RetroReview
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Nintendo Virtual Boy review
The 3DS is not Nintendo's first foray into the world of 3D gaming. In fact, it's not even the company's second. First up was a 3D headset for the good 'ol Famicom (NES in the US), but that never saw American shores and it wasn't anything more fancy than a set of active shutter glasses anyway -- the same sort HDTV manufacturers are trying to sell you today. However, the company's second 3D offering did make it to the US, where it landed with a spectacular thud. It was the Virtual Boy, a 32-bit portable console powered by six whole AA batteries and remembered by many for its ability to inspire more headaches than excitement in the gamers who tried it. It was released in the US in August of 1995 for $180 and was discontinued less than a year later. With the 3DS sitting now in back rooms of videogame and electronics stores nation-wide, waiting to spring into availability on March 27th, we thought this would be a good time to look back and give the Virtual Boy the full review it has always deserved but has never received.
Retro Review: Crash Bandicoot 2
Crash Bandicoot 2Price: $5.99Original Release Date: October 31, 1997Recommended. Crash's second outing on PS1 has hit the PS Store. While the original romp was an enjoyable experience (that we recommended), it's clear that the sequel is an improvement in every single way possible.From the get-go, one can tell that the visuals are filled with far more detail and animation than the original. Although the story gives little reason for Crash to continue his adventure, it creates a far more manageable means of navigating from level to level. Crash can warp to any level he chooses, and will be able to tackle the challenges in any order he chooses. However, the best addition to the game is the ability to save any time you want. The original featured an archaic system that allowed players to save a limited number of times. With the ability to save in between each level, Crash Bandicoot 2 is far more suitable for handheld play.
Retro Review: Warhawk
Warhawk Price: $5.99 Original Release Date: November 10, 1995 Not Recommended. It seems unfair to capitalize on the popularity of the PS3 multiplayer game, Warhawk. Although largely heralded when it first arrived on PS1 more than a decade ago, it's clear that this PS1 legend hasn't aged well. Every aspect of the game feels antiquated, from the dated visuals, painful cinemas, and frustrating controls that simply don't translate well on the PSP (the PS3 controller works far better). An ominous feeling sinks in when you experience the game's introductory sequence. Real actors are rarely used in modern game cinemas -- for good reason! While there is a certain charm in the camp on display, the cinematics do little do actually further the paper-thin story that's being told. The PS1 original has as much narrative as the PS3 sequel (that is, none at all).
Retro Review: Wild Arms
Wild ArmsPrice: $5.99Original Release Date: April 30, 1997Recommended. Is there any better deal on the PS Store at the moment? Probably not. Wild Arms is an excellent RPG that was overlooked by many, mostly due to the monstrous release of Final Fantasy VII on the original PS1. With fans eager anticipating Squaresoft's legendary RPG, many never took a chance with Wild Arms. Now, you can correct that mistake and download it to your PS3/PSP.Unsurprisingly, the game is filled with genre conventions, archetypes and stereotypes. That's expected of a game that's as old as this one. But, color us surprised at how wonderfully the storyline is executed, with its multiple narratives following different characters. You play through three paths: one of a child "dreamer" (that triggers the game's focal adventure), an Indiana Jones-like adventurer, and a magician that hears the voices of spirits. All three stories feel completely different from each other, and feature different challenges to get through. The way the story ultimately merges is well-executed -- modern games can learn a lot from Wild Arms!The battle mechanics have a surprising amount of depth to them as well. Enemy encounters are typical turn-based affairs, but a surprisingly deep magic and "force" system make things far more involving. Battles may be fun, but the dungeons themselves are even more so, with devilish puzzles challenging players every step of the way. The use of "tools" for each character in the game field is nice. We also love the "Auto Equip" feature that's rare to find in RPGs as aged as this one.The 2D graphics really shine on the PSP's small screen. Although the 3D sequences haven't aged well, the game still manages to look sharp, while maintaining a smooth framerate. A lengthy adventure awaits those that invest in Wild Arms, and at $6, it's a terrific value. Save points may not be as frequent as we'd like (this is a console game, after all). But, we have to bestow upon Wild Arms our highest recommendation. Buy it.Retro Review: 8.0
Retro Reviews round-up: Spyro & Twisted Metal
PSP Fanboy has been reviewing all of the PS1 re-releases from the PS Store. They recently added three more games, all of which are playable (upscaled!) on the PS3. Here are a few excerpts, but to check them all out, visit PSP Fanboy.Wipeout - Ultimately, the game's true shortcoming is well ... how short it is. With so few tracks and ships to choose from, one can't help but think that $6 is the absolute most you should pay for this trip down memory lane. A solid game -- but there's far better options. 6.5Spyro the Dragon - With frequent save points, fast load times, and generally solid gameplay, Insomniac's early platformer still manages to impress. The gameplay is admittedly on the simplistic side, but there is no doubt that nearly a decade ago, Insomniac was pushing some truly impressive tech. The graphics are silky smooth, and the Sypro character lives with animation akin to that of the Ratchet series. The game looks as good as an average PSP game (albeit running in 4:3). 7.5Twisted Metal 2 - There's a reason why Twisted Metal was so beloved: it had a lot of personality, with its apocalyptic levels and crazed vehicle designs. The relentless difficulty of the game and simplistic presentation take a lot away from this re-release, but at $6, it's still a fairly solid retread to invest in, especially for portable gamers. 6.0
