Luigi

Luigi is Mario’s twin brother (who is slightly younger) and he wears green. He has his own Luigi’s Mansion series and is in just about every Mario game I can think of!

Here are some gift ideas for Luigi Fans:

• Luigi’s Mansion 3 – Luigi is trapped in a haunted mansion and must save his friends by sucking up ghost into his Poltergust 3000
• Super Mario Party Jamboree – a Mario party game where you play minigames, collect stars and more
• Luigi Plush Toy – a cute snuggly plush, great for any Luigi Fan
• Luigi T-shirt – perfect for showing off your love for Luigi and the Mario series
• Super Mario Bros. Movie Luigi Action Figure – prefect for both fans of the movie and Luigi

Vector

Vector the Crocodile is the leader of the chaotix detective agency his friends Espio the ninja and energetic Charmy are in the agency as well.

Here are some gift ideas for Vector Fans:

• Team Sonic Racing – a racing game where you work together with your teammates to trade items, get speed boosts and more
• Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 – in this game you can play all sorts of sports plus vector is available in all of them! except the 2D ones
• Vector Plush Toy – a cute collectable plush toy for vector fans
• Vector t-shirt – perfect for any vector fan
• Vector Action Figure – great for sonic collectors and fans of vector

Yoshi

Yoshi is a fan favorite in the Mario series.

Here are some gift ideas for Yoshi Fans:

• Yoshi’s Crafted World – a cute game where you play as Yoshi in a world made of all sorts of crafts
• Mario Tennis Aces – play tennis with Mario and his friends plush there’s a special mode just for yoshis!
• Yoshi Plush Toy – a cute cuddly plush, great for Yoshi Fans
• Yoshi t-shirt – yoshi!
• Yoshi Action Figure – a cute figurine of Yoshi and their egg

Good Luck Bear

Who doesn’t love care bears? and Good Luck Bear is just perfect for St. Patrick’s Day!

Here are some gift ideas for Good Luck Bear Fans:

• Care Bears to the Rescue – join the care bears in a side scroller game up to 4-players
• Care Bears: Unlock the Magic – Explore the care bear world by playing minigames and more
• Good Luck Bear Plush Toy – good luck with stopping hugging this plush
• Good Luck Bear t-shirt – when you’re feeling lucky, you should wear this shirt!
• Good Luck Bear Figurine – a cute figurine inspired by the 1980s edition of care bears

Isabelle

Isabelle is a cute puppy who is very organized.

Here are some gift ideas for Isabelle Fans:

• Animal Crossing: New Horizons – Decorate you own island, design your own house and the rest of the villager’s houses too!
• Super Smash Bros. Ultimate – a fighting game which may seem a bit weird for Isabelle to be in but she is
• Isabelle Plush Toy – a cute snuggly plush toy of Isabelle perfect for fans of Isabelle and the Animal Crossing series
• Isabelle t-shirt – great for Isabelle fans!
• Isabelle’s House LEGO set – a perfect project for the whole family to enjoy

Jet

Jet the Hawk first appeared in Sonic Riders and has been a recurring character ever since.

Here are some gift ideas for Jet Fans:

• Sonic Racing CrossWorlds – a racing game and the sequel to Team Sonic Racing, cross from one track to another
• Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 – in the football (or soccer) event you can play as Jet after you unlock him in the story mode
• Jet Plush Toy – perfect for collectors and fans of Jet
• Jet t-shirt – show off your Jet style!
• Jet Funko Pop – a collectable perfect for Jet fans

Green Kirby

Green Kirby or Girby if you will, is Player 4 Kirby in some Kirby games like Kirby Star Allies, Kirby Fighters 2 and Kirby’s Return to Dream Land Deluxe. But in Kirby’s Dream Buffet you can chose from all different shades of green.

Here are some gift ideas for Green Kirby Fans:

• Kirby Star Allies – play as kirby and his friends in all sorts of different modes from side scrolling to fighting
• Kirby Fighters 2 – fight as kirby and his friends
• Kirby’s Return to Dream Land Deluxe – play as kirby and his friends as they try to fix magalor’s ship
• Kirby’s Dream Buffet – try to eat the most cake and strawberries to win
• Green Kirby Plush Toy – a cute plush inspired by Kirby’s Dream Buffet

Chikorita

Chikorita is one of my favorite Pokémon and one of the starter Pokémon in Pokémon Gold and Silver and Pokemon Legends Arcus Z-A.

