A humorous NES strategy game on the American Civil War. Strategy maps and interspersed action phases. Sharp humor, explosive two-player. An unjustly forgotten classic.
Your verdict
Category
Strategy4 players7+
Description
Strategy and action game featuring North and South armies battling in the American Civil War. Published by Kemco, released in the USA in 1990. Tactical battles on a map with troops and real-time gun combat phases. American version of Kemco's North & South on NES.
The US NES version of the Infogrames adaptation, written without an ampersand for the US market. The loose grey US NES cart is more accessible than the PAL or Famicom versions, but CIB in an intact box with manual is valued for the coherence of an Infogrames NES collection, a relatively narrow segment. The cote climbs moderately, sustained by archival status as a European licence on US NES.
Better with friends
A blend of strategy and action set against the Civil War, where two sides grab territory before settling it in chaotic assaults. The competition swings between planning on the map and hands-on skill during the pitched battles. Madcap and full of humor, it flips the game on a stroke of luck or a heroic charge, sparking shouts and laughter at every clash.
Is North and South still worth playing in 2026?
North & South is a humorous strategy game about the American Civil War on NES. Strategic maps with regiment movements and side-scrolling action phases alternate for short, surprisingly deep matches. Infogrames's sharp humour translates surprisingly well to pixels, and the two-player mode is explosive. An unjustly forgotten console classic, especially satisfying for those who enjoy mixing reflection and arcade. Still a genuinely excellent detour today.
