The List

(Please note that I have gone by the PAL release dates for these games. Where a PAL version was not available, I've simply used the US or Japanese date. There are a couple that I've had to make roundabout guesses, but it's mostly accurate)

EPISODE ONE

Preparations...    

EPISODE TWO

Balloon Fight  (NES)                                    May 1987

Dig Dug  (NES)                                           May 1987

Golf  (NES)                                                 May 1987

Ice Climber  (NES)                                      May 1987

EPISODE THREE

Kid Icarus  (NES)                                        May 1987

Pinball  (NES)                                              May 1987

Super Mario Bros.  (NES)                            May 1987

Tennis  (NES)                                               May 1987

EPISODE FOUR

The Legend of Zelda  (NES)                        November 1987

EPISODE FOUR-AND-A-HALF
Wonder Boy In Monster Land  (MSystem)  January 1988

EPISODE FIVE

Metroid  (NES)                                           January 1988

Rad Racer  (NES)                                       January 1988

Double Dragon  (NES)                                June 1988

EPISODE SIX

Zelda: Adventure of Link  (NES)                 November 1988

EPISODE SEVEN

Castlevania  (NES)                                      December 1988
Marble Madness  (NES)                             March 1989

Super Mario Bros. 2  (NES)                        May 1989

RoboWarrior  (NES)                                   September 1989

EPISODE EIGHT

A Boy And His Blob  (NES)                        December 1989

Mega Man  (NES)                                       December 1989

Alex Kidd  (MSystem(                                 January 1990
Castlevania II: Simon's Quest  (NES)           April 1990

EPISODE EIGHT-AND-A-HALF
Solar Jetman  (NES)                                    October 1990
Bionic Commando  (NES)                           October 1990

EPISODE NINE

Super Mario Land  (GB)                              September 1990
Bugs Bunny Birthday Blowout  (NES)          September 1990

Altered Beast  (MD)                                    November 1990

Golden Axe  (MD)                                       November 1990
Mickey Mouse: Castle of Illusion  (MD)       November 1990

EPISODE TEN

Duck Tales  (NES)                                       December 1990

Little Nemo  (NES)                                      December 1990

Faxanadu  (NES)                                         December 1990
Contra  (NES)                                             December 1990

EPISODE ELEVEN

Mega Man 2  (NES)                                    January 1991
Street Gangs  (NES)                                     January 1991

Adventures of Lolo  (NES)                           February 1991

Snake, Rattle & Roll  (NES)                         March 1991

EPISODE ELEVEN-AND-A-HALF
Journey To Silius  (NES)                                March 1991
Totally Rad  (NES)                                        March 1991

EPISODE TWELVE

Princess Tomato  (NES)                                March 1991
ToeJam & Earl  (MD)                                    March 1991
Blaster Master  (NES)                                   April 1991

EPISODE TWELVE-AND-A-HALF
The Little Mermaid  (NES)                            June 1991
Battle of Olympus  (NES)                              September 1991

EPISODE THIRTEEN

Battletoads  (NES)                                         June 1991
Sonic The Hedgehog  (MD)                            June 1991

Super Mario Bros. 3  (NES)                          August 1991

EPISODE FOURTEEN

Dr. Mario  (NES)                                           June 1991
Ninja Gaiden  (NES)                                      September 1991

Golden Axe II  (MD)                                      January 1992

EPISODE FOURTEEN-AND-A-HALF
Fantasia  (MD)                                               November 1991
Quack Shot  (MD)                                         December 1991
Chip & Dale  (NES)                                       December 1991
Mega Man  (GB)                                            January 1992