Here are some gift ideas for Chikorita Fans:

• Pokemon Legends Arcus Z-A – a recent release set in Pokémon X and Y’s world has Chikorita as a starter Pokémon
• Pokémon Brilliant Diamond – After completing the game’s main story you can unlock Chikorita though secret methods!
• Chikorita Plush Toy – a cute and cuddly plush for Chikorita fans to snuggle
• Chikorita t-shirt – the starter Pokémon trio from gold and silver
• Chikorita Action Figure – a cute toy for Pokémon collectors

I hope you enjoyed my gift guide, comment below if you have any more green characters you’d like to share!

Green Characters Gift Guide brought to you by Gaming Chickadee

Chickadee loves to have family gaming days. She loves birds, unicorns, ponies She also likes the Nancy Drew Games. She loves to play as Princess Daisy in the Super Mario Games, Her favorite games change a lot but right they are: Mario Party Superstars, Super Mario Bros. Wonder and Pretty Princess Magical Garden Island.

Sonic Racing CrossWorlds

Sonic Racing CrossWords is a fast-paced kart racing game set in the Sonic universe. Like other Sonic racing titles, it focuses on speed, colorful tracks, power-ups, and competitive fun rather than realistic driving. What makes CrossWorlds stand out is its emphasis on variety and surprise during races. Tracks can shift or connect to different environments mid-race, keeping players on their toes and making every race feel unpredictable and exciting.

Players race using familiar Sonic-style vehicles that emphasize drifting, boosting, and item usage. The game supports both solo play and multiplayer, making it a strong choice for parties or family game nights. Races are quick, energetic, and visually bright, matching the playful tone Sonic games are known for.

Playable characters include many fan favorites, such as:

• Sonic the Hedgehog
• Tails
• Knuckles
• Amy Rose
• Shadow
• Dr. Eggman
• Cream the Rabbit
• Big the Cat
• Silver
• Blaze
• Metal Sonic
• Members of the Chaotix like Vector, Espio, and Charmy

Each character brings personality and flair, even if their driving styles are balanced for fair competition. Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds is especially appealing to players who enjoy arcade racers with lots of characters, lively tracks, and a lighthearted competitive feel.

Sonic Mania

Sonic Mania is a 2D side-scrolling platformer designed as a love letter to the classic Sonic games from the 1990s. It focuses on speed, momentum, and precise platforming, blending brand-new stages with reimagined versions of classic zones. The visuals use detailed pixel art, giving the game a retro look while still feeling fresh and modern.

Gameplay centers on mastering movement — running, jumping, rolling, and reacting quickly to enemies and hazards. Levels are designed to reward both fast play and careful exploration, with multiple paths and hidden secrets. While it’s approachable for newcomers, it also offers depth for experienced players who want to perfect runs or discover everything.

Playable characters are:

• Sonic the Hedgehog – Fast and agile, with smooth movement and advanced techniques.
• Tails – Can fly and swim, making him ideal for exploration and younger players.
• Knuckles – Can glide and climb walls, opening up alternate routes through levels.
• Mighty – Strong and able to smash through obstacles.
• Ray – Can glide through air for a short period of time

The game also supports cooperative play, allowing one player to control Sonic while another controls Tails. Sonic Mania is widely loved for capturing the spirit of classic Sonic while polishing it to near perfection.

Sonic Superstars

Sonic Superstars is a modern take on classic 2D Sonic gameplay, presented in a 2.5D style with fully 3D visuals while still playing on a side-scrolling plane. The game emphasizes teamwork, accessibility, and bright, imaginative level design. One of its biggest highlights is local multiplayer, allowing up to four players to play together through the main story.

Levels are designed with cooperation in mind, but they can also be played solo. The game introduces special powers tied to Chaos Emeralds, giving players temporary abilities that change how they approach stages. The overall tone is friendly, colorful, and welcoming, making it suitable for players of all ages.

Playable characters include:

• Sonic the Hedgehog – Balanced and fast.
• Tails – Can fly and assist teammates.
• Knuckles – Glides and climbs, great for vertical exploration.
• Amy Rose – Uses her hammer and has movement abilities that make her especially beginner-friendly.

