Ah the 80s. When too much was never enough. Let’s explore this claim with the sequel to HOW TO WIN AT NINTENDO (1988). Presenting the one…the only…HOW TO WIN AT NINTENDO GAMES II (1989). What we have in this aptly named endeavour is an additional 210 pages covering 31 new games across 31 chapters. Not to mention an Appendix of updates. Also returning is original author Jeff Rovin. Can’t get too much of a good thing. Or can you?

Rovin (credited in the preface as the editor and publisher of Videogaming Illustrated) has kept his general review structure intact while also trimming some fat. There are fewer games than the original revision, but more pages. Gone is the NES Advantage promo, along with the characters and layout sections. Trading the superfluous for strategy. A welcome compromise and a good start for Rovin (1989).

The games themselves are still rated on an A-F scale for challenge/graphics/sound, while being divvied up into familiar beginner and advanced strategies. The Introduction lays it all out with a primer on what to expect and not expect. One thing we can expect according to the Intro, is that reader feedback has been taken into account. Which titles and what kind of feedback remains unclear. The question is, does it hamper or does it help? Granted hindsight is 20/20 and it’s easier to judge from a thirty year window, but even back in ’89 I distinctly remember being somewhat underwhelmed by Tengen, for example. An unlicensed new addition to the Rovin library. Not all games are created equal, as a quick skim through the Table of Contents reveals. Shovelware knows no bounds.

When talking about the 8-bit era, one can say that difficulty knows no bounds. Be forewarned that this compilation is full of genuinely difficult games. Adventure Island (p.01), yes page one. Bionic Commando (p.17), Blaster Master (p.27), Legendary Wings (p.93), Paperboy (p.139), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (p.185) to name a few. Yes difficulty can be subjective, but these are games that have now stood the test of time. If thirty years on we’re still saying Paperboy was frustrating, safe to say it was objectively frustrating. HOW TO WIN AT NINTENDO GAMES II appears to feature more of these types of games than its predecessor, which should in theory lead to more detailed tips and better strategies. But that isn’t always the case.

While the beginner’s strategy for Paperboy is nigh on two pages (140-142), the advanced strategy is nary half a page. “Simply keep your hand off the controller (p.142)” is advice that’s as much of a gamble today as it was back then. According to Rovin (1989) “The tabloid is certain to go in (p.142).” A bold claim given the sometimes random nature of the game and the inherent risk/reward. Did throwing the newspaper as described work for me? In a word, no. Rovin grades the challenge B+ while Rampage (a game with infinite respawns and co-op) is given a B- one chapter later. Not even taking into account that Rampage has a cheat for keeping your points when you respawn (p.146). I do not see the two games as being anywhere near equal in challenge. I’ve finished Rampage, never got anywhere of note with Paperboy. Strike one?

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (p.185) is notorious for its difficulty. Specifically chapter two, the damn dam. With the release of Konami’s Cowabunga Collection (2022), a new generation stands ready to grind their teeth to a pulp. As Twitter lights up with anxiety-laden anecdotes from dam level divers, I’m even more interested to see how Rovin handled it. In a nice surprise, Rovin essentially maps out the location of all 8 bombs with a mini-walkthrough. Given the underwater maze-like structure, this can prove to be as useful today as it was back in ’89. At least as far as print goes. Once again there are no pictures in this compendium, but Rovin’s penchant for detail bridges the gap. For three levels at least. Problem is, the game continues on for many more levels with increasing challenges that Rovin simply omits from his guide by ending it early. Three levels, the par or average amount of levels he expects a “good player” to beat (p.190). No Technodrome, no Shredder, nothing to really help advanced players. I used to speed-run the game start to finish after school and while I can assure you it is possible to beat, the difficulty spikes are not to be trifled with. Still, Rovin grades the challenge as a B+. After quitting by level three? If this isn’t an A, what is?

The answer to that is Bionic Commando. Okay I can’t argue there. Briefly referenced in his last book, Rovin left readers on a bit of a cliffhanger with something to the effect of ‘the last boss can’t be beaten.’ At least not by obvious means. Unfortunately, HOW TO WIN AT NINTENDO GAMES II doesn’t tell you how to do it either (p.24). For a cover that boasts ‘more secret codes and expert tactics’, would it have been so hard to hint at getting Hal’s bazooka and shooting the cockpit? What’s that, spoiler you say? Well so is p.53 for Double Dragon, so it’s clear Rovin isn’t opposed to them. Fortunately there is one trick Rovin lets loose. A quick input that’s a transport to safety (p.25) if you’re stuck. Hudson’s Adventure Island, another A-graded challenge also features a very handy input care of Rovin. One that I did not know, even after a few rentals. If you lose all your lives, there is an input (p.09) that lets you continue the level on which you perished. This is a game I never did finish until the advent of the Game Genie. The aforementioned Double Dragon (another A-challenge) features no such tips. Blaster Master, the final A-game I’ll mention, only offers up the one grenade/pause trick for one boss. Level four’s Fred if I recall correctly. It should be noted that it also works on the bosses for areas six and seven.

So the difficulty on the most notable games has ramped up while the tips and cheats have diminished. What games make up the difference? Bomberman offers up some passwords on p.37-38, Gauntlet on pages 59-60, Iron Tank on p.91 and Superman on p.183. Beyond that, there’s a lot of shovelware. Games that exist just to exist. In some cases like Ice Hockey, vastly outclassed by Blades of Steel. What saves it though is a look back at the first book. A ‘Nintendo Games Updates‘ section on p.207 with great tips for Zelda II, Super Mario Bros II, the Justin Bailey code for Metroid that I namedropped in my review for the first book. Quality cheats, including a fully equipped car for Spy Hunter and a Castlevania II code that nets Rovin some extra credit. What becomes more apparent to me however is just how much this repeat of HOW TO WIN AT NINTENDO saves HOW TO WIN AT NINTENDO GAMES II as a whole. Bit of a slippery slope, but you can’t make every book about up up down down either.

So how does this story end? Well, much like gaming mags succumbed to online, gaming books succumbed to mags. The proliferation of video game magazines (Game Players, Game Pro etc.) offering monthly updates as opposed to yearly, makes this a tougher sell than the first book. Ultimately your enjoyment of the material will come down to your enjoyment of the games. Namely how far you were able to get in them before hitting a rage wall. If you’re looking to break down the walls, you may come away disappointed. However as a nostalgia trip, HOW TO WIN AT NINTENDO GAMES II retains the charm of the first book along with Rovin’s trademark witticisms and candor. Not essential for your library, but worth a peek for collectors and casuals alike. Final score: