by alianger
Honorable mentions (roughly in order, though some I need to play more):
Sky Kid (ARC, 1985), Metro-Cross/Metro Cross (ARC, 1985/Multi), The Oregon Trail (AII etc., 1985), Commando (ARC, 1985/NES, 1986), Choplifter (AII, 1982/ARC, 1985), Battle City (NES/X1, 1985/GB, 1991), Spelunker (Atari 8-bit, 1983/ARC, 1985)(Remix), Alcazar (Multi, 1985), Paradroid (C64, 1985), Pit Pot (SMS, 1985), Gauntlet (ARC/Atari 8-bit (US Gold ver.),
Hang-On (ARC, 1985), Spy vs Spy II: The Island Caper (NES/C64, 1985), 1985/Multi, 1986), Gun.Smoke (ARC, 1985), Alice in Wonderland (AII/C64, 1985), Doki Doki Penguin Land (SG-1000/MSX, 1985), Bomberman (Multi, 1983/NES, 1985), Starquake (Multi, 1985), Hero Of The Golden Talisman (C64 etc, 1985), Teddy Boy Blues (ARC, 1985), Paperboy (ARC, 1985/SMS, 1990), Buggy Boy/Speed Buggy (ARC, 1985/C64, 1987), The Castle (MSX, 1985)
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While a bit dated compared to the sequels, Super Mario Bros. is still is a tight, fast-paced platformer that raised the bar for the then new scrolling platformer genre. Levels are full of secrets, bonus areas, and clever designs, with power-ups that substantially change how you play. Mushrooms make you bigger (but being small has its occasional advantages, giving some nuance to it), fire flowers let you shoot, and stars give brief invincibility. Jumping the flagpole, cloud levels, destructible blocks, and hidden warp zones keep things fresh, while the second loop adds more and faster enemies and more traps for some replay value. That said, Mario definitely feels floatier and heavier compared to anything afterwards, and some sections rely on trial and error or super precise timing. You can't shoot while ducking, turn around in mid-air, or go backwards through levels, and there's no difficulty selection or continues without a cheat. Ultimately though, the game's pacing, inventive level design, pick up and play quality and sense of discovery keep it engaging even now, and it fairly easily grabs the top spot regardless of genre.
Eggerland Mystery is the first Lolo game, an underrated series I think. This is a surprisingly solid puzzle experience for 1985. The level design is creative, evolving the Sokoban formula with half-tile movement, two-tile block placement, and distinct enemies that can be temporarily neutralized with shots, or turned into movable eggs, which in turn can be used as temporary... boats (it's weird, but it works). Water tiles, one-way arrow tiles, and timing-based puzzles add variety, and many levels allow multiple solutions, rewarding experimentation. The game also includes a basic level editor, and two play modes (one with a time limit and collectible hidden point items). There are even unlockable levels, accessed via letters forming a special word. These are collected in bonus levels where you shoot enemies with unlimited ammo, although I found these a bit too hard. On the flip side, passwords are sparse and only granted every five levels (ouch). There's no rewind feature, so mistakes can be punishing. Movement is also kind of slow, and a bit stiff around corners, and the music pauses when shooting for some reason. Difficulty spikes unpredictably, some levels demand trial and error knowledge of water streams or enemy respawns, and there's no proper ending. Despite these frustrations though (some of which are removed in emulation), Eggerland Mystery nails the core action puzzle formula, offers a good length and decent replay value, and holds up well compared to later NES entries in the series.
Get ready. Space Harrier is like jumping into a surreal, alien world where huge, colorful sprites depict odd and sometimes intimidating creatures, humans can fly and the sense of speed is unparalleled up to that point (particularly in the obstacle course "indoors" levels). The landscapes and voice lines are memorable, and the music both technically impressive (FM synth baby) and incredibly catchy. How enemies tend to enter the screen in formation as if you're playing Galaga in 3D, and bonus levels where you ride a friendly, fuzzy white dragon really take you back to the '80s (neverending stoooory!). Some bosses stick with you due to their unique designs and most having a unique theme song, and the adjustable difficulty does help make it just a bit more accessible to non-gaming gods. One thing I dislike about this version is the auto-centering which nudges you toward the middle of the screen; maybe it works better in an actual cabinet, but for that reason I'd recommend the 32X or Saturn ports instead if you can't access one. Other than that, it's very "of its time" when it comes to the flaws - bullets sometimes hide hazards (common rail shooter problem), several bosses are palette-swapped repeats, there's no weapon or upgrade system, and the ending is underwhelming. Even so, flying through Space Harrier's alien world, dodging fireballs, trees and weirdly colored mushrooms, is still an exciting experience that shows off Sega's bold '80s vision.
