Not so Family-Friendly NES Games
Nintendo has always been about fun for the whole family, but every now and then, the NES library dipped its toes into the darker side of pop culture. R-rated movies like Friday the 13th and RoboCop got transformed into pixelated adventures that landed in North American living rooms. Sure, machete-wielding maniacs and dystopian cyborgs might not scream 'kid-friendly' but hey, who could resist turning slasher flicks into side-scrolling challenges that are fun for the whole family?!
This checklist rounds up those unexpected NES oddities that brought Hollywood grit to Nintendo's 8-bit world.
Games
Nintendo NES
A Nightmare on Elm StreetFreddy Krueger in the 1980s film was a nightmare come to life, slicing and dicing in his dreamworld. In the NES version, Freddy still haunts the counselors, but instead of blood, it’s more about avoiding bad dreams and collecting bones in a way that’s far more "family friendly."
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Nintendo NES
Alien 3The 1992 movie had enough chest-bursting action and terror to send shivers down your spine. In the NES game, you control Ellen Ripley as she battles the aliens, but it’s more about the jumps and scares without all the blood—just a little alien hunting fun in a pixelated space.
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Nintendo NES
Die HardThe 1988 film had plenty of explosions, swearing, and bad guys being shot. The NES version? You still play as John McClane fighting terrorists, but all the explosions are impressively colorful and devoid of any real violence—just pixelated “bad guys” falling over without a scratch.
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Nintendo NES
Dirty HarryThe 1971 film had Clint Eastwood’s tough, swearing cop hunting down bad guys. In the NES game, you get to take on criminals as Harry Callahan, but without any of the mature language or blood—just some top-down action and shootouts, made appropriate for all ages.
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Nintendo NES
Friday the 13thBased on the slasher franchise featuring Jason Voorhees, where bloody mayhem is the name of the game. In this NES version, you can fight Jason and protect camp counselors, but don’t worry—no one’s getting slashed, just “game over’d” in a friendly, pixelated way.
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Nintendo NES
Mad MaxThe 1979 post-apocalyptic flick unleashed brutal bikers and fiery chaos, but this NES take trades gory mayhem for pixelated car chases. Expect plenty of desert dust-ups and explosions—just with fewer limbs flying and more kid-friendly, 8-bit fun.
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Nintendo NES
PlatoonBased on the gritty 1986 Vietnam War drama. The NES game still puts you in the middle of a war zone, but with far less blood and trauma. You’re fighting the Viet Cong, but don’t worry—the grenades are about as dangerous as a water balloon fight.
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Nintendo NES
PredatorThe 1987 movie featured a deadly alien and intense jungle warfare, with some very serious violence. In the NES version, you still get to fight the alien Predator, but it’s all pixelated explosions and action sequences, no blood or gore here—just classic action with a friendly 8-bit twist.
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Nintendo NES
RamboThe 1982 film was all about heavy military combat and violent confrontations, with a side of PTSD. The NES game shifts the tone, offering a less intense take where you can battle your way through the game with Rambo, but you won’t be blowing up anything too gnarly!
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Nintendo NES
RoboCopBased on the 1987 film, which was full of violence, profanity, and a cyborg cop wreaking havoc. The NES game cleans up the mess, replacing the R-rated bloodbaths with much safer, robot-smashing action, but still gives you the chance to fight crime in Detroit, minus the gore.
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Nintendo NES
RoboCop 2The 1990 movie’s R-rated grit gives way to kid-friendly action here, as you battle drug dealers and cyborgs. Sure, the movie had enough profanity and violent moments to make a grown adult wince, but the NES game turns it into good old robot-on-robot action with just a few pixelated explosions.
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Nintendo NES
Terminator 2: Judgment DayThis sequal to the 1984 film was a massive hit, and the game was no different. The NES version? You still play as John but all the explosions are impressively colorful and devoid of any real violence—just pixelated “bad guys” falling over without a scratch.
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Nintendo NES
The TerminatorIn the 1984 film, Arnold Schwarzenegger is a one-man killing machine on a deadly mission. In the NES version, you still fight the Terminator, but the R-rated carnage gets toned down for younger players—no dismemberment here, just a few “friendly” alien robot battles.
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Nintendo NES
The UntouchablesThe 1987 crime drama about Eliot Ness and his battle against Al Capone is full of mobster violence and mature themes. But the NES game gives you a much tamer experience—no blood, no intense shootings, just a side-scrolling romp where you face off against criminals in good ol’ 8-bit style.
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Nintendo NES
Total RecallThe 1990 movie had sci-fi violence and some very strange adult situations. The NES game is a much safer version of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s adventure, where you battle on Mars and through a dystopian future, but there’s no three-breasted woman or over-the-top violence, just a classic action platformer.
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Combat
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Space Invaders
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Outlaw
2600 / VCS 2