Random Game O' the Day: Spy vs. Spy

[digitalpress]

Day 17.

Although it was chosen by the random game generator on the NES platform, practically anyone who's been playing this game for awhile has played it on some system (it has also appeared on Sega Master System, Commodore 64, Atari 8-bit, Game Boy, etc)!

So what do you think of this game? With its two player split-screen action and booby-trap setting concepts, many of its concepts were carried on in future games like Tecmo's Deception or Trap Gunner to name a few. Which system did you enjoy it on the most? Are you usually black spy or white spy? Write your mini-review here!

DP Guide sez:

Spy vs. Spy (Nintendo NES, by Seika) $5/R3
Released 10/88. SANTULLI SLANT: The two super-cool agents from Mad Magazine go at it in a head-to-head game that's really MUCH better with two players. Setting up all those booby traps in this game has given me some interesting ideas for around-the-house gags! I don't think my wife
would just "come back to life" after being electrocuted into a pile of ash, though. Better find out. Good enough graphics, too bad the sequel (Island Caper) never made it to the NES. [Gr: 6, So: 5, Ga: 7, Ov: 7] c1986 Kemco. #NES-SP-USA.

[Ascending Wordsmith]

I favor the magazine version of Spy vs. Spy, but the Commodore version gave me so much amusement as a fifth grader. I loved outwitting my friends and setting them up to walk into traps. I never understood on the NES version why the white spy wore a black hat. :hmm:

As for the sequel, I'm sure there are other people out there that had a sense of accomplishment when they gathered all the missile parts and escaped from the island in a submarine as their opponent was left in the jungle to deal with an exploding volcano!

[stargate]

I used to LOVE that game on the C-64. Great 2 player game. My friend and I used to play against each other for hours.

I haven't played it in about 15 years. What other systems is it on since I don't own a C-64 anymore?

[Raedon]

The only friend I had with an SMS had Spy-vs-Spy and Shinobi. We played a lot of spy-vs-spy.. I had it on the C64 but it just wasn't as fun to us..

[Daniel Thomas]

Spy vs Spy was a super-cool game on the Atari 800. I remember the crazy traps, the irreverant humor, the way the planes would fly off the playscreen. I didn't think the two sequels were all that good, but the original was loads of fun. And you're right -- it's far better with friends. But aren't most games?

Too bad about the NES version. That console just couldn't handle computer games (except for maybe Silent Service).

[GrandAmChandler]

I love this game on NES, it was one of the first games I played on the system. I also like it for master system as well. I remember seeing screenshots for Spy vs Spy 2 in Nintendo power, they were on an Island or something. too bad it never saw the light of day, or I would have preordered that bad boy! Sigh. Oh well

[GENESISNES]

i got this game when it came out on GBC. I remember the day i got it, some stupid kid trying to sell educational books and stuff came to our door, slowly making his way inside of our house. I was playing my newly bought spy vs spy for about 2 hours. And joe is right. the game is so much more fun on 2p.