With Jet Force Gemini still coming out at some point in the near future, Nintendo decided not to announce any new games this week for their Nintendo Switch Online service. Yeah, that sucks, but the good news is that we still have plenty of previously released games that haven't been given the Review Crew treatment. I'm talking about genuine classics, like Super Punch-Out, Super Metroid and the original Star Fox. Sure, these games hit the subscription service years ago, but I still need to ask: Are any of these games worth playing? To answer that question, I decided to flip through the pages of Electronic Gaming Monthly, GamePro, Nintendo Magazine System and more classic magazines to see what the critics said back when these games first came out. Get ready to buy into the Super FX chip hype, because it's time for another exciting episode of Nintendo Switch Online Review Crew!


After the licensing nightmare that was Mike Tyson's Punch-Out, many wondered if we would ever see Little Mac again. And then, a full decade after first debuting the series and four years after scrubbing Iron Mike's presence from the NES game, the franchise returned with Super Punch-Out!!, an updated sequel sporting gorgeous 16-bit graphics and a roster full of new fighters and returning favorites. The gameplay and concept remained largely unchanged, effectively turning boxing into a series of boss fights where the object is to memorize your opponents patterns and find their weakness. More than anything else, this was a chance for Nintendo to give the series a fresh start and fully divorce themselves from any real-world drama that plagued the earlier game, yet again proving that the franchise was strong enough to live on without a dubious celebrity license.

For the most part, the critics were excited to see the franchise get back in the ring. In a completely different section from their normal reviews, Electronic Gaming Monthly's sports editors gave the game an average score of 83%. Iceman said that the Super NES game is “truly a winner. Once you pick up the controller, you won't have any problems at all on the game technique. This may not be a realistic boxing game, but it still has fantastic game play.” Video Cowboy liked the game a little less, arguing that “I suggest renting it before you buy it. You'll have to learn some fancy footwork if you plan on winning the title. The animations are fun, but it plays too much like a cartoon. Even though it's not realistic enough for my taste, boxing fans will find it fun to play.”

These two EGM editors do a good job of setting up the pros and cons with Super Punch-Out, and you see a lot of other magazines echoing these thoughts. For example, Nintendo Power gave the game a surprisingly low 3.6 out of 5. That's not all that far off from the 8 out of 10 we saw from VideoGames magazine in issue 72. And then there's the notoriously grumpy Next Generation, who gave the game 4 stars out of 5. “Although the graphics are closer to the original coin-op, Nintendo's latest sequel owes much more to 1987's Mike Tyson's Punch Out for the NES. Both games are famous for wildly outrageous boxing – a good thing considering that the real sport makes for hideously boring video game fare. On the bad side, the graphics look flat and the opponents' animation is extremely choppy – but then again, more frames could throw off the game's crucial timing. Most everything else is done to perfection, making Super Punch-Out a great tribute to the original classic.”

Of course, there were a number of magazines ready to give Super Punch-Out much higher scores. Game Players, for example, gave the game a stellar 9 out of 10 when they reviewed it. This perfectly matches the 90% we saw in Super Play's 27th issue. And then there's GamePro, who once again gave a game a perfect 5 out of 5, calling it a “solid, tongue-in-cheek boxing cart” and “a surefire winner. In fact, Don King's probably trying to figure out how to climb into this SNES ring. Punch-Out is super!”

While it certainly wasn't one of Nintendo's top-rated games of 1994, Super Punch-Out was definitely well-received, even if the critics had a few complaints here and there. Honestly, I think this game holds up surprisingly well. The puzzle-like approach to the gameplay makes it feel timeless, and I love the fun details found in the 16-bit graphics. Give it a play, even if you're not a big boxing fan.

With the competition releasing CD add-ons and the next generation console war just a couple years away, Nintendo debuted a brand-new technology they called the Super FX chip that would allow for polygonal graphics that were admittedly rudimentary (though impressive for the time). To introduce the world to this futuristic tech, Nintendo gave us Star Fox, an 3D shoot ‘em up starring a cute fox hero and his squad of animal wingmen. While there's absolutely no doubt that these graphics look outdated by today's standards, this was a big deal in 1993. Nintendo knew they had winner on their hands and even took the game to different game stores around the country to not only show it off, but conduct a series of low-stake competitions. As a result, Star Fox was a big hit for Nintendo and the Super FX chip, spawning an exciting new franchise for the company that would eventually get run into the ground in the mid-2010s.

When it comes to the critics, this is the next-generation upgrade to the shoot ‘em up genre that many had been waiting for. Over at Electronic Gaming Monthly, the editors raved about the new technology and gave the game an average score of 8.75 out of 10. Fake ninja Sushi-X noted that “if Star Fox is a first-generation example of the FX chip games, I can't wait for the sequel! This type of action has thus far been restricted to the arcade genre, but with astounding success, Star Fox has brought that feel home. Top-notch gameplay, topped off with fairly smooth transitional graphics, really make Star Fox soar.” Ed also liked the game, but maybe not as much as his colleagues: “The graphics, although plain, do some really cool tricks. The missions were challenging and the bosses were pretty wild. The best part is that Star Fox has some of the best voices I've heard on the Super NES. As I said, the only drawback was the plain graphics.”

Before we fly head-first into the near-perfect scores, I wanted to first take a look at a couple magazines that weren't as won over by the hype. For example, Video Games & Computer Entertainment liked the game, but complained about its length and gave it an 8.8 out of 10. Nintendo Power went even lower, giving Star Fox a 4.1 out of 5. They praised the “excellent control of the spaceship, 3D effects and sound,” noting that “the three courses give the game replayability and make it a challenge for any skill level.” However, they complained that “the polygon graphics lack detail. Hit detection on some objects, such as asteroids, seems to extend well beyond the object itself, resulting in unexpected crashes.”

