Acclaim/Beam

December 1992

Fighting

1 Player

This boxing title, seen from behind the back of the former heavyweight champion, desperately wants to be the next Punch Out!!  Of course, only one game can live up to such high standards, and this definitely isn't the one.  George Foreman's KO Boxing lacks the charisma and the crisp, colorful graphics of the classic Nintendo game it tries so very hard to mimic.

Koei

January 1990

Strategy

1-6 Players (alt)

You're Temujin, the legendary Ghengis Khan.  When you're not travelling through time, eating Twinkies for that most excellent sugar rush, you're invading neighboring countries to satisfy your thirst for conquest.  Sounds exciting, doesn't it?  Well, you've forgotten all about the tedious resource management necessary to make your dreams of world domination come true.

Activision/Micronics

October 1988

Action

1 Player

The Ghostbusters video game found its way on many systems... and wasn't welcome on any of them.  Its overly complicated, often frustrating gameplay is no more enjoyable on the NES.  You'll race to ghost-infested homes, then use a pair of Ghostbusters to catch the wayward spirits... if the hapless duo doesn't cross their capture beams and fry each other first.  Whoo, fun!

Activision

April 1990

Action

1 Player

Well, it's better than the first game... but when you're starting at the bottom of the barrel, there's no place to go but up.  Ghostbusters II has a more streamlined design... instead of having to screw around with a city map, you'll be taken to each location automatically.  The gameplay is faster, and the graphics are improved... this time, they've actually got detail!

FAST FACT:  Japan and Europe received an entirely different (and much better) game based on the film Ghostbusters II.  Designed by Kirby creators HAL Laboratories, New Ghostbusters II is an overhead view action game with clever tag-team play mechanics.  The player controls two of the stars of the film, using one Ghostbuster to catch spirits with a beam gun while using the other to drop traps underneath them.

Capcom/Micronics

November 1986

Action

1-2 Players (alt)

This is a pretty rough conversion of the creepy Capcom arcade game, with tiny characters and choppy scrolling.  Despite its inadequacies, it still plays like the arcade version of Ghosts 'n Goblins, which means that it's viciously hard.  Be prepared to put some serious time into this one if you hope to make any progress.  Bring along a spare controller too, just in case!

Electrobrain/Imagineering

March 1992

Action/Adventure

1 Player

Although it's never been hip to hang out at school, there's never been a school less cool than Ghoul School.  As a spikey-haired yet hilariously wimpy teenager armed with a bat, you'll battle the monsters who've infested your crappily drawn academy.  Why are the monsters here?  Don't they have anything better to do?  In fact, don't YOU have something better to do than to play this garbage?

Bandai

July 1990

Action

1 Player

Out of all the television series that could be turned into video games, why pick Gilligan's Island?  The only shows less suited to this treatment are Oprah Winfrey and the CBS Evening News.  Anyway, in this ill-conceived adventure, you play the Skipper.  By your side (whether you want him there or not) is Gilligan, who's always getting in trouble... and on your nerves.

Jaleco

October 1989

Sports

1-2 Players

Soccer has never been so, uh, diagonal.  The action in Goal! is seen from an awkward slanted perspective that's bound to leave even the most dedicated soccer fan confused.  Even with this headscratching view of the field, the game is still playable, but the tiny characters and rough sound will make you wonder why you aren't playing something else.