348 days. That's how long it took Nintendo to remember that the Nintendo Entertainment System was part of the Nintendo Classics app. That's right, for the first time since they uploaded Tetris last December, 8-bit NES games are coming to Nintendo Switch Online. I'm talking about the beat ‘em up classic Battletoads and Ninja Gaiden II: The Dark Sword of Chaos, as well as Bionic Commando and Kid Icarus: Of Myths and Monsters on Game Boy. Yeah, that's exciting news, but are any of these games actually worth playing? To answer that question, I decided to flip through the pages of Electronic Gaming Monthly, GamePro, Nintendo Power and more classic magazines that reviewed these games back when they first came out. Gas up that speeder bike, because it's time to go sewer racing in this massive new episode f Nintendo Classics Review Crew!


One year after Ninja Gaiden laid the groundwork for a future filled with cinematic video games, the sequel arrived with more of what made the first game so good. I'm talking about bigger levels, better power-ups, more cinemas and story that somehow tops the original. It introduces some of the franchise's best characters and gives us an even worse baddie to contend with. It hints at a much more complicated power struggle between the villains, and has one of the greatest endings of all time. This truly was the sequel that fans had been waiting for, but were the critics impressed?

Let's start off with Electronic Gaming Monthly, who opted to not review the first game in 1989. Ed gushed that The Dark Sword of Chaos is “probably the best sequel ever made, with near-perfect graphics, challenging gameplay and intermissions which entice you to always go round further. Other than the difficult gameplay in higher levels, Ninja Gaiden 2 is as good as an action game can get.” Oddly enough, the only EGM critic to not give the game a 9 out of 10 was their own resident ninja, Sushi-X: “There's no denying the fact that Ninja Gaiden 2 is a superb game. It outdoes the original in nearly every department. It's addictive and the intermission and story are terrific. Using the same bosses that were in the first game is a letdown, but it's still worth the price of admission.” EGM gave Ninja Gaiden II an average score of 8.75 out of 10.

Would you believe that EGM's score puts them at the bottom of the scale? It's true, the reviews only go up from here. For example, Video Games & Computer Entertainment gave Ninja Gaiden II a score of 9 out of 10 in their 17th issue. “Titles like Ninja Gaiden are proof that video games are learning how to evoke players' emotions and entertain just like a movie or TV show can. These adventures go beyond the confines of video game gimmickry; in fact, I wouldn't hesitate to call it a legitimate art form. That may be a lofty position for game designers to aspire to, particularly since the average NES owner is not yet in high school – but quality doesn't hurt, and Tecmo knows it. Ninja Gaiden II is a winner, and it's got my vote as one of the best NES carts ever. Highly recommended.”

If you're curious who gave Ninja Gaiden II the highest grade, that magazine was Nintendo Power, who went all the way up to a 4.7 out of 5. That makes it the second best-reviewed game of 1990, right behind Castlevania III. Unfortunately, this was an era of Nintendo Power where they did not publish a written review with their scores, so we'll never know what made them go that high. Instead, I'd like to point out that Game Players magazine ended up giving the game an award for NES Excellence, while it earned Electronic Gaming Monthly's Best Ending in a Game award in their 15th issue.

While there may not be a lot of reviews, the few that covered Ninja Gaiden II loved it. Just look at the way Video Games & Computer Entertainment covered it, practically comparing it to the Mona Lisa or Citizen Kane. It's the beginning of critics making the argument that video games are more than just a child's toy, it's art. With an average score of 91%, this truly was one of the best-reviewed games for the Nintendo Entertainment System and one of the greatest sequels of all time.

With a likeable hero and a story firmly planted in Greek mythology, you would think that Kid Icarus would be one of Nintendo's top-tier franchises. And yet, with only three games spread across a quarter-century, things did not work out for Pit and his Angel Land friends. To their credit, Nintendo did attempt a Game Boy sequel in 1991, the same year that gave us Metroid II on the handheld. But while Nintendo's science-fiction themed horror series managed to pick up momentum going into the 16-bit generation, Kid Icarus: Of Myths and Monsters ended up stalling the franchise for more than twenty years. Is that because it was a bad game? Or is this a true classic that was completely overshadowed by a year filled with top-tier Nintendo games? Let's turn to the critics and see if we can get the answers.

