All 16-Bit

Review #3935 Winter Gold Pretty. Boring. SNES PAL 1996 Nintendo Minigame Minigame › N/a H 35 / 100 Horrible Screenshot used for review/reference purposes. 1 / 5 Gameplay Like all these Olympics games, the gameplay is incredibly thin. There are six events, but really only five. They have decent controls, but are so shallow that I have no reason to revisit them. 2 / 5 Level Design Only six events, downhill skiing, half pipe, freestyle ski jump, long ski jump, skeleton, and bobsled. The last two are identical. You can choose three courses for each - Lilehammer, Salt Lake City, and something else - but these too are identical with each other. So yeah, it's hollow as could be. 1 / 5 Theme The vibe is Olympics in a disco. The ja...

Review #7092 World Sports Competition I hope to never play one of these games again TG-16 1992 NEC Minigame Minigame › N/a X 7 / 100 You've been warned Screenshot used for review/reference purposes. 0 / 5 Gameplay Rapidly press I and II. I don't understand these stupid games. Who on their right mind would do this? It's maddening and painful! and unless you've got three hands you can't possibly do the events where you have to press the d-pad to jump out whatever while running at to speed. My hands and forearms can't take this abuse. 0 / 5 Level Design Alternate between I and II. Every event is the same thing 1 / 5 Theme They couldn't even get the Olympic license. Generic 2 / 5 ...

Review #4673 Winter Olympics: Lillehammer 94 Does anyone outside of Scandinavia care about the Winter Olympics? Genesis 1993 U.S. Gold Minigame Minigame › N/a H 38 / 100 Horrible Screenshot used for review/reference purposes. 1 / 5 Gameplay A few of the games have somewhat decent controls, but these are shallow gaming experiences no matter how you slice it. 3 / 5 Level Design 10 events! Seems like a million compared to the rest of these minigame collections. Really only amounts to 4 - skiing, luge, the computer moves you and you're supposed to push a few buttons at the right time, and biathlon. Biathlon is the only one I'd say is fun, but at least there's variety. DOWNHILL - Slalom skiing on an isometric plane. Miss one gate and you lose. Good lu...

Review #4672 Winter Challenge The best winter Olympics game Genesis 1992 Ballistic Minigame Minigame › N/a H 36 / 100 Horrible Screenshot used for review/reference purposes. 1 / 5 Gameplay All minigames have a behind view. This is way more compelling that the isometric view in game. Unfortunately the framerate is abysmal and the gameplay is incredibly shallow. It's not as tiring as other Oyplmpic games anyway. The skiing games play like a racing game. Like a slow 1080 with a bad framerate. Sort of fun. Each of the games is worth trying once but I would never pick up thod he a second time. 3 / 5 Level Design Great variety in the minigames. 3 / 5 Theme Good presentation. It looks and feels like you're there in the O...

Review #4558 Summer Challenge Roster update from Winter Challenge Genesis 1993 Accolade Minigame Minigame › N/a H 35 / 100 Horrible Screenshot used for review/reference purposes. 1 / 5 Gameplay Mostly plays just like Winter Challenge. Shallow experiences from a behind view with terrible framerate. There's more variety in the events (equestrian!?) but this is still a game you'll only play once. 3 / 5 Level Design 8 events including since real interesting choices. Archery, Hurdles, Kayak, Pole Vault, High Jump, Javelins, Equestrian, and Cycling 2 / 5 Theme Feels less like the Olympics than the Winter games did. 2 / 5 Art Style 2 / 5 Audio ...

Review #4406 Olympic Summer Games: Atlanta 1996 Learn a new controller grip Genesis 1996 Black Pearl Minigame Minigame › N/a X 16 / 100 You've been warned Screenshot used for review/reference purposes. 0 / 5 Gameplay Rapidly press A and B. That's it. That's 95% of this game. Occasionally you have to press Up after pressing A and B repeatedly but that only makes it worse because I can't press two buttons with my fingers. I need thumbs for that punishment but that makes it impossible to get over to the d-pad. If they had only made it require one button I might even like this game. Basically, this game just sucks completely. 1 / 5 Level Design Instead of being a collection of minigames, this is essentially one minigame repeated over and over wi...

Review #4405 Olympic Gold: Barcelona '92 Carpal tunnel syndrome generator Genesis 1992 U.S. Gold Minigame Minigame › N/a X 15 / 100 You've been warned Screenshot used for review/reference purposes. 0 / 5 Gameplay Seven events: 100M - Alternate mashing A & B. Don't false start. The computer frequently false starts. Super annoying. Hurdles - See 100M description, but with the added bonus of having to press C to jump. Utterly impossible. Pole vault - Again, alternate to run but there's another guage which I can't seem to affect. So I run up to the pit, plants my pole, and stop dead in my tracks. I give up. Swimming - You'll never guess how to play this one. Moving on. Hammer Throw - Baffling. All three buttons are used, but how is anyone's guess. More m...

