Are there any good games by DATA EAST on the NES?

[Waffles's iconWaffles]

The latest AVGN episode got me thinking about DATA EAST, a company I have seen brutalized on Nintendo-centered sites, but whom largely goes unmentioned otherwise.

I know that LJN gets the lion's share of the flak when it comes to releasing crap on the NES, but several people have made the compelling argument that the folk at DE didn't know how to program for that console until the very end of its life span, at which point games couldn't really make that much of an impression.

So, let me ask you: are there any actually good DATA EAST games on the NES, at least in your opinion?

 

[Tonberry]

I'm not sure about NES now that you mention it, but I always thought that Congo's Caper and both Joe & Mac games on SNES were legitimately solid.

 

[Nelson2001 Nelson2001]

Possibly B-Wings because despite being a different version of the Arcade, at least in the FC Version had a modular secondary weapon system that you can choose one in the game and also that it is a shoot 'em up fair but without losing the touch of the challenge in the following levels and graphically and musically it is not bad for a 1986 Famicom game.

 

[Graves Ruinwalker]

Metal Max is one of the underrated ones and Undercover Cops .

Data East made alot of arcade games and on the NES its more failure than success . On the Snes they actually have great games on their own . On the Arcade they go hardcore with maybe the best games they made . Even Trio the punch with its rather weird and unrefined gameplay is great for its humour. Its a rather underrated company that tried some great concepts but at the wrong time .

 

[Eclipse14]

BurgerTime is a decent arcade conversion.

 

[CyberRabbit]

The latest AVGN episode got me thinking about DATA EAST, a company I have seen brutalized on Nintendo-centered sites, but whom largely goes unmentioned otherwise.

I know that LJN gets the lion's share of the flak when it comes to releasing crap on the NES, but several people have made the compelling argument that the folk at DE didn't know how to program for that console until the very end of its life span, at which point games couldn't really make that much of an impression.

So, let me ask you: are there any actually good DATA EAST games on the NES, at least in your opinion?

Burger Time is dope, not the nes version specifically the arcade version, and bad dudes is meh

 

[G.L.a.D.O.S.]

good DATA EAST games

That's an Oxymoron Waffles dear

 

[Crashbandi]

Someone already mentioned it but Metal Max is one of my favorite games on the NES. The remake on the SNES is better, but its still good. And ill also mention the Heracles games 1 and 2 were released on the NES and to me were fun.

 

[Bakuma1997]

I second @Nelson2001's B-Wings mention, i used to play the hell of it in my 64 in 1 days, i belive in fact i once BEAT IT (big deal seeing the game is 32 stages long) its intro music has been living in my head rent free since i am 6

 

[Lee__Kanker]

Metal Max is one of the underrated ones and Undercover Cops .

Data East made alot of arcade games and on the NES its more failure than success . On the Snes they actually have great games on their own . On the Arcade they go hardcore with maybe the best games they made . Even Trio the punch with its rather weird and unrefined gameplay is great for its humour. Its a rather underrated company that tried some great concepts but at the wrong time .

Metal max was successful enough to make it all the way to the ps2 and then the 3ds; I think htey had a hercules game on famicom? It was also on gameboy and later ds

I alsop remember the port of joe and mac being quite good, it even had parallax scrolling

 

[UnDubious]

That's an Oxymoron Waffles dear

Atomic Runner is excellent and Glory of Heracles 3 & 4 are great RPGs. They were a middle-tier company all in all that occasionally hit the ball, not some bottom tier company. Glory of Heracles 2 is on the NES and it's good for a 8-bit RPG. I vastly prefer 16 and 32-bit, though.
Dark Legend is a pretty good 2d fighter. Sly Spy and RoboCop 2 are cool arcade games they made. There's probably more.

Somebody said Metal Max and Undercover Cop - UC is IREM, and Metal Max was made by Crea-Tech, just published by Data East. Great series though. Data East did make Night Slashers, which always gets praised on this site usually.

 

[Jeff]

Burger Time is the only one I can think of on NES. Kid Nikki would been good if it weren't for one hit deaths, Robocop would be decent if the difficulty wasn't hard, Karnov is a neat idea, but the gameplay is confusing, and Bad Dudes...is just bad.

 

[qw90700]

So, let me ask you: are there any actually good DATA EAST games on the NES, at least in your opinion?

