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Few video game companies have a reputation as shabby as LJN. Starting in 1986 as a toy company with a special focus on licensed tie-ins with movie and television franchises, it quickly branched out into the world of video games. And since they already had established relationships with major media companies, they were able to pin down the rights to release several games based on highly popular franchises. The problem? Almost all of the games released under the label are simply not good.
To be fair, LJN merely acted as the publisher and never made any games themselves. Instead, they would farm the work out to third party developers such as Rare, Westone, and and even Atlus. So, it’s not entirely surprising that every now and again, a game with the dreaded rainbow logo would actually be playable. While none of these are ‘Game of the Year’ material, we thought it would be fun to take a look at a five LJN titles that aren’t terrible to play.
Alien 3
(Sega Genesis/Mega Drive, Nintendo Entertainment System, Super Nintendo Entertainment System)
The third entry in the Alien film series was both critically and commercially disappointing, so you’d be forgiven if you overlooked the Alien 3 video game which came out for the Genesis/Mega Drive, NES, SNES, and more. Surprisingly, it’s a serviceable run and gun title with fun gameplay and decent music. The player has a wide variety of weapons at their disposal, and levels are well designed with plenty of graphical detail. Each version varies a bit, but the ones for Genesis and SNES seem to be the most highly rated.
Gotcha! The Sport
(Nintendo Entertainment System)
In many cases, a game turns out bad due to poor controls. Gotcha! The Sport for NES, on the other hand, has an advantage of being a light gun game. Loosely based on a highly forgettable 1980s comedy, it’s a point-and-shoot capture the flag game in which the player attempts seeks the enemy flag and return it to home base while avoiding enemy fire. Since this one requires a light gun, you’ll either need to have an old CRT television lying around or a light gun capable of use with modern sets.
Jaws
(Nintendo Entertainment System)
While not as thrilling as the classic horror film franchise that serves as its source material, Jaws for NES is a worthy way to waste an hour or so. An action RPG of sorts, the game is spent cruising around in a boat while trying to power up sufficiently enough to take on the big shark himself. You’ll randomly encounter underwater battles or possibly even the shark. But in order to have a chance, your equipment will need to be sufficiently upgraded. Don’t expect a game as deep as the oceans, but if you’re okay with a simple time killing RPG, you could do worse.
Friday the 13th
(Nintendo Entertainment System)
Admittedly more unique than fun, Friday the 13th for NES is has some very memorable moments, many of which are sadly obscured by counterintuitive gameplay. Controlling various counselors at Camp Crystal Lake, the objective is to survive while preventing the camp’s children from being killed off by Jason Voorhees (dark for an NES game, huh?). Once a child is in danger, you’ll need to quickly make your way to the correct cabin to seek Jason out and defeat him in battle. The moments when you’re creeping around corner, knowing that Jason is lurking in one of the rooms can still cause a good jump-scare, even today.
Spider-Man and Venom: Maximum Carnage
(Sega Genesis/Mega Drive, Super Nintendo Entertainment System)
We saved arguably the best one for last. Spider-Man and Venom: Maximum Carnage released for the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive and the SNES features some of the most impressive comic-style graphics you’ll see in a 16-bit game. If you like high octane arcade-style beat ’em ups, this one is for you! Playing as Spider-Man (and sometimes Venom) you’re sure to have a blast pummeling your way through New York City, appreciating the visceral mechanics and vibrant visuals. Audio is also top-notch with satisfying sound effects as you wail on an enemy to backing music provided by rock band Green Jelly.
Which tolerable LJN titles did we miss? Tell us in the comments!