Each character feels distinct without making the game overly complex. Sonic Superstars is especially good for families, younger players, or anyone who wants a cooperative Sonic experience that still feels classic.

Summary

Sonic Racing CrossWords focuses on fast, arcade-style kart racing. Sonic Mania returns to Sonic’s roots as a 2D platformer, combining classic level design with smooth modern polish. It emphasizes speed, precision, and exploration through detailed side-scrolling stages. Sonic Superstars modernizes classic Sonic gameplay with 2.5D visuals and a strong focus on teamwork.

Together, these games show Sonic’s versatility — from high-speed racing, to classic solo platforming, to cooperative adventures — highlighting why the Sonic series continues to appeal to players of all ages.

List of Sonic Playable Characters on the Switch brought to you by Fox Gamer

Fox love gaming with her family. She may not do it on purpose but she offend does “magic” and floats on air even though when we try we can’t, She makes great things to writ about! Right now her favorite games are: Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury, Kirby Star Allies and Sonic Mania.

Ecco Jr. is a calm, welcoming video game designed especially for young players. Unlike many action-heavy games, Ecco Jr. focuses on exploration, learning, and creativity in a peaceful ocean environment. It serves as an excellent introduction to video games for children, offering a safe and encouraging space where curiosity is rewarded and there is no pressure to “win” or fail.

The gameplay revolves around simple exploration and gentle problem-solving. Players swim through colorful ocean areas, interact with friendly sea creatures, and complete small tasks that encourage observation and experimentation. These tasks are intuitive and clearly communicated through visuals rather than complicated instructions, allowing kids to understand what to do without needing advanced reading skills.

Ecco Jr. also has strong educational value. As children explore the ocean, they are introduced to marine animals and environments in a friendly, engaging way. The game encourages curiosity about sea life and nature, helping kids learn through play rather than formal lessons. Because the game rewards exploration, children are motivated to pay attention to their surroundings and try new ideas, supporting early problem-solving and critical thinking skills.

The game also encourages creativity. Children can experiment with swimming, interacting with objects, and discovering hidden areas, all without fear of making mistakes. This freedom supports imaginative play and helps kids feel in control of their experience, which is especially important for building confidence.

My favorite parts are you can play as another dolphin or an orca. At the title screen, you are given the option to play as three characters, Ecco Jr, an orca named Tara, or an Atlantic dolphin named Kitnee.

It looks and sounds a lot like the original. The fish, scenery, and sounds are as incredible as the original. Meeting Big Blue is also very impressive.

One of the most important strengths of Ecco Jr. is that it removes many of the elements that can frustrate kids. There are no enemies, no timers, and no ways to lose the game. Kids are free to explore the underwater world at their own pace, which helps build confidence and keeps the experience fun rather than stressful. This makes Ecco Jr. especially suitable for younger players or children who are new to gaming.

Older children or kids who enjoy fast-paced action games may find the experience too slow or uneventful. There isn’t any enemies, air meter, damage meter, or puzzles. There isn’t any damage from rocks or sharp coral, No need to resurface or find any hidden air pockets. Some kids may find it so simple that they may get bored with it after awhile.

It’s just 18 levels of completing mundane tasks. No bosses or power ups. Therefore not much replay value for those who like to complete objectives.

Overall, Ecco Jr. stands out as a thoughtful, gentle game that respects young players. It combines fun, learning, and exploration in a way that feels natural and enjoyable. For parents looking for a safe, educational, and calming video game, Ecco Jr. is an excellent choice. It proves that games for kids don’t need action or competition to be engaging—they just need curiosity, kindness, and room to explore.

I like Tides of Time and the original better than Ecco Jr. Then again I’m an adult so I think that a younger audience will enjoy it more.

Sega Genesis Games for Kids: Ecco Jr. brought to you by: David M.

I’m David M. I’ve been playing video games a long time, my pong game was fire. Now, my kids run circles around me but we always have a good time. We mostly play party and family games. Strategy and battle games are still among my favorites. I like writing about games almost as much as I do playing them. My favorite games are: Moving Out 2, Out of Space and Overcooked All You Can Eat.

Ecco Tides of Time takes place on Earth this time. The Vortex have followed Ecco back to Earth to colonize it. Ecco has to thwart the Vortex queen’s plans again.

