| In Computer Entertainer's 1988 Readers' Hall of Fame vote, which The Legend of Zelda won, California Games (Epyx, Commodore 64/128) was one of four honorable mentions, with Metroid, Space Harrier and Marble Madness. | p. 8, The Computer Entertainer Readers' Hall of Fame Awardsp. 8p. 8 | Magazine |
| An Atari 2600 version, reviewed by Computer Entertainer in July 1988, kept the "Louie, Louie" music but had four events instead of six (foot bag, half-pipe skateboarding, BMX and surfing), for one to eight players. The only weak spot it found in the graphics was the surfing wave, too big a piece of animated scenery for the machine, and it called the game a must for the 2600 library. It lists the game as also available for C64/128, IBM and Apple II. It gave three and a half of four stars for graphics and three and a half for game play. | p. 13p. 13p. 13p. 13p. 13 (image n12) | Magazine |
| In July 1988 Computer Entertainer reviewed Activision's Atari 2600 Commando, at $19.95, as recommended: graphics sparser than in any other version, but good for the system, and play that captures the essence of the coin-op. It gave three of four stars for graphics and three and a half for game play. It listed the other versions then sold in the U.S.: Capcom's for Nintendo, and Data East's for the Apple II, Commodore 64/128, and IBM. | p. 13, Commandop. 13, Commandop. 13, Commandop. 13, Commandop. 13, Commandop. 13, Commandop. 13 (image n12), Commandop. 2, rating key | Magazine |
| Computer Entertainer's July 1988 review put the NES game among the most eagerly awaited NES titles of 1988, largely because the coin-op had been so popular in the arcades. | p. 10, Nintendo Software | Magazine |
| Unlike the arcade game, Computer Entertainer wrote, the NES version doesn't let the two brothers fight side by side. Its selection screen offers one or two players in Mode A or Mode B: in the standard game two players take turns against the gang, and the head-to-head game sets one player against a computer opponent or two players against each other. Nintendo Power's guide puts the head-to-head games in Mode B, the Arena: alone the player battles the fiercest of the Black Warriors, and two players fight each other. | p. 10, Nintendo Softwarep. 10, Nintendo Softwarep. 10, Nintendo Softwarep. 10, Nintendo Softwarep. 10, Nintendo Software | Magazine |
| Computer Entertainer's reviewer complained that the NES manual never mentions the head-to-head mode or explains Mode A and Mode B; the manual's control page says Select chooses between two game modes, one-player against the computer and two-player against another player. | p. 10, Nintendo Softwarep. 10, Nintendo Software | Magazine |
| Computer Entertainer's July 1988 review gave the NES version four stars for graphics and three and a half for game play, out of four, and recommended it. | p. 10, Nintendo Softwarep. 10, Nintendo Softwarep. 2, The Rating Systemp. 2, The Rating System | Magazine |
| Computer Entertainer called the NES version a very good fighting game with enough variety to hold interest, especially alone and head to head, praised its drawing and animation, and said it outshone its fighting-game competition, Renegade in particular. Players devoted to the arcade game's cooperative mode would not be pleased, it wrote, though it thought few would miss it. | p. 10, Nintendo Softwarep. 10, Nintendo Softwarep. 10, Nintendo Softwarep. 10, Nintendo Softwarep. 10, Nintendo Software | Magazine |
| Computer Entertainer's July 1988 review said the NES game was for the Nintendo system only, and that Sega was planning a separate version for its own system. | p. 10, Nintendo Software | Magazine |
| The NES version was fourth on Computer Entertainer's chart of videogames in July 1988 and first in August 1988. In Nintendo Power's November/December 1988 issue it headed the players' picks. | p. 1, Top Fifteen Videogames | Magazine |
| Computer Entertainer's Top Fifteen Videogames for July 1988 placed the NES Karnov seventh. | p. 1, Top Fifteen Videogames | Magazine |
| Computer Entertainer reviewed a Commodore 64/128 version in Data East's packaging in July 1988, giving it three of four stars for graphics and two and a half for game play, and did not recommend it, at a suggested retail price of $29.95; an IBM version was coming. | p. 4 (image n3), Commodore 64/128 Softwarep. 4 (image n3)p. 2, The Rating Systemp. 4 (image n3), Not As Good As Nintendo Version | Magazine |
| Computer Entertainer found the Commodore version good-looking but nowhere near as lively as the NES game, sluggish and less responsive, and faulted its instructions for not saying how to use an Option, and Data East's boxes for showing arcade screens. | p. 4 (image n3), Not As Good As Nintendo Versionp. 4 (image n3), Not As Good As Nintendo Versionp. 4 (image n3), Not As Good As Nintendo Versionp. 4 (image n3), Not As Good As Nintendo Version | Magazine |
| Computer Entertainer's Top 15 Computer Games listed "Paperboy (Min/Co)" at number 2 in its June and July 1988 issues, behind Gauntlet and then The Three Stooges. | p. 1, Top Fifteen Computer Games | Magazine |
| Computer Entertainer's July 1988 Availability Update listed Platoon under a "(DE)" tag for the Atari ST in June, and for the Commodore 64/128 in June marked "x", the mark for programs shipped by press time. | p. 14 (image 14), Availability Update, Atari ST, Junep. 14 (image 14), Availability Update, Commodore 64/128, Junep. 13, beside the order form | Magazine |
| In Computer Entertainer's 1988 Readers' Hall of Fame vote, which The Legend of Zelda won, Space Harrier (Sega) was one of four honorable mentions. | p. 8 (image 8), The Computer Entertainer Readers' Hall of Fame Awardsp. 8 (image 8) | Magazine |