My Top 8 Games of 1989

Honorable Mention: Bomberman, Willow, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Adventures of Lolo, Legacy of the Wizard, Adventures of Dino Riki

8. (Tie) Monster Party (NES)

Monster Party is easily one of the oddest games I’ve ever had the pleasure of playing. You are Mark, a young boy recruited by a winged monster (Bert) to help him save his realm, the Dark World. Bert fuses himself to you, so that you can transform into Bert upon acquiring a specific power-up, though this is temporary. You then traverse multiple platforming levels, battling incredibly odd bosses while searching for a key to exit the level. Monster Party is very strange, but fun in an off-the-wall way. It’s also become known for the fact that Nintendo allowed large amounts of blood and the word “Hell” to remain in the game, in spite of their notorious censorship.

8. (Tie) Adventures of DinoRiki (NES)

On its face, Adventures of DinoRiki would appear to be an overhead adventure title, in the vein of The Legend of Zelda, but upon playing it, it becomes clear that this game is nothing of the like. DinoRiki is best described as a top down shooter, as you navigate DinoRiki through each vertically scrolling stage, shooting numerous enemies and navigating the occasional water and gaps that demand precise jumping. While DinoRiki has a very interesting gameplay style, it’s held back a bit by the aforementioned jumping, which feels spotty at times, as well as the high difficulty. Still, look past those flaws and you’ll still see a game well worth playing.

7. (Tie) Thunder Force II (Sega Genesis)

Following up the well-made Thunder Force, Thunder Force II improved on the original in numerous ways. Two stage types were included, the overhead view, tasking the player with destroying enemies and bases, and the side-view (which would become the standard for future titles). Thunder Force II also expanded the weapon system and added a pod accessory. Like most games in the shoot-em-up category, Thunder Force II was very difficult, and demanded a certain level of dedication to master. Still, it never feels unfair, and contains enough fun that playing through it multiple times never seems to grow old.

7. (Tie) Ninja Gaiden (NES)

I suspect that this game was responsible for at least a few broken NES controllers, probably due to those $%&@$# birds, but even with all the frustration this game can cause, it is still an excellent title. The level design is just fantastic, and Ryo’s ability to climb walls allowed the developers to structure levels differently than most platformers. And while enemy placement was just sadistic, after a few minutes with the game, you come to understand said placement and adjust your playstyle accordingly. While I do think the sequel is a better game overall, there’s no denying that Ninja Gaiden is an NES classic.

6. Dragon Warrior (NES)

One of the first RPG’s to grace the NES, Dragon Warrior includes many aspects that would become staples of future RPG games for years to come. All of the usual RPG suspects are here, world maps to traverse, random encounters, towns to explore, citizens to speak with, and magic to help your hero in battle. Unlike Final Fantasy, Dragon Warrior puts you in battle in a first person perspective and limits encounters to one enemy at a time. Your goals are also laid out for you, though you will still need to gather information to fully find your way. The first in the series, Dragon Warrior (a/k/a Dragon Quest) is still going strong today, with Dragon Quest XII currently in development.

5. Faxanadu (NES)

A spin-off of Falcom’s Dragon Slayer series, Faxanadu combines RPG elements with side-scrolling and platforming elements (it also has a little Metroid DNA in it). You must purchase items in towns you will find to make your character stronger, and battle enemies to gain money and experience. Talking to townspeople is also a must in order to both get information regarding the plot as well as determining your next destination. The game itself is very well made, if a bit difficult, but is held back by an extremely cumbersome password system. Aside from that, the gameplay is solid and holds up just as much today as when the game initially launched.

4. Ducktales (NES)

In the late 1980’s and early 1990’s Capcom and Disney had a magical relationship, and no game shows that magic more than Ducktales. A platformer that sees you take control of Scrooge McDuck, you start the game by being allowed to pick your first destination, much like the Mega Man series. Once picked, you’ll find yourself facing both stage obstacles and enemies. Fortunately, Scrooge’s cane acts as a pogo-stick, allowing you to bounce on enemies heads and clear said obstacles, all the while finding as much treasure as possible in route to the level boss. Huey, Dewey, & Louie show up as do Webby, Launchpad, and Gizmoduck. Truly a joy to play, Ducktales would get a sequel as well as a remake in 2013.

3. The Guardian Legend (NES)

I’ve already written about this game extensively, but it’s such a great game, that it deserves additional recognition. Guardian Legend is a game that combines two genres, and pulls both off beautifully. For part of the game, you play from an overhead perspective, exploring rooms screen by screen, much like Zelda. The other portion of the game sees you transform into a spaceship and you enter a corridor that is a vertical shooter. Making this game was a risk given that it crosses genres, yet the finished package remains a great play, and makes it one of the best games on the NES.

2. Wonder Boy III: The Dragon’s Trap (Master System)

Taking place immediately after Monster Land, and sees Wonder Boy being cursed and becoming a lizard man at the end of the first level (a simplified version of Monster Land’s final level). Once this happens, the game world is opened up and you are free to explore as much as you are able, much like Metroid. Eventually, you will reverse the curse and gain other forms you can transform into, allowing you to access previously inaccessible areas. The game was critically acclaimed and saw release on multiple systems. A remake was released in 2017 and sequels followed in 1994 and 2018.

1. Mega Man 2

At this point, I’m not sure what else can be said about Mega Man 2. Considered by many to be the best in the series, Mega Man 2 took everything done correctly in Mega Man, and made it exponentially better. Featuring excellent level design, excellent enemy design, a high level of difficulty, and a killer soundtrack, Mega Man 2 quickly became a must play title for the NES, and elevated the Mega Man franchise to that of a Castlevania, Metroid, or Mario. Mega Man 2 remains popular today, and has been so revered that when Capcom decided to make a Mega Man 9, it was made to be as much like Mega Man 2 as possible, even removing long-time staples such as the slide and the Mega-Buster. It’s because of both the initial success and legacy of this game that it’s the best game of 1989.