QCF: AVGN 8-Bit

ne might almost expect a game with the namesake of the Angry Video Game Nerd series to be horrible by design. After all, the Nerd — created and portrayed by James Rolfe — has a penchant for bringing what he calls the worst of the worst to light, sometimes sprinkling in bits of reluctant video game trivia with a sea of curse word-ridden catchphrases. In some instances, it's not entirely unwelcome to see low doses of a weird low-budget robot, cursing mutant, or some other weird shit.

An FMV intro of Rolfe as the Nerd at the beginning of Retroware's AVGN 8-bit may not inspire confidence in the ease or enjoyment of any trials ahead: "This game sucks ... just the way I like it."

Thing is, it doesn't actually suck. Dare I say it's pretty well-rounded, though not the most inventive experience in terms of level flow, gameplay mechanics, or boss battles. This game won't change your life, but you'll have some fun along the way.

In the Nerd's latest romp, AVGN 8-bit pits players against the now compromised Super Mecha Death Christ (yes, you read that right). The cyborg nightmare has possessed one of the Nerd's NES consoles and stolen what was supposed to be a respite from the horrible games that often imprison him. What follows is a menu selection a la Megaman, with some not-so-subtle homages to retro gaming's worst bad boys: Uncle Fester of Fester's Quest fame, E.T. from his own objectively unpopular game, the jet that's impossible to land from Top Gun, and so on.

For further context, a "shitty" game to Nerd standards isn't necessarily a bad video game by definition. After all, the inaugural AVGN episode was a slam against Castlevania II: Simon's Quest, an arguably well-loved classic, albeit nearly impossible without hints or walkthroughs. The rest, as they say, is history: what started as a one-off parody of an angry internet video game guy ranting about his disdain for a questionable presentation evolved into an early 2000s internet staple. Rolfe's Nerd character was how many of us early YouTube surfers discovered the sins of Bible Adventures, the absurdity of movie games like Back to the Future having almost literally nothing to do with the movies, and the myriad of unplayable garbage heaps such as Cheetahmen. If we missed it, the Nerd played it, so we didn't have to.

Flash forward to 2025: AVGN 8-bit works—and it works well, save for a few minor snags. Keyboard controls can be completely customized on the PC version, but controller use easily reigns supreme — especially with the D-pad. Though fluid enough, using the analog stick while side-scrolling may lead to a few accidental leaps off cliffs, as jumping while holding down causes the Nerd to slide.

Each enemy poses a unique challenge or fighting style not unlike most classic 8-bit platformers, and there's nothing that's overtly game-breaking, making it a pretty polished play overall. Upgrades range from weapon boosts to a series of other items, like a hefty middle finger of invincibility (because why not). The big gripe: getting hit takes a toll on your firepower, so it can be difficult to rack up more than a couple of levels on your power meter on the first run. It's easy to understand what they wanted to do here, but it's still somewhat irritating to get your gun downgraded via any simple slip-up. Also, use your power-ups wisely — the second you pick up another one, it immediately replaces whatever you had before.

AVGN 8-Bit is the latest NES production from the folks at LRG!The most enjoyable aspect of AVGN 8-bit has to be how well it encapsulates the feel of a true '80s era classic, in addition to tributes toward some of Rolfe's more appreciated tropes. However, the FMV cutscenes between every few levels might feel like a bit much to Nerd newcomers, but thankfully these scenes will not make it to the upcoming NES port where the game will be more at home with cartridge cuddlers and flashcart fiddlers.

Overall, AVGN 8-bit offers players a relatively brief pixelated platformer that serves as a decent love letter to a good portion of the classic AVGN canon. There's nothing highly innovative here, but that's likely why it works. The core AVGN experience embodies familiarity, which is why any inflated theatrics or bits from the later years (i.e., The AVGN Movie and onward) might not hit quite right with some audiences. The bit works best when it's just the seemingly regular, yet neurotic Nerd playing, cursing, or criticizing the older games some folks might have (thankfully) missed out on.

If you're a fan of classic 2D side-scrolling nostalgia and enjoy what many might consider Rolfe's greatest hits, AVGN 8-bit offers a solid experience for roughly $20. Newcomers and longtime fans alike will each find something to take away here, though anyone seeking a more robust challenge or groundbreaking innovation should probably look elsewhere.