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astoundedcatfish.bsky.social
Astounded Catfish
@astoundedcatfish.bsky.social
410 followers 1.6K following 300 posts
Video Game Enthusiast Creative Writer History Nerd Current project is "Playing Through Video Game History" In this, I start from the first ever video game playing my way towards the present. Scroll through my timeline to go back in time!
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Astounded Catfish @astoundedcatfish.bsky.social · Dec 4
Hello everyone! I'm going to start including my retro reviews in the comments of the daily game posts
My scores are called CFF - Catfish Fun Factor on a scale of 1-10
This is a score based on how fun I think the game is TODAY and whether I think it's worth playing now - not contemporary to the times
5
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Astounded Catfish @astoundedcatfish.bsky.social · Mar 29
Alas that unique perspective doesn't actually add anything to the gameplay to make it better. Trying to bat from this view is mostly a crap shoot and it takes longer than necessary to understand the timing. Pitching isn't any better. Overall the game is only worth a short nostalgic play.
CFF: 5.5
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Astounded Catfish @astoundedcatfish.bsky.social · Mar 29
Bases Loaded (1987)
This baseball game from Jaleco took a different approach in that it ditched the standard behind-homeplate view that all baseball games had and instead took the view from behind the pitcher. The unique perspective gave a more three dimensional-like experience was a new challenge.
A gameplay screenshot from Bases Loaded (1987) for the NES. The scene shows a pitcher in blue and white winding up to throw the ball toward the batter at home plate. The batter, wearing white and standing ready to swing, faces the pitcher. Behind the batter is the catcher in black gear, crouched down. The scoreboard on the right displays the inning and other stats, with both teams at 0 runs. In the background, spectators can be seen behind glass windows in the purple-colored stadium, with the "Jaleco" logo displayed on the outfield wall. The cover art for Bases Loaded (1987) for the NES features a realistic illustration of a baseball pitcher in a mid-throw stance. The player, wearing a white jersey with red stripes and the number "1" on the back, holds a baseball in his right hand and a brown Wilson glove on his left hand. He wears a blue cap with the letter "W" on it. The title "Bases Loaded" is written in bold red cursive across the top, with the "Jaleco" logo centered above. The background behind the pitcher is circular and red, framed by blue. Prominent text at the bottom right promotes "REAL VOICES AND SOUNDS" and a free Wilson sports poster.
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Astounded Catfish @astoundedcatfish.bsky.social · Mar 27
The first level is a labyrinth of rooms and is generally hell to get through. If you can manage to clear that stage, you might find the game more enjoyable. Mickey has a lackluster attack that never improves. It feels like this is just a poor man's Castle of Illusion - so play that instead.
CFF: 5
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Astounded Catfish @astoundedcatfish.bsky.social · Mar 27
Mickey Mousecapade (1987)
Platform adventure game from Capcom featuring the Disney stars Mickey and Minnie Mouse. While the player controls only Mickey, Minnie Mouse follows him around and can get kidnapped. If Minnie fails to make a jump, a life is lost, even if Mickey made it safely.
A gameplay screenshot from Mickey Mousecapade (1987) for the NES. Mickey Mouse is seen walking through a vibrant outdoor environment, accompanied by Minnie Mouse. They're standing on a grassy path beneath a large tree with pink foliage. Several small enemies, including red and pink figures, are nearby. A large tree with an open, dark entrance stands in the background, possibly indicating a doorway or path. The background consists of a lush green field and a clear blue sky, giving the scene a bright and colorful appearance. The cover art for Mickey Mousecapade (1987) for the NES. Mickey Mouse is seen hanging from a rope on the side of a large wooden ship, while Minnie Mouse dangles below him, holding onto the same rope. Goofy is on the ship, appearing to lend a helping hand to pull them up. Meanwhile, an angry-looking crocodile emerges from the water below, snapping its jaws at Mickey and Minnie. The cover features a bright blue sky and the ocean. The title "Mickey Mousecapade" is prominently displayed in large, colorful text at the top of the cover, with the Capcom logo above it. A gold Nintendo Seal of Quality badge is placed at the bottom right corner.
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Astounded Catfish @astoundedcatfish.bsky.social · Mar 26
Run & guns aren't my forte, but the first Contra is a special game. It's amazingly fun solo or with a buddy, but expect to die a lot unless you start using the Konami code! The varied levels keep things fresh. I prefer the NES version over all others.
