Levels are solidly designed, but as you play on, you'll start to feel like you're repeating the same platforming sections over and over again. Progression is further complicated by the awkward restrictions the game places on entering buildings. In the beginning, only one house is open and it's usually clearly marked with an open door. When you defeat Freddy for the first time you'll be given a key that unlocks one of the other houses, however you will not be told which house has been unlocked. This process repeats itself until Freddy is finally dead. It may not seem like such a big deal, but given the length of Elm Street and the number of monsters inhabiting it, you can be faced with a serious problem.
Boss battles are, for the most part, fairly easy, and even the final battle where you much defeat all the previous bosses and then take down Freddy himself doesn't offer much of a challenge. It's a rather serious balance issue considering how difficult the level leading up to the battle can be, but it doesn't really detract from the experience.
If I'm going to give LJN credit for doing one thing right; including support for four players via the NES Four Score or Satellite. I still have fond memories of playing A Nightmare on Elm Sttrr with three other friends, and if you can manage to round up three of your own, I'm sure you'll have a lot of fun. Just further proof that no matter how bland or unusual a game can be, it's always fun with more people.
Mediocre design, great license, great fun with friends. It's certainly not the game I would've wanted, but it's far from a bad way to kill and afternoon. Worth a quick look if nothing more.
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