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By: Mike Martin-Banks
Mike

The Things I Learned from NES Games

The Nintendo gives to us a lifetime of enjoyment of playing fun and original games. I am proud to say that I've been a gamer all my life thanks to the NES. I decided to share my feelings abroad via opening NESPlayer.com worldwide. Now, two years later, it's time to step back from everything -- the website, playing, and reading -- to ponder at the things learned from the system and its legendary games.

If you wish to learn about how the Earth spins, or the daily agenda of how the goverment runs, you'll most likely look to reference books for information at a library or online. If something else strikes up your fancy and you desire to know more about it; chances are that something has probably already been researched and had an article written on the subject. UFO sightings, ghost encounters, quantuam physics - you name it - there's a good chance that bits of information are readily available to you.

SIlly me for trying to pinpoint the science of the NES; we all know that the NES doesn't conform to the world around us. No, the console has an entire universe all to itself whenever the red POWER light is on. Rules, scientific fact, and structures here on Earth certainly do not imply to some of the bizarre laws and codes in NES games.

Therefore these, for your own reference, are the things I learned from NES games.

-Only the bad guys laugh hard.
-If all else fails use fire.
-Boots make you run faster.
-Uprooting vegetables may reveal secret doorways.
-That we have some of our greatest adventures while dreaming.

I asked around for other people to contribute to this list; about the things NES games have taught them personally. Here's what they came up with.


FlowingMindSpin:

...I've learned that the best ninja swordsmen have no arms. (Legend of Kage)
...That someone, somewhere, gets off on 8-bit porn.
...The citizens of Hyrule don't speak Hylian, they speak broken English.

lynx561:

...I've learned to never rely on prison systems when you want to keep an evil mastermind captive.

Donutman:

...That you can breath underwater for an endless amount of time.
...If someone hits you, don't worry, it will only make you smaller.

Qix:

...That whistles will take you off to far away lands.
...That if you feed animals candy, they'll let you ride them. (Little Nemo)

MinkisP:

...Super Spike V-Ball taught me all the rules of volley-ball, and every year I have gotten a 100% on my gym volley ball tests and I never studied for one of them (of course).

Angela:

...That the princess is in another castle most of the time.
...That music boxes make camels sleep.
...That turtles live in sewers.

calgone:

...If nes has taught me anything it's that you can never jump off stairs.

AndrewB:

...Bomb a wall if you see a crack in it.

Ruudos:

...If you want a tornado, kneel at a rock with a crystal in your hand.
...If you don't want to hear anything, put bananas in your ears.
...If you want to get rich, defeat a bunch of monsters. Many of them have coins inside them.

Furankufuruto Sooseeji:

...No matter how long that roast has been sitting in a wall, it will still heal eight clicks of health.

Jackalneo:

...I am Error.
...That giant spiders can speak from the grave. (Monster Party)

Weird-Edsel:

...I am bad enough to save the president.
...I can feel asleep.
...Trucks have started to move.
...Yo-yos arent just toys. They are the most powerful weapons on earth.
...A winner is me.
...I am now playing with power!

The Watcher:

...Eagles are a ninja's greatest foe.
...Snowballs can fling a turtle back 30 feet.
...Leaves are effective shields.
...Letters become readable only in water.
...But most importantly...
...A three-legged mechanical robot sucks ass.

Skiwagon:

...that when people congradulate me, I can consider myself a hero.
...to speak english by playing RPG's (really! I'm French-Canadian)
...that if I die or get hurt, it doesn't matter, I just have to load.
...that you can have a successful career kidnapping a Princess over and over
again.
...that some people feel sorry if they know nothing.

John Overton:

...Watch out for Barrels.
...Remember you have select to use.
...Glowing Balls are usually Good.
...You need to Dodge.
...Be a Bad Dude.
...Ninjas are like Dynamite they will explode when hit.
...Birds always want to kill you.
...Everything has Poison Touch Beware!
...(Some random kanji since 1/5 games we're in japanese and we had no clue what was going on in them.)

