Friday the 13th (1989). Play online

Summary

Friday the 13th for the NES thrusts you into Camp Crystal Lake as one of six counselors, each with distinct speed, jumping, rowing and weapon‑throwing stats. You start with a rock and can find flashlights, torches and stronger weapons in cabins and caves. An alarm forces a timed run to stop Jason before he kills a camper or a counselor, and entering a small cabin swaps you to another counselor. Failure ends the game.

Jason must be confronted three times; each showdown makes him faster and harder, with cabin attacks mimicking punch‑out. A hidden cave houses his mother, a floating Medusa‑like head, while zombies, crows and wolves wander the woods. Survive three days and nights to defeat him for good.

Developed by Atlus and released by LJN in early 1989 only in North America, the game earned a reputation for punishing difficulty and appears on many worst‑game lists. Despite that, retro collectors prize it as one of the most challenging NES horror experiences.

Storyline

Friday the 13th for the NES drops you into Camp Crystal Lake as one of the teenage counselors. Your objective is to survive three days and three nights while hunting down Jason Voorhees before he slaughters the kids or your fellow counselors. Periodically an alarm sounds, signaling that Jason is about to strike; you must locate and defeat him before the timer runs out or the victims are lost. The game also hides a secret battle with Jason’s mother in a locked cave room, where a floating Medusa‑like head swoops down to attack. Defeating her is the only way to end the nightmare permanently.