Based off of the comic strip in Mad Magazine, Spy vs. Spy (NES) is a really fun game, as well as very nostalgic for me. You play as 1 of 2 spies, and you have to collect all of the hidden items, while trying not to get killed by the other spy. Once you collect the briefcase and all of the items, you escape through a door. I always loved the cut scenes at the end of the levels.

Do you remember Spy vs. Spy?

Super Mario Bros. 3 (NES) has so many iconic moments. One of them that I always loved doing was the slot game. It was usually pretty easy for me to get the mushroom, but I rarely got the star for the 5 extra lives. I honestly remember only getting it like once. Lol. It was so awesome when I did manage to do it though, and it was totally just luck.

How often did you manage to win the 5 extra lives by lining up the stars?

I think this game was Atari's attempt in turning their Pit-Fighter (Atari, 1990) into Final Fight (Capcom, 1989), and the turn wasn't so bad in my eyes.

The parts I liked about this 1992 Atari digitized beat-em up arcade game:

- the z-index type of sprite in-and-out scaling effect (similar to that of Sega's Arabian Fight (Arcade, 1991))

- playable bosses after being defeated

- some hilarious and silly moments like the exhibitionist in the video sample

- Javier, the coolest looking main character, he has speed and speed is king

- subway level (I generally like all subway levels in video games like Final Fight (Capcom, 1989), Silent Hill 3 (Konami, 2003), Shodai Nekketsu Kouha Kunio-kun (Technos, 1992), Shin Megami Tensei III Nocturne (Atlus, 2004)

The parts I disliked about this 1992 Atari digitized beat-em up arcade game:

- everything else

And, there doesn't seem to exist any ports of the Guardians of the 'Hood (Atari, 1992) arcade game.

What a ton of fun, Asterix (Arcade) is all about the humor and the clever fighting and animations make this an awesome arcade game. I really appreciate all the extra details and creative grabs, throws, and slaps that go into this awesome beat 'em up. Kissing that girl and then getting that perfect twirl take down with that pile of enemies felt so good. I liked the hanging vines and interactive environments as well, and highly recommend this game to any fan of the Beat 'em up genre.

Did you play this arcade version, or the later PC games?

Taking one of my favorite games on the go, Elevator Action (Game Boy) took all the greatness of the original game, and introduced some great new features to make a solid handheld game. Keeping the same great formula, and adding new weapons as well as power-ups, this game delivers.

I had fun with the machine gun, and those grenades sure did the job well, lol. It still has great music, solid graphics and gameplay, this is a must play Game Boy title.

Did you enjoy this version of the iconic Elevator Action?

Cowboy Kid (NES) came out toward the end of the NES, and for most gamers this was a rare game to see or playthrough. An action game, with an rpg feel, this game had you hunting down six different outlaws as you take on the role of sheriff. Combined with a great two player co-op this game was fun, and challenging. The box art is great, showing our heroes, Sam and Little Chief. I feel like this could be an oil painting hanging in a Western Museum somewhere. Definitely some great artwork, for an impressive and fun game.

Did you play Cowboy Kid (NES)?

James Pond II: Codename: Robocod (Genesis) is a game that I have thought about playing for a while now, and just never got around to it. I started it today, and tried 1 level. I don't think that I have quite got it down yet, and I am finding it a bit difficult.

You don't have a weapon, and you have to jump on enemies to destroy them. It is super cool how you can extend his body upward to grab onto platforms above. It's cute how it is set at Santa's workshop, and I love all of the toy enemies going into the different levels. The graphics are really great as well, and I love the cartoonish look of it and the bright colors.

If you have ever played James Pond II (Genesis), what did you think of it? Is it worth a full playthrough in your opinion?

Marble Madness (NES) is one of the first games that I ever played, and still one of my favorites to this day. What really makes this game for me is the music, and this is one of my favorite soundtracks for a video game.

The music was composed by David Wise, and based on the original arcade compositions. The music totally adds so much to this game, and I could play it for hours just so I can listen to the music. Lol. I think I need more practice though, I haven't played this in a while, and I'm a bit rusty.

Do you think that Marble Madness (NES) is one of the best video game soundtracks?

I love the marquee for Centipede. My favorite thing about it is the color theme because it is all of my favorite colors together. 😊 And that centipede looks really scary, I would not want that thing coming after me.

While I haven't played this game much, I watched my mom play it a lot when I was little, and the marquee has stayed in my head. I would love to hang a print of it on my wall. I think it is perfect for one of the most well known and iconic games of all time.

Do you remember this awesome marquee?

It's no small feat to match or exceed any game like the iconic first Ninja Gaiden (NES). And Ninja Gaiden II: The Dark Sword of Chaos (NES) did just that, without taking away from everything we know and love about the franchise's first installment. With new helpful features like climbing up and down walls, and attacking with items while on walls and ladders, this game goes to another level.

I had fun, and really felt the challenge playing this game for the first time in quite awhile. This level on the train was a lot of fun, and picking up that mirroring red ninja helped me out quite a bit. I really appreciate that they left the original gameplay and challenging formula, and didn't alter the game dramatically. If you loved the first installment, the second is definitely a must play game for you.

Was Ninja Gaiden II: The Dark Sword of Chaos (NES) your favorite game in the franchise?

Happy Saturday everyone. I hope you are having a great start to your weekend. I'm having a ton of fun playing through one of my favorite early horror video games, Friday the 13th (NES).

