Nintendo Power's Worst Reviewed Games of 1993

The year is 1993. Kris Kross wants you to Jump Jump, Fran Drescher is hired as The Nanny and Nintendo hopes you'll love the Super Mario Bros. movie. But we're not here to figure out why John Leguizamo was cast as an Italian plumber, because today we're counting down Nintendo Power's five worst reviewed games of 1993.


The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle and Friends
#5
Known for its quality writing and wry sense of humor, The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show was a cultural phenomenon when it first aired in the early 1960s. Thirty years later, the cartoon was still popping up in syndication on channels like Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network. Perhaps this explains why THQ decided to pick up the license and release a series of 8- and 16-bit platformers. Nintendo Power wasn't impressed with this NES adaptation, noting that the "awkward control" makes the game frustrating to play. GamePro agreed with the middling score, giving the game a 3 out of 5 and complaining that the mechanics aren't very good.
Street Combat
#4
1993 was a big year for fighting games. Not only did Mortal Kombat make its console debut, but Street Fighter II Turbo wowed every critic that didn't work for Nintendo Power. But of all the fighting games released in 1993, it was Street Combat that garnered the worst reviews. The editors at Nintendo Power complained about jerky animation and the limited number of characters. That said, they did like the super moves, which largely ripped off better fighting games. They also liked the music, perhaps the best thing about Street Combat.
The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle and Friends
#3
Hey, remember all that stuff I said about The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle and Friends on the Nintendo Entertainment System? Well, it applies to this more expensive 16-bit adaptation. Nintendo Power loathed this game, complaining that the And that's just the beginning of the scathing review. The magazine concludes that "little of the actual humor of the cartoon is conveyed in the game." Perhaps sensing a bomb, no other magazine reviewed this THQ tragedy.
Lethal Weapon
#2
For an era so concerned about the messages being sent to young people, the Nintendo Entertainment System sure did have a lot of games based on R-rated movies. Total Recall, Friday the 13th, RoboCop, A Nightmare on Elm Street and even Die Hard were turned into kid-friendly action games. You can add Lethal Weapon to the list of R-rated movies adapted to the NES, though Nintendo Power wished Ocean Software had taken a pass on this buddy cop license. "The game doesn't capture any of the feeling of the movie," the editors complained. They hated the gameplay and poor use of the property. Nintendo Magazine System agreed, giving this mediocre action game a below-average 49%.
Lethal Weapon
#1
For as bad as it was on the Nintendo Entertainment System, Lethal Weapon was even worse on the Game Boy. This is Nintendo Power's lowest scoring Game Boy game, earning a measly 2 out of 5. In fact, this ties it with the rest of magazine's low scoring games, including Hatris, Rally Bike, and Beauty and the Beast. The magazine hated the poor hit detection and awkward perspectives. GamePro disagreed, giving the game a surprising 4 out of 5 and praising the gameplay and large characters. Hey, I just made it through two Lethal Weapon reviews without calling anybody Sugar Tits.
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