I can name a few but this one is my favourite NES game no doubt *he didn't blink while writing this*:

Metal Max (English Patched) NES ROM – RGT Repository

Metal Max (English Patched) NES ROM Languages: English Patched, Japanese. For the NES.

retrogametalk.com

And this one is my favourite SNES game:

Metal Max 2 (Japan) SNES ROM – RGT Repository

Metal Max 2 (Japan) SNES ROM Languages: Japanese. For the Super NES.

retrogametalk.com

I'll bother people in their home with my huge AF tank if they fuck with DATA EAST!!! lolol

 

[driftwood]

2 not mentioned yet:
Al Unser Jr.'s Turbo Racing was good for the time, but not now.
also know as Turbo Racing or World Grand Prix - Pole to Finish.

Captain America and the Avengers was something i would rent often enough to finish. It is not a port of the arcade like the SNES, but its own game.

 

[Graves Ruinwalker]

Metal max was successful enough to make it all the way to the ps2 and then the 3ds; I think htey had a hercules game on famicom? It was also on gameboy and later ds

I alsop remember the port of joe and mac being quite good, it even had parallax scrolling

Even to the Vita/ps4 .

But it was still japan exclusive until years later some mad men translated that gem and returns . Even the second Snes game is still not translated while the remake on the DS already was . For me it was unknown until i played and beat Metal Max returns this year .

 

[Scotty]

I mean, there's "Burgertime" and "Bad Dudes"

 

[bjork]

Side Pocket isn't horrible, and I have a soft spot for Rampage even if it doesn't have Ralph.

 

[Crashbandi]

I can name a few but this one is my favourite NES game no doubt *he didn't blink while writing this*:

Metal Max (English Patched) NES ROM – RGT Repository

Metal Max (English Patched) NES ROM Languages: English Patched, Japanese. For the NES.

retrogametalk.com

And this one is my favourite SNES game:

Metal Max 2 (Japan) SNES ROM – RGT Repository

Metal Max 2 (Japan) SNES ROM Languages: Japanese. For the Super NES.

retrogametalk.com

I'll bother people in their home with my huge AF tank if they fuck with DATA EAST!!! lolol

ᏟDᏒ introduced me to all kinds of games I never would have found otherwise. I LOVE Metal Max, Lagrange Point was my favorite NES game until I found it.

It's crazy Metal Max was never officially released in the US I think it would've done great. Even Metal Max Returns in THE SNES

 

[TinRattler]

Karnov

 

[UnDubious]

I know that LJN gets the lion's share of the flak when it comes to releasing crap on the NES, but several people have made the compelling argument that the folk at DE didn't know how to program for that console until the very end of its life span, at which point games couldn't really make that much of an impression.

Aside from the fact that Data East made several good games outside the NES, they often outsourced programming for their games on that console, notably to a company called Sakata SAS. There's a list here.

Another good NES RPG (one of the few good NES RPGs) I forgot was by Data East is Dark Lord. It's separated into distinct scenarios, has more pen-n-paper RPG inspired mechanics, a smaller scale SRPG-style battle system, adventure elements, and somewhat darker stories than usual. It's quite different from the rest of the genre on the console. Dark Law on the SNES is a spiritual sequel.

 

[Lee__Kanker]

Aside from the fact that Data East made several good games outside the NES, they often outsourced programming for their games on that console, notably to a company called Sakata SAS. There's a list here.

Another good NES RPG (one of the few good NES RPGs) I forgot was by Data East is Dark Lord. It's separated into distinct scenarios, has more pen-n-paper RPG inspired mechanics, a smaller scale SRPG-style battle system, adventure elements, and somewhat darker stories than usual. It's quite different from the rest of the genre on the console. Dark Law on the SNES is a spiritual sequel.

Look at that, they worked on parasol henebee; I remember it being decent while I was digging through random english patched roms

Boulder dash fc is also a good version

Even to the Vita/ps4 .

But it was still japan exclusive until years later some mad men translated that gem and returns . Even the second Snes game is still not translated while the remake on the DS already was . For me it was unknown until i played and beat Metal Max returns this year .