EPISODE FIFTEEN

Mega Man 3  (NES)                                       February 1992

Metroid II  (GB)                                             May 1992

Ecco The Dolphin  (MD)                                 July 1992

EPISODE SIXTEEN

F-Zero  (Super NES)                                      July 1992

Sim City  (Super NES)                                    July 1992

Super Mario World  (Super NES)                   July 1992

EPISODE SEVENTEEN
Final Fantasy IV  (Super NES)                        July 1992

EPISODE EIGHTEEN

Pilotwings  (Super NES)                                  July 1992
Street Fighter II  (Super NES)                         September 1992

EPISODE NINETEEN

Zelda: Link To The Past  (Super NES)            September 1992

EPISODE TWENTY

Legend of the Mystical Ninja  (Super NES)     October 1992

Felix The Cat  (NES)                                        October 1992

EPISODE TWENTY-AND-A-HALF
Kid Chameleon (MD)                                     May 1992
Mega Man II (GB)                                          September 1992
Dino City (Super NES)                                   September 1992
Pit Fighter (Super NES)                                  December 1992
Mega Man III (GB)                                         January 1993

EPISODE TWENTY-ONE

Super Smash T.V. (Super NES)                      October 1992

Joe & Mac: Caveman Ninja (Super NES)      October 1992

The Addams Family (Super NES)                  November 1992 

Prince of Persia (Super NES)                          November 1992

EPISODE TWENTY-TWO

Contra III (Super NES)                                    November 1992

Sonic The Hedgehog 2 (MD)                          November 1992

Super Adventure Island (Super NES)              November 1992

EPISODE TWENTY-THREE

Super Castlevania IV (Super NES)                    November 1992

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles IV (Super NES) November 1992

EPISODE TWENTY-FOUR

Mario Paint (Super NES)                                  December 1992

Lemmings (Super NES)                                    December 1992

Mega Man 4 (NES)                                           December 1992

EPISODE TWENTY-FIVE

Final Fight (Super NES)                                   December 1992

Super Ghouls & Ghosts (Super NES)               December 1992

Mickey Mouse: World of Illusion (MD)          December 1992

EPISODE TWENTY-SIX

Final Fantasy V (Super NES)                            December 1992

EPISODE TWENTY-SEVEN

Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse (NES)             December 1992

Home Alone 2 (Super NES)                              January 1993

Super Mario Kart (Super NES)                         January 1993

Bart's Nightmare (Super NES)                          January 1993

EPSIODE TWENTY-EIGHT

Super Mario Land 2 (GB)                                 January 1993
Pugsley's Scavenger Hunt (Super NES)           February 1993

Kirby’s Adventure (NES)                                 March 1993

ActRaiser (Super NES)                                     March 1993

EPISODE TWENTY-NINE

Push-Over (Super NES)                                    March 1993
The Magical Quest (Super NES)                      March 1993
Streets Of Rage 2 (MD)                                    March 1993
Super Star Wars (Super NES)                           April 1993

EPISODE THIRTY

Super Turrican (Super NES)                               May 1993

Another World (MD)                                          May 1993

EPISODE THIRTY-AND-A-HALF
Flashback (MD)                                                  May 1993
Lemmings 2 (Super NES)                                   June 1993
Duck Tales 2 (NES)                                            June 1993

EPISODE THIRTY-ONE

Starfox / Starwing (Super NES)                         June 1993

Tiny Toon Adventures (Super NES)                  June 1993
Battletoads in Battlemaniacs (Super NES)        July 1993

EPISODE THIRTY-TWO

Mario & Wario (Super NES)                             August 1993

Smash Tennis (Super NES)                               August 1993
Pocky & Rocky (Super NES)                            August 1993

Mortal Kombat (Super NES)                             September 1993
Axelay (Super NES)                                          September 1993

EPISODE THIRTY-THREE

Mario Is Missing! (Super NES)                        September 1993

Gunstar Heroes (MD)                                       September 1993

Aero The Acro-Bat (Super NES)                     October 1993

CastleVania: Rondo of Blood (P.C. Engine)    October 1993

EPISODE THIRTY-THREE-AND-A-HALF
E.V.O. (Super NES)                                          July 1993
Landstalker (MD)                                             October 1993
Goof Troop (Super NES)                                  November 1993