Overall the new version isn’t that much different from the original. Much of the sounds and music are recycled. The mechanics have a few upgrades, such as the the 3d swimming levels and occasionally morphing Ecco into new animals.

The main upgrade is in the levels, which more than make up for any shortcomings. The Skyway and Vortex levels are awesome. Ecco Tides of Time feels more like an expansion pack to the original, but one very much worth getting.

My favorite parts were the Metaspheres to transform Ecco into different creatures. These are also in the original, but schools of fish and the vortex drone were fun additions.

The Skyway levels, Atlantis levels, and Vortex levels were great. All the new levels were welcome additions as far as I’m concerned. That’s what made the first Ecco so great. Swimming around fighting off enemies.

The puzzles were also a treat. I like puzzles, so anytime I came across one in Tides of Time it was fun to figure it out.

I didn’t care for the 3D swimming levels. Sure, they were new but they were a bit boring. Timing perfect jumps just didn’t appeal to me.

The Vortex maze before the final boss was a bit annoying. I’m not a fan of mazes. It seems frustrating to be zoomed in while trying to navigate through a maze. True, every level is a bit of a maze but something about the narrowness of the Vortex maze was off putting.

Overall, Tides of Time was slightly easier than the original. I enjoyed the original so much the sequel is a welcome addition. It felt more like an expansion pack, but who minds a huge expansion pack for their favorite game?

If you like the original Ecco the Dolphin, then you should try Ecco Tides of Time. Much like the Sonic games from the Genesis, these sequel games add a few new features and tons of new content. But it’s worth it. Find a Genesis or emulator and give Ecco Tides of Time a try!

Best of Sega Genesis: Ecco Tides of Time brought to you by: David M.

I’m David M. I’ve been playing video games a long time, my pong game was fire. Now, my kids run circles around me but we always have a good time. We mostly play party and family games. Strategy and battle games are still among my favorites. I like writing about games almost as much as I do playing them. My favorite games are: Moving Out 2, Out of Space and Overcooked All You Can Eat.

The player guides Ecco through wide seas on a journey to reunite Ecco and his family. Ecco learns space aliens are involved and even has to time travel to complete his goal. I remember it was quite different from most games of its time.

The visuals were awesome. The outstanding form and conception made up for any lack in quality. The coral, sharks, and fish were great. However, the prehistoric creatures, plants, and overal landscape during the time travel were stunning. The Roman city levels with all the marble columns and pools were incredible too. Overall the game has great visuals, gameplay, and storyline for an older game.

The game uses a side view with smooth motion in all directions. It primarily takes place under water but requires jumping above the water occasionally to breathe air and progress through the levels.

Ecco swims, jumps, and sings as he explores for clues and power ups. His songs are actually echo-location to help him scan the sea and fend off smaller enemies. The scan also finds paths and foes.

The game is nowhere near as fast as Sonic the Hedgehog, but does feels tense at times. The sea looks rich and alive. The music helps keep a cool mood. The game does require some skill and thought. I remember there were some hard jumps in the Roman city levels, rare air pockets on some levels, and many enemies in the prehistoric levels. The final boss was also incredibly difficult too.

I remember more good than bad though. Eventually defeating the final boss was a good feeling since it was so difficult.

Ecco the Dolphin stands apart from other games of the time due to its visuals and storyline. The game blends nature and danger. Ecco the Dolphin still draws praise from fans today. Which makes Ecco the Dolphin one of the Best Sega Genesis games.

Best of Sega Genesis Games: Ecco the Dolphin brought to you by: David M.

I’m David M. I’ve been playing video games a long time, my pong game was fire. Now, my kids run circles around me but we always have a good time. We mostly play party and family games. Strategy and battle games are still among my favorites. I like writing about games almost as much as I do playing them. My favorite games are: Moving Out 2, Out of Space and Overcooked All You Can Eat.

Just as there have been many knock offs of Asteroids since the original. Raid Over Moscow was basically a knock off of Beach Head. All which took elements from Zaxxon, Space Invaders, and even Pong. Many of these reboots are much improved versions of the original.

Raid Over Moscow is a great game in its own right. It consists of several stages (mini-games) following a common theme. To invade what was the USSR key cities and destroy their defenses.