Deven711:

...If you get hurt by someone, you'll just become invisible and invincible for a few minutes.
...When you die, you'll fall far down in the ground and then you'll be reborn again as the same age on a platform that lowers to where you died. (Mario Bros.)
...Never touch mean people and people that you hate. Such as bullies, your little brother/sister, or your mom/dad when she's angry at you. You'll get hurt.
...Springs will help you get to the top of your house.
...If you see a snail that keeps sticking its head out at you, stay away from it. It's mean.
...Throwing chisels made of rocks and sticks at it will help. (Adventure Island)
...If you kick an egg, a cool item will come out.
...An easy way to fight an enemy is to jump on it. (Super Mario Bros.)
...If you eat a leaf, you'll turn into a raccoon. (Super Mario Bros. 3)
...If you die, you might spin around for a moment and pop. (Legend of Zelda)
...When you kiss your wife, a heart will come out and hover above you. (Super Mario Bros.)
...When you get a star and touch an enemy, he/she'll die instantly. (Super Mario Bros.)
...If you catch a letter that lowers into the ground, a part of a ladder will appear. (Popeye)
...Big, fat, bearded men will throw beer bottles at you and when you get hit by one, you'll fly into the ocean. (Popeye)
...Pipes will take you to far away worlds. (Super Mario Bros. 3)
...If you touch an enemy, the world will swirl around and a battle will begin. (Final Fantasy)
...If you fall asleep while in town at night, a scary and infamous zombie will come and kill you. (A Nightmare on Elm Street)
...Flowers will make you shoot fireballs. (Super Mario Bros.)
...Mushrooms can heal you and make you stronger. (Super Mario Bros. 2)
...It takes 2 people to kill a dinosaur. (Super Mario Bros.)
...If you play softball, Frankenstein might be on your team. (Softball Tengoku)
...If you get to the school bully's house, don't worry about getting knocked out. You'll be healed completely as soon as you get there. (Mega Man 2)
...Pepper makes pizza bad. (Yo! Noid)
...We will have a great adventure far, far from home.
...Police Officers are mean. (Rasaaru Ishii no Child's Quest)
...If you see an ugly person with ugly white hair and a crystal ball, don't worry. He'll help you out. (Getssufuu Maden)
...Fat circusmen can spit fireballs. (Karnov)

god bochy:

...I learned that apparently the prince needs herb
...I learned that ninja can kidnap a president
...A lesson I learned that I will always cherish: Never let balls hit you in the face
...Nintendo taught me a lesson in real life and in their games: If someone or something gets in your way brutaly kill it but you must never talk about it (a little back story: Nintendo crushed all opposition in the 80's and one of their rules to publish a game was you could never use the word "kill" but depicting the act was ok)

Juggalo/Hulkamaniac:

- That ninjas can throw fire balls. (Ninja Gaiden)
- When you knock blocks with your head you can have useful items pop out of it. (Super Mario Bros.)
- The guys who drive zambonis wear goalie helmets. (Ice Hockey)
- Those refs can be pretty strong when your knocked out on the ice! (Blades Of Steel)
- It's really tough being a paper boy! (Paper Boy)
- You can jump up to 30 feet and throw unlimited ninja stars. (Demon Sword)
- If you save the prrsident of the US, he might just give you a hamburger instead of a position in office or money! (Bad Dudes)
- Brave, nobel warriors may not "use" themselves! (Shadowgate)
- Some cars can jump REALLY high! (Bump 'n' Jump)
- Educational games don't make it far. (Donkey Kong Jr. Math)
- Whips can be used to kill Dracula. (Castlevania)
- Kicks can be more powerful against monsters than swords. (Kickmaster)
- Mushrooms can make you grow very tall. (Super Mario Bros.)
- To have to save a damsel in distress over and over again. (Super Mario Bros., Bump 'n' Jump, Kung Fu, Demon Sword, etc.)
- You can get all kinds of money by defeating monsters. (The Legend Of Zelda)
- Hearts can be used for money (Castlevania II: Simon's Quest)
- The best adventures happen in our dreams. (Super Mario Bros. 2, Little Nemo: Dream Master)
- Snowballs can knock a turtle back about 10 feet! (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Arcade Game)
- US boxers are the greatest in the world and the French ones are really bad. (Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!!)
- Hulk Hogan is the best even on the NES games. (WWF WrestleMania)
- Everyone hates Dr. Jeckyll because they lay bombs by you and even the animals try to kill you. (Dr. Jeckyll And Mr. Hyde)
- Video games WERE fun at one time (1985 - 1995) 10 years of greatness!
- Game publishers don't really know English that well. (Pro Wrestling, Zelda II: Link's Adventure)


 

What did you learn from the NES? Mail me yours!

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