So you think you're the most serious, borderline-fanatical NES player on the face of the planet? Think again. Witness the original Game Pak dorks who spent postage to mail letters out to Nintendo Power bragging about how many Nintendo carts they've beaten or how they have no time for pets because they play Nintendo all day! Read their "Player's Pulse" letters of advice and ask yourself if you deserve to be a Nintendo Power Player over them, judging by their "Video Spotlight" gaming credentials. Could your club of NES head friends rumble with the likes of "NES Masters" or the "Video Warlords"?

 

Our club is called the NES Masters. We know right off who our Power Player is! His name is "Ace Ebb." He writes to Nintendo all the time telling them his accomplishments on games. His hobbies are playing Nintendo games, period. He has no pets, instead he plays Nintendo all day! He beat Metroid in three days, Tyson in five, saved Zelda in five, and finish Super Mario Bros. in five.

-NES Masters of Chicago, IL

My favorite game is Blaster Master because I like the idea of having the little character get out of the car to obtain weapons and destroy the mutants at the end . . . I make the "B" honor roll easily in school, and I like to read C.S. Lewis books.

-Aasif Mirza of Sewaren, NJ

Eric Mast...Nintendo Power Player
NAME: Eric Mast
AGE: 14
FAVORITE GAMES: Metroid, Kid
Icarus, and Wizards and Warriors.
HOBBIES: Trampoline jumping, and
solving his and his friends' Nintendo
games.
PETS: One and a half cats, Suki
and Muffin. (Muffin is half mad)
SIBLINGS: One brother, Evan, and
one sister, Emily.
OTHER INTERESTS: To become a
dentist and to become a Nintendo
Game Counselor.
GOAL: To solve every existing
Nintendo game.
WHY HE IS A POWER PLAYER:
Good reflexes, good eye-hand
coordination, solves games quickly,
never forgets a map, keeps calm in
tight situations, and doesn't sweat
on the controller.

 

The game that puzzled me the most of all games I've defeated was Rambo. I finally solved it without any help and destroyed the flying fortress using only five life bottles. I enjoy a variety of sports, collect baseball cards, and play in the Woodbridge Middle School band.

-Will Elmhurst of IL

To pay for video games and skiing, I usually work summers at a cherry farm.

-Tom Wittgow, Player Profile

Looking for a Power Player? Search no more. With seventeen games conquered and more on the way, I'm a sure fire winner. Nintendo is the best hobby I've ever had. I've even been known to play all night (although only on occasions). I'm president of a Nintendo club called the Video Warlords. We save up for club games. I'm 14, I have a dog named Benji and I'm Nintendo's number one fan! Another note: most of the games above were finished without Nintendo's own standard controller, and none were finished with slow motion.

-Jeff Benson of New Paris, TX

 

When the NES came out, I wasn't that impressed. But after two months of everybody telling me how cool it was and how I had to get one, I gave in and bought it. That was the best move I've ever made.

-Andy Cunningham, 14, of Rock Mount, NC

 

When my 12-year-old brother first got his NES, all he did was play it; he would not stop. His grades went down and he never did his chores. This went on until my father took the NES away from him. It was a month before my brother got his NES back, but he learned a very important lesson. He can now play the NES until 5:00 P.M., then he has to do his homework and chores. Thanks again Nintendo, you're the best!

-Cami, Nicky and Jake Deluca of Big Bear City, CA

Our Game Counselors must have excellent game play skills, be able to explain complex game play strategies and be at least sixteen years of age. They must live in the greater Seattle area. (It's a long commute if you don't!) Check the Seattle newspapers for job openings.

-Player's Pulse, Nintendo Power

 

I've been reading your Player's Pulse section since the very first issue. I finally found time to sit down and write about what a 47-year-old truck driver (18-wheeler!) would like to see . . . I received a game called Blaster Master. I haven't been able to complete it. So kids, don't give up the ship. If a 47-year-old truck driver can do it--so can you.