While that may sound like a bold and ambitious game, remember this was 1983. Games were running on kilobytes, not megabytes. Incredibly exaggerating the gameplay and overstating the scope of the game was par for the course. Raid Over Moscow was basically a shooting gallery type game.

Raid Over Moscow starts off by getting aircraft out of the hangar. Who knew getting an aircraft out of a hangar is so dangerous? Pointing the aircraft toward a wall instead of the exit before launching is incredibly stupid. Still, I suppose it could be explained by them being in a hurry.

At any rate, the first stage is maneuvering an aircraft inside a tiny hangar to get through a small hangar door. After crashing several times into the walls, ground, and door frame you’ll be wondering why the aircraft weren’t just pointed toward the door in the first place.

Once you get the hang of not using too much thrust, it’s easy to get the rest of your aircraft out of the hangar. The next stage reminds me of Missile Command. Except you’re the missile. You have to direct your dot to a city while avoiding the four dots moving toward you. Spoiler, it’s easy.

The next stage has you flying an aircraft Zaxxon style through a city. You shoot buildings, busses, and enemies for points. All while avoiding obstacles. Gauging clearance can be tricky but this stage is a lot of fun. The main difference between Beach Head and this game is you’re flying left to right instead of right to left.

The next stage is similar to the shooting stage in Beach Head. You can only move left to right since up and down control the range of your shot. In this stage there are enemies on either wall flanking you plus a tank in front of the main building you need to destroy.

One of the best parts in this stage is when the tank is taken out by a falling tower from the building. This takes some practice to trick the tank into staying under the falling tower. Basically, as long as you keep moving none of the enemies will hit you.

The final stage is reminiscent of Tron. You’re in a nuclear reactor room with a robot firing at you. Of course, the weapon of choice here is a disc bouncing off the walls as opposed to the gun you were just using. The object here is to hit the robot firing at you from behind since it’s invincible to the discs from the front.

Overall, a fun stage. It takes some practice to get the timing right to hit the robot from behind. But once you complete this stage the game is over. The launch sites and defenses have been neutralized. Finally, Moscow is destroyed by an unstable nuclear reactor.

On a side note, this game was released in 1984, two years before the nuclear reactor accident in Chernobyl. Sort of an odd thing to find in a video game, huh? Or is it!

The theme of taking out launch sites and causing a nuclear disaster to destroy a city are corny compared to the actual game play. It’s a simple shooting gallery type game, not the end of the world. Games back then sure employed some exaggerated marketing….. Space Invaders? LOL

Overall, Raid Over Moscow is a combination of several games rolled into one. A shooting gallery, an obstacle course, and a Tron like fighting game. All which make it a fun game.

It isn’t a complex game. Nor one that anyone could play for hours. Raid Over Moscow is just a simple, light arcade game. Considering all the terrible games on the Commodore 64, the bar is so low Raid Over Moscow is actually one of the better ones.

Best of Commodore 64: Raid Over Moscow brought to you by: David M.

I’m David M. I’ve been playing video games a long time, my pong game was fire. Now, my kids run circles around me but we always have a good time. We mostly play party and family games. Strategy and battle games are still among my favorites. I like writing about games almost as much as I do playing them. My favorite games are: Moving Out 2, Out of Space and Overcooked All You Can Eat.

Some stages have you shooting at anything that moves. While other stages resemble Zaxxon. Where you navigate a ship or tank past obstacles and enemy fire. The goal being to rack up more points than the your opponent.

Released in 1985, Beach Head II was available for the Commodore 64 at the peak of it’s popularity. It offered two player head to head action. You could play against a friend or the computer. Either way the game offered a lot of fun.

Players began by choosing sides. There were the Allies or the Dictator. The Allies played the offense and the Dictator played defense. Depending on the side how the game played was different. One side did the shooting while the other did the dodging.

There were four stages: Attack, Rescue, Escape, and Battle. The Attack stage had the Allies dropping soldiers from a helicopter you controlled. The soldiers automatically ran for cover while the Dictator side shot at them.

Once all the soldiers were dropped the helicopter went away and the Ally side controlled the soldiers. They had to travers three walls before reaching the safe zone. The whole time being shot at by the Dictator side.

Once all the soldiers were shot or made it to the safe zone the next stage started. The Rescue stage involved a prisoner trying to cross the battle field to safety. During this stage the Allies side gets to do the all the shooting while the Dictator side tries to stop the rescue by controlling various obstacles.