Review #4349 Mickey's Ultimate Challenge This game is, to Magical Quest, what Mario is Missing is to Super Mario World. Genesis 1994 Hi Tech Expressions Minigame Minigame › N/a F 55 / 100 Not Bad, but Flawed Screenshot used for review/reference purposes. 3 / 5 Gameplay I remember playing this game all the way through a few years ago. No idea why I would do such a thing other than to satisfy my curiosity. But the fact that I stuck with it to the end says something. It's at least playable. This game is, to Magical Quest, what Mario is Missing and Mario's Time Machine are to Super Mario World. Controls are slow as molasses but there's not much platforming to do so it's fine. At least they're nice and responsive. 3 / 5 Level Design Fiv...

Review #4092 California Games Cali (mini)games Genesis 1992 Sega Minigame Minigame › N/a X 19 / 100 You've been warned Screenshot used for review/reference purposes. 1 / 5 Gameplay Five games: Half pipe - The controls make no sense. How do I maintain or increase velocity? How do I turn or perform a trick? I can't last for more than about 5 seconds before I either fall off or slow to a crawl and stop boarding. Foot bag - Ok this one I can relate to. I did a lot of hacky sacking back in the day. Unfortunately it amounts to little more than pressing A when the ball nears the ground. It's about as engaging as Arkanoid without any blocks or side walls. Good for a couple of minutes worth of playtime. Surfing - About as fun as balancing a stick on your finger while walking. Again, I co...

Review #4024 Aquatic Games starring James Pond and Aquabats Mario Party but with only two one-player minigames Genesis 1992 Electronic Arts Minigame Minigame › N/a X 16 / 100 You've been warned Screenshot used for review/reference purposes. 0 / 5 Gameplay How was James Pond popular enough to earn a spinoff series? Controls are ok bit not always responsive. The button mashing events are - whatever, but the events where you move your character have a long lag or even missed inputs. Hard to use. The objectives of each event are a mystery. Like the Bouncy Castle is where you bounce on a trampoline over and over and you seem to need to press jump when you hit the trampoline but it doesn't always make you go higher. Sometimes it does but I'm not sure if I'm getting the timing wrong ...

Review #4021 American Gladiators Seven minigames. Zero fun Genesis 1993 GameTek Minigame Minigame › N/a X 8 / 100 You've been warned Screenshot used for review/reference purposes. 0 / 5 Gameplay Controls are horribly imprecise. Not only are the controls bad, the games themselves are incredibly boring. Once you learn them there's zero challenge or variation. It reminds me of the old Chinese proverb: "the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over while expecting a different outcome." 1 / 5 Level Design Seven boring minigames. There's variety, but not a single one of these games resembles fun. Assault - no way to finish the stupid-simple obstacle course Human Cannonball - only win with completely perfect timing on the ...

Review #693 Winter Olympics: Lillehammer 94 Does anyone outside of Scandinavia care about the Winter Olympics? SNES 1994 US Gold Minigame Minigame › N/a H 38 / 100 Horrible Screenshot used for review/reference purposes. 1 / 5 Gameplay A few of the games have somewhat decent controls, but these are shallow gaming experiences no matter how you slice it. 3 / 5 Level Design 10 events! Seems like a million compared to the rest of these minigame collections. Really only amounts to 4 - skiing, luge, the computer moves you and you're supposed to push a few buttons at the right time, and biathlon. Biathlon is the only one I'd say is fun, but at least there's variety. DOWNHILL - Slalom skiing on an isometric plane. Miss one gate and you lose. Good luck wit...

Review #639 Tommy Moe's Winter Extreme More Outrun than 1080 SNES 1994 Electro Brain Minigame Minigame › N/a X 24 / 100 You've been warned Screenshot used for review/reference purposes. 1 / 5 Gameplay I debated between categorizing this as a minigame collection or a driving game. Not for one second did I consider calling this a sports game since the gameplay amounts to holding B while moving left or right. That's the extent of the entire game. Ultimately I think it bills itself as a collection of four distinct events, each with minute differences. That's pretty much the definition of "games" in this minigame genre so I'm keeping it here. Its gameplay is incredibly shallow and I got about 5 minutes of enjoyment out of it. I won't play it ever again, so thanks ...

