Karnov (NES) Playthrough - NintendoComplete

[@CellarDoorx06]

DUUUUUDE!! I've literally been trying to recall the name of this game FOR AAAAAGES! You don't know how much nostalgia this brings back to me! 🤩

[@SpiritMatthias]

It was a really bizarre game wasn't it lol

[@mikegeary7319]

ME TOO MAN! Noe I wanna play it 😭😭😭

[@kevinbland4436]

Me too

[@jayblack7495]

Can't explain why I loved this game so much. In fact, I still do. Great session for an equally underrated game . . .

[@tomypower4898]

Jay Black Yes, he's a genie

[@erwintan266]

The game its not underrated, gameplay wise karnov have a pretty solid pace. Character wise? Its not that attractive at that time.

[@richardrobinson4159]

Yeah, I'm with you. Always loved this game.

[@jimneegs3887]

One of my favorites as a kid, love the variety of enemies, and the sort of crummy music!

[@85geoffm]

Bro, don't you EVER call this music crummy. This shit was Mozart to me back in the day lmao.

[@83KJack]

in soviet Russia, ze game beat you!

[@palehorse864]

@@85geoffm It sounds more like Maurice Ravel. :)

[@jaycomplexkidrandle1889]

​@@85geoffm imagine it being revised in SSB.

[@Bloodreign1]

Reason for no ending in the US version is a good one, the Japanese version had religious overtones, with Karnov working for God to atone for his sins in life. So Nintendo of America wasn't going to allow for that, so Data East pretty much gutted the game, removing all cutscenes, since each one had Karnov reporting directly to God.

[@videogameman7617]

Here's a tip for anyone who's wanting/looking to beat this game: you can pause the game and THEN select the item you want to use in your inventory (yes, you can control the inventory while PAUSED in the game by pressing left or right to select the item in the inventory). Because of the fact that you control BOTH Karnov and the inventory at the same time, the pause-then-select-your-inventory trick is an alternate (and very helpful) way to prevent death from occurring, especially on Stage 8, where you have to use your wings to fly throughout Stage 8.

[@mathewhorodner2000]

I learned that when I played that as a kid :- )

[@prestoncram7507]

I clearly remember renting this as a kid and riding my bike home excited to play it. Good memories of this one

[@757-David]

Walked next store to the Meijer's store in Michigan as a kid and played this arcade game almost daily.

[@leebrandon3842]

playing this game as a kid was some fond memories. sneaking up all night with my cousins trying to beat it. so good. top 5 game for me. i just beat the arcade version recently and that is a challenge.

[@NintendoComplete]

Alright, so he might not be quite the ideal hero or company mascot, but there's no denying how awesome it is to play Karnov, an overweight, bald-headed Russian guy wearing fire-engine red sweatpants. And somehow, that's not meant to be sarcasm.

[@abcmaya]

Rastan might be cooler looking. but Karnov is a much better game.

[@johngavalas712]

Ain't karnov the first boss of bad dudes?

[@NintendoComplete]

@@johngavalas712 Yup!

[@shoebkhan5992]

I never finished the game, back then it makes me giggle.

[@2ingrams]

It took me a very very long time

[@ikehoward4835]

Yep, me too. I was in awe that he was an overweight guy, I thought that was pretty cool.

[@Nihilatl]

I wish developers were not afraid to make weird games like this again

[@coolbluelights]

one of the weirdest games on the NES. I think that's why I loved it so much lol

[@cj694x2]

I feel silly. I never knew you could reuse the ladder. I would always save it until I saw a really good powerup or if I knew there was another ladder on the level.

[@ceeceevee]

always thought this game was so weird but i had fun playing it when i was a wee little one lol

[@chriscustodio7186]

So many childhood memories

[@ikehoward4835]

Yep.

[@Menacing_Mike]

Same.

[@bigduke5902]

This game is absolutely hilarious, completely insane, and helped to inspire the kind of surreal nonsense I used to force my GI Joes and Masters of the UNiverse figures to go through. I rented this because it was one of the small collection of titles available at my local rental store had at the time and the box art made me laugh. Then we put it in, I'm a fat guy shooting fireballs from his mouth who turns blue when he gets hit, complete with his own circus clown theme music, who builds ladders to nowhere then jumps off them like an angel descending from Heaven, the enemies pop up out of nowhere and are defeated almost instantly before you can even get a grasp on what they're supposed to look like, then, just when you think it can't get any weirder than that bizarre first boss, the level ends with your character getting struck by lightning into nothing. I remember really laughing at that. What an overwhelming first impression!