You know how I just mentioned that 1991 was a year full of big releases? Well, there were so many huge hitters that most of your favorite magazines didn't even bother reviewing the game. There are no scores from Electronic Gaming Monthly, Computer & Video Games or even Video Games & Computer Entertainment. So, with no anchor, we're just going to start at the bottom and work our way up, with Total leading the charge. Giving the game a 68%, they complained that the graphics are too samey and lack surprises, while the audio is annoying and the length won't hold your attention or long. “A fairly engaging little platformer, but it's a bit repetitive. Persistence extends its lifespan, but you'll get bored before you get stuck.”

To be fair to young Pit, Nintendo Power liked the game a bit more, giving it a 3.5 out of 5. Across the pond in the UK, Nintendo Magazine System went one tick higher, giving Kid Icarus a 71%. However, the biggest score, at least from a numbers perspective, comes from ACE and their ridiculous one-thousand-point scale. Giving Of Myths and Monsters a score of 788, they concluded that it “doesn't look too hot, but things soon perk up once you get into it. If anything, Kid Icarus reminds me of a poor man's Turrican, with an equally massive and addictive challenge. But for all the game's size, it's not that hard – it should only take a couple of hours or so of solid play to win the first treasure. While this difficulty setting prevents frustration setting in, it does hint that it isn't going to take that long to finish the game, especially with the battery-backed save positions.”

As we continue our ascent up Mt. Olympus, we see GamePro give Kid Icarus 2 a score of 4 out of 5. As shocking as it sounds, GameZone stopped being clinically insane for just long enough to give this action game a shockingly high score of 91%. “If you thought Neighbours at its prime was addictive, it had nothing on this; a crowbar won't prise you away from it. The graphics are fab and it's challenging without being too easy. It's not too hard, either, and won't make you want to leave it under a steamroller going downhill at 90 miles per hour.”

I bet you didn't have the Australian soap opera Neighbours on your bingo card. With an overall average of just 78%, Kid Icarus: Of Myths and Monsters was one of Nintendo's lower-scoring games in 1991. The critics liked it, for the most part, but judging from these reviews, it's not all that surprising that Nintendo went on to prioritize Metroid, The Legend of Zelda and other franchises. Give it a shot now that it's on the Switch.

Although it started out as a 1987 arcade cabinet, the Bionic Commando game that everybody loves and remembers is the vastly different (and vastly improved) version on the Nintendo Entertainment System, which took the basic concept and really fleshed it out in a big way. Four years later, Capcom decided to remake the NES game for the black and white Game Boy, giving us a mostly faithful rendition on the smaller screen. I say “mostly,” because Capcom made some interesting choices, like giving this version a more futuristic story and setting. Let's see if that change had an effect on the critics in 1992.

We're going to kick things off with Electronic Gaming Monthly, who is once again right in the middle of the review scale. As it turns out, this version of Bionic Commando was so good that even the Game Boy-hating Sushi-X gave it a 7 out of 10: “Coolee! Aw, pooh, I love this game! Everyone has forgotten the excellent NES title until now when you can take it on the road. No offense, Capcom, but Nintendo had better get in gear soon and release a color Game Boy, because colorful titles like Bionic Commando get hacked on the tiny black and white screen!” Martin liked the game even more than Soosh, giving it a 9 and proclaiming that “this is one of the best Game Boy carts I've played in a long time. The graphics and music are very good. The gameplay is absolutely phenomenal and captures all of the best aspects of the classic NES game. Plenty of tough action and technique throughout. If a Game Boy cart can be this good, bring the SNES version.” Unfortunately, we didn't get a 16-bit version, but this Game Boy port still managed to average an impressive 8 out of 10.

Nintendo Power also liked the game, but not quite as much as EGM. They gave Bionic Commando a score of 3.9 out of 5. If you're looking for the lowest score, then that honor goes to Electronic Games, who reviewed this Game Boy port in their very first issue. Giving it a 75%, they argued that “playing Bionic Commando on the Game Boy is like watching a dog dance; Fido may not boogie like Gene Kelly, but it's impressive that the animal can stand at all. Forget the graphics; this type of game simply does not travel well outside the large screen multiverse. On-screen characters are so small, for example, that eye strain is likely to afflict players old enough to vote. The situation is not helped by the strong blurring which occurs, as all action titles for the Game Boy, whenever Rad Spencer moves left or right at full speed. Bionic Commando represent a type of game that will never function at full power on a handheld system like the Game Boy. Given that limitation, it's a skilled reproduction in miniature of yet another side-scrolling video game. Okay, Fido, now let's see you moonwalk.”