By inputting up, down, left, or right various countermeasures were launched. A tank or armored vehicle could be launched which had automated attacks. The Dictator could control two attackers. One on top of a wall and the other from a trap door below. By moving certain directions they could control the placement of these two attackers.

In this stage, it’s up to the Allies to thwart all the attempts to stop the prisoner from reaching the other side. The Allies have to aim well to stop the tank, armored vehicle, and attackers.

The next stage is the Escape. The Ally side controls a helicopter again. You load up hostages and fly through the obstacles to safety. This part feels similar to Zaxxon. If you’ve ever played Zaxxon then you know it’s all about picking the right elevation to fly through obstacles in you way all while shooting enemies in your path.

There isn’t much for the Dictator side to control during this stage. The course isn’t any less difficult with the computer controlling all the enemies.

The last stage is the Battle. This is the only stage where each side has identical controls and action. It’s two people throwing knives at each other across a river. This is the where the iconic line, “You can’t hurt me!” comes from.

Even though there’s only one button, the characters can still jump, duck, and throw. It’s all done by sacrificing the left and right axis for actions instead of direction. The characters only need to move up and down, not forward or backward during this knife fight.

After completing all four stages, the score is tallied up and the winner is declared. The game gives the Allies a slight advantage since it’s so hard for the Dictator to score points during the Rescue stage.

It somehow never mattered much since the Dictator was the computer. Even when we played with two people, each player took turns playing either side.

One game could last 10-15 minutes, so we played several rounds taking turns as either side. We were more focused on having fun than keeping score.

Overall, Beach Head II is a combination of several games rolled into one. A shooting gallery, an obstacle course, and a fighting game. All which make it a fun game.

It isn’t as flashy as modern party games but it was a very popular two player game in the 80’s. It still holds up after all these years as a simple yet fun game with a World War II theme.

Best of Commodore 64: Beach Head II brought to you by: David M.

I’m David M. I’ve been playing video games a long time, my pong game was fire. Now, my kids run circles around me but we always have a good time. We mostly play party and family games. Strategy and battle games are still among my favorites. I like writing about games almost as much as I do playing them. My favorite games are: Moving Out 2, Out of Space and Overcooked All You Can Eat.

Bruce Lee for the Commodore 64 is an old side scroller video game, similar to Pitfall from Atari. In the game, you play as Bruce Lee and need to find your way through the bosses compound and defeat him. It has you punching, jumping, and jump kicking your way through dozens of screens to get to the final boss. Spoiler, the final boss is ridiculously easy.

The setting of the game is China. As the game progresses it looks less like China and more like a dungeon. There are two enemies who show up on almost every screen to attack you. They are fairly predictable and can be defeated easily.

The other obstacles are built into each screen. You have to dodge fire, electrical shocks, and projectiles. You can collect lanterns and other things along the way for points. If you touch any hazard it’s instant death. However, it takes 3 strikes from an enemy to finish Bruce off.

Bruce Lee is an incredibly simple game, yet, it’s very enjoyable to play. It can be completed in under 15 minutes.

Bruce Lee is dropped in a chamber which looks pleasant enough. At least until a ninja with a stick shows up. Fighting him off isn’t to difficult, but enemies continually respawn.

If you stand still and hit the button then Bruce throws a punch. Be sure to time it so your punch is first. If you’re running and hit the button then Bruce does a jump kick. Again, be sure to strike first. This game is all about timing.

You’ll find a standing jump, a jump kick, and simply jumping up all have different results for distance and air time. This is important for dodging the electrical shocks traveling along the comb-like floor in later chambers.

Learning the predictable moves of your enemies makes them a minor distraction on your way to the final boss. Figuring out the timing and distance of Bruce’s jumps is important for dodging obstacles.

Collecting lanterns opens up new areas to explore. You’ll find some chambers are connected by secret paths. Other chambers require you to go through them twice to advance.

It’s fairly straightforward, meaning it’s hard to get lost or sidetracked. Unless you consider all the crazy ways to dispose of your enemies.

Part of the fun is discovering how easy it is to punch or kick an enemy into a hazard. Or trick them into coming at you, only to be consumed by a fire hazard. I’m not sure if this was intentional or not, either way it’s hilarious.

