Play Menace Beach Online

Menace Beach came out in 1990 for the Nintendo Entertainment System, published by Color Dreams. It was part of that wave of unlicensed games that felt a little off, like they were from a parallel universe of 8-bit development where the normal rules didn't apply. You knew just by looking at the box that you were in for something strange.

You control a skateboarder trying to save his girlfriend from a villain named Demon Dan. The game plays out across single-screen areas; you move from one to the next, punching out enemies like clowns and guys throwing wrenches. There's a slight exploration element as you figure out which paths to take, but mostly it's straightforward combat. The difficulty is pretty unforgiving, with enemies swarming and your attacks feeling imprecise. It feels janky and rushed, like skating on gravel.