-David Landers of Richmond, VA

Che'loDnl'pu'marl'o'! (Klingon for "The Mario Brothers Rule!")

-Gordon Roberts of Ancaster, ON

 

I can say that Nintendo Power has motivated [my son] to learn how to read! He has gained a lot of self-confidence through his accomplishments. There is a definite place for Nintendo in our house.

-Pat Little of Pebble Beach, CA

As you can plainly see,
This is the end of Mega Man 3!
You beat Dr. Wily with the Search Snake,
Then rocks fall. You're flat as a pancake!
Proto Man comes, whistles his tune,
At the end of the game, Dr. Wily is doomed!

-poet, Lee Aiken of El Campo, TX

 

My brothers, my friend, and I wrote a rap song about a few of your games. We hope that you like it!

My name is Matthew Bearup and I'm here to say,
I like Nintendo in a crazy way.
Super Mario Bros. is awesomely cool,
But in Mario 3 the koopas are dudically cruel.
Double Dragon is neat, but part two is better.
You need to be smart or Vanna won't turn your letter.
Dr. Wily is quick, but Mega Man is quicker.
And for a good snack, munch on a Snickers.
Ninja Turtles are green and they love to fight,
Heroes on the half shell . . . . All right.
Chip and Dale are small and they have buck teeth,
They have to fight Fat Cat and a dog with no leash.
Simon Belmont is brave, and he's no geek,
He has to fight Dracula, who is a freak.
The Dark Knight in black, the Joker needs bail,
He has to fight to save Vicki Vale.
The Simpsons are coming to Nintendo, yo!
They'd better hurry 'cause I got to go.
Music is great to straighten out the mind,
But Nintendo is cool if you want to unwind.
So yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo Homeboy.

-Cory Cardwell, Matthew, Jamie & David Bearup of Rome, NY

I am the president of a club that goes by N.E.S.A. Our motto is "That was easy." The other members and I are 17, and all together, we have finished more than 150 games. Sometimes we get together at a member's house and hook the NES up to a stereo. Some of the games I've finished are Dragon Warrior, Final Fantasy, Shadowgate, Snake's Revenge, Ninja Gaiden, The Guardian Legend, and Ultima. I've videotaped most of my game endings so I can see them and show them to my friends without spending mega-hours completing them again. I also taped the cinema scenes and exciting conclusion to make my own "Ninja Gaiden-The Movie." I love playing the NES, but it doesn't take over my life. My first love is beating percussion, and I've even won some soloist awards at jazz festivals. A tip for Final Fantasy: Some weapons and armor have magical powers; be sure to take advantage of them.

T.C. Christensen, Agent 2112 of Midway, Utah

I wanted to get Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, but my mom said I couldn't. Then, in school they started an orchestra. I thought I'd like to play the violin, but my mom wanted me to play the cello, and said she'd buy me the game and a Battery Pack if I'd play the cello. It sounded like a good deal to me, so I agreed. I really like TMNT, but I still hate the cello.

-Andrew Pavelchak of Lexington, KY

  

I was so desperate to become a Nintendo Game Play Counselor that I wrote to the Mickey Mouse Club telling them about my dream. They decided to help me make it come true! They flew my parents and I to Seattle, WA, near Nintendo of America Headquarters. I toured NOA and a camera crew videotaped me for 12 hours with real Game Play Counselors. Boy, was I tired! I met Kim Racey (she's cool) and Howard Phillip-The Game Master!

-James Wong of La Mirada, CA

James Wong

I was really desperate to get Super Mario Bros. 2 when it first came out. All the stores were either sold out or they wanted more than I had saved. At the time, I had saved $54.00. Thinking that I might be able to make a deal, I started calling friends who had it. I called about 24 people before one friend said he'd consider it. He wouldn't sell it for $54.00, though. We negotiated. I ended up trading 7 of my best baseball cards, worth about $132.00. I was desperate, but I got Super Mario Bros. 2, so it was worth it!

-Chris White of Syracuse, NY