KnockBack, Episode 289 | The Wizard (1989 Film) (Patreon)

There was something truly mystical about the NES era. Video games were resurgent, rapidly increasing their mindshare with the assistance of an excited public. In short, people were so eager to play along (pardon the pun), that when The Wizard came along -- a film ostensibly designed to help sell Super Mario Bros. 3 in western markets -- no one really cared that it was a glorified advertisement. Chock-full of endless nostalgia and a barrage of late '80s staples like Double Dragon, Zelda 2, Ninja Gaiden, Mega Man 2, and Mario 2, The Wizard is frankly a must-watch. And we're very pleased to cover it here on KnockBack, as we reflect on the life and times of Fred Savage, the epic nothingness of the Power Glove, Real Life's seminal new wave classic Send Me An Angel, and absentee parenting so staggering that "it's 10 O'Clock, do you know where your children are?" seems quaint by comparison. Without further delay, let's head back to the Nintendo glory years, shall we?