@vegantruth: Just a couple of guesses; forgive me if I'm (probably) way off.

The first one sounds like Castlevania.

The second sounds like Rescue on Fractalus. I'm betting this is wrong, because you don't visit different planets, you fly around one planet trying to rescue miners (I think) that sometimes turned out to be aliens.

Hi all, looking for a REALLY old one here.

I owned an Atari 800XL back in the 80s and, near the end of my time with my Atari, I had come across a 2D adventure game. I remember the graphic schemes more than the game itself: the user plays and Indiana-Jones style character (all white, in Graphics 8 mode) who would traverse 3-platform screens via pits, ladders (?), and of course left-and-right transitions. You could find a machete, a pistol, and in true Raiders fashion, a bullwhip. One of the most vivid memories was a giant red octopus you had to approach from behind to kill (unless you took the time to beat its tentacles from the front).

Anyone remember that one? I'm very interested in seeing it again, if only for the nostalgia. Thanks!