[@rcblazer]

I remember Data East made another game called Trio the Punch, where Karnov was most of the standard enemies throughout the game.

[@NintendoComplete]

That sounds awesome!

[@chriscoleman5238]

Data East made Bad Dudes. Karnov was the first boss.

[@liamfunnyman6965]

Ah, yes, Trio the Punch. AKA, the weirdest game you'll ever play.

[@leebrandon3842]

just finishing the arcade original i see how much easier the nes version is. way easier. two hit deaths/less enemies/and being able to stock pile items is huge for nes. still a classic.

[@bryanm7953]

I 100% completely forgot about this game. I used to love this. I would rent it.

[@ronaldandrews283]

A FORGOTTEN CLASSIC!You never see anyone play this game.I did just a minute ago.

[@robintst]

Can't say it doesn't have it's charms, my brother used to love this game back then. I wouldn't say it's aged poorly, more that it's aged weirdly because it was weird to begin with.

[@haroldglodove307]

I always remember this game when i was in elementary

[@chriscoleman5238]

Wow this brings me back. I didn't know Karnov was the first boss in a game called Bad Dudes. Check it out.

[@arriuscalpurniuspiso]

I beat this game in 2 days and returned it to the store

[@solidsnakeonaplane5925]

I got this game today, I think it's pretty good but a bit difficult.

[@flythugga81]

Brings back so many memories

[@Retrobensan]

Great Playthrough man.

[@kramalerav]

I had a Master System as a kid, and was so jealous that y'all NES kids got so many games like this.

[@timm_3r]

I was that kid on my street paying Gulvellius and Zillion. :)

[@johndean2110]

He reminds me of the iron sheik.

[@Menacing_Mike]

Ahhh, nostalgia from my childhood in the 80s. This game is more challenging than any platformer post 2000. Kids nowadays think Xbox/PS games are hard👌🏼😅😂

[@extremekurt]

Love this game...Karnov rules

[@ikehoward4835]

I don't know why I thought he used to spit fire out if his mouth, man the last time I played or seem this game was in 88. I was six.

[@willycheez7218]

Best end screen ever

[@DocteurInfierno]

C'est parce que la fin a été coupée. Dans la version japonaise, il est ensuite face à un genre de Dieu qui lui dit qu'il le libère maintenant de sa servitude. Et, dans la version arcade, c'est plutôt un trésor qu'il collecte à la fin

[@PS5gamingNasir]

I love it ....saw it after 15 years

[@aa0517748]

I couldn’t pass the third level back in my teens.

[@navy4181]

To sum up the ending: Sometimes, patience is the key to victory. Sometimes, it leads to very little, and it seems like it's not worth it, and you wonder why you waited so long for something so disappointing... - Captain America

[@indraregar4979]

even the sound..make me going flashback

[@teddykgb2450]

One of the best games ever.

[@CloneExtreme]

Just bought this game. wow it's so close to the arcade version.

[@secretmulletman7984]

3:04 C-3P0

[@flaskwater44]

C3PO, Fighter Hayabusa, and Groot cameos WTF!

[@neurochannels]

Wow nostalgia boost 3x

[@mr.joedirt8583]

To those of that have never played that game I promise that what he did might have looked easy, but trust me it wasn't. It took me weeks as a 12 year old to beat those 9 levels.

[@-_-JimmyKay-_-]

When i was a kid, I thought this guy shooting with his armpits 💥

[@85geoffm]

Same!

[@CellarDoorx06]

HOLY SHIT, SAME!

[@kevinbland4436]

I love this games

[@bravelilspidey]

He's fat bald Russian? I always thought he was a genie, so I thought this was an amazing game as a kid. Nah, he's a genie :O

[@marcellofunhouse1234]

fat and bald? so heavy weapons guy?

