Showcasing 10 Konami arcade games from the early to mid-1980s, this collection is a must-have for fans of the originals. Included here are arcade-perfect translations of
Pooyan,
Scramble,
Yie Ar Kung Fu,
Roc'n'Rope,
Shao Lin's Road,
Circus Charlie,
Super Cobra,
Road Fighter,
Time Pilot, and
Gyrus. While these games aren't as well known as 1980s classics by Atari and Namco (think
Asteroids and
Pac-Man), they are by no means second-rate. In fact,
Konami Arcade Classics surpasses similar collections by Atari and Namco in terms of bang for your buck, with only 2 of its 10 "hits" (
Shao Lin's Road and
Road Fighter) being duds.
While the games' graphics and sounds are obviously dated, the gameplay here is just as addictive as it was in its day. In addition to standard retro video game package features such as a short animated movie intro and brief background history,
Konami Arcade Classics is vibration function-enhanced. Even without this feature, a dual shock controller is recommended, as its analog stick is much truer to an arcade joystick than using the standard directional buttons.
--Joe Hon
Pros:
- Must-have for fans of the originals
- Vibration effects added to games (requires dual shock controller)
Cons:
- Limited appeal outside of nostalgic and veteran gamers
- Shao Lin's Road and Road Fighter should've remained retired
GameSpot Review
Konami has jumped on the classic-gaming bandwagon with a collection of its old arcade titles. The collection is a relatively low-frills compilation, but the quality of the games more than makes up for a deficiency in the history department. Most of the games in this collection are standouts. Who can forget great games like Yie Ar Kung Fu, Time Pilot, Scramble, Super Cobra, and Gyruss? The collection also includes some slightly lesser-known games, namely Pooyan, Circus Charlie, Shao-Lin's Road, Roc 'N Rope, and Road Fighter. All the games control very well, giving you the option of using the digital pad or the analog stick, though considering that all of these games used digital control in the arcade, there's no real advantage to using the analog control. The games make pretty good use of the vibration feature on the Dual Shock pad, which is a nice update that doesn't get in the way of the retro experience. The graphics are identical to those in the arcade games, though many of the scores and little things - like the fuel meter in Scramble and Super Cobra - have been moved to the right side of the screen to better preserve the original resolution. The sound is also identical to that of the original versions. A small history section that includes the games' US release dates and a brief paragraph about each game rounds out the package. Also, the games load up with a coin already in each of them, so you never see any of the attract modes. Since this prevents you from seeing the message "Invade the base and carry away booty" in Super Cobra, it's a little disappointing. But if you hold any of these games (Yie Ar Kung Fu and Time Pilot are my personal faves) in high regard, you'll find that they still play well with a PlayStation controller, and this package is definitely worth picking up.
--Jeff Gerstmann--
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