- "Well hello there! I'm Indiana Jones and I have a few stories to tell you!"
- ―Indiana Jones[src]
The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles was a video game released in 1992 by Jaleco for the Nintendo Entertainment System.
Presented as an anthology of stories told by an elderly Indiana Jones, the game begins with a loose adaptation of the "Mexico, March 1916" segment of Young Indiana Jones and the Curse of the Jackal from the television series of the same name before moving on to more original content, much of which is elaborated on in the game's instruction manual.
Publisher's summary[]
In this World War I-era epic adventure, you must make your way through 19 levels of intense action to disable the Kaiser's war machine. You'll travel from the remotest deserts of Mexico to the dangers of the Western front to the core of the German headquarters. You'll even get a chance to take to the air for some intense dogfighting...as you take on the worst villains Indy has ever faced. Strap on your guns and get ready to save the world in THE YOUNG INDIANA JONES CHRONICLES.
Plot summary[]
Old Indiana Jones has some stories to tell about his time in the Mexican Revolution and World War I.
Afterwards, Indy thanks his audience for being such pleasant company and indulging an old man "...with a few more stories to tell."
Appearances[]
Characters[]
- Engineer (First appearance)
- Remy Baudouin
- William Bishop (First appearance)
- Claw
- German Commander / BattleTank Commander (First appearance)
- Indiana Jones
- Manfred von Richthofen / The Red Baron (As "Baron von Richtoven") (First appearance)
- Pancho Villa
Artifacts[]
Locations[]
- Belgium
- France
- Allied Headquarters
- Bremman Ridge
- German Command Post
- Germany
- German High Command
- Mexico
Vehicles and vessels[]
- BattleTank
- Big Bertha
- MegaTank
Events[]
Behind the scenes[]
The game is split into three main levels – Mexico, France, and Germany – broken up into stages where the player must eventually confront and defeat an end of level boss to proceed. The story begins with a loose adaptation of the "Mexico, March 1916" segment of Young Indiana Jones and the Curse of the Jackal though there is no indication that Indiana Jones is ever kidnapped by, or joined, the Villistas and Remy Baudouin's presence at the end of the Mexico level goes unexplained. Jones is simply in the country on vacation, "single-handedly takes on Pancho [Villa] and his men and frees the peasants from their oppression" after which a peasant girl beseeches Jones to rescue the Jackal headpiece from Claw.
The France section of the game in which Jones is ordered to take a message to the front, volunteers for a spying mission behind enemy lines then learns that the Germans are preparing to launch a strike with Big Bertha bears similarity to the plot of "Verdun, September 1916". In the episode, Jones is working as a motorcycle courier, unwittingly agrees to a mission across no man's land and hears of the German attack plans. In the show, Jones returns back to base to report what he's found; in the more action-orientated game, however, the corporal takes it upon himself to go and destroy the howitzer, as he can't get back to back in time, which earns him a promotion to captain.
The stages set in Germany include an aerial encounter with The Red Baron, a flight with a famous historical pilot to infiltrate the country and the subsequent destruction of a German base by Jones which are all ideas that were also used later in Young Indiana Jones and the Attack of the Hawkmen.
The only time period stated for when the game takes place is the older Jones concluding his story by stating that the war would continue for another year, placing the events in Europe, at least, in 1917. Although Jones' time in Mexico may still occur in 1916 like the television series, he is sent to the front lines in France, across no man's land and into enemy territory in quick succession compared to the timeline of the show where similar events happen months apart and includes Jones fighting in Africa (which is also where he received his promotion to captain).