EPISODE THIRTY-FOUR

Bubsy The Bobcat (Super NES)                       October 1993
Sonic CD (MCD)                                              October 1993
The Lawnmower Man (Super NES)                 November 1993

EPIOSDE THIRTY-FIVE

Mega Man 5 (NES)                                          November 1993

Parodius (Super NES)                                      November 1993

Bomberman '94 (P.C. Engine)                          December 1993

EPISODE THIRTY-SIX

Zelda: Link’s Awakening (GB)                        December 1993
Darkwing Duck (NES)                                     December 1993

EPISODE THIRTY-SEVEN

Jurassic Park (Super NES)                                December 1993
Lunar: The Silver Star (MCD)                          December 1993

EPISODE THIRTY-SEVEN-AND-A-HALF
Claymates (Super NES)                                    November 1993
Mega Man IV (GB)                                           December 1993

EPISODE THIRTY-EIGHT

Zombies Ate My Neighbours (Super NES)      January 1994

Aladdin (Super NES)                                        January 1994

Plok (Super NES)                                              January 1994

EPISODE THIRTY-NINE

Soul Blazer (Super NES)                                  January 1994

Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine (MD)       January 1994

EPISODE FORTY

Sparkster (Super NES)                                      January 1994

Super Empire Strikes Back (Super NES)          February 1994
Sonic The Hedgehog 3 (MD)                            February 1994

EPISODE FORTY-ONE

CastleVania: Bloodlines (MD)                          March 1994

Mega Man 6 (NES)                                           March 1994

EPISODE FORTY-TWO

Young Merlin (Super NES)                               March 1994

TMNT: Tournament Fighters (Super NES)       March 1994

Boogerman (MD)                                               May 1994

EPISODE FORTY-THREE

Clay Fighter (Super NES)                                  May 1994

Super Mario Land 3: Wario Land (GB)             May 1994

Mega Man X (Super NES)                                 May 1994

EPISODE FORTY-THREE-AND-A-HALF
Spike McFang (Super NES)                              June 1994
Shining Force II (MD)                                       July 1994

EPISODE FORTY-FOUR

Super Metroid (Super NES)                              July 1994

Shadowrun (Super NES)                                   July 1994

EPISODE FORTY-FIVE

Dynamite Headdy (MD)                                   August 1994

Earthworm Jim (Super NES)                            August 1994

EPISODE FORTY-SIX

Donkey Kong '94 (GB)                                     September 1994
Mortal Kombat II (Super NES)                        October 1994

Sonic & Knuckles (MD)                                   October 1994

Stunt Race FX (Super NES)                             October 1994

EPISODE FORTY-SIX-AND-A-HALF
Mega Man V (GB)                                            September 1994
Robotrek (Super NES)                                      October 1994
Ultimate Parodius (Super NES)                        November 1994

EPISODE FORTY-SEVEN

Secret of Mana (Super NES)                            November 1994

EPISODE FORTY-EIGHT

Donkey Kong Country (Super NES)               November 1994

Demon's Crest (Super NES)                            November 1994

EPISODE FORTY-NINE

Gradius III vs. R-Type III (Super NES)           November 1994

Jurassic Park II (Super NES)                            December 1994

The Lion King (Super NES)                             December 1994

EPISODE FIFTY

Vortex (Super NES)                                          December 1994

Virtua Racing (32X)                                         December 1994

Wario's Woods (NES)                                       December 1994

EPISODE FIFTY-ONE

Final Fantasy VI (Super NES)                          December 1994

EPISODE FIFTY-TWO

Comix Zone (MD)                                            January 1995

Super Adventure Island II (Super NES)           January 1995

EPISODE FIFTY-THREE

Ristar (MD)                                                       February 1995
Magical Quest 2 (Super NES)                           February 1995

