – also thrown into the mix.

You play the titular Lutter, a knight of the realm on a quest to rescue the princess from a maze-like castle of platforms, ladders, doors and monsters.

Continue reading Lutter, Famicom Disk System →

Famicom Disk System, Konami

Ai Senshi Nicol, Famicom Disk System

1 Comment

Translating into English as “Love Warrior Nicol“, Ai Senshi Nicol is an obscure Konami shoot ’em up, released for the Famicom Disk System in 1987. It has, to date, never been released outside of Japan.

Continue reading Ai Senshi Nicol, Famicom Disk System →

ASCII Corporation, Famicom Disk System, SEDIC

Otocky, Famicom Disk System

2 Comments

Otocky is a cute and colourful side-scrolling shooter with a unique and interesting take on the subject. It was developed by SEDIC for ASCII Corporation and first published in 1987.

You see, rather than firing bullets, you throw balls at enemies to destroy them. And you can throw the balls in eight directions, so in effect you can shoot at enemies behind you (and above and below you) too.

Continue reading Otocky, Famicom Disk System →

Famicom Disk System, Square

WorldRunner, Famicom Disk System

1 Comment

Known in its native Japan as Tobidase Daisakusen, in America as 3-D WorldRunner, and other territories as The 3-D Battles of WorldRunner – I’m sticking with the simpler and more familiar WorldRunner for this website.

WorldRunner is a third-person running and jumping game where you’re sprinting into the screen and must avoid hitting oncoming objects or falling into pits. It starts off easy but quickly gets very challenging. By stage two you’ll be tearing your hair out…

Continue reading WorldRunner, Famicom Disk System →