Taito Games
Like Data East and Konami, Taito Software is an established arcade name that has skyrocketed to the top of the consumer gaming field. With powerful adaptations of several solid coin-op properties, Taito has plenty of ammunition to carry the company into 1989 and beyond. Qix - The classic strategy/action classic! Pronounced "kicks", this abstract game pits you, as a pen drawing boxes to claim areas, against other equally abstract bad guys and the title character, Qix. The Qix is an energy field that methodically winds its way across the screen, destroying your pen whenever it comes in contact with broken lines.
Operation Wolf - A battlefield tour-de-force! Just now appearing for the Nintendo Entertainment System and the C-64/128, Operation Wolf is a first-person shoot-em-up that places you in a number of jungle settings where commandos attack from every direction. Sky Shark - Another safe bet from Taito, Sky Shark brings home the tried and true vertical shooter. A variety of land and air targets attack with relentless frequency as a detailed background slowly slumbers by. A little light on substance, but definitely a lot of fun when Sky Shark becomes available for the Nintendo Entertainment System in April and popular computer formats in March and April.
Jaleco Games Here's a company that, with a few minor exceptions, has found a very successful niche in the NES market by sticking with recognizable sports titles. Having already done justice to baseball and tennis, Jaleco is now banking on Basketball and Hockey as well as an in-depth action piece.
Hoops - A basketball simulation with a twist! Hoops recreates the finer points of street basketball, where teams of two compete on the blacktop. Great enhancements like a close-up visual of each slam dunk make Hoops one of the best basketball games ever! Goal! - Goal! cashes in on the booming popularity of soccer, a sport that now out-ranks football among teenage youth. Goal! features three different play formats: against the computer, against each other, or cooperatively against the computer. A Pass Key function allows you to save progress against the computer opponents.
Robowarrior - The first high action entry from Jaleco. Robowarrior combines the action elements from hits like Ghosts and Goblins with adventure overtones from The Legend of Zelda. The meshing of straight action with adventure turns out well, with plenty of game play throughout.