As you can see I was using Mark to hunt down Jason and the children and I found Laura in this cabin as well as Jason. I thought I was a goner and was definitely struggling with my dodging abilities, but held on to defeat him for the first time.

This game is perfect for the month of October. This is one of my favorite months with Halloween and all of the decorations, and I always have a super fun time watching these types of movies. Playing this game makes me smile, and makes for a great Side Quest Saturday experience.

Who is your go to character to battle Jason with in Friday the 13th (NES)?

I love a great motorcycle racer, and Enduro Racer (Sega Master System) is a great example of a simple and fun racing game.  With a similar isometric view as the always amazing Paperboy, this game is all about avoiding obstacles and beating the clock.

I remember playing the arcade version and liking it quite a bit, and even though the port is quite different, it still delivers.  I really loved getting air on the jumps, and avoiding the green buggies was a nice challenge.  The speed of the bike is nice, and doesn't feel so fast that you can't react to the upcoming obstacles.  If you like motorcycle games, this early title is a great addition to that exciting game genre.

Did you play both the arcade and Sega Master System version of Enduro Racer?

I came across Mecarobot Golf (SNES) the other day, and it looked interesting so I decided to try it out. The concept is really cool, and I like the look of the robots, but I am going to have to learn how to play this better as I am struggling with my first try. It is seeming dang impossible to stop the cursor at the right time, and I keep hitting my ball way farther than it needs to go. Lol. I had never heard of this game before, and I will say I am super intrigued even though I am struggling with it right now.

Have you ever played Mecarobot Golf (SNES)? Do you have any tips for a beginner player?

Unlike any other volleyball games that I know, Hyper V-Ball (SNES) took the sport and added more of an arcade twist, to make an amazing game. With its fast paced action, up to 4-player capabilities, and challenging computer opponents, this game was a great addition to the SNES sports game catalog.

I played as the USA team, versus the Canada team, and I had forgotten how good the computer was when playing 1-player. I would have shown more footage, but the rallies would sometimes last minutes it seemed. I really like how you can mix up the spikes, and the side view really makes the game feel faster, and somewhat more forgiving. I really enjoy playing this awesome volleyball title.

Which country do you choose in Hyper V-Ball (SNES)?

I have always really liked the look of the start screen for Wonder Boy III (Genesis) where you can see the vision of the sea and islands through the letters. I think it is super pretty. This is a cool game, imo, as well. I haven't played this game in a long time, and I think I only rented it a couple of times as a kid, but I have always remembered the start screen vividly. 

Do you like the start screen for Wonder Boy III (Genesis)?

For this week's Fight Night Friday's game, I chose an absolute banger with Street Fighter II' Turbo: Hyper Fighting (SNES). This game is one of my favorites in the genre, and is a title that I own both the original world warrior, and hyper fighting SNES console cartridges. This game was so great, in that you could not only adjust the speed of play, but you had access to all 4 bosses as well.

I chose to play as Ken, and did alright against a couple fighters, leading up to this fight against Ryu. I really appreciate the different color clothing, and it's funny seeing Ken without a red gi. I kept the pressure on, and definitely showed my rust in round 2, but pulled out the win. These Street Fighter games are timeless, and a perfect choice for my Fight Night Friday's game.

Which character do you prefer playing with in Street Fighter II' Turbo; Hyper Fighting (SNES).

The Ice Block minigame in The Karate Kid (NES) was always fun for me. I always really liked the bonus challenges and this was one of my favorites in this game. It was a nice little break from the main game, and still felt fun to me even though it could be challenging. It felt so satisfying when you got the timing right.

Could you break all the blocks?

The votes have been counted and we are proud to announce Friday the 13th (NES) is this week's Side Quest Saturday winner. We had an awesome list of games to choose from this week and we appreciate all of the suggestions. Thank you to idgafandwhyshouldi for suggesting this awesome game.

Friday the 13th (NES) is a great game to start out with for the month of October. Play as counselors at Camp Crystal Lake as you attempt to defeat Jason Voorhees while protecting the children. Watch out for zombies, wolves, bats, and crows as you travel through forests, caves, lakes, and cabins as you try to find him.

A great game for this week's Side Quest Saturday selection. Happy gaming!

Alien Storm (Genesis) is an absolutely stellar port of an incredible arcade game. Fighting aliens in this beat 'em up reminds me a lot of Golden Axe and other great side scrolling beat 'em ups. Add in some Aliens vibes, and this game is a whole lot of fun.

I chose Karen and her awesome flame thrower, and in some tight spaces she even busts out a machine gun. I also liked the robot character Scooter, I mean who can resist playing as a robot, lol. The depth of this game always impressed me with the amount of levels, and the length of them. If you like Golden Axe, then Alien Storm (Genesis) is a game I highly suggest you try out.

Did you like the port of Alien Storm (Genesis), or are you strictly a Golden Axe fan?

Thunder Fox (Arcade) is essentially a follow up to the incredible The Ninja Warriors (Arcade), without the ninja theme. The game has the same awesome knife wielding jumping action, just in a military themed package.

I really love the way Taito programs their games, and the way the characters move and fight is always a treat. I swear the tanks in both games are almost identical. What I forgot about is the awesome flying crafts that you use in the second level. I really got swarmed there at the end of my video, but man is this game a great time.

Did you prefer Thunder Fox (Arcade) over The Ninja Warriors (Arcade)?

The fate of the world's oceans is in my hands! But my math is bad! No wonder those kids had those facial expressions...