Do You NintenKnow: December 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!

December 1994

Even though this Nintendo title was released for both the NES and SNES, we’re going to focus on the NES version here because it was the last first-party title for the system in North America. No surprise that it features characters from the Mushroom Kingdom, although the plumber brothers take a back seat in this puzzler. The garlic-eating anti-hero has invaded the Peaceful Woods and it’s up to “Frog” to save the day. How does he do that? By lining up the same color of monsters and bombs of course! Generally, the SNES version is preferred but I like the backstory of the NES one so sue me.

This SNES Konami racing game shares its name with an animated series…think “Motorcycle Rodents from another planet”. There are six characters to choose from as you race around different tracks in an isometric view. You’ve got weapons and upgrades that can be purchased between races using the price money you earn from racing. According to Wikipedia, there’s a product placement for Snickers candy bars in the PAL version…not sure what that has to do with anything in the game but ok!

One of the most unique racing games ever, this SNES title had you flying around tracks and performing tricks for a speed boost while controlling a one-wheeled bicycle. Yes, I know that a bicycle means two tires but if I put the name of the single-wheel version in here it gives away part of the name! Oh, and this game was developed by DMA Design, better known now as Rockstar North. Yup, the Grand Theft Auto guys. Maybe we’ll see a gritty reboot one day but I kinda doubt it!

December 1999

The original farming sim series made its way to the Nintendo 64 with this release, published by Natsume Inc. in the US. Just like the predecessors on SNES and GameBoy, the main goal is to run a successful farm full of cows, chickens, and plenty of vegetables. However, the main addition to this installment is the ability to woo a wife and have a child. This aspect would become even more important to the series as the years wore on, so it’s fun to see where it started. As a personal note, I LOVE this game. I always think of New Year’s Eve since my cousin would come over and we would play this game until the wee hours of the first morning of a new year. Ahhh, the smell of nostalgia!

Ok, this Konami N64 title is a bit of a strange one so bear with me. It’s from their famous “spooky vampire” series which doesn’t seem all that weird…until I try to explain that this is somehow both a prequel and revised version of a game that came out earlier in the same year on the N64. There are new characters and stories but also levels that return from the earlier game that must be explored in new ways. There are completely remixed levels from the prior game too. Oh yeah, and the characters/quests from the first N64 title can be unlocked after completing the stories for both new characters but feature the new level layouts and have additional bosses. Like I said, kind of weird. But hey, the controls, camera, and frame rate were improved.

December 2009

Nintendo released this second DS foray for their green-clad hero which was also controlled almost entirely by the touch screen just like the other DS title. All the sailing and island hopping is gone, replaced by conducting a train. You can choo-choo-choose different parts for your train to customize it a bit to your liking. The pan flute instrument is pretty finnicky but gosh darn it is the overworld theme a banger!

December 2014

Nintendo created a full Wii U game from the side levels from one of the famous plumber’s outings on that same console. Instead of controlling him, you’re in the shoes of a “fun guy” with a head lamp in a variety of levels laid out like dioramas. The main character can’t jump, so part of the puzzle is figuring out how to navigate the various environments. There were even levels based on the original game that spawned this title…talk about a callback!

This Wii U title combined two previously downloadable Nintendo eShop titles on one physical disc. The games, themselves, were developed by Nintendo and were essentially mini challenges from titles that appeared on Nintendo’s original 8-bit home console. There were some challenges that were small snippets pulled from a game that tasked you to defeat a certain number of enemies, speedrun a short section, etc. Other, more interesting, scenarios were there too like mash-ups of two games where you have to complete a section of one game with a character from a completely different title that doesn’t have the same physical abilities. I’m still a bit miffed that they never made another set of these titles from the 16-bit era.