My Back. My Log. My Backlog – The Lost Nintendo Games (Part 6)

(Cover photo found while digging through my childhood stuff)

We are crawling through the tunnels of time, reaching the inner-most depths of the mind in a hunt for the shadows of memories. This is not so much a backlog list necessarily, but more of a means to recollect the games that I used to own while documenting another chunk of my gaming history.

Along for the ride, of course, is my backlog progress – which is going quite swimmingly! See below for my newest updates, and keep reading to learn about the games from my past that have since left my collection.

Visit my previous backlog posts to see the journey unfurl:
– Games from the 2020’s (Part 1)
– Games from the 2010’s (Part 2)
– Games from the 2000’s (Part 3)
– Games from Last Century (Part 4)
– Games on the PC (Part 5)

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Games Completed Since Last Post:

Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty
(PS2, 2001)

Very proud to say that I’ve finally finished Metal Gear Solid 2! It has been a couple weeks since I beat it, and I’m still coming to terms with the full experience as well as how it holds up to the original Metal Gear Solid which I had beaten before. Before I go too far into the details, I have to shoutout my Video Game Catfishing blog post which was newly updated when I learned that MGS2 was the first entry in the series to lie about who we’d be playing as our main character!

Overall, I’d have to say the game was… okay. It took some time to get used to the pressurized controls utilized by the PS2 controller, forcing the player to change how hard they pressed specific buttons in order to use weapons or perform certain moves. I also found the camera to be zoomed in a bit further than the game’s predecessor, making it challenging to come to terms with the scope of each area being explored while avoiding enemy sight lines. A final frustrating moment took place when I suddenly had to navigate a series of platforming obstacles, including a pipe caked in bird crap which I must have fallen from at least a dozen times.

The story itself is interesting, exploring themes of artificial intelligence, political corruption, and global control of historical narratives through the use of mass media manipulation. Crazy that a game from 2001 could feel so close to home in 2026! I felt like it was lacking in some of the more mind-bending meta moments that we got from the game’s creator, Hideo Kojima, in the original entry. For example, I’ll never forget the battle against Psycho Mantis which forced me to physically move my controller from the 1st-player port to the 2nd-player port so he could no longer “read my thoughts.” MGS2 had nothing like this – besides a few Matrix-esque moments where I was questioning the barrier between virtual and actual reality.

I still want to take a little more time to fully grasp the true form of MGS2. Methinks a deep dive down the YouTube rabbit hole lies ahead!

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Currently Playing:

Myst 3: Exile
(PC, 2001)

Surprise! I had fully intended to go back to The Outer Wilds after finishing MGS2. But, when I wrote my last post, I realized that I needed to find a way to sneak my PC into the mix to maintain my variety! Then, when I wrote my “Games That Shaped Me” post, I knew that I needed to revisit the Myst series. A quick google search reassured me that Myst III was one of the easier entries, so I felt confident that I could move forward with it.

I am SO glad I decided to get into this game. Sitting at my computer is a completely different experience than plopping down on the couch in the living room. Here, I can plug in my headphones to fully embrace the game’s ambient music and atmosphere. Here, I can set the lighting juuust right so all I’m seeing are the incredible colors of each age. Here, I can have my small sketchbook nearby to draw pictures and take notes, gathering any possible clue to help me solve the puzzles of each area.

I’ve just finished the second “age” of the game (of three), and I’ve only had to reach for a hint twice – for very dumb reasons: once when I didn’t realize that a lever needed me to hold the mouse button down in order to activate it, and another time when I simply never noticed a window that I walked by at least a thousand times. I’m doing my best to go through the game as organically as possible, and I’m thankful to have found a website that drip feeds hints to you without giving it away completely. Looking forward to the rest of the adventure!

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My Departed Games:

Karate Champ
(NES, 1984)

I remember finding Karate Champ at a garage sale just a block away from the house where I grew up, cheap enough for my mom to decide to purchase it for me. Apparently it was a big hit in the arcade, but I didn’t know that at the time. Well, the NES port is laughably terrible with chunky characters, awkward movement, and little to no variety. I can still hear the fuzzy automated voice in my head, announcing the start of each bout. Obviously, this is not a game that one can really “beat,” so I’m not considering it unfinished backlog.

Hogan’s Alley
(NES, 1985)

Hogan’s Alley is a game that I *think* I owned, though I can’t remember for sure. I want to say it was one that we picked up at a local Buy/Trade/Sell shop. I vividly remember playing a game where characters peeked out from behind windows, and you’d have to shoot them (if they were bad guys). I can’t think of any other games on the NES that did that kind of thing besides Hogan’s Alley, so I’m going with that!

Blaster Master
(NES, 1988)

I’m actually a little disappointed to no longer own Blaster Master. But, let’s be real. It’s not feasible to finish this game! A metroidvania type game with a fully interlocking map and 8 separate areas/bosses – with NO SAVE FEATURE? Speedruns of this game take at least an hour. You expected baby Eric to devote his entire afternoon to finishing this game in one session? No sir! I was very happy to see Blaster Master get a remaster (a Blaster Master remaster, if you will) when they released Blaster Master Zero – one of my favorite experiences on the Switch!

