This just in: Nintendo will be releasing five classic games onto their Nintendo Switch Online service on May 26. Not only does this include the 16-bit game you're looking at right now, Joe & Mac, but also Super Baseball 1.000, Spanky's Quest, Magical Drop II and rare Japanese oddity called Ninja JaJaMaru. Are any of these games worth playing? Well, of course they are. But you don't have to take my word for it, because today we're going to be looking at what classic magazines like Electronic Gaming Monthly, GamePro, N-Force and Super Play thought of all of these days. We're once again flipping through the pages to bring you another episode of Nintendo Switch Online Review Crew.


Don't be fooled by the name of the first game, because Super Baseball Simulator 1.000 is neither a realistic baseball simulator nor a super-looking game (especially compared to other 16-bit sports games). Instead what we get is a sequel to the reasonably well-received 8-bit baseball game by Culture Brain, which is probably best known for introducing a bunch of fake teams and unrealistic power-ups to 'America's Pastime.' This first-generation Super NES sequel builds onto that formula and offers some extra play modes (including the ability to play as the manager), but the results are largely the same.

Electronic Gaming Monthly liked the powered-up pitches and batter techniques, but felt that it was a lesser launch game. "As a regular baseball game, you could say that Super Baseball Simulator is above average, but the addition of the Ultra League makes this an extremely fun game to play." GamePro also recommended this arcade-style mode, where the rules get thrown out the window. Giving it a 3.5 out of 5, they concluded that "players who take hardcore baseball in their big gulps can suit Super Baseball Simulator to their needs, and casual gamers should try the offbeat Ultra League." Of all the critics, it was Super Play who ended up being the harshest on this so-called simulator. They thought the music was nice, but found the gameplay to be "too crude compared to the rest [of the baseball games]" and gave it a 49%. That's not great, but I have a hunch that Super Baseball Simulator 1.000 will still be a lot of fun to revisit, especially with friends. It sounds like that Ultra League is a lot of fun.

While Nintendo is choosing to call it Caveman Ninja, you likely know this early-generation Super NES classic by two other names -- Joe & Mac. This was the beginning of a short-lived (but still fondly remembered) franchise from Data East that included several console and arcade installments and a Congo-themed spin-off. With colorful graphics and a cool prehistoric setting, Joe & Mac was an instantly likable game that the critics couldn't wait to play. N-Force critic Gunns ended up giving an 89%, the highest score of any classic magazine, and called it a "dead ringer for the arcade game. The sound and graphics are identical or as near as damn it -- I couldn't see any difference and I was looking real hard. If you liked the arcade cabinet, buy this game."

Electronic Gaming Monthly's Editor in Chief, Ed, agreed with Gunns, but liked it for a different reason: "Joe & Mac, besides being one of the best two-player simultaneous games, has some of the most humorous animations to date." The rest of the EGM editors disagreed, with Martin complaining that "the gameplay is fine, but it's too easy. I was at the end boss after a couple of plays." Over in the UK, Super Play ended up reviewing 594 different games in their 47 issue run. Joe & Mac is right in the middle, at number 311, with a 72%. "Hardly the slickest of platformer games, but one of the more lively and colorful." If you're looking for cartoony graphics, two-player fun and a cool prehistoric setting, then I have a hunch you're going to have a good time with Joe & Mac, the caveman ninjas.

I can't believe I'm about to say this, but the month's most polarizing game is none other than ... Spanky's Quest? For the most part, the reviews of Joe & Mac and Super Baseball Simulator were mostly the same across magazines, but that is definitely not the case when it comes to this 1992 Natsume platformer. The critics were sharply divided, with some loving the game's charm, while others struggling to come up with something to say. I would toss Mike from Super NES Buyers Guide in that last group, as he starts his review by saying: "Hmmm, it is different. I'll give it that."

Sushi-X at EGM knew why some of his peers were having troubles getting into Spanky's Quest: "While the Super NES seems like a system only adults and teenagers can enjoy, even children can find a game to suit them nowadays." That was certainly a complaint, but even Nintendo Power, a magazine specifically designed with children in mind, gave the game a 2.8 out of 5, mostly because of the lack of challenge.

So, if everybody is so down on Spanky's Quest, then who liked it? Believe it or not, the highest score comes to us from Video Games & Computer Entertainment, a magazine aimed at an older audience. They called it "fresh and original" and "unlike anything you've played before. Spanky's unusual weapon takes a little getting used to, but, once you get the hang of it, you'll be glued to your control pad for hours on end." Shades at N-Force also dug it, calling it "weird and wonderful. For a refreshing change from boring, run-of-the-mill games, get Spanky's Quest. There's plenty of monkeying around, it's bound to give you a good laugh, and you'll definitely have a ball." With the critics divided, it will be fun to see if Spanky's Quest is a forgotten classic or a kiddie game that's not even worth remembering. Decide for yourself on May 26.

The final two games coming to Nintendo Switch Online this month are both titles that never found their way outside of Japan, at least on the Super NES. The more recognizable of the two is a Magical Drop II, a Data East puzzler that's vaguely reminiscent of Puyo Puyo and the Puzzle Bobble (or Bust-A-Move) series. I couldn't find any English-language reviews of the 1996 Super NES port, but Next Generation did give the original Neo Geo version 3 stars out of 5. They concluded that "Magical Drop II comes on strong, but as the game moves on it can be quite monotonous. Magical Drop II is, however, still a solid puzzle game that is likely to trap more than one person into hours of play." Super Play liked the original Magical Drop on Super NES. They gave it an 85% and called it a "brilliantly enjoyable puzzle game. Magical Drop is a must for competitive puzzle fans." It sounds like this sequel will be a fun addition to the Nintendo Switch Online service.

The final game coming out on May 26 is Ninja JaJaMaru, which is making its North American debut after 36 years. Just like Magical Drop II, there are no English-language reviews from back in the day, but it is worth noting that is a spin-off of sorts to an arcade machine known in the States as Rad Action. Trust me, there is not a single game title that is more '80s than Rad Action. I double checked. And if that doesn't get you excited to see what Ninja JaJaMaru is all about, then nothing will.