We publish episodes every Friday. Please click on the episode number to be taken to the show, the game to be taken to its blog post, and the verdict (if possible) to see where it landed on our Essential Games list.

STATS: Essential Games: 25/225 11% | Games worth playing: 45/225 20% | Games you should skip: 155/225 69%

Episode # Episode Release Date Verdict
1 10-Yard Fight 18-Oct-85 Skip   it
2 Baseball 18-Oct-85 Skip   it
3 Clu Clu Land 18-Oct-85 Skip   it
4 Duck Hunt 18-Oct-85 Essential
5 Excitebike 18-Oct-85 Play   it
6 Golf 18-Oct-85 Skip   it
7 Gyromite 18-Oct-85 Skip   it
8 Hogan's   Alley 18-Oct-85 Skip   it
9 Ice   Climber 18-Oct-85 Skip   it
10 Kung-Fu 18-Oct-85 Play   it
11 Pinball 18-Oct-85 Skip   it
12 Soccer 18-Oct-85 Skip   it
13 Stack-Up 18-Oct-85 Skip   it
14 Super Mario Bros. 18-Oct-85 Essential
15 Tennis 18-Oct-85 Skip   it
16 Wild   Gunman 18-Oct-85 Skip   it
17 Wrecking   Crew 18-Oct-85 Play   it
18 Donkey   Kong Jun-86 Play   it
19 Donkey   Kong Jr. Jun-86 Play   it
20 Donkey   Kong 3 Jun-86 Skip   it
21 Donkey   Kong Jr. Math Jun-86 Skip   it
22 Mario   Bros. Jun-86 Play   it
23 Popeye Jun-86 Skip   it
24 Balloon   Fight Aug-86 Essential
25 Gumshoe Aug-86 Skip   it
26 Mach   Rider Aug-86 Play   it
27 Urban   Champion Aug-86 Skip   it
28 Tag   Team Wrestling Oct-86 Skip   it
29 Chubby   Cherub 29-Oct-86 Skip   it
30 M.U.S.C.L.E. 29-Oct-86 Skip   it
31 Ninja   Kid 29-Oct-86 Skip   it
32 1942 Nov-86 Skip   it
33 Commando Nov-86 Skip   it
34 Ghosts   'n Goblins Nov-86 Play   it
35 Gradius Dec-86 Essential
36 Karate   Champ Dec-86 Skip   it
37 Trojan Feb-87 Play   it
38 Pro   Wrestling Mar-87 Skip   it
39 Slalom Mar-87 Play   it
40 Volleyball Mar-87 Skip   it
41 Rush'n   Attack Apr-87 Skip   it
42 Track   & Field Apr-87 Skip   it
43 BurgerTime May-87 Skip   it
44 Castlevania May-87 Essential
45 Ikari   Warriors May-87 Skip   it
46 Athletic   World Jul-87 Skip   it
47 BreakThru Jul-87 Skip   it
48 Kid   Icarus Jul-87 Essential
49 Mighty   Bomb Jack Jul-87 Skip   it
50 Rygar Jul-87 Play   it
51 Section   Z Jul-87 Skip   it
52 Solomon's   Key Jul-87 Play   it
53 Arkanoid Aug-87 Skip   it
54 Athena Aug-87 Skip   it
55 Elevator   Action Aug-87 Skip   it
56 The Legend of Kage Aug-87 Skip   it
57 Metroid Aug-87 Essential
58 The Legend of Zelda 22-Aug-87 Essential
59 The   3-D Battles of WorldRunner Sep-87 Skip   it
60 Deadly   Towers Sep-87 Skip   it
61 Double   Dribble Sep-87 Play   it
62 Lode   Runner Sep-87 Skip   it
63 Raid   on Bungling Bay Sep-87 Play   it
64 Ring   King Sep-87 Skip   it
65 Sky   Kid Sep-87 Skip   it
66 Spelunker Sep-87 Skip   it
67 Spy   Hunter Sep-87 Skip   it
68 Sqoon Sep-87 Skip   it
69 Stadium   Events Sep-87 Skip   it
70 Star   Voyager Sep-87 Skip   it
71 Stinger Sep-87 Play   it
72 Tiger   Heli Sep-87 Skip   it
73 Winter   Games Sep-87 Skip   it
74 Alpha   Mission Oct-87 Skip   it
75 Lunar   Pool Oct-87 Skip   it
