176. Super Arabian (Sunsoft, Famicom, 1985)

Like many early Famciom titles (Donkey Kong, Mario Bros., Lode Runner), Super Arabian is a pared-down port of an earlier game, in this case a 1983 arcade game. Super Arabian is mostly the same as the original Arabian, it is a basic single-screen platfomer where you have to collect 6 lettered pots to progress to the next level. To its credit, the levels are few but varied, including a boat level, a flying carpet level, and a cave level.

Controls are pretty stiff: you have a fixed height jump as well as a kick, and you can climb certain areas (vines, ship mast, etc.). If you manage to hit an enemy with your very short range kick, they go flying horizontally off the screen, taking out any enemies in their way, so there's a bit of a proto-Bubble Bobble feel to it (though much less fun). One other nice touch is that you can collect the pots in a certain order to spell a word and get bonus points.

That's about all I can say that's positive about Super Arabian. The levels are either much too easy or much too hard, with precise platforming featuring a super weak jump, and enemies that are raining down on you with no easy way to defend yourself. It kind of feels like if Ice Climber was designed around the jumping from Spelunker. I love me some Spelunker, but that game was designed around a tiny jump, while Super Arabian just feels enfeebled.

2/5, a lackluster port of a middling arcade platfomer