[@SpiritMatthias]

Fun fact: the first boss in the Arcade Game "Bad Dudes" is a more hi-def fatter version of Karnov.

[@NintendoComplete]

So is the boss in Fighter's History.

[@2ingrams]

Um yeah that pause crap on the wings would have been great to know back in the day it took forever to figure that out smh

[@kramalerav]

That's why they included instruction manuals in the box.

[@Coookydoe]

u make this look so easy...could never beat this game

[@JM19649]

Wired the level 4 and 8 are completely different to the arcade/other computer version s

[@miketalife]

22:22 that moment that you were like WTF!! THAT'S THE BIG ENDING!!!!? 🤯😭

[@hulkrogan8045]

Great memories

[@sleepytimeshecomes]

no princess, no treasure, nothing, just the end sad

[@JesuszillaCorp]

This and Contra were dominated by me amazed this game doesnt get any mentions

[@liamfunnyman6965]

If only this version had the arcade game's skeletons riding ostriches...

[@Robert-dx4wv]

He is like holding up his pants the whole time lol.

[@markwmbrown]

K for karnov. K for karnov. K for karnov.

[@august2771]

The game where you play as Shantae's father.

[@sujonmanandhar9654]

difficult for me

[@paulsmith9192]

How he became bad guy in bad dudes?

[@coreynevermore5076]

This game was so hard for me, I was 9 at the time, I figured it would take hours to be beaten, not 20 minutes. 😆

[@marvelbliss]

In a battle of big, bald NES strongmen, who would win between Karnov, Abobo, and Bald Bull? 😮

[@CellarDoorx06]

Wow, someone else was watching Karnov today too! As far as your question goes, I'm sticking with my man K!

[@nunyanunya4147]

man this is no where near as cool as i remember :(

[@ikehoward4835]

For real.

[@Menacing_Mike]

For sure, it's wayyy cooler now, 30+ years later.

[@MrBossyful]

Japanese version is much better owing to the cutscenes, I believe it was also fantranslated. :) A very enjoyable game, it's just bizarre that they cut out so much content for the western release... well, to be fair, there are some religious symbols and God himself is giving you a pep talk, so it must've been against Nintendo's policy at the time.

[@markbautista910]

BALOOOOOOOOON - Karnov

[@legamerb.m.m.9871]

Mizoguchi should be the final boss. (jk)

[@804186443]

Isn't there a rock song that sounds like the beginning of the game

[@kefkarothsephka7708]

even better on famicom

[@Infiniti6112]

Dude you missed so much stuff

[@timm_3r]

So this game is completable? Who woulda knew? lol

[@RICHGTV305]

Aladdin and Contra in one lol

[@noahstewart5054]

I promise I'll never do that again. I also sorry that I disturbed your videos.

[@NintendoComplete]

+Noah Stewart Don't worry about it. Like I said, I wasnt trying to harsh you :)

[@herbertdonnellgrayiii4305]

Never beat this one either! Or 3-D Worldrunner. Or Mega Man X. No Mega Man games, period, they were TOO HARD TO CONQUER, IT WAY TOO EASY FOR THE MAIN CHARACTER TO PERISH, AND WHEN YOU DO DIE THEY RESPAWN YOU ALL THE WAY BACK TO WHERE YOU STARTED FROM... IN THE BEGINNING WHERE YOU FIRST BEGAN IS WHAT SOME GAME DEVELOPERS BELIEVED WOULD BE BENEFICIAL TO SALES, BUT IT TORTURED THE HELL OUT OF NERDS LIKE ME EVERYWHERE. THATS AS BAD WAY TO MAKE AN EXPERIENCE BEATING THE GAME BE MORE FUN, NOT FOR ALL AGES rating stickers posted on a cartridge, then it means some serious business is inside that NES cassette case. Rare if a game geared to adults or young adults would ever suck, but a few did, the G rated kiddie games NES started making after Super Mario Bros home game system w/ power pad and Duck Hunt f. pixelated laser gun blew our minds, then came shitty ones like Kid Icaurus, Popeye, and Suoer Bomber Jack - geared to the preschool aged kids who dont know which button is which on a remote. That they didnt make a better more interesting side scrolling game template to rival Super Mario Bros is giant missed step. Speaking of PowerPad, did any of you ever conquer anything else using just Powerpad. Did anybody beat the game 3-D World Runner? I was too tired and got down in the floor beating the power tabs with my fists as fast as i can, racing games using powerpad never ever made me loose not one calorie from tricking us to do stand and exersize our sedentary asses gettin fat from nonstop gaming. Kids steadily on the couch, once thin kids, were all developing couch potato bodies fattened up due to the immobilarity required to play a video game lasting hours and hours until getting past a certain stage. NES required flawless completion of stages of harder games before some games that seemed unbeatable were released. The top all time 8 bit games all came during the final line promo tour of SNES premier games, right before the new SNES 16 bit home entertainment system was in stores they put out the coolest stuff like R.C. PRO AM, KINGS OF THE BEACH, BIONIC COMMANDO, NINJA GAIDEN, WRATH OF THE BLACK MANTA, HOOPS, AND MY PERSONAL FAVE CAPTAIN SKYHAWK ❤ CHECK THOSE OUT FOR A PLAYTHROUGH IDEA

