Paperboy

Paperboy

Overview & History

Originally developed by Atari Games as a coin-op arcade sensation in 1984, Paperboy was successfully ported to the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) by Tengen and published by Mindscape in 1988. The game's premise drops you into the isometric saddle of an unnamed suburban newspaper delivery boy. Operating on a strict, seven-day subscription cycle from Monday to Sunday, your ultimate objective is to maintain and grow your subscriber base by flawlessly tossing daily editions onto subscribers' doorsteps while systematically vandalizing non-subscribers' property. Failing too many customers results in cancellation, and running out of lives ends your route prematurely.

Gameplay Features & Mechanics

The NES iteration captures the frantic, scrolling obstacle-course pacing of the arcade original across three difficulty settings: Easy Street, Middle Road, and Suburban Hard. Navigating the neighborhood requires dodging a bizarre array of hazards, including runaway skateboards, breakdancing teenagers, aggressive dogs, errant construction workers, and even rampaging Grim Reapers. Your character wields two primary moves: steering the bicycle laterally across the inclined street and hurling rolled-up newspapers. You must time your throws to the left or right to hit specific drop-zones—porches, mailboxes, or doormats—while shattering windows of non-subscribers earns bonus points. The action culminates at the end of each day in the Training Course, a treacherous stunt track packed with jumps and obstacles that awards extra lives and maximum points upon completion.

Keyboard Controls

• Arrow Keys / D-Pad: Move bicycle left, right, accelerate, or brake
• Action Keys: Throw newspaper (A button throws left, B button throws right)
• Enter: Start / Pause