We have previously reviewed The SNES Omnibus Volume 1 and Volume 2, which covered the games of that system. Now Brett Weiss has returned to take a look at the games of the NES with volume 1 of the NES Omnibus. This volume covers the games from A to L, and covers first party, third party and even unlicensed games as well. While the SNES omnibus did mention unlicensed games, there was really only a single unlicensed game released commercially for the system. As a result, there is a lot more to mention here.
Good Insight
The NES Omnibus Vol 1 not only has excellent insight on many of the games for the 8 Bit system, the games are also described a bit differently here. The SNES Omnibus went into detail describing not only the SNES games but the differences with other versions. In the case of the NES Omnibus, the games are given details that are mostly relevant to the NES version only. This gives the book a much clearer view of the games and you can really enjoy the little details you may not have known before.
Every game gets a chance to shine, and I appreciate how Weiss points out that many of the games are rare and for what reason. These can be because the games came out at the end of the system’s lifespan, were unlicensed, or simply fell through the cracks. I love that lesser-known games like Dragon Fighter, a rare NES game, are praised for their inventiveness alongside well-known games like The Legend of Zelda as well. Dragon Fighter is a game I will be talking about in the future and is a game that is described in beautiful detail.
Good Contributors
Alongside Brett Weiss are a number of contributors as well. These insiders are those who have been in the industry, journalists and content creators with experience with the games. Often times the insiders will give great stories of their own experiences with the games in terms of playing or even designing them. Some of the stories of the latter category include one of the developers of Dick Tracy including a nice story of getting revenge on Nintendo for censorship by making the game racier.
There is some nice art placed throughout the book, and various essays on the games as well. For fans of retro gaming, this is a must-read and I enjoyed every moment of my time with this book. Weiss has a great way of making you appreciate the games more and want to check them out, and it is an infectious feeling. You will want to check out some of these titles that may have slipped you buy before, but you will need to be careful of costs and availability.
If I had any criticism, it is that the SNES Omnibus vol 2 did include official SNES games that were completed by only released later, namely Star Fox 2. I wish that Mother, aka Earthbound Beginnings would have gotten this treatment as well, in addition to some of the Tecnos and Bandai Namco games that received official translation years later as well. Still, there is a lot here for any fan and this omission can be overlooked.
A Worthwhile Experience
The NES Omnibus Vol 1 is an essential resource for game collectors or those who just wish to learn more about gaming history. I fully recommend checking this out and can assure you all that the book does not disappoint for the most part. For casual fans and hardcore fans alike, this book has something that will interest you all.
This review was based on a copy that was given in exchange for my honest review and is available from all retailers where books can be purchased.