EPISODE FIFTY-FOUR

Story of Thor (MD)                                          March 1995

Unirally (Super NES)                                       April 1995

EPISODE FIFTY-FIVE

Illusion of Time (Super NES)                           April 1995

EPISODE FIFTY-FIVE-AND-A-HALF
Shinobi III (MD)                                               July 1993
Mickey Mania (MCD)                                      April 1995

EPISODE FIFTY-SIX

Earthbound (Super NES)                                  June 1995

EPISODE FIFTY-SEVEN

Mega Man X 2 (Super NES)                            July 1995
Starfox 2 (Super NES)                                      August 1995...?

Killer Instinct (Super NES)                              August 1995

EPISODE FIFTY-EIGHT

Chrono Trigger (Super NES)                            August 1995

EPISODE FIFTY-NINE

Mega Man 7 (Super NES)                                September 1995
Yoshi's Island (Super NES)                              October 1995

EPISODE SIXTY

Donkey Kong Country 2 (Super NES)             November 1995

Mortal Kombat 3 (Super NES)                         November 1995

EPISODE SIXTY-ONE

Vectorman (MD)                                               November 1995

Phantasy Star IV (MD)                                     December 1995

EPISODE SIXTY-ONE-AND-A-HALF
Magical Quest 3 (Super NES)                           December 1995
Tales of Phantasia (Super NES)                        December 1995

EPISODE SIXTY-TWO

Earthworm Jim 2 (Super NES)                         January 1996
Secret of Evermore (Super NES)                      February 1996

EPISODE SIXTY-THREE

Super Return of the Jedi (Super NES)              March 1996
Do Re Mi Fantasy (Super NES)                        March 1996

EPISODE SIXTY-FOUR
Seiken Densetsu 3 (Super NES)                        April 1996?

EPISODE SIXTY-FIVE

Super Mario R.P.G. (Super NES)                      May 1996

EPISODE SIXTY-FIVE-AND-A-HALF
Donald Duck in Maui Mallard (Super NES)      July 1996
Wild Guns (Super NES)                                     October 1996

EPISODE SIXTY-SIX

Mega Man X 3 (Super NES)                              July 1996

Donkey Kong Country 3 (Super NES)              November 1996

EPISODE SIXTY-SEVEN

Terranigma (Super NES)                                          December 1996

EPISODE SIXTY-SEVEN-AND-A-HALF
Kirby's Fun Pak (Super NES)                                   January 1997
Kirby's Dreamland 3 (Super NES)                           December 1997

EPISODE SIXTY-EIGHT

Recap & Farewell

First Post: The Year Ahead...

I own too many games. Every year I have an ever-growing list of games piling up to be played, and yet I continue to buy new ones! With that taken into consideration, I have decided that in 2011 I will focus on going back to "the wonder years" of gaming: the 8-bit and 16-bit eras that - let's be honest - was where I was more comfortable anyway. I will spend the year replaying the old classics (including some that I missed back in the day) and commenting on how well they have aged.

I have a list of games that I intend to play throughout the year, starting with the earliest N.E.S. launch titles. Here are my guidelines...

• Generally, each game (or block of games) will be played for a week before moving on to the next.
• If a game has not been completed by week's end but I wish to keep playing it, I may.
• If I am really not enjoying a game, I can skip to the next one straight away.
• There can be a number of exceptions to my retro year. (eg. I will definitely be buying "Legend of Zelda - Skyward Sword" when it is released) However, I will avoid buying any new games unless they are absolute must-haves.

I will endeavour to create short response videos to post as I go, and I encourage anyone else to come on this journey with me and share their own thoughts on these games of yesteryear.

I've still got some preparation to do - my list of games is almost complete and I'm wondering how on Earth I'm going to play that many games in a year! - but there's still a month or two left to prepare. If you can think of any games that you think must be on the list to play in 2011, leave a comment. Looking forward to it!

Irvyne