Let's Play 51: IGN's Best NES Games Ever: 100-91 Quiz

Answer: Sweden

One of Nintendo's better early sports titles, Nintendo released "Ice Hockey" as a Famicom Disk System title and on the NES. For the Japan release, the line featured was Japan, the United States (USA), Czechoslovakia (TCH), Canada (CAN), Poland (POL), and the Soviet Union (URS). For the US release, Nintendo replaced Japan, strangely enough, with Sweden.

Answer: Green Beret

Konami released "Rush'n Attack" as an arcade title under the name "Green Beret" in 1987 in Japan and also as a Famicom Disk System title. Then in 1988 Konami released the title in the PAL region and America under the title "Rush'n Attack."

There are numerous differences between the three different versions. In the arcade title, there are only four stages, as opposed to the FDS and NES game which had six, and the goal of the game was free POWs. In the NES version, the POWs were removed and the goal was to destroy the enemie's secret weapon. Also a flame thrower from the arcade title was removed from the NES version and the NES featured two power ups not present in the arcade title: a star and and a pistol with unlimited ammo, both of which have a time limit.

Also, in Stage Six, there is a secret underground passage present in the FDS version that is not found in the NES version.

"Rush'n Attack" is one of those games I had growing up a kid. Like Rambo, I always wondered why they only equip the main hero with only a knife, to fight off hoards of enemies. The game can be rather challenging. Like most NES games, "Rush'n Attack" is on the short side. Also the end boss (a giant missile with hordes of enemies attacking you) is rather bizarre as you destroy this giant missile by repeatedly stabbing the explosive with your knife. Didn't know you could destroy missiles that way.

Answer: 2:20

Like several NES games, "TMNT" features a stage notorious for its difficulty. TMNT gives you 2:20 minutes to swim through this underwater labyrinth in an attempt to disarm the bombs. You must avoid water currents, electric beams, pink seaweed that is very difficult to avoid.

Other famous difficult levels from the NES era are 8-3 from the original "Adventure Island", "Battletoads'" racing level and snakes level, "Ninja Gaidens" 6-2, and the Yellow Devil boss from the original "Mega Man".

Answer: Remlia

Known as "The Lord of King" in Japan and "The Astyanax" in the arcades, the NES port, simply titled "Astyanax", stars a 16 year old high-school student from Greenview High who is named after the mythological figure Astyanax. His parents must have had a thing for Greek mythology, though I think it would be brutal to go through high school with a name like that.

Astyanax dreams ever night of a princess calling for help. A pixie named Cutie summons him to the realm of Remlia where he must give battle with a giant golden axe. The axe has a power meter. If you swing the axe multiple times very quickly it will deplete the power meter. However, if you allow the axe to recharge between swings then the axe will be more powerful when you use it. The sprites are very large for an NES title, which creates the NES's famous flicking problem and some questionable hit detection.

Eolis is the home town of the unnamed wander in the classic NES title "Faxanadu" and the first town you encounter in that game.

The Mushroom Kingdom, naturally, is from "Mario", and Hyrule is from the "Zelda" series.

Answer: True

"Dragon Warrior" and "Dragon Warrior II" are set in the same world. In "Dragon Warrior III", the game is set many years before the first two titles and in a separate world. The main villain of "Dragon Warrior III" is Baramos. The hero (who the player can make either male or female" is summoned by the king to fight Baramos.

After embarking on the quest, eventually the Hero and his cast of friends will defeat Baramoss. It turns out Zoma is the main villain behind Baromas, and throws the Hero and his or her party into the Dark World. The Dark World is actually Alefgard which is where the first two titles are set. Then the hero must recover sevral items from the original "Dragon Warrior" in order to create the Rainbow Bridge so they can go to Zoma's castle for the final confrontation.

"Dragon Warrior III", known in Japan as "Dragon Quest III", was hugely successful. There is a famous urban myth that the Japan government outlawed the release of "Dragon Quest" games during school days because of how they disrupted students' academic pursuits, although in actually Enix made the decision to release "Dragon Quest" games on the weekend. In 2006 the game magazing Famitsu conducted a survey of readers' favorite titles of all time. "Dragon Quest III" placed third, behind "Final Fantasy X" and "Final Fantasy VII".

"Dragon Warrior III" also used a Class system, unlike the original "Dragon Warrior" title. Also, the gender does of the character does have some game play effects, such as dialogue changes and the fact only certain items are available to either male or female characters who are the hero, though these changes are not drastic.

Answer: Electronic Gaming Monthly

"Mega Man 4" comes on the tail of "Mega Man 3", which is regarded, next to the perennial classic "Mega Man 2", as one of the best titles in the series. I'm not sure why IGN placed "Mega Man 4" so low, as it's certainly a quality title and is commonly held in higher esteem that "Mega Man 6", though personally I like "Mega Man 6" better than "4"..

