Abobo was the large bald man in Double Dragon, the perpetually angry and brutal swine whose car-sized fists were the doom of many an intrepid sprite-puncher. Browser-based mini-epic Abobo’s Big Adventure isn’t a Double Dragon rehash though – it starts that way but it soon becomes apparent that it’s actually a homage to the NES itself, with a variety of easily recognisable worlds, enemies and play styles. It’s a joy to play, although nearly as tough as an actual NES game at times. Because a lot of the fun lies in discovering the sheer amount and variety of stuff that’s packed in there I’m tempted to recommend playing it immediately rather than watching the trailer below. There are more surprises that way.

Throwing a bunch of old sprites together and having them interact reminds me of terrible webcomics of old, some of which are probably still trundling along, but Abobo has been created with the games in mind, not just the characters. It’s not just a nostalgia trip with a sense of humour, it’s also a well designed series of tiny games that more often than not succeed in capturing the pleasures of the originals.

It’s a commendable achievement and entirely free, although donations are accepted and those generous souls who give some of their hard-earned will receive a small gift-game in exchange.