Acclaim/Pack-In

December 1989

Driving

1 Player

Forget Gilligan's Island and The Addams Family... now THIS is a TV show that's got serious potential as a video game!  Knight Rider on the NES lives up to part of that potential, with high-tech weaponry, a state of the art dashboard, and a turbo jump that sends you sailing over the bad guys.  However, KITT is far too fragile, and you'll never get to hear his snooty voice.

FAST FACT:  There was an enhanced Turbografx-16 port of this game, with more colorful graphics and the voice that the NES release lacked.  Sadly, William Daniels has been replaced with some Japanese guy.  Guess you can't have it all!

Vic Tokai

January 1991

Action

1 Player

I cannot stress enough that this is a Mega Man rip-off.  This wouldn't be such a bad thing if it weren't such a bad game, but the sad truth is that it's nowhere near as enjoyable as the series that inspired it.  You can see it in the cheesy character artwork, the terrible level design, and the hilariously wimpy weapons... Krion's got "store brand knock-off" written all over it.

LJN/Fox Williams

September 1992

Puzzle

1 Player

When the set of Krusty's long-running childrens' show is infested with rats, he vows to squish 'em good, using his wits and a little help from faithful fan Bart Simpson.  Krusty grabs blocks, then places them strategically to lure the mindless vermin to their comical deaths.  It's like a more cynical Lemmings, with brighter colors and infinitely more obnoxious music.

Nintendo/Irem

October 1985

Action

1-2 Players (alt)

Kung Fu is fast, simple martial arts fun on the NES.  Crowds of thugs run after you in single file, and you knock 'em down like dominos with your lightning fast punches and kicks.  Even the bosses can't withstand your fists of fury after you learn their attack patterns.  Sure, the game is completely insubstancial, but so is cotton candy, and who doesn't love that?

Culture Brain

March 1989

Action

1-2 Players

Everybody was kung fu fighting!  Those cats were slow... and... pudgy.  Anyway, this is an action game seen from an overhead view.  Most of the time, you'll be punching out gangs of wandering crooks, but you'll also be breaking blocks to claim the power ups hidden inside them.  Great voice digitization gives you an incentive to play Kung Fu Heroes despite its many quirks.