This one drops you into a colorful take on feudal Japan as Princess Kurumi, who ditches her royal title for ninja gear when her castle is usurped. The overhead, run 'n gun action is reminiscent of games like Commando (this game actually predates it slightly), but the Japanese castle setting, female protagonist, dodge mechanic and clever level gimmicks make it stand out. You toss knives, collect scrolls to upgrade them to the bigger shuriken, and to dodge you can pull off a short teleport-vanish move. Levels shift perspective and pacing too - from boulders rolling down the screen, to log-river crossings, to scaling castle walls - giving more visual and gameplay variety than its peers at the time. At the end of each one you are rated on your accuracy, which determines bonus points leading to precious extra lives. When comparing it to its home console SMS/Mark III port (The Ninja), you'll notice the arcade original has more levels and looks cuter. There's also no need to collect hidden scrolls to access the final level here. While I like the idea of hidden scrolls, I dislike it being a mandatory element. The Ninja does have better music variety, but none of the songs are that great. Anyway, whether you're playing the original or the port, Ninja Princess hits as a solid early action gem, with tight controls and the introduction of both strafing (the second button always fires upwards) and dodging to the subgenre.
This game feels like a curious midpoint between Lode Runner and Montezuma's Revenge, mixing platforming and puzzle solving in a tomb raiding setting. Its core loop - collecting crystals to open the exit while digging, climbing, and dodging enemies - is satisfying when it flows, but the stiff movement and pixel perfect nature of gameplay can make it feel like you're fighting the controls as much as the level design at times when things get hectic, and they will. You'll often need to stand at the exact pixel to dig in the right spot or fail a jump simply for brushing against a wall, and since there are no continues and one hit deaths, these mistakes add up quickly. The enemies respawn fast, and it's easy to get soft-locked and forced to restart, which only adds to the frustration. When everything clicks, King's Valley offers some clever and surprisingly tense puzzles, with creative elements like one-way gates that change direction as you pass through them, and persistent thrown weapons which add layers of strategy. The visuals and animation are solid for the time, and the AI is better than you might expect. It's repetitive in spots and rough around the edges, but its combo of logical thinking with arcade-like intensity is addictive.
Ultima IV was a bold leap for RPGs, swapping the standard "kill the big bad" structure for a journey of self-reflection. Instead of saving the world through violence, your task is to embody eight virtues - Honesty, Compassion, Valor, Justice, Sacrifice, Honor, Spirituality, and Humility - and in the process "achieve spiritual enlightenment". It's a concept that still feels daring today, as your moral choices carry more weight than your battle stats. Show mercy, tell the truth, and donate to beggars, and you'll rise toward Avatarhood; steal or strike the innocent (or hunt down fleeing non-evil creatures), and you'll fall short. Britannia's world feels impressively alive for the era, full of clues, hidden runes, and NPCs who reveal new information through a clever keyword dialogue system. The avoidable overworld encounters and the ability to flee from battles make exploration smoother than in many of its contemporaries, and the sense of discovery and unusual goal remain its strongest hooks. However, Ultima IV is also undeniably cumbersome by modern standards. Movement is choppy, combat is repetitive, party members start at level 1, and the game expects constant note taking and experimentation. The virtue system, while groundbreaking, can feel inconsistent or easily exploited, and ultimately a bit inconsequential. Some virtues can be maxed out simply by repeating trivial acts. Others penalize you for unclear reasons, such as attacking hostile creatures that still count as "non-evil" as they're running away or before they attack you. Because the game gives only vague feedback through Hawkwind's cryptic hints, it's fairly easy to lose progress without a guide, and most NPCs don't react to your virtue levels anyway. NPC dialogue is often brief or repetitive (though the game does have a good sense of humour which still shines through), and it can take a while to get an NPC to say what you need by first talking to other NPCs. Still, its ambition is unmatched for 1985 - a huge, interconnected world built around moral growth instead of conquest. It might not play smoothly today or be as reactive to your choices as modern players would expect, but it remains one of the most forward-thinking RPGs ever made.
(SMS ver.) The Master System port of Hang-On is a pretty faithful recreation of Sega's 1985 arcade hit, though scaled down to match the console's limits. The sense of speed remains fairly impressive for an early home release, and the game is still pretty colorful. The music, adapted from the arcade's FM-driven score, is catchy but noticeably simpler, and the lack of engine rumble or stereo effects makes the experience feel lighter overall. Gameplay-wise, it keeps the same "race against the clock" setup, though the difficulty is definitely more forgiving, making this a simple game to relax with for a bit in-between more substantial ones. The handling feels tighter than expected given the digital controls, but sharp turns require more of a rhythm of quick taps rather than smooth input. Unlike in the arcade game, touching other bikes means your bike immediately explodes and you lose several seconds, although you'll often end up doing the same in the original anyway. It's repetitive and barebones by today's standards, but as an early console showcase, Hang-On was solid, and helped define Sega's arcade-driven identity at the time.