The Goonies II
(NES, 1987)

Speaking of metroidvanias… I’m near certain that I finished The Goonies II (a game that actually does have a save system!). BUT, I’m not sure if I had to use game genie to do it. I know for a fact that I’ve at least seen the end screen many times (like, hello, you rescue a mermaid named Annie but it’s not THAT Annie). I have a strong memory of my mom and me finding the spring shoes for the first time which opened up a huge portion of the game I had never been able to explore before. So, backlog complete?

Operation Wolf
(NES, 1987)

Here’s another questionable game that I think I owned and another crappy NES port of an arcade game. My biggest snafu with this one was not realizing that I could use the Light Gun. So, I recall frustratingly moving a reticle back and forth across the screen with my normal controller, barely able to take out any of the enemies. I’m guessing we ended up bringing this game to the Buy/Trade/Sell store to pick up something else. No special memories to see here!

Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde
(NES, 1988)

The ultimate proof that my parents had no idea what games to get for me, I was one of the few that owned the infamous Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. Of course, the Angry Video Game Review of the game is legendary, so I don’t need to speak on the atrocities of the experience. I managed to find the most fun, however, when I plugged in my Game Genie and could simply take a walk through the strange world of the doctor without worrying about being struck down by lighting. Why, one of the weirder enemies even made the list for my “Vocalists in Games” post!

Back to the Future 
(NES, 1989)

What a travesty that my favorite movie franchise had the worst video game adaptation. Then again, no surprises there. I’ll still never forget that one night, many years later, when I showed off this game to my friends. A quick laugh turned into some remarkable progress, and before I knew it, I actually beat the game!! I was in disbelief. Glad I could put the NES Back to the Future trauma behind me and look forward to the excellent Telltale game that came out further on down the road. Though, where we’re going, we don’t need roads.

Fester’s Quest
(NES, 1989)

Fester’s Quest has arguably the most potential out of any of the classic NES games out there – a unique set of characters, a wide array of weapons and items, multiple modes of gameplay, and larger-than-life bosses (for the time). But, it falls waaaaay short due to the lack of saves and a game-halting mechanic that stops projectiles dead in their tracks when they hit a wall. Not to mention, Fester’s robes must weigh him down because he walks like a snail. When you die, you start from the VERY BEGINNING. Come on, Fester’s Quest remaster. I’m pulling for you!

Ironsword: Wizards & Warriors II
(NES, 1989)

Perfect timing for this game to show up on one of my posts after having just read WTF Happened to Rare? from the Little Bits of Gaming & Movies blog. The Wizards & Warriors should be THRIVING with an iconic main character, incredible atmosphere, and a soundtrack from the one and only David Wise. Instead, we got two lackluster sequels that failed to capture the magic of the original game. With the help of my handy dandy Game Genie again, I was at least able to play through the entire adventure several times – garnering some enjoyment from what would otherwise be a very tarnished experience.

Spanky’s Quest
(SNES, 1991)

Somehow I still have nearly every SNES game that I own (though a few now live with my sister and her kids), but Spanky’s Quest did not make the cut. Another purchase from trading in games at the Buy/Trade/Sell store, I was enticed by the colorful cover and the puzzly action screen shots that kind of reminded me of characters from The Adventures of Lolo. I must have thought the game was too hard for me, because it just didn’t really stick at the time. However, having gone back to play the game on the Nintendo Switch Online, I can confidently claim that Spanky is kind of almost most certainly a really awesome time. It’s so much fun! I will also argue that it has some of the best music that the Super Nintendo has ever had to offer. I’m sad to have parted with it!

Super Ninja Boy (SNES, 1992)

Super Ninja Boy should have been the perfect game for me. It had an overworld like a classic Final Fantasy game, action sequences kind of like Legend of the Mystical Ninja, and toward the end of the game, there’s even a giant, flying robot that you ride around to travel the world! The game’s glaring flaw, however, is its obnoxiously high encounter rate. I’d sometimes not even be able to take one step without having to battle another bout of enemies. If they ever fix this in a future remaster, I’d be fully enticed to go back and finish it!

Super Alfred Chicken
(SNES, 1994)

How did I almost forget about Super Alfred Chicken – a quirky game starring this plucky bird who can peck and tornado dive through a million stages designed clearly by 5 year olds? Well, it’s awful. That’s how I forgot. The levels have no rhyme or reason, you die in one hit, and it takes at least an hour to play through the entire game – which I never did. Honestly, I’m a little disheartened that I remembered these last couple games because this post could have ended with my praises about Spanky’s Quest! Farewell forever, Alfred.

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Thanks for stopping by to read my post! Can you remember the games you used to own? Any regrets in getting rid of them? Share your experience with me in a comment!

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