Do You NintenKnow: December 2023

Below is a set of clues for games that have a notable US release date anniversary (5, 10, 15, etc.) in the current month. See if you can figure out the title before clicking the blurred image to find out if you were correct! Head down to the comments when you’re finished and reminisce about the personal memories that were dredged up. Remember that these are going by the release date in the United States. Have fun!

December 1988

This NES platforming title from Capcom was based on the 1987 arcade game of the same name where you can’t even jump. Instead, the main character has a mechanical arm with a grappling gun allowing you to swing across gaps or climb ledges. The English localization took out the Nazi symbolism used by the enemy group that was present in the Japanese version but kept the ending sequence where “Hitler’s” face explodes. Get swinging!

Konami released this vampire-killing sequel on the NES, which featured some notable changes from the first game like a world map to explore and role-playing elements. Try to acquire all five parts of Dracula’s body so you can kill him again. Just be careful listening to townspeople because some will literally tell you the wrong information.

Another arcade port hit the NES where you ride a bike down the street throwing newspapers into the mailboxes or on the doorsteps of awaiting customers. Or through their windows if your aim is a little off! Watch out for dogs, cars, and other obstacles in your quest to become the ultimate delivery person.

Two arcade ports already, so let’s even it up with another NES sequel that changed quite a bit from the first in the series. This one was from Nintendo, starring their green-garbed elven hero. Gone was the top-down fighting, replaced instead with side-scrolling action segments that focused more on varied combat with high strikes, low strikes, upward stabs, and downward stabs. There were also some RPG elements with experience points and leveling up different stats. The gold cartridge was still there, though!

December 1993

Here’s another “edutainment” game featuring Nintendo’s lovable plumber. This SNES game had been previously released on MS-DOS and would also be ported to the NES. Make your way through various periods of history by surfing and collecting mushrooms. When in a specific period, the aim is to try and return a specific item to an important person such as reuniting Isaac Newton with his apple. I had this game as a kid and have a weird fondness for it even though I spent way more time screwing around with the surfing minigame than actually learning history.

Factor 5 developed this Lucas Arts N64 game within a very popular space-themed fictional universe. Man the cockpit of different space craft and get in on some arcade-style space combat. This game contained one of the best-kept secrets in gaming in the Naboo Starfighter, which was a ship from the upcoming movie in the franchise that would hit theaters less than one year after the game was released. No one knew the ship was in the game until Factor 5 revealed the code to unlock the ship months after the game came out. That would never happen today with all the leaks and datamining!

December 2003

This multiplatform Ubisoft title released for the GameCube after both the PlayStation 2 and Xbox versions. Take control of the investigative reporter Jade to take pictures, fight, and solve puzzles. The creator of the Rayman series, Michel Ancel, was the director of this title. The sequel to this game is definitely, maybe, probably, possibly still coming after being revealed in 2008.

December 2008

A second straight Ubisoft title, but this one was for the DS and was a spin-off of the reboot of the parkour-platforming series with an Arabian flair. Not confusing at all. Once again, you’re the King’s son and fight alongside a partner named Zal in a battle between two gods. Use the stylus for both movement and fighting, which was the biggest criticism for the game from reviewers. Who would’ve thought that trying to pull off the cool movement skills with a stylus would work poorly?

December 2018

Everyone is here. I could probably stop there, but Nintendo released this fighter crossover fighter on the Switch. It’s the fifth in the series and features every character from the previous games as well as new fighters. Content was still being released nearly three years later, finally ending in October 2021. Thank you, Sakurai!

Game Atelier and FDG Entertainment released this “Metroidvania” title on the Switch which is part of the Wonder Boy series. You control Jin but gain the use of five different animal forms throughout the game including a lion and a dragon. Get different weapons and armor from shops for your human form which offer other unique abilities. The game features hand drawn animation and looks gorgeous. Don’t forget about the soundtrack which features music from industry veterans like Yuzo Koshiro and Motoi Sakuraba.