Friday the 13th for the NES was one of my favourite games back when I was a kid. I used to play this game a lot in the early 90s and was both obsessed and frustrated with it at the same time. First off, I'll admit it, without a Game Genie, I can't get anywhere in this game. Jason is just WAY too hard in this game, and you have to beat him three times. Even with cheats, it still takes a long time to beat him (unless you have a pitchfork). I don't see how people could handle encounters with Jason with only stones or daggers. Still, when loaded up with cheats, this is one of those games that I find to be a lot better than without them. Friday the 13th might be one of the best and most accurate movie games ever created.
One thing I found that was pretty neat is that there are six different characters to play with in this game, the camp counselors. Each time a counselor is killed during the game, whether it be by zombies, wolves, or Jason himself, you have to pick the next counselor to play with, kind of like how the movies show each victim get killed one by one. You can also swap to play as any other counselor during the game, whenever you enter a cabin with another counselor already there. You can also swap weapons and items this way. Each counselor (three male and three female) plays differently, as some are faster than others, or can jump higher.
I was always impressed with the presentation of Friday the 13th. From the opening title screen with the dagger stabbing through Jason's mask, to the colourful visuals the game displays, everything looks great. I especially like the graphical work done in the caves and the forest, and to me that's where the graphics shine. Sometimes it may be difficult to traverse the caves and woods, but if you follow the maze by looking for hints in the environment, you're all set. The only graphical downside is how the main characters look, as the heroes have no facial features whatsoever. It's a tad odd when the zombies and birds look better than the main characters do. Not a big deal, though. Jason, however, looks awesome! He's accurately protrayed as much larger than everyone else, and his mask just rocks.
Friday the 13th sounds great, too. The music is uplifting, and has that tempo that reminds you that you gotta kill Jason before he kills you or all the children. The sound effects are done well, like when you hit an enemy, and the "slash" sound to warn you when you turn around in a cabin and Jason is in your face can really shock the hell out of you.
The game takes place over the course of three days, and the backgrounds change from morning to noon to night when you leave buildings at certain times. A warning though, you are not given much time to explore during the daylight, and once night falls, the enemies become more prevalent and Jason becomes stronger. The insane difficulty of Friday the 13th really shows here, as if you don't kill Jason quickly enough, he will eventually kill all the children (and possibly all six camp conselors). The player has to form a strategy, and work between arming all characters with strong weapons and health while also pecking away at Jason's health during the random encounters. Since there is no way to save, the player needs to dedicate much time to this game.
Friday the 13th is a great action/adventure game that's I feel has been unfairly criticized over its lifetime. I still find it very frustrating, though, but if you're good (or are using cheats), it is a very enjoyable game to play. This game is highly recommended to players who like very difficult adventure games, fans of the Friday the 13th movie series, or anyone that is looking for a horror-themed game to play on Halloween or late at night. Turn the sound up, the lights off and grab a few friends, because you will really enjoy this game. Just be prepared to die. A lot.
