The success of the Nintendo Entertainment System gave way to the rise of dozens of iconic video game franchises. Mario, Castlevania, Final Fantasy, and many more all got their start on the NES. However, not every successful 8bit series survived to see the next console generation. And among these unsung games is the Adventures of Lolo.

AN UNSUNG NES ICON!

Adventures of Lolo is a classic action-puzzle game for the NES. It combined brain-bending logic puzzles with the need for quick reflexes, to create a memorable mashup of genres. In the game, you control a blue spherical creature who must collect heart icons placed within a series of grid-based rooms. Gathering these hearts will allow you to progress to the next room, where new, more difficult obstacles keep you from your objective. Sometimes these obstructions came in the form of mazes of movable blocks, and at others it was an army of aggressive enemies. Either way, careful planning and quick thumbs would be necessary to fight for victory.

HAL LABORATORY'S ORIGINAL MASCOT!

Lolo was a critical and financial success that spawned a trilogy of Nintendo games, as well as a Game Boy title. So, what became of the series? Well, Lolo was the creation of HAL Laboratory Inc. That's the same game company that went on to make Kirby's Adventure, which pretty much stole Lolo's thunder. Kirby went on to be HAL's mascot, and saw a plethora of spinoff games which are still being made to this day. In fact, if you look carefully, you can even spot Lolo making cameos in some of the Kirby games.

A GAMING TREND-SETTER!

Today, there aren't any plans to create a next-gen 3D Lolo remake. However, its legacy lives on through the series' groundbreaking game design. Lolo was the first game to masterfully blend puzzle-solving mechanics with more action-oriented gameplay. And, anyone who's picked up a controller since 1989 can tell you that's a staple of gaming that's still alive and well.

Buy Adventures of Lolo - For the NES

How many of you played through Lolo's many adventures? Were you able to beat its most challenging puzzles? As always, let me know in the comments.