"Mega Man 4" introduces the Mega Buster, Eddie, Beat, and Fliptop. It also introduces a new villain, Dr. Cossack, a Russian scientist, though we find out that Dr. Wily is behind the havoc all along. The next two titles, "Mega Man 5" and "Mega Man 6", use a decoy villain as well. Protoman (!) is the villain of "5" and Mr. X in "6".

Like many games, during the construction of "Mega Man IV", apparently several things were changed before the game was finally released. The "Sphinx" mini-boss is the most intriguing of the screenshots published. Also the Robot Master select screen differs from the final version.

Answer: Cake Land

The main plot of "Kickcle Cubicle" is that an evil wizard king has kidnapped the princess (shocker!). Kickle is equipped with ice breath which he uses to solve the puzzles. Kickle must save the princess, and so embarks on a journey through for main lands, Garden Land, Fruit Land, Cake Land, and Toy Land, to save the Princess. Each land features a boss at the end. Cake Land has sixteen puzzles to beat, whereas the other three lands have seventeen puzzles.

After defeating the evil Wizard King and saving the Princess, a Special Land opens up. There are thirty puzzles this time around, and the difficulty is more intense than the other four lands.

In the Japanese version, there are more enemies present in several of the levels. Also in Japan, you can play the four lands in any order, though in Europe and North America the order is the same.

Answer: Mouse

"Little Samson" came relatively late in the NES's game cycle. Taito released the game in 1992. One of the most technically impressive NES titles, "Little Samson" features large boss sprites, detailed environments, and extensive gameplay reminiscent of the "Mega Man" titles and "Super Mario Bros." The game is as solid as other notable franchises from the NES era, such as "Castlevania", the aforementioned "Mega Man" games, "Metroid", "Adventure Island", etc.

Unfortunately, highly quality does not always dictate high sales, and "Little Samson" is largely a victim of bad timing in a video game market that was mostly migrating toward the more powerful sixteen bit consoles.. "Little Samson" had very low sales, making the cartridge one of the most highly sought after for NES collectors.

In "Little Samson" you can control four characters: Licke, Dragon, Golem, and Mouse. Each features their own disadvantages and advantages. The game comes with easy and normal difficulty settings. If you select normal, if one of your characters dies other than Lickle, you cannot use that character for that stage. I have long thought about writing a quiz over this game, it's that great. Sadly, it's also very obscure. "The Krion Conquest" is another good obscure NES title also similar to "Mega Man".

If you get a chance and you love NES titles, PLAY IT! You won't be disappointed.

Answer: Skate or Die 2: The Search for Double Trouble

"Skate or Die 2: The Search for Double Trouble" is a Konami game, developed by Ultra Games which is a ghost publisher that Konami developed to get around Nintendo's limit of how many games a publisher could release on the NES. Unlike the original "Skate or Die", which largely a collection of mini-games like "Track and Field", the sequel featured something of a plot and even had cut scenes. The plot revolved around the titular hero running over the mayor's poodle, which then caused the mayor to ban skateboarding.

"Double Trouble" referenced in the title is a two screen large half-pipe ramp with a smaller ramp in the middle.

Answer: Carpenter

Nintendo developed "Mario Bros". as a followup to their 1981 smash "Donkey Kong". Shigeru Miyamoto and Gunpei Yokoi were the main developers of the title. Miyamoto is probably the most famous of all video game developrs. Gunpie, who was killed in 1997 due to a car accident, developed the Gameboy, the disastrous Virtual Boy, "Super Mario Land", "Metroid" and "Kid Icarus".

Mario was originally a carpenter in in "Donkey Kong", which may explain all the scaffolding. For the follow up, Miyamoto and Yokio decided to make him a plumber. Originally the game mechanic was that when Mario hits the creatures that come out of the pipes they would die, but they found this too easy. Instead, Nintendo made it where after you hit the creature, you then had to kick them. Due to this, Miyamoto made the enemies turtles, which gave birth to the famous Koopa Troopas of "Super Mario" fame. Because Mario was now a plumber by profession, they made the setting subterranean, with the enemies crawling out of pipes rather than thin air as originally considered. "Mario Bros." is also the first time we are introduced to Luigi. Like "Super Mario Bros." and "The Lost Levels", Luigi is simply a palette swap of Mario.

"Mario Bros." has been released on over a dozen different gaming platforms. This title and "Donkey Kong" are the only Mario titles released on non Nintendo platforms: starting with "Super Mario Bros.", Mario became exclusive to Nintendo consoles.