Ice Climber (1985)

by Nish
7 minutes read

Summary

Ice Climber: A Classic NES Game That’s Still Fun Today

Ice Climber is a side-scrolling platformer game developed and published by Nintendo for the NES. It was released in Japan in 1985 and in North America and Europe in 1986. The game stars two Inuit climbers, Popo and Nana, who must scale 32 mountains to rescue their pet seal, Puck, from the clutches of a giant condor.

Ice Climber is a simple but addictive game that’s easy to pick up and play, but difficult to master. The controls are simple: you can move left or right, jump, and attack with your hammer. You can also pick up and throw objects, such as snowballs and rocks.

The game’s levels are varied and challenging, and they feature a variety of enemies, such as polar bears, seals, and condors. Each level also has a boss that you must defeat in order to progress.

One of the things that makes Ice Climber so fun is the co-op mode. Two players can team up to climb the mountains together, and they can help each other out by sharing items and attacking enemies.

Ice Climber was a critical and commercial success, and it has been ported to a number of different platforms over the years. It is still considered to be one of the best NES games ever made.

Gameplay

The goal of Ice Climber is to climb 32 mountains to rescue Puck. Each mountain is divided into several stages, and each stage is filled with enemies and obstacles. You must use your hammer to defeat enemies and clear a path to the top of the mountain.

You can also pick up and throw objects, such as snowballs and rocks. These objects can be used to defeat enemies, destroy obstacles, or activate switches.

At the end of each stage, you must defeat a boss in order to progress. The bosses are large and powerful, and they require a different strategy to defeat.

Co-op Mode

One of the things that makes Ice Climber so fun is the co-op mode. Two players can team up to climb the mountains together, and they can help each other out by sharing items and attacking enemies.

In co-op mode, each player controls one of the climbers. The players can share items by throwing them to each other, and they can attack enemies together by hitting them with their hammers at the same time.

Co-op mode is a great way to experience Ice Climber, and it can be even more challenging than playing the game solo.

Enemies

Ice Climber features a variety of enemies, each with their own unique abilities. Some of the most common enemies include:

  • Polar bears: Polar bears are slow-moving but powerful enemies. They can attack you with their claws or by charging at you.
  • Seals: Seals are fast-moving enemies that can jump and slide around. They can attack you with their flippers or by throwing snowballs.
  • Condors: Condors are large, flying enemies that can swoop down and attack you. They can also drop bombs on you.
  • Nitpickers: Nitpickers are small, bird-like enemies that can fly around and attack you with their beaks.

Bosses

Each mountain in Ice Climber has a boss that you must defeat in order to progress. The bosses are large and powerful, and they require a different strategy to defeat.

Some of the most common bosses include:

  • Walrus: The walrus is the boss of the first mountain. He is a large, slow-moving enemy that can attack you with his tusks or by charging at you.
  • Polar bear: The polar bear is the boss of the second mountain. He is a large, powerful enemy that can attack you with his claws or by charging at you.
  • Condor: The condor is the boss of the third mountain. He is a large, flying enemy that can swoop down and attack you. He can also drop bombs on you.

Legacy

Ice Climber was a critical and commercial success, and it has been ported to a number of different platforms over the years. It is still considered to be one of the best NES games ever made.

The game’s legacy is due in part to its simple but addictive gameplay. The game is easy to pick up and play, but it is difficult to master. This makes it a great game for both casual and hardcore gamers.

The game’s co-op mode is also a major factor in its success. Co-op mode is a great way to experience Ice Climber, and it can be even more challenging than playing the game solo.

Ice Climber is a classic NES game that is still fun to play today. It is a great game for both casual and hardcore gamers, and it is a must-play for any fan of platformer games.

Review Score

8/10

Art

Cover Art

Screenshots

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