Angry Video Game Nerd 8-Bit

I am not what you would call a big fan of the Angry Video Game Nerd. I don’t consider myself to be an angry guy and never really connected with James Rolfe’s brand of comedy or video game analysis. That said, what I am a big fan of is Retroware, the publishers behind must-play throwback titles like Prison City and the excellent run ‘n gun shooter Iron Meat. So, when I heard that Retroware was releasing an 8-bit game based on the Angry Video Game Nerd, I was simultaneously excited and a little worried. Would I be able to overcome my aversion to the Nerd’s angry character and enjoy a well-crafted throwback action game? That’s what we’re about to find out when I review The Angry Video Game Nerd 8-Bit from developer Mega Cat Studios.

The Angry Video Game Nerd 8-Bit actually kicks off with a promising start. There’s a fun, silly and fantastically vulgar cinema that introduces us to the Nerd and his YouTube series, taking us on a fun trip through some of his viral videos. But watch out, because out of nowhere comes Super Mecha Death Christ, a Frankenstein’s monster-style bad guy who appears to be assembled using elements from a whole bunch of infamous games. As it turns out, Super Mecha Death Christ is here to not only take over the Nerd’s old school Nintendo Entertainment System, but also infect all of the game consoles around the world with a terrible virus. Using his magical powers, the Nerd combines six of the worst games ever made into a single cartridge so terrible that that it might just be enough to destroy the virus before it spreads far and wide.

We do this by jumping between six different stages, each modeled after a different game that the Nerd has bashed on his popular series. We play an 8-bit pixel version of the Nerd, who comes equipped with little more than a Power Glove and his trusty Zapper (the orange one, in case you’re wondering). He can play any of the six levels in order, with the ultimate goal of defeating all of the bosses and going deep into the game to vanquish the once good (but now very evil) Super Mecha Death Christ.

If any of this sounds familiar, it’s because The Angry Video Game Nerd 8-Bit borrows pretty much all of his structure (and even passwords) from the Mega Man series. It’s not just the stage select, but also the way the game controls and how the various boss fights play out. The Nerd’s moves are limited to mostly jumping, climbing and shooting, which is perfectly in line with most 8-bit games released on the NES. The only thing keeping this from not being a Mega Man sequel is that we don’t earn new guns or abilities after completing each stage. That’s disappointing, but as you’ll soon learn, it’s far from the only thing holding The Angry Video Game Nerd 8-Bit back.

One thing I do like is the level designs. While the platforming bits aren’t nearly as good a Mega Man and the countless other games being referenced here, they do offer a number of different paths and secrets to uncover. The stages also look the part, which is something I’ve come to expect from games published by Retroware. There are a few telltale signs that we’re playing a new game pretending to be 8-bit and not a 35-year-old classic, but the authentic gameplay and graphics really go a long way to sell the illusion. This game really does look and feel like those old school greats, in both good and bad ways.

While it’s not a huge part of the game, one thing I liked about The Angry Video Game Nerd 8-Bit is how you go about upgrading the Zapper. When you start the game, your Zapper shots are weak, but if you pick up the various upgrade items, you’ll find the light gun get stronger with a more effective spread shot. You can upgrade the gun a total of eight times, but whatever you do, don’t get hit, because every time you take damage, your power level decreases by one. The good news is that you can grab the piece, preserving your Zapper’s power level. Unfortunately, the problem is that you don’t have much time before the upgrade item disappears into a bunch of tiny bits. Gone for good.

And that brings me to the biggest problem I have with the Angry Video Game Nerd 8-Bit: This is a game that is a too afraid to embrace what it’s trying to emulate – a punishingly hard throwback to 8-bit games like Mega Man 2. It flirts with being as tough as those classic games, but it always relents at the last second. The perfect example of this is how the game doles out power-ups. Every time the Nerd is on his last life, we’re treated to an especially powerful item that not only makes your gun a lot stronger, but also features an eggplant creature flying across the screen. This may not be a big deal when you’re working your way through the regular platforming sections, but it effectively ruins every single boss battle the game throws at you.

Let me explain: Normally, when you get to a boss in an 8-bit game, it will take a few lives for you to figure out its pattern and use your skills to overcome the challenge. At first glance, that seems to be what this game is going for. However, you never really have to learn the proper way to kill the boss, because you always know that, with the help of the eggplant creature, you’ll be able to quickly win the fight in a matter of seconds. That’s no exaggeration, as previously tough bosses went down in less time than it takes to say the game’s full title. And it’s not just a couple of bosses, but all of them. Every single one, including the final boss.

I should also point out that the Angry Video Game Nerd game falls into the all-too-familiar parody game trap, where it’s more about pointing out the tropes instead of constructing an actual joke. This is the kind of game that mocks the overused cliches in classic video games, yet still chooses to put them in the finished product.

It’s actually worse than that, because the rest of the jokes are in the “I recognize that” category. It’s funny because it’s a reference to something from your childhood. Maybe that type of humor works on some people, but not me. A lot of the things that feel like “jokes” are really just homages, like when you fight a slightly different version of the Technodrome from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles game or the stages that resemble Ghosts ‘N Goblins or Mega Man. Hey, isn’t that one of those rat enemies from Battletoads? And isn’t it funny when they change the name Frankenstein to Spankenstein? No, it’s not, and neither is any other stab at comedy found in this game. I would argue that the only genuine attempt at comedy comes in the form of full-motion cutscenes starring the Nerd, and even those are barely worth a small chuckle.

Obviously, this Angry Video Game Nerd game is hardly the only parody game to fall into these traps. So many game developers mistake references for punchlines, it’s surprisingly easy to do. But the Nerd really should know better, and this game really should have been funnier. Even with an 8-bit game, you can set-up reoccurring gags that you can pay off in a big way. You can also lean into the character and personality. Aside from the start of each level telling you to “get pissed,” you don’t really see the Angry Video Game Nerd get, y’know, angry. Imagine the jokes and humor that you can mine out of just him playing into the character. Unfortunately, all you can do is imagine it, because none of that is in this game.

As a throwback game that is purposely riffing on familiar levels and tropes, Angry Video Game Nerd 8-Bit is fun, though hardly spectacular. We’ve seen a lot of wannabe retro games plow similar ground, with even Retroware did this kind of thing better with their first two games. This is surface level stuff; the absolute bare minimum of what you need to deliver this kind of experience. Is the old school platforming fun? Sure, but none of it matches the games they are supposedly mocking. There’s a reason we’re still talking about games like Mega Man 2 all these decades later. Fourty years from now, will anybody remember the Angry Video Game Nerd parody? I seriously doubt it.