River City Ransom Classic Co-op
Nintendo Entertainment System · Beat 'em Up
P.O.W.: Prisoners of War
Certified classic
| System | Nintendo Entertainment System |
|---|---|
| Released | 1989 |
| Genre | Beat 'em Up |
| Developer | SNK |
| Publisher | SNK |
| Players | 1 player |
| Commitment | Quick session (Under an hour, or endless arcade fun) |
| Legacy | Certified classic · legacy score 11 |
Released for the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1989, P.O.W.: Prisoners of War is a beat 'em up developed by SNK.
It landed about 4 years into the NES's life. Other notable NES releases from 1989 include Mother, Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse and DuckTales. Among the 20 NES beat 'em ups in our database, it ranks #4 by legacy score.
SNK also made Alpha Mission, Baseball Stars and Crystalis for the NES.
This is a solo experience: one player, no waiting on anyone else.
Pick it if…
- you want to fight, blast and test your reflexes
- you have time for a quick session (under an hour, or endless arcade fun)
- you want to experience one of the NES's defining games
Maybe skip it if…
- you want depth and variety over simple, satisfying brawling
- you are looking for something to play with friends
What playing P.O.W.: Prisoners of War is like
Beat 'em ups send you down scrolling streets fighting waves of thugs with punches, kicks, throws and grabbed weapons. Most can be finished in a single sitting and shine with a second player.
Tip for newcomers: Avoid getting surrounded: keep enemies on one side of you and save your special attacks for crowds. Bring a friend if the game supports co-op.
P.O.W.: Prisoners of War cheats & codes
72 codes on file (Game Genie, Other codes). Here are a few Game Genie codes to start with:
| 1 Life | AEUEIZZA |
|---|---|
| 6 Lives | IEUEIZZA |
| 9 Lives | AEUEIZZE |
| Infinite Lives | AENSLPPA |
| Take Less Damage When Hit From Behind | STOLOUON |
| Infinite Bullets | AAVGOTPA |
P.O.W.: Prisoners of War walkthroughs & guides
Stuck, or want to go deeper? These trusted sites have full walkthroughs, completion times and more for P.O.W.: Prisoners of War.
If you like P.O.W.: Prisoners of War, the Matrix also picks…
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Classic
The Adventures of Bayou Billy Classic
Double Dragon Co-op
Bad Dudes Vs. DragonNinja Deep cut Co-op
Double Dragon II: The Revenge Deep cut
Renegade Deep cut
Playing NES games today
NES games are short on paper but often famously tough, so expect to replay levels and learn patterns. Many first-party titles are available through Nintendo Switch Online, original cartridges remain easy to find, and you can play backups of games you own in an emulator such as Rec0m88.
P.O.W.: Prisoners of War FAQ
When did P.O.W.: Prisoners of War come out on the NES?
P.O.W.: Prisoners of War was released for the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1989.
Who made P.O.W.: Prisoners of War?
It was developed by SNK.
Is P.O.W.: Prisoners of War multiplayer?
No. P.O.W.: Prisoners of War is a single-player game.
How long does P.O.W.: Prisoners of War take to play?
As a beat 'em up, P.O.W.: Prisoners of War typically falls into the "Quick session" category: under an hour, or endless arcade fun. Your time will vary with skill and how much you explore.
Read more about P.O.W.: Prisoners of War on Wikipedia. Facts on this page are compiled from the open libretro database and Wikidata; "legacy score" reflects how widely a game is documented across Wikipedia's language editions. Spotted an error? Let us know.