Do You NintenKnow: November 2024

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!

November 1994

This SNES platforming title from Rare put Mario’s – or should I say Jumpman’s – original nemesis into the starring role. The simian was redesigned to have a swanky new tie which looked even more impressive considering the game featured pre-rendered graphics. Stomp King K. Rool and his Kremlings as you try to find a missing banana hoard while David Wise’s iconic tunes put you in the mood!

If you were alive in the 90’s, I’m willing to be that you were familiar with the animated MTV television series that shares the name of this SNES title. Play as either the brown-haired “B” boy or the blonde-haired “B” boy on your quest to see GWAR in concert. “Heh heh…this rules!!”

Capcom developed and published this side-scrolling platformer starring Firebrand, an enemy from Ghosts ‘n Goblins. This could probably be described as a spinoff of the Gargoyle’s Quest series also featuring Firebrand. So, it’s a spinoff of a spinoff? Either way, Firebrand gains different transformations that imbue various powers to help in combat and traversal. There are also hidden areas to find when replaying stages with new powers and even multiple endings.

Sunsoft published this spinoff title with the main character being the rival from another of their platformers, Aero the Acro-Bat. Now a hero, this bushy-tailed fella is on a mission to stop an evil lumberjack named Jacques Le Sheets from destroying his home forest in order to make counterfeit money. Maybe the mascot platformer well was running dry…

November 1999

Remember that Rare platformer from above? Well, they were back again and performing for you…this time in the 3rd dimension! Our tie-wearing ape was present with a whole crew (yes, that was intentional!) of other primates. In fact, there’s a certain rap about them if you want to check it out. The game is somewhat infamous for taking the “collectathon” aspect of platformers a bit too far. It was also the first title to require the Nintendo 64 Expansion Pak.

November 2004

This Ubisoft sequel action platformer for the GameCube was not as well regarded as its time-reversing predecessor due to the darker tone. Lore-wise, it makes sense since the main character altered history and is now chased by the Dahaka for his time-bending transgressions. I’d be ticked too if I was always on the run from a time demon! The combat system was greatly expanded and allowed the hero to steal enemy weapons and use them for gory slow-motion finishers. I think this game gets a lot of undeserved negative press…then again, I like Godsmack whose songs play in Dahaka encounters!

October 2019

Nintendo’s famous monster catching RPG series had its first original entries on the Switch in a region based on the United Kingdom. The expected eight gym leaders with badges to collect were there but the game had an open world element in the Wild Area complete with free camera movement and critters that appear in the overworld. The main gimmick of this eighth generation was Dynamax/Gigantimax which ballooned your creature to massive size and gave them more powerful attacks. Oh yeah, and people got mad because the title didn’t include every creature in the series up to that point.

Bonus

This handheld console released on November 21, 2004 bringing twice the usual amount of screens to the masses. One of them was a touchscreen and the system came with a stylus. Tons of great ideas were hatched on this system including the debut of Nintendogs and Brain Age. Touching is good!