Castlevania II
Castlevania II: Simon's Quest took the cover with a fold-out map of Transylvania to match, and the Bionic Commando poster art came from Kaz Aizawa. The issue also ran a Renegade feature and kept the Howard & Nester strip going with Nester's first solo billing as the Amazing Nester. The Player's Poll card graded the reviews themselves, asking which two you enjoyed most and whether the play instructions were too complicated.
Hi Nester! Sounds like you got your new issue. Isn't that trick from page 48?
Howard Phillips, page 63
Power Profile
Celebrity profile · Volume 2
This issue featured interviews with Eric Dickerson — American football player (born 1960), Ron Morris — American football player (born 1964), Sean Jones — Jamaican gridiron football player (born 1962).
Three NFL starters heading into the 1988 season, each of them planning to pack an NES for training camp. Eric Dickerson was the Colts running back whose 1984 single-season rushing record still stands; Ron Morris caught passes for the Bears; Sean Jones rushed the passer for the Oilers. All three were stuck on the same man, and he wasn't a linebacker: Mike Tyson, and Morris had made the mistake of lending his cartridge to Walter Payton. Dickerson went into the Hall of Fame in 1999 and now works as a broadcaster and an ambassador for the Rams. Jones played fourteen seasons and won a Super Bowl with the 1996 Packers before retiring.
It took me two days to get to Tyson in Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!! I felt pretty good that I was about to beat Tyson and then I lent the game to Walter Payton. I think he is still trying to get to Tyson.
Ron Morris, Nintendo Power #2
Sweepstakes
Ten games of the winner's choice topped the ladder again, with a remote-controlled car in second and a copy of R.C. Pro-Am in third to keep the theme rolling. The card that entered you also graded the issue's reviews, from Bionic Commando to Blaster Master, and asked whether the play instructions were too complicated.
Comics
Howard & Nester · Volume 2Howard & Nester
One-page strip
Howard Phillips, Nintendo of America's bow-tied Game Master, and Nester, the know-it-all kid who never took his advice. Two pages an issue from the first volume on, with a different game's world to get lost in each month.
Nester has set himself up as The Amazing Nester, Video Wizard, charging the neighbourhood kids to watch him play — until Howard turns up with the new issue and points out the trick is straight from page 48. Howard's bonus tip is for Super Mario Bros. 2: carry the magic potion to the spot with the most grass before using it. The crowd leaves with Howard; Nester mutters that nobody needs Mr. Bowtie anyway.
Classified Information
The codes and secrets this issue gave away.
- Kid Niki: Radical Ninja
- Defeat the Stone Buddha, Shortcut to Green Grub, Hidden stage
- Renegade
- Round select, Get a burger boost, Extra hearts, P-Marks provide power
- Kid Icarus
- Crack the code of the treasure rooms
Counselor's Corner
Game Counselors on callReaders wrote in to ask Nintendo Game Counselors questions about the following games: The Legend of Zelda, Super Mario Bros., Metroid and Kid Icarus.
Top 30
These were the top Nintendo games in Sep/Oct 1988, as voted by Nintendo Power readers. Arrows show the move since the previous issue's chart; the peak is the best position the game had reached by then.
| # | Game |
|---|---|
| 1 | |
| 2 | |
| 3 | — Metroid |
| 4 | |
| 5 | |
| 6 | NEW Double Dragon |
| 7 | |
| 8 | ▼2 R.C. Pro-Am |
| 9 | ▼1 Rad Racer |
| 10 | NEW R.B.I. Baseball |
| 11 | ▲11 Contra |
| 12 | |
| 13 | |
| 14 | ▲3 Mega Man |
| 15 | |
| 16 | |
| 17 | |
| 18 | ▼9 Top Gun |
| 19 | NEW Rambo |
| 20 | ▲6 Renegade |
| 21 | |
| 22 | |
| 23 | ▼2 Baseball |
| 24 | ▲6 Rygar |
| 25 | ▼7 Excitebike |
| 26 | ▼12 Kung Fu |
| 27 | |
| 28 | |
| 29 | NEW Zanac |
| 30 | NEW Pinball |