Review #634 Tiny Toon Adventures: Wacky Sports Challenge Lipstick on a Pig SNES 1994 Konami Minigame Minigame › N/a H 34 / 100 Horrible Screenshot used for review/reference purposes. 1 / 5 Gameplay Each event has an explanation given and some advice on how to play it. Why is this the only game in this genre to do this?! Has a Mario Party-style recap after each event with some bonus points awarded. Responsive controls 1 / 5 Level Design ICE CREAM THROW - Gallery shooter with a cursor. Hit targets like a at a carnival. Fun with a bit of variety in how the targets move. 3 other players are throwing so you gotta be quick. CHICKEN DASH - Button mash and then stop before the end of a cliff. Basically just memorize how long to mash and then when to brake. Trial and ...

Review #631 Timon and Pumbaa Jungle Games With you, everything's gas SNES 1997 T*HQ Minigame Minigame › N/a X 22 / 100 You've been warned Screenshot used for review/reference purposes. 1 / 5 Gameplay Horrible controls. The dev favored animation over control. Eats inputs like crazy Only four minigames. 1 / 5 Level Design BURPER - Timing shakes the tree to make fruit, bugs, and animals fall from the branches. Pumba fires buprs and snot rockets up at the falling stuff or swats them on the ground with R or L. Not sure what I'm supposed to do. Should I shoot or kill everything out am I trying to catch some of these things? Baffling HIPPO HOP - Frogger with terrible controls. You have to turn around before you can jump the opposite direction. A long an...

Review #545 Aquatic Games starring James Pond and Aquabats Mario Party but with only two one-player minigames SNES 1993 Seika Minigame Minigame › N/a X 16 / 100 You've been warned Screenshot used for review/reference purposes. 0 / 5 Gameplay How was James Pond popular enough to earn a spinoff series? Controls are ok bit not always responsive. The button mashing events are - whatever, but the events where you move your character have a long lag or even missed inputs. Hard to use. The objectives of each event are a mystery. Like the Bouncy Castle is where you bounce on a trampoline over and over and you seem to need to press jump when you hit the trampoline but it doesn't always make you go higher. Sometimes it does but I'm not sure if I'm getting the timing wrong it if it reall...

Review #393 Olympic Summer Games: Atlanta 1996 Learn a new controller grip SNES 1996 Black Pearl Minigame Minigame › N/a X 16 / 100 You've been warned Screenshot used for review/reference purposes. 0 / 5 Gameplay Rapidly press A and B. That's it. That's 95% of this game. Occasionally you have to press Up after pressing A and B repeatedly but that only makes it worse because I can't press two buttons with my fingers. I need thumbs for that punishment but that makes it impossible to get over to the d-pad. If they had only made it require one button I might even like this game. Basically, this game just sucks completely. 1 / 5 Level Design Instead of being a collection of minigames, this is essentially one minigame repeated over and over with m...

Review #382 Nickelodeon GUTS American Child Ninjas SNES 1994 Viacom Minigame Minigame › N/a X 12 / 100 You've been warned Screenshot used for review/reference purposes. 0 / 5 Gameplay Some of the worst controls on the system. Just awful. The PoP themed events are particularly awful with the game seemingly unwilling to do anything you ask it to do. I hate this game with a passion. 1 / 5 Level Design 5 events but it's really only two. The other three are just slight variations on the two main events. 1. AERIAL ATTACK - Simple once you figure out the trick. But then the game goes way too long. 2.5 minutes feels like an eternity where you jump over about 25 times. It just amounts to holding down and letting go when the meter is 60-80%, pressing B, then hol...

Review #339 Mickey's Ultimate Challenge This game is, to Magical Quest, what Mario is Missing is to Super Mario World. SNES 1994 Hi Tech Expressions Minigame Minigame › N/a F 55 / 100 Not Bad, but Flawed Screenshot used for review/reference purposes. 3 / 5 Gameplay I remember playing this game all the way through a few years ago. No idea why I would do such a thing other than to satisfy my curiosity. But the fact that I stuck with it to the end says something. It's at least playable. This game is, to Magical Quest, what Mario is Missing and Mario's Time Machine are to Super Mario World. Controls are slow as molasses but there's not much platforming to do so it's fine. At least they're nice and responsive. 3 / 5 Level Design Five si...

Review #92 California Games II Wii Sports minus motion controls or any other controls for that matter SNES 1992 DTMC Minigame Minigame › N/a H 26 / 100 Horrible Screenshot used for review/reference purposes. 1 / 5 Gameplay Controls are a mixed bag - movement is responsive but executing moves for points is horrendous. I just mash the B button and hope that sometimes it will produce something. I don't feel like I have much control over what happens onscreen. 1 / 5 Level Design Hanggliding - WTH. I guess the objective is to score points and then land but I can't figure out how to score a meaningful amount of points. I had time to do a couple of circles for 500 points each (by mindlessly mashing buttons, mind you) and then I landed which scored me 100K. So....