fun, but it was not spectacular. However, just as Regan noted, Rignall said that the game did not offer anything special like with better titles such as Mega Man 2 or Super Mario Bros. 2. However, he noted the game's good graphics and challenge, though both noted that the backgrounds "are slightly bland". Both reviewers said the game was well-presented with good introductions and a password mode, easy controls, fair challenge, and "fairly good tunes and effects which fit the action well". Overall, they said that Ironsword was "a fun but ultimately limited game that will appeal to platform fans". Ironsword: Wizards & Warriors II was listed at #64 in IGN's list of "Top 100 NES Games". Reviewer Sam Claiborn said that the game was more expansive than its predecessor and that it featured many of the good graphics, gameplay, and usage of Middle English. He also noted that "Fabio's bare-breasted likeness smoldering on IronSword's cover art that made this game a smash hit with kids and moms alike". Website GamesRadar praised the game's music, especially the title theme; Brett Elston said it set a serious tone for the game, saying "its heavy, droning beats mix with a fantasy-minded melody that make it sound like a funeral dirge in the Shire". The game's cover, which features Fabio, has received significant coverage from many gaming websites. IGN listed Ironsword as having one of the most notable covers in video game history, listing its cover as the 2nd best of all time behind Ninja Golf. Conversely, 1UP.com listed Ironsword as having one of the worst covers of all time, comparing it to the cover for Mega Man. GameSpy listed it as the 4th worst video game cover in history, saying that "thanks to the presence of Fabio on the cover, gamers got confused and thought they had accidentally picked up one of their mom's romance novels". In a retrospective of the NES for the console's 25th anniversary, Nintendo Power wrote that "the game's quality will be forever overshadowed by Acclaim's choice of Fabio as the cover model". References External links The Official Pickford Bros. Website listing 1989 video games Acclaim Entertainment games Fantasy video games Nintendo Entertainment System games Nintendo Entertainment System-only games Platform games Adventure games Rare (company) games Side-scrolling video games Video game sequels Wizards & Warriors Video games scored by David Wise Video games developed in the United Kingdom