CFF: 7.5
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Astounded Catfish @astoundedcatfish.bsky.social · Mar 26
Contra (1987)
This run & gun platformer from Konami was a huge hit in the arcade & NES. The game puts the player(s) in the typical role of saving the world from terrorists that are being controlled by... aliens. Some levels were 3D-like where you advance through corridors. Many collectable powerups.
A gameplay screenshot from the NES version of Contra (1988). The scene takes place in a lush, jungle environment with a steep cliff and river below. A player at the top left is aiming a rifle, while an enemy at the bottom right, standing near a metallic box with a red symbol, holds a weapon. The background features mountains, a starry night sky, and dense greenery. The box art for the NES version of Contra (1988), featuring two muscular protagonists, armed and ready for combat. One character on the left wears a headband, while the other on the right is in a shooting stance. In the background, a menacing alien figure with a skeletal face looms over them. The title "Contra" is displayed prominently at the top in bold, colorful lettering. The artwork conveys intense action and sci-fi themes, with explosions and alien tentacles framing the characters.
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Astounded Catfish @astoundedcatfish.bsky.social · Mar 26
Weirdly I feel like the game loses something with the addition of multiple party members & fighting numerous enemies. Maybe I'm in the minority, but I found the 1v1 fights in the first game to be charming in their own way. This just feels like an inferior Final Fantasy. Still not a bad game.
CFF: 6
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Astounded Catfish @astoundedcatfish.bsky.social · Mar 26
Dragon Quest 2 (1987)
Known in the US market as Dragon Warrior II, the second game in this series brought with it a party of three heroes instead of just one, tying them all together with a common quest to save the world. Battles now also feature multiple enemies and each hero has their strengths.
A gameplay screenshot from the NES version of Dragon Warrior II (1987). The image shows three player characters standing in front of a castle entrance, guarded by two soldiers. The castle has a moat with blue water surrounding it, and a stone bridge leads to the entrance. The area around the castle is decorated with pink flowers and gray stone paths. In the bottom-right of the screen, a black text box displays the characters' names and stats: "DR.," "Esga," and "Gwen" with their levels, HP, and MP. The screen has a classic 8-bit art style, with bright colors and pixelated sprites typical of NES games. The cover art for the NES version of Dragon Warrior II (1987). It features three adventurers: a muscular warrior in the center wielding a sword and shield, a cloaked green-clad fighter to the left with a round shield, and a female mage in white and red robes, holding a staff in the foreground. Behind them looms a dark castle staircase with a cloaked figure at the top, shrouded in mystery, surrounded by ominous creatures like a green dragon on the right. The title "Dragon Warrior II" is displayed in bold red and yellow text across the top of the blue background. The tagline reads, "Seek Allies for Your Quest. The Vast Journey Lies Ahead." Various logos and official Nintendo seals are at the bottom.
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Astounded Catfish @astoundedcatfish.bsky.social · Mar 24
Not your typical Zelda game & certainly not for the faint-hearted, but this title grows on me with each replaying. It's not a great Zelda game, but that's a really high bar. Instead it's just a good classic NES game. If you stop trying to compare it, you'll find it a good fun challenge.
CFF: 6.5
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Astounded Catfish @astoundedcatfish.bsky.social · Mar 24
Zelda II: The Adventure of Link (1987)
The sequel to the critically-acclaimed first game was quite a surprise and a departure from the gameplay seen in its predecessor. This game was instead a more brutally difficult action platformer with an XP system. Still plenty of adventure and secrets though.
A gameplay screenshot from Zelda II: The Adventure of Link for the NES, released in 1987. The player controls Link, shown mid-jump with his sword drawn, battling a tall, segmented dragon that breathes fireballs. The dragon's body consists of stacked, glowing orange orbs, and it is positioned on the right side of the screen, towering over Link. Link is fighting the dragon in a dungeon, with a backdrop of red brick walls and a lava floor at the bottom of the screen. The user interface at the top shows various stats: “Magic-7,” “Life-8,” and a life bar that is partially filled. The experience points counter reads 307/5000, and there is a small magic meter displayed in blue. The visuals are typical of the NES era, with simple sprites and a limited color palette. The cover art for the NES version of Zelda II: The Adventure of Link (1987) features a golden background with a large, ornate sword diagonally across the center. The sword has a jeweled hilt, with red and green gemstones embedded in intricate designs. In the top left, there is a small gold shield icon with the words “Zelda II” written on a green background. Below the sword, the game’s title appears in stylized text: “The Adventure of Link” with "Link" in large blue letters. Beneath that, a tagline reads, “Another journey of ultimate challenge in the fantasy world of Hyrule.” The cover displays official Nintendo branding in the bottom left corner, with a gold quality seal near the bottom right.