Spoiler alert, you don’t actually fight the final boss. Merely run across the screen and kick the lantern on the other side. If you hesitate for a second one of the projectiles gets you.

The screen flashes signifying your victory, then you’re dropped back at the beginning. Only this time the enemies spawn faster and some safe spots in the obstacle chambers are removed.

Overall, it’s a short simple game. Still, between the fighting and dodging obstacles it’s very appealing. It’s not a game you can play for hours, but after all these years I still enjoy playing it from time to time. A session may only last 15-20 minutes, but those are some fun sessions.

I’m not sure if it’s the antics of defeating the enemies or the challenge of timing all those jumps in that one chamber with all the electrical shocks traveling along the floor (very satisfying to complete). Whatever it is, Bruce Lee is a great game for being so old.

Best of Commodore 64: Bruce Lee brought to you by: David M.

I’m David M. I’ve been playing video games a long time, my pong game was fire. Now, my kids run circles around me but we always have a good time. We mostly play party and family games. Strategy and battle games are still among my favorites. I like writing about games almost as much as I do playing them. My favorite games are: Moving Out 2, Out of Space and Overcooked All You Can Eat.

The first thing you’ll notice is it looks like chess. There’s a light side and dark side with characters lined up on either side. The goal is to eliminate all your opponents pieces, or take’s 5 specific squares on the board. While it has some similarities to chess, it’s mostly a fighting game.

There is some strategy involved, however, winning the game comes down to winning individual battles. Strategy means nothing if you lose a crucial fight. Fights happen when two pieces occupy the same square. The game ends when no more characters are left on one side, or one side occupies all 5 power squares.

The game starts by choosing whether you want to play a player vs player or player vs computer. Then you choose whether you want to play as the dark side or light side. Also, which side starts with the advantage.

The light side has extra health on light squares, and the same applies to the dark side on dark squares. It’s to your advantage to have as many fights as possible on squares of your color.

Many squares are fixed as black and white. However, there are several squares that shift back and forth from dark to light after each turn. At the start you choose whether you want to have the first move or have the tide shift in your favor.

As for choosing a side, the Wizard leads the light side and the Sorceress leads the dark side. Each side is balanced with two basic types of fighters: melee or shooters. A few characters have special abilities, but all still fall into those two categories.

While the characters themselves look different, most have basically the same attack and speed, even the Wizard and Sorceress. There are unique characters such as the Shapeshifter and Phoenix. The Sorceress and Wizard also have the same arsenal of spells.

After choosing a side and getting started, you pick a piece to control. You can move or cast a spell if you choose the leader. Whenever two pieces land on the same space there’s a battle.

Once two pieces land on the same square, a battle begins. The color of the square determines which side has the advantage (increased health). The two pieces are then moved to another screen to start fighting.

Each player starts on opposite ends of the screen. Two shooters or two melee fighters vs each other are preferable. Melee fighters have good speed but are at a disadvantage vs shooting characters.

The battle screen has obstacles that periodically move. Players can use these obstacles for cover but they can abruptly disappear. Players attack each other until one loses all their health. Then the winner is taken back to the board and gets to keep the square.

Each player takes a turn moving pieces or casting spells. Special characters have special abilities. The Shapeshifter assumes the form of whatever character it is fighting. Obviously if you’re the dark side attacking a fast shooter is preferable for the Shapeshifter. Conversely, attacking the Shapeshifter with a melee fighter is preferable to the light side.

The Phoenix is a melee unit but it also has temporary invincibility. Whenever it attacks it turns into a big fireball. During this attack, anything within range is damaged but any attack toward the Phoenix is harmless. The Banshee on the dark side has a similar melee attack field, but the Banshee can be damaged during its attack.

The Wizard and Sorceress are powerful shooters during battles. They also cast spells but not during battle. Spells are:

• Teleport – move one of your pieces to another square
• Exchange – swap any two pieces
• Heal – heals any piece on the board
• Imprison – renders a piece immobile until one full color shift occurs
• Shift Time – reverses the shift of time (light/dark)
• Summon Elemental – summons one elemental to attack piece of your choosing. Elemental can be Earth, Wind, Fire, or Water
• Revive – revives one piece from any of yours previously eliminated

Casting a spell takes a turn. Any fight as the result of Teleport or Summon elemental still takes place during your turn. Yet, any other spell ends your turn.