[@tomypower4898]

Yes way man

[@Watcher3223]

0:09 Karnov speaks while he shoots. He says "OUCH, ASS, ASS, ASS ASSSS!"

[@tabbycatgames31]

:D nice gameplay

[@NintendoComplete]

Thanks:)

[@915fubar]

are we not gonna talk about the amount of sequential K's there are in this game?? lol

[@kramalerav]

So many, it'd make Max Scherzer envious.

[@EuSouRCS]

💎 AF

[@volt8ge]

This ending is awful considering how much work you have to do to get to the end 😂 if this had a story line like Ninja Gaiden it would have been just as popular, the gameplay is weirdly addicting! Edit: Ooooh, I just read a comment that said it did have cut scenes but they were deleted. Too bad they couldn’t think of a new story line to replace it

[@BLAZENYCBLACKOPS]

Wow what an unrewarding ending, lol.

[@autobotstarscream765]

Apparently the ending was lost during the translation from the Famicom to the NES. 😅

[@Bloodreign1]

@@autobotstarscream765 The ending, and entire game had religious overtones in the cutscenes and ending, so those all got gutted out in the US release.

[@j.as.r9645]

Las aventuras de MULK 😂😂😂 JAJAJA

[@paulsmith9192]

I hate endings like that.

[@JosueOrNoSway]

Awesome game, worst ending ever

[@TheDemoniusX]

I need to point out that this is basically a bastardized port of the famicom version. Due to the famicom game having a heavy emphasis on religion and we all now how censor loving Nintendo of America feels about religion. Any way in the famicom version you are given cut scenes in which Karnov is a servant of god and basically is his bitch through out the game. I suggest any fan of Karnov (like myself) to get the Japanese translated version of it, as it gives off a better ending than...CONGRATULATIONS!! The End..WORST.ENDING.EVER.

[@MrBossyful]

Yeah, it's awful they cut out so much stuff for the western release... there's a cutscene after every level and a proper ending there. They could've just changed God to some spirit of vengeance or whatever, but keep the goddamn story intact. It would've made more sense at least. :P

[@TheDemoniusX]

agree there!

[@DBoy2029]

I sure hope sometime in the future NintedoComplete does a English subbed version of the Japanese version. That'd be epic.

[@MrBossyful]

Technically he doesn't have to sub it, as there is a pretty good translation patch for that version floating on the internet. :)

[@TheDemoniusX]

romhacking (dot) net has the patch or emuparadise (dot) me has the rom already patched (I think).

[@mirraclescartoons]

Lousy ending

[@robbyjasper771]

This game has good game play but a boring ending.

[@kramalerav]

It's just as well, since it serves as a teaching tool for the kids since they'll find out much later on that life is the same way.

[@ricardohernandez6843]

Wow , looking back now .., this game is a huge pile of shit !

[@kramalerav]

That might be the most Bill Murray comment ever LMAO

[@edr777]

I forgot what a boring and repetitive game this is. I finished it as a kid only once and never played in again. Wish it had a few more stage songs, lol.

[@smoothness69]

Well that has to be one of the shittiest endings ever.

[@kramalerav]

Good. It'll teach the kids early on that real life is the same way.