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Astounded Catfish @astoundedcatfish.bsky.social · Mar 23
As a fan of driving/racing games, I found this "game" to be quite surprisingly enjoyable. It's almost like a super-basic retro Gran Turismo with only Ford/Lincoln/Mercury cars. Trying to get a good time on the circuit track with all the different cars, not bad for an advert-game.
CFF: 6.5
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Astounded Catfish @astoundedcatfish.bsky.social · Mar 23
The Ford Simulator (1987)
Sent as a floppy in magazines as an advertisement and also available to play in dealerships, this driving simulator had unique physics for each car, from Mustangs to a Bronco. While gameplay was basic, it did feature different modes such as drag racing and circuit races.
An image of a 5.25-inch floppy disk for the 1987 game The Ford Simulator. The disk is black with a large circular hole in the center, typical of this format. At the top of the disk is a blue label featuring the Ford logo in white with an oval outline. The title The Ford Simulator is printed prominently in bold, white text. The label contains additional small text beneath the title, mentioning copyright information and the year 1987, indicating that the game was developed as a product of the Ford Motor Company. The disk's label also includes various model names of Ford cars, lightly printed in the background. A gameplay screenshot from the 1987 DOS version of The Ford Simulator. The view is from inside a vehicle, showing a digital dashboard and steering wheel from a first-person perspective. The dashboard is displayed in a retro pixelated style, with cyan, black, and red colors dominating the screen. The digital speedometer is at the center, showing the car's speed as 75 mph. Other gauges and controls are visible, including a radio, a clock showing 3:28, and various dials. In the background, the player is driving toward a city skyline with blocky, pixelated skyscrapers in the distance. The bottom of the screen has red text, with "F1: Help" on the left and "F8: Ford Infocenter" on the right. The graphic style reflects classic 1980s DOS game visuals with minimal detail and bold, contrasting colors.
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Astounded Catfish @astoundedcatfish.bsky.social · Mar 22
It is important to give some of these retro games a second chance. Sometimes I'll pick one up and it'll catch me on day where I'm very impatient.
My second go on this game was more positive than the first. The smooth gameplay and mini-game to set the explosives after landing is quite fun.
CFF: 5.5
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Astounded Catfish @astoundedcatfish.bsky.social · Mar 22
Uridium (1986)
This quality space shooter tasks the player with taking down large spaceships by first eliminating the defenses and then landing to place explosives to destroy the big ship's reactor. Gameplay was remarkably smooth and the player could fly in all 4 directions like Defender.
A screenshot from the 1986 Commodore 64 game Uridium. The image shows a top-down view of a spaceship flying through a narrow pathway, surrounded by large, golden spinning hexagons. The spaceship is at the center, firing a laser beam, as it navigates through the enemies and obstacles. Above the scene, the game's title "Uridium" is displayed in yellow text, while the HUD on the top left shows "Top" with a score of 0 and 3 lives remaining. The background consists of grey geometric structures, resembling a space station or battleship. The overall color scheme is a mix of black, grey, and yellow, typical of the Commodore 64's graphical style. The cover art for the 1986 Commodore 64 game Uridium. The main focus is a sleek, futuristic white spaceship with curved wings and glowing blue accents, flying through space. It is angled forward with two visible jet engines leaving bright trails of orange and yellow behind as it blasts through a dark starry background. In the distance, a large metallic space station or ship hovers above. At the top center, the game's title Uridium is written in metallic, futuristic font with a subtle gradient effect. In the top right corner, a white diagonal banner reads "FOR CBM 64 & 128," indicating the platform. At the bottom of the cover, the developer's name Hewson is displayed in bold, blue text with a metallic finish, matching the futuristic theme.