Archon might be from the 1980’s, but it still is a lot of fun to play today!

Best of Commodore 64: Archon brought to you by: David M.

I’m David M. I’ve been playing video games a long time, my pong game was fire. Now, my kids run circles around me but we always have a good time. We mostly play party and family games. Strategy and battle games are still among my favorites. I like writing about games almost as much as I do playing them. My favorite games are: Moving Out 2, Out of Space and Overcooked All You Can Eat.

Commodore 64 games were better than Atari games but still not quite as good as many games found in an arcade. R.O.B.B. is a good example of that difference. Neither the Atari or Commodore 64 were known for their impressive graphics. The main difference was the gameplay. ROBB’s gameplay more than made up for the poor graphics.

In an era where you shot at an endless supply of Space Invaders in Space Invaders, Asteroids in Asteroids, or Missiles in Missile Command, newer games such as R.O.B.B. offered something different: the ability to finish a game.

The idea was simple, you controlled an attack helicopter and your mission was to destroy 6 factories. There were jets, tanks, and ground positions shooting guns and missiles to stop you from completing your mission.

It wasn’t just a game of endless shooting, there was actually a goal in mind. The computer controlled jets and anti-aircraft guns weren’t easy pickings either. It wasn’t an easy game to finish. But it was fun to play.

It also got progressively harder as the game went on. More defenses popped up near the remaining factories, and attacks on your aircraft carrier came more frequently. A Battleship being completed was also a constant threat to your carrier. It also had to be bombed periodically to prevent it’s completion.

It was almost always chaos near the last factory. Which made completing the game and seeing the ending all the more satisfying. A game didn’t last more than 10 minutes, so you could play it over and over until you won.

Raid On Bungeling Bay was basically shooting game. You had a top down view of your helicopter. The helicopter had a gun with unlimited ammo and 10 bombs. Most of the game is scouting for a factory, eliminating its defenses, and bombing it.

Frequently landing and reloading back at your aircraft carrier. Or hilariously at an enemy airport. If you landed there it would resupply your bombs but not repair any damage to your helicopter.

You could also take out jets before they took off if you spotted them. Taking out enemy radar also kept down the frequency of jet attacks. In addition to the factories, there was a battleship that you could bomb. While the battleship was an optional target, once completed it was only a matter of time before it would sink your carrier.

Between the jets, radar, tanks, and gun turrets on the ground there was plenty to keep you occupied between bombing factories. If that wasn’t bad enough, the first factory you bombed would be rebuilt about the time the 6th factory was being bombed.

Winning the game was a percentage thing. For beginners, it might take 10 tries to win. Even for pros, they can’t win 10 out of 10 games. It takes some luck and a lot of skill to get all 6 factories before the game gets too overwhelming.

R.O.B.B. is not only progressive for a game in general, but that was also built in. The game gets increasingly harder for every factory destroyed. It isn’t a bad idea to scout out the location of each factory and hit the isolated ones first. Saving factories clustered together for last.

That way you could be begin bombing that last factory before more jets took off or the first factory was rebuilt. Or the dreaded battleship was complete. Scouting out the battleships location and progress is also a good idea after the 3rd factory is destroyed.

While there is no timer in ROBB, everything about this game was a race against the clock. From the first factory bombed to the last, once you started you had to be quick. If you were fast enough you could get away with not bothering about the battleship at all.

By the time it reached your aircraft carrier you could be dropping the last bomb to finish the last factory. But that was a calculated risk. It could pay off with your name in the paper and a parade in your honor for completing your Raid On Bungeling Bay.

R.O.B.B. didn’t win any awards for its graphics or cutting edge gameplay. It’s still a remarkably fun game to this day. Not unlike some minigames or mobile games minus the graphics. ROBB has you flying around shooting enemies and dropping bombs on enemy factories.

Even though Raid On Bungeling Bay might not sound so great, trust me, it’s worth checking out!

Best of Commodore 64: R.O.B.B. brought to you by: David M.

I’m David M. I’ve been playing video games a long time, my pong game was fire. Now, my kids run circles around me but we always have a good time. We mostly play party and family games. Strategy and battle games are still among my favorites. I like writing about games almost as much as I do playing them. My favorite games are: Moving Out 2, Out of Space and Overcooked All You Can Eat.