Play Conflict Online

Conflict on the NES is one of those deep-cut wargames that feels like someone took a board game and crammed it into a cartridge. You're not reenacting historical battles here—instead, it's Blue vs. Red in 16 made-up scenarios that vaguely mirror Cold War-era NATO vs. Warsaw Pact matchups. The first time I played, I spent way too long just staring at the hex grid, trying to figure out where to move my tanks.

What's cool is how it switches between big-picture strategy (moving units across the map) and close-up tactical fights. At first I let the AI handle combat because it seemed easier, but after watching my troops make some questionable choices, I started micromanaging every battle. The little explosion animations when units clash are surprisingly satisfying for an NES game.

You earn 'fame' by capturing towns and winning fights, which lets you buy better gear—though I learned the hard way that stacking all your points into fancy artillery leaves you vulnerable up close. Every scenario boils down to one objective: take out the enemy's main battle tank. Simple, but man does it get tense when you're down to your last armored unit.

Here's the sneaky part: beating the first 15 scenarios gives you letters that form a password for the final battle. Took me forever to realize I needed to write them all down—my childhood self definitely had to start over after mixing up a few letters.