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Astounded Catfish @astoundedcatfish.bsky.social · Mar 21
Cool concept but far too clunky to be enjoyable. Even with the use of some good emulators, I couldn't find a version that was more simple with the controls and what you can do.
There are newer versions of the game that I have not yet tried, so perhaps that's the way to go.
CFF: 3
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Astounded Catfish @astoundedcatfish.bsky.social · Mar 21
The Sentinel (1986)
Unique puzzle game was one of the first to feature full 3D graphics. The goal is to avoid the gaze of the Sentinel - an Eye of Sauron-like that drained your energy with its gaze. Energy is gained by consuming trees/rocks & used to teleport or place objects like Synthoids.
Gameplay screenshot of the Commodore 64 version of The Sentinel (1986) Game cover for the Commodore 64 version of The Sentinel (1986)
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Astounded Catfish @astoundedcatfish.bsky.social · Mar 18
Fun basketball game to play with a buddy, but not a whole lot of reason to play alone. The CPU can feel like they are cheating somehow and that kind of thing gets old fast. I generally refer to this as the "EA Screws" effect.
The NES version is a solid alternative to the arcade one.
CFF: 5.5
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Astounded Catfish @astoundedcatfish.bsky.social · Mar 18
Double Dribble (1986)
Konami's arcade style basketball game was probably the most fun of its genre until NBA Jam. One of the first to feature full 5 on 5 with realistic rules and action cutscenes of dunks. Konami would continue to focus on capturing the atmosphere of sporting events in their games.
Gameplay screenshot for the arcade version of Double Dribble (1986) Game cover for the NES version of Double Dribble (1987) Note: Konami did not pay for the likeness of some obvious athletes here.
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Astounded Catfish @astoundedcatfish.bsky.social · Mar 17
Be prepared for some rough difficulty. Enemies respawn continuously in most areas, making already tough platforming even more treacherous. The fortress levels have.. Eggplant wizards, who turn you into an eggplant, rendering you useless until cured. XP grinding is needed for best ending.
CFF: 7
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Astounded Catfish @astoundedcatfish.bsky.social · Mar 17
Kid Icarus (1986)
Unique and difficult platformer with a Greek mythology theme. Players take the role of a young angel named Pip attempting to save a princess. Pip can gain experience by defeating enemies and can visit shops to buy items - these help him gain more health and a stronger bow attack.
Gameplay screenshot for Kid Icarus (1986) on the NES Game cover for Kid Icarus (1986) for the NES
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Astounded Catfish @astoundedcatfish.bsky.social · Mar 16
RBI 1 makes for a fun arcade baseball experience and was a solid title for the time. It suffers from some physics issues which can make unusual baseball plays more common and the usual ones exceedingly difficult - this was common in most baseball games until probably the mid 2000s.
CFF: 5.5
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Astounded Catfish @astoundedcatfish.bsky.social · Mar 16
R.B.I. Baseball (1986)
Initially released in Japan under a different name, which might explain the more cartoonish look, Atari brought the game to the arcade and acquired the MLB Players license for it. One of the first to have real player names alongside ability ratings based on real life stats.
Gameplay screenshot for the NES version of R.B.I. Baseball (1988) Game cover for the NES version of R.B.I. Baseball (1988)
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Astounded Catfish @astoundedcatfish.bsky.social · Mar 15
I find this game highly enjoyable and pretty consistent among the many platforms it was released for. It's a bit of a bullet hell, but mowing down the enemies is very satisfying. It is easy to die quick, but mastering the use of cover techniques and using the doors to hide helps a ton.
CFF: 7
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Astounded Catfish @astoundedcatfish.bsky.social · Mar 15
Rolling Thunder (1986)
Shooting and platforming game full of action and numerous enemies. Players take the role of a secret agent trying to stop an underground conspiracy (think of Bond). The game mostly involves quick thinking shooting enemies who have different attack patterns.
Gameplay screenshot from the arcade version of Rolling Thunder (1986) Game cover for the NES version of Rolling Thunder (1988)
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Astounded Catfish @astoundedcatfish.bsky.social · Mar 14
I've seen some borderline rave reviews for this title, but I honestly don't feel it. Certainly for its time it might have been a solid wrestling title, but it's a bit too basic & button mashy for my tastes. Worth a short go for nostalgic reasons, but I doubt anyone would stick with it long.
CFF: 3.5
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