American Gladiators

American Gladiators brings the larger-than-life competition of the popular television show to the NES, turning its physical challenges into a collection of fast and unusual events. Released by GameTek in 1991 and developed for the NES by Incredible Technologies, the game gives you the chance to face the show's famous Gladiators while working your way toward the ultimate challenge, The Eliminator.

Instead of playing like a traditional sports game, American Gladiators is built around several very different events. Joust has you fighting an opposing Gladiator from raised platforms, where timing your attacks and blocks is the key to staying on top. Human Cannonball is all about launching yourself from a swinging rope at the right moment, while Powerball challenges you to score before the Gladiators can stop you. The Wall changes the pace completely, requiring careful movement across handholds while avoiding opponents. Assault adds a little shooting action as you make your way through the course.

The NES version has a surprisingly distinctive presentation. The events are viewed from side-scrolling or overhead perspectives rather than trying to reproduce the television show exactly, and the different challenges each have their own controls and rhythm. The game also features familiar Gladiators such as Nitro, Ice, Laser, Thunder, Gold, Turbo, Zap, Lace, Blaze, and Gemini.

You must survive four increasingly difficult rounds before getting your shot at The Eliminator. That structure gives the game a simple but satisfying goal: learn each event, improve your timing, and keep going until you can finally finish the course. American Gladiators is definitely an unusual NES sports title, but its variety and TV-show atmosphere make it an interesting game for fans of retro licensed games.