Moving back up the scale, we have Nintendo Magazine System checking in with an impressive 84%, while Super Gamer went all the way up to 91% in their debut issue. The highest score comes from, you guessed it, GamePro, who yet again handed out a perfect 5 out of 5. “Bionic Commando breaks the side-scrolling run ‘n gun malaise with exciting undercover intrigue, awesome sci-fi style weaponry, and outrageous bionic arm maneuvers. As radical as this game is, Spencer's no Agent 007, but then again, James Bond never had the guts to volunteer for wiry wall-grabbing arm implants. However, you do, right? Commandeer a copy of Bionic Commando and let ‘er rip.”

Honestly, that's good advice, because Bionic Commando on the Game Boy is great. Do I prefer the NES version? Sure, but I also like seeing the changes made to the black and white version. And the critics seemed to dig it, too, as the overall average lands at 85%. The critics were genuinely impressed that Capcom could fit the game on that tiny screen.

The Battletoads are no strangers to the Nintendo Classics app. Over the last year or two, we've not only seen them become Battlemaniacs on the Super NES, but also team up with Billy and Jimmy Lee in Battletoads/Double Dragon. But while those were a nice appetizer that hinted at the greatness of the franchise, we've all been waiting for the main course – the original 1991 Battletoads on the Nintendo Entertainment System. This was a massive 8-bit release at a time when everybody was paying attention to the 16-bit console war. The Battletoads weren't just liked, they were beloved by critics, with basically every magazine raving about the graphics, animation and variety of play styles. If you only know this game for its brutally challenging driving levels, then you're missing out on one of the best 8-bit games of all time.

And just to prove that it's not just me saying that, we're going to start with Electronic Gaming Monthly, who ended up giving Battletoads the lowest score of any English-language magazine – a 9 out of 10. That's right, we're starting with at 90% and working our way up. Martin called the game “Awesome! Awesome! Awesome! Amazing graphics and animation will blow you away! Best of all, the game is extremely fun to play, a quality that's hard to find on any system. With new concepts and techniques on each level, the Toads almost got a 10.” Sushi-X agreed: “Excellent! Radical! Most triumphant!! If Battletoads doesn't make you laugh at the hysterical animations or fry your brain cells with utter amazement, you are reading the wrong magazine. The amount of work that went into this game is phenomenal! This'll make up for Double Dragon.”

Just a reminder that the Double Dragon that Sushi-X was bashing won Electronic Gaming Monthly's first-ever Game of the Year prize just 24 issues earlier. Speaking of which, the Battletoads earned EGM's prize for Best Nintendo Game of the Year and Most Challenging Video Game of the Year.

There were other magazines that gave Battletoads the same score. Nintendo Power went with a 4.5 out of 5, while Video Games & Computer Entertainment went with their standard 9 out of 10. Computer & Video Games went one tick higher with 91%, while Total went up to 92%. They praised the “great characters, excellent animation and superb backgrounds” and loved that “every level is like a brand new game – it's absolutely gorgeous.” “Amazing-looking arcader that sets standards, break moulds and does lots of other groovy things too. It's the best blast I've seen in a long time.”

Mean Machines went even higher than that, going all the way up to 93%. And then there's GamePro, who once again gave a game a perfect 5 out of 5. “Battletoads is a monster! 16-bit game systems making you nervous about the longevity of your humble NES? If NES carts to come can be this good and this much fun, you can hold off on that upgrade a while longer.”

With scores that range from 90% all the way up to 100%, Battletoads really is one of the best-reviewed Nintendo Entertainment System games of all time. In fact, with an overall average of 92%, Battletoads is behind only Super Mario Bros. 3 and Tecmo Bowl as the top-rated NES game on the Nintendo Classics app. Like I said, the critics loved Battletoads, and while it's a little challenging from time to time, I think you'll dig it too.