76 Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!! Oct-87 Essential
77 Rad   Racer 1-Oct-87 Play   it
78 Zanac Oct-87 Skip   it
79 The   Goonies II Nov-87 Skip   it
80 Gotcha!   The Sport! Nov-87 Skip   it
81 Jaws Nov-87 Skip   it
82 The   Karate Kid Nov-87 Skip   it
83 Kid   Niki: Radical Ninja Nov-87 Skip   it
84 Star   Force Nov-87 Skip   it
85 Super   Pitfall Nov-87 Skip   it
86 Top   Gun Nov-87 Play   it
87 Side   Pocket 30-Nov-87 Skip   it
88 Mega   Man Dec-87 Essential
89 Wizards   & Warriors Dec-87 Skip   it
90 Karnov Jan-88 Skip   it
91 Renegade Jan-88 Skip   it
92 Contra Feb-88 Essential
93 Gun.Smoke Feb-88 Play   it
94 Town   & Country Surf Designs: Wood & Water Rage Feb-88 Skip   it
95 Dragon   Power Mar-88 Skip   it
96 Ice   Hockey Mar-88 Skip   it
97 R.C.   Pro-Am Mar-88 Play   it
98 Freedom   Force Apr-88 Play   it
99 Ikari   Warriors II: Victory Road Apr-88 Skip   it
100 Major   League Baseball Apr-88 Skip   it
101 City   Connection May-88 Skip   it
102 Rambo May-88 Skip   it
103 Double   Dragon Jun-88 Essential
104 Metal   Gear Jun-88 Play   it
105 R.B.I.   Baseball Jun-88 Skip   it
106 Bases   Loaded Jul-88 Skip   it
107 Defender   II Jul-88 Skip   it
108 Gauntlet Jul-88 Skip   it
109 Iron   Tank: The Invasion of Normandy Jul-88 Skip   it
110 Legendary   Wings Jul-88 Skip   it
111 Life   Force Aug-88 Essential
112 World   Class Track Meet Aug-88 Skip   it
113 Adventure   Island Sep-88 Skip   it
114 Galaga:   Demons of Death Sep-88 Skip   it
115 Golgo   13: Top Secret Episode Sep-88 Play   it
116 Jackal Sep-88 Play   it
117 Jeopardy! Sep-88 Skip   it
118 Lee   Trevino's Fighting Golf Sep-88 Skip   it
119 Milon's   Secret Castle Sep-88 Skip   it
120 Wheel   of Fortune Sep-88 Skip   it
121 Xevious 1-Sep-88 Skip   it
122 1943:   The Battle of Midway Oct-88 Play   it
123 Donkey   Kong Classics 1-Oct-88 Skip   it
124 Ghostbusters 1-Oct-88 Skip   it
125 Joust 1-Oct-88 Skip   it
126 MagMax 1-Oct-88 Skip   it
127 Mickey   Mousecapade 1-Oct-88 Skip   it
128 Millipede Oct-88 Play   it
129 Pac-Man Oct-88 Play   it
130 Racket   Attack Oct-88 Skip   it
131 Seicross Oct-88 Skip   it
132 Spy   vs. Spy 1-Oct-88 Essential
133 Super   Mario Bros. 2 Oct-88 Essential
134 Anticipation Nov-88 Skip   it
135 Blaster   Master 1-Nov-88 Essential
136 Bubble   Bobble 1-Nov-88 Play   it
137 Cobra   Command Nov-88 Skip   it
138 Dr.   Chaos 1-Nov-88 Skip   it
139 Super   Mario Bros./Duck Hunt 1-Nov-88 Skip   it
140 Super   Team Games 1-Nov-88 Skip   it
141 Bionic   Commando 1-Dec-88 Essential
142 Bump   'n' Jump Dec-88 Skip   it
143 Castlevania   II: Simon's Quest Dec-88 Skip   it
144 Blades   of Steel 1-Dec-88 Play   it
145 Indiana   Jones and the Temple of Doom Dec-88 Skip   it
146 Othello 1-Dec-88 Skip   it
147 Paperboy 1-Dec-88 Play   it
148 Platoon 1-Dec-88 Skip   it
149 Rampage 1-Dec-88 Skip   it
150 Robowarrior Dec-88 Skip   it
151 Skate   or Die! 1-Dec-88 Skip   it