Oh yeah it Was on the vita..
I tried the first game forba couple minutes and it looked very well put together

I was always curious about the ps2 version, it looked like tsthe kind pf rpg Id like, it had a noce cover art and this screenshot in particular caught my eye

But now these Other screenshots got my attention

 

[qw90700]

I was always curious about the ps2 version, it looked like tsthe kind pf rpg Id like, it had a noce cover art and this screenshot in particular caught my eye
View attachment 123871

Yeah, that's Metal Saga (its name is different but belongs to the same series. It's just a regional naming difference situation going on). If you had like Metal Max series it still retain the core identity, sense of humor and fun and all. If you had never care about RPGs and JRPG I would still recommend it though. If you liked Front Mission series for how addictive it is to coming up with your monster mech that is undefeatable and can defeat anything but disliked how the series is so gameplay focused and how boring and time-waster its tactical turn based combat game you would like Metal Saga for sure. Instead of mech you can build your monster tank though but you have more JRPG taste as in go explore open world, talk to people, experience funny moments, hack devices to illegally download music and games, life sim elements and such. I would still recommend Metal Saga for anyone who likes JRPGs. Dude some people should give up just playing fantastic JRPGs that has generic sword and mana shit!!! lolol

Though after playing so many Metal Max games my favourite is Metal Max 3. The game is "just perfect for me.

Unfortunately Metal Max 4 and Metal Max Xeno is "too cringy Japanese shit" targets new generation horny kiddos instead of actually cared about coming up with a Metal Max game, but at least Metal Max Xeno's PC remake gets rid of cringe shit + visual novel shit and retains "core fun" of building your monster tank alright but the world it take place is literally dead so there is no classic JRPG fun to have in the game so nowhere to explore, not many people to talk and basically nothing much to do in the game. Your whole goal is preventing human extinction by defeating evil machines. In its own context it is a fun game, yet this is not what I would want Metal Max series to be because it lacks the Metal Max style and sense of humor and many more usual features the series is known for.

 

[Badseed Badseed]

Burgertime

Karnov

Rampage

 

[Lee__Kanker]

Yeah, that's Metal Saga (its name is different but belongs to the same series. It's just a regional naming difference situation going on). If you had like Metal Max series it still retain the core identity, sense of humor and fun and all. If you had never care about RPGs and JRPG I would still recommend it though. If you liked Front Mission series for how addictive it is to coming up with your monster mech that is undefeatable and can defeat anything but disliked how the series is so gameplay focused and how boring and time-waster its tactical turn based combat game you would like Metal Saga for sure. Instead of mech you can build your monster tank though but you have more JRPG taste as in go explore open world, talk to people, experience funny moments, hack devices to illegally download music and games, life sim elements and such. I would still recommend Metal Saga for anyone who likes JRPGs. Dude some people should give up just playing fantastic JRPGs that has generic sword and mana shit!!! lolol

Though after playing so many Metal Max games my favourite is Metal Max 3. The game is "just perfect for me.

Unfortunately Metal Max 4 and Metal Max Xeno is "too cringy Japanese shit" targets new generation horny kiddos instead of actually cared about coming up with a Metal Max game, but at least Metal Max Xeno's PC remake gets rid of cringe shit + visual novel shit and retains "core fun" of building your monster tank alright but the world it take place is literally dead so there is no classic JRPG fun to have in the game so nowhere to explore, not many people to talk and basically nothing much to do in the game. Your whole goal is preventing human extinction by defeating evil machines. In its own context it is a fun game, yet this is not what I would want Metal Max series to be because it lacks the Metal Max style and sense of humor and many more usual features the series is known for.

Speaking of cringe, I blame my typos on my giant deformed thumbs and a touch screen that barely works

What a fun and passionate read; I was interested cause Koudelka and Shadow Hearts 1 gave me a big appetite for weirdo rpgs and that seemed to deliver, also it had a good magazine ad

I was gonna say the vita one looked really baren compared to the rest..

I'm definenetly trying it when I'm done wyh shin megami tensei, maybe either the first one on the famicom or saga
I was way too impatient for rpgs as a kid (plus a lot of em didnt even come out in italy, like shadow hearts) so Ive been making up for it in the iast 5ish years

Remember when every article and cynical persona youtuber used to say jrpgs are outdated and dead?

 

[Waffles's iconWaffles]

My kids LOVE Rampage.

Never knew it was from/by them... Huh! (Then again, that may be because we play the N64 version).