These magazines were the outliers, however, as most magazines from that time gave Star Fox near-perfect scores. You saw N-Force give the game a 92% in their 11th issue and Super Play gave it a 93%, making it their 12th highest scoring Super NES game of all time. Can we see a 94%? Of course we can, because that's the average score to come out of Die Hard Game Fan. And then there's Nintendo Magazine system, which went as high as a 96%. Jaz called it “the most astonishing console game I have ever seen! Using unbelievably fast, super-smooth and ultra-realistic polygon 3D graphics, Star Fox is a game that you'd normally expect to see running on a mega-fast souped-up PC. But here it is running on Super NES – and it's amazing. And considering this is the first game to use the Super FX chip, I can't wait to see what's next – mind-blowing racing, flying, space combat and even virtual reality-style adventure games could all be created. Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!”

Before we say goodbye to Fox McCloud and his buddies, let's first check in with GamePro, who once again gave the game a perfect 5 out of 5. They called Star Fox a “no brainer.” “Star Fox is a leap. It's the type of game that will make someone buy an SNES. The game itself is awesome. However, there are many impressive little touches that any gamer should appreciate. At the very least, Nintendo deserves an A for effort. There's a new star on the SNES horizon – Star Fox.”

There's no question that Star Fox was an important step for console gaming, but I'm not sure how well it holds up. I'm nostalgic for those plain polygons, but there's an aspect of this game that is hard to go back to. See if you agree when you play Star Fox on the Switch.

There are great Super NES games, and then there's Super Metroid, one of the greatest video games of all time. This is the sequel that not only cemented Metroid as one of Nintendo's best franchises, but also influenced decade's worth of side-scrolling adventure games. It's a game that manages to build on what made both the NES original and the Game Boy sequel, The Return of Samus, so memorable, creating a style of gaming that we still see all these years later. This is truly one of the best games on the Nintendo Switch Online service. But you didn't come here for my take, so let's see what the critics said back in 1994.

Let's once again start with Electronic Gaming Monthly, which fell in love with Super Metroid back when it first came out and gave it an average score of 9 out of 10. Fake ninja Sushi-X couldn't have been more excited to get his hands on this game: “As a faithful player of the NES version, I have to admit, this sequel blows it away. It comes back with more power-ups and weapons that will surely be helpful against the creatures and huge bosses that lurk within. As for the mazes, you will eventually get lost if you don't keep track of where you're going. Awesome background music and riveting sound effects. Graphics are too cool to miss!” Danyon agreed, concluding that Super Metroid is “the game the world has been waiting for.” “The original 8-bit Metroid was fantastic and this one certainly does it justice. The lengthy quest and sheer number of hidden items, and the great background tunes add up to one wild adventure. The auto map is a cool feature, but can make the game quite easy, unlike the 8-bit Metroid. Overall, no one should be disappointed by this incredible game.”

At this point, I bet your wondering what kind of monster would give Super Metroid anything lower than a 9 out of 10? Let me introduce you to that super-villain – Edge magazine. That's right, they gave Super Metroid an 8 out of 10 in their ninth issue, which is by far the lowest score I could find. “Super Metroid will take your emotions on a roller coaster ride of joy and pain: One moment you'll be throwing your head back in sheer ecstasy after defeating a boss in a battle of heroic proportions; the next minute you'll find yourself furiously stabbing the reset button in complete frustration. Those who enjoy the first game will therefore have no complaints about the action, but many people will find the SNES title's distinct lack of longevity a bit of a letdown.”

Now that we've gotten that out of the way, it's time to state the obvious: Everybody else loved Super Metroid. I mean, compared to the rest of the field, even EGM's 9 out of 10 average feels a bit low. You saw Computer & Video Games give the sequel a 91% and Super Play go with a 92%, making it the 15th best Super NES game of all time. In fact, that 92% seems to be the sweet spot, as you also saw that score over at the Official Nintendo Magazine, as well as Nintendo Magazine System. Similarly, Nintendo Power gave it a 4.6 out of 5. Hyper went even higher, giving Super Metroid a 94%, and don't look now, but Game Players went all the way up to a 97%.

Before we check in with GamePro, I first want to highlight what Die Hard Game Fan was doing when Super Metroid came out. First, they ditched the 100-point scale they had been using for more than a year, but they also replaced their written reviews with, well, dots. For example, here's one editor giving the game a 49 out of 50, and the only thing he gets to say is “In a word ... perfection!” This guy, who gave it a lower 48 out of 50, managed to fit in two short thoughts: “1) Freaking awesome game! 2) It's about time!” I hate to editorialize here, but I think we can all agree that this is a huge step backwards for reviews. I mean, what were they thinking?

Thankfully, everything was business as usual over at GamePro, who once again handed out a score of 5 out of 5. They concluded that “Super Metroid really delivers what Nintendo has always promised – deep, involving gameplay that'll occupy you for dozens of hours. There's certainly more Metroid territory to be explore, like controller-motion techniques or a wider variety of graphics, but heck, Nintendo isn't working on Project Reality for nothing. You better grab this one before a Metroid latches onto you!”

I think it's safe to say that Super Metroid was a big hit with the critics. In fact, it's easily one of the Super Nintendo's highest scoring games. I'll end right where we began, calling it among the very best games available on the Nintendo Switch Online service. If you haven't played Super Metroid, then what are you waiting for?