152 Superman 1-Dec-88 Skip   it
153 Xenophobe 1-Dec-88 Skip   it
154 Zelda   II: The Adventure of Link 1-Dec-88 Play   it
155 Bomberman Jan-89 Skip   it
156 Sesame   Street: 1-2-3 Jan-89 Skip   it
157 Star   Soldier Jan-89 Skip   it
158 Tecmo   Baseball 1-Jan-89 Skip   it
159 WWF   WrestleMania Jan-89 Skip   it
160 Bandai   Golf: Challenge Pebble Beach Feb-89 Skip   it
161 Friday   the 13th Feb-89 Play   it
162 Gyruss Feb-89 Play   it
163 Q*bert Feb-89 Skip   it
164 Tecmo   Bowl Feb-89 Essential
165 Ultima   III: Exodus Feb-89 Skip   it
166 Dance   Aerobics Mar-89 Skip   it
167 John   Elway's Quarterback Mar-89 Skip   it
168 Kung-Fu   Heroes Mar-89 Skip   it
169 Marble   Madness Mar-89 Play   it
170 Ninja   Gaiden Mar-89 Essential
171 World   Games Mar-89 Skip   it
172 Adventures   of Lolo Apr-89 Essential
173 Amagon Apr-89 Skip   it
174 Dr.   Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Apr-89 Skip   it
175 Fist   of the North Star Apr-89 Skip   it
176 The   Guardian Legend Apr-89 Essential
177 Legacy   of the Wizard 1-Apr-89 Skip   it
178 Mappy-Land Apr-89 Play   it
179 Mystery   Quest Apr-89 Skip   it
180 Predator Apr-89 Skip   it
181 Taboo:   The Sixth Sense Apr-89 Skip   it
182 Operation   Wolf May-89 Essential
183 The   Adventures of Bayou Billy Jun-89 Skip   it
184 Airwolf Jun-89 Skip   it
185 California   Games Jun-89 Skip   it
186 Desert   Commander Jun-89 Play   it
187 Guerrilla   War Jun-89 Play   it
188 Hoops 1-Jun-89 Skip   it
189 Hydlide Jun-89 Skip   it
190 Mega   Man 2 Jun-89 Essential
191 Monster   Party Jun-89 Play   it
192 Nobunaga's   Ambition Jun-89 Play   it
193 Shooting   Range Jun-89 Skip   it
194 Street   Cop Jun-89 Skip   it
195 Teenage   Mutant Ninja Turtles Jun-89 Skip   it
196 Track   & Field II Jun-89 Skip   it
197 Baseball   Stars Jul-89 Essential
198 Cobra   Triangle Jul-89 Play   it
199 Defender   of the Crown Jul-89 Skip   it
200 Strider Jul-89 Play   it
201 Super   Dodge Ball Jul-89 Play   it
202 Thundercade Jul-89 Skip   it
203 Adventures   of Tom Sawyer Aug-89 Skip   it
204 Bad   Dudes Aug-89 Skip   it
205 The   Bugs Bunny Crazy Castle Aug-89 Skip   it
206 Dragon   Warrior Aug-89 Play   it
207 Faxanadu Aug-89 Essential
208 Flying   Dragon: The Secret Scroll Aug-89 Skip   it
209 Jordan   vs. Bird: One on One Aug-89 Skip   it
210 Adventures   of Dino Riki Sep-89 Skip   it
211 Air   Fortress Sep-89 Play   it
212 Back   to the Future Sep-89 Skip   it
213 Bad   Street Brawler Sep-89 Skip   it
214 The   Black Bass Sep-89 Skip   it
215 Castlequest Sep-89 Skip   it
216 DuckTales Sep-89 Play   it
217 Fester's Quest Sep-89 Skip it
218 Hollywood Squares Sep-89 Skip   it
219 King's Knight Sep-89 Skip   it
220 NFL Football Sep-89 Skip   it
221 P.O.W.: Prisoners of War Sep-89 Play it
222 Sesame Street: A-B-C Sep-89 Skip   it
223 Sky Shark Sep-89 Skip   it
224 Who Framed Roger Rabbit Sep-89 Skip   it
225 Casino Kid Oct-89 Skip   it