Paperboy

Paperboy is a deceptively challenging arcade action game set on the streets of an ordinary suburban neighborhood. On the NES, you take control of a bicycle-riding newspaper carrier and work your way along a scrolling route, delivering papers to customers while trying not to cause too much trouble along the way.

The basic job sounds simple: steer down the street, aim your throws, and make sure newspapers reach the homes that subscribe. In practice, traffic, pedestrians, animals, obstacles, and unpredictable hazards make every delivery a small test of timing. You need to stay on course, avoid crashes, and use your limited supply of papers carefully. Missing a customer can cost you a subscription, while hitting the wrong house or damaging property may hurt your score.

Each run ends with a dedicated obstacle course where you can practice riding, jumping, and tossing newspapers at targets. It is a useful change of pace from the main route, and skilled players can turn it into a valuable source of extra points. The game’s colorful presentation and exaggerated suburban chaos give it a playful personality, while the straightforward controls make it easy to understand and surprisingly difficult to master.

Released for the NES in 1988, Paperboy was developed by Tengen and published by Mindscape. Its two-player option lets players take turns competing for the better delivery run, making it a good fit for short sessions with a friend. Whether you remember it from the arcade or are discovering it for the first time, Paperboy remains an entertaining blend of route planning, reflexes, and comic mishaps. It is also a natural choice for anyone looking to play online on your browser through RetroCloud.