Boulder Dash II (C64, 1985) - More of an evolution than a reinvention, Boulder Dash II slightly expands the formula of its predecessor while ramping up the challenge to often brutal levels. It starts off around where the prequel left off difficulty-wise, quickly becoming a tougher sequel that assumes you've mastered the first game. The controls are still a bit stiff and the tile-based movement demands near pixel-perfect timing with good reflexes (super human at higher difficulty levels, as the game is even faster now if you increase the difficulty), which can lead to some cheap deaths - especially when falling diamonds or an expanding amoeba corner you without warning. The lack of a full-stage overview adds to the trial & error, but levels are short enough to make you keep wanting to try just one more time. With only sixteen main levels and a few bonus ones, just like the prequel, it does feel a little short once you've adapted to its tricks. That said, the core gameplay remains as clever and tense as ever. The destructible terrain, chain reactions, risk-reward diamond collecting and unique mechanics like the growing amoeba give it an addictive quality, and the two new mechanics - the rapidly growing brick walls and the devouring wall that swallows everything falling in its path - add some welcome variety. All in all, it feels like a solid expansion pack to the original rather than a true sequel, but a worthy and challenging one nonetheless.
Just to get it out of the way, I've never really been a fan of Gradius's upgrade system - there's a clever idea there, but it's too punishing in its execution. Dying once in the later levels basically strips you of all progress, leaving you to crawl through bullet hell with just a single speed boost if you're lucky enough to have one saved or was fully upgraded before dying. If you die in the last two levels, you might as well restart, and there are no continues! You can't downgrade or backtrack in the upgrade table either, and the highest speed setting is borderline uncontrollable. Besides that, this is a pretty short game and the bosses (or the second phases of them, depending on how you see it) still repeat a lot, the level four layout is a near copy of the first, and the "final boss" is a letdown after all that buildup. Still, the upgrade system did introduce a strategic element that set it apart from other shooters. It's pretty easy to figure out what to go for at first, but planning ahead for when to switch main weapons or to replenish the shield (which lets tou take a few hits from the front) remains interesting throughout. The sense of progression, when it works, is addictive, and your firepower is quite nice when fully upgraded: up to four gun drones/options, a bomb sub weapon, and lasers that cut through smaller enemies. Each stage brings a distinct visual theme, with volcano eruptions, crumbling walls, vertical scrolling, creative hazards in the final level and "wave" segments preceding bosses adding variety. The music is great too, with unique themes for each one. While the repetition and brutal difficulty keep it from being as endlessly replayable as later shooters, Gradius still had an undeniable influence, which was mostly positive.
Mail Order Monsters is one of the most ahead of its time games on the list - a then strange hybrid of Archon (1983)-style arena combat in top down view, monster-raising, and light RPG/customization elements that feels more like a '90s design experiment than something from 1985. You select (out of 12 pre-made ones) and customize your own creature, adjusting its initial stats, then buying weapons and other items like temporary stat boosters, and trading in victory points from battles for further stat upgrades to improve muscle, armor, or speed (movement and cooldown time). The premise alone - bio-engineering and evolving your own fighter through successive battles - feels like a prototype for Pokémon Stadium or Robo Pit, and the game's art and mutation visuals give some much needed personality to your creations, considering the otherwise barebones graphics. In practice, though, the brilliance of the concept doesn't fully translate into fun. Combat is often slow and frustrating (especially early on, when you're just learning what works and can end up fighting some very spongy creatures), with long cooldowns between attacks, and menus that don't pause the action while they also have to be used to switch between weapons and items during combat. Terrain adds an early layer of tactics, but eventually loses relevance as monsters evolve to bypass its restrictions. The AI, while pretty good overall, can swing between clever and clueless during the same battle, sometimes dodging skillfully and other times getting stuck or wasting attacks. What could have been a series of tense, tactical duels with a steady increase in depth and variety instead becomes a bit of a grind for longer periods, at least in single-player. Even so, there's something compelling about how much Mail Order Monsters tries to do with so little. Its mix of customization, tactical movement, arena battles and more (there are also capture the flag and horde modes!) was unique for the time, and in two-player mode, its ideas come closer to working as intended. It's a messy, uneven experiment, but also a glimpse of where games were headed.