Retro Review: Twisted Metal 2
Twisted Metal 2Price: $5.99Original Release Date: October 31, 1996Recommended. Once again, another stellar retro classic hits the PS Store, for play on both PSP and PS3. Twisted Metal 2 is an improved sequel of the most definitive car combat game of all time. There's a reason why Twisted Metal was so beloved: it had a lot of personality, with its apocalyptic levels and crazed vehicle designs. The relentless difficulty of the game and simplistic presentation take a lot away from this re-release, but at $6, it's still a fairly solid retread to invest in, especially for portable gamers.Once again, the simple controls work well on the PSP (using control type 2). The cars are incredibly responsive, and can make unrealistically sharp turns at a moment's notice. It felt weird using Square to accelerate (instead of X), but there are very few surprises in the controls. Weapons are easy to switch between, and they're easy to use as well. It can become problematic to find enemies in the game's relatively large levels, but when competition is near, it's fast and furious.Overall, what hurts this retro game is how difficult it is. There's multiple choices, but it's not easy to take down a racer, and health upgrades are few and far apart. It'll take a lot of luck and skill to survive the game's championship mode. Thankfully, the ability to play individual tracks will help you discover the locations of secrets, giving you a much-needed edge in a rather unfair fight.Retro Review: 6.0
Retro Review: Spyro the Dragon
Spyro the DragonPrice: $5.99Original Release Date: September 10, 1998Recommended. Of all the retro re-releases on the PS Store so far, this is the most ideally suited for the PSP. With frequent save points, fast load times, and generally solid gameplay, Insomniac's early platformer still manages to impress. The gameplay is admittedly on the simplistic side, but there is no doubt that nearly a decade ago, Insomniac was pushing some truly impressive tech. The graphics are silky smooth, and the Sypro character lives with animation akin to that of the Ratchet series. The game looks as good as an average PSP game (albeit running in 4:3).Make sure you switch to control type 4 on the PSP. You'll be surprised at how well Spyro can be controlled. Platforming is a breeze, and the camera (controlled by the D-Pad) works surprisingly well (provided you switch to the Active camera system). Gliding and shooting flames comes with such ease that navigating the expansive colorful worlds is quite charming. Don't expect the game to get difficult, though. This is clearly a children's game, and the platforming (and especially combat) rarely test the player's mettle.Save points do come every five minutes making it the ideal PSP game to download. At $6, this is a fantastic value for a classic. Fans of Insomniac's other games will do well in picking up this piece of PlayStation history.Retro Review: 7.5
Retro Review: Wipeout
WipeoutPrice: $5.99Original Release Date: November 21, 1995Recommended. There's very little reason to pick up Wipeout from the PS Store, especially with Wipeout Pure already available on the console (at a budget price as well!). Regardless, the original PlayStation Wipeout still manages to entertain, withstanding the test of time. The presentation is certainly not as sleek as that found in Pure, but the easy-to-navigate menus and brisk load times (when disc acceleration is used) are quite appreciated. The game has aged well visually: the framerate is smooth and the art style does a lot to compensate for the lack of polygons. The draw distance might not be what players expect from a modern game, and in a game that moves this quickly, that can be a problem. On both the PSP and PS3, the game still looks quite nice, with the PS3's upscaling doing a miraculous job.The controls are a bit too loose in this first iteration of the franchise, and hitting walls is unforgiving. However, with a pretty undemanding AI to compete against, the only racer you should really consider is yourself. That's a shame, considering it makes the plethora of weapons rather useless.Ultimately, the game's true shortcoming is well ... how short it is. With so few tracks and ships to choose from, one can't help but think that $6 is the absolute most you should pay for this trip down memory lane. A solid game -- but there's far better options (at least for PSP owners).Retro Review: 6.5
Retro Review: Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
File Size: 356 MBPrice: $9.99Developed By: KonamiPublished By: KonamiOriginal Release Date: October 2, 1997Short ReviewRecommended. One of the most frequently requested PS1 titles finally hits the PlayStation Store, with Konami releasing Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. The title holds its age remarkably well and clearly shows why it is considered one of the finest titles of the original PlayStation era. The graphics look surprisingly sharp and colorful on the PSP and hold up nicely even when displayed on a 52" HD TV via the PS3. The gameplay is the real selling point here though, as you romp through a fairly non-linear castle, with a full RPG-like leveling system, magic, special moves and colorful monsters, the lengthy campaign is well worth paying the higher-than-normal cost of this retro title. Overall, Castlevania: SotN is a fantastic addition to the PlayStation Store's lineup and should not be miss by any Castlevania or 2D platformer fans.Full Review after the jump.
Retro Review: Destruction Derby
File Size: 65MBPrice: $5.99Developed By: Reflections InteractivePublished By: PsygnosisOriginal Release Date: November 1, 1995Short ReviewRecommended. Destruction Derby is easily one of the finest PS1 games for play on the PSP. The graphics aren't too advanced, and the controls aren't very tight. And although there aren't too many tracks to race on, it's undeniable that the game is fun. The crash-heavy gameplay of Destruction Derby makes for an intense racing experience, and the ability to quickly jump into a single race and save at any time in a circuit makes Destruction Derby a truly ideal portable game. With such a small memory requirement, anyone that has the ability to play PS1 games on their PSP should make this a permanent part of their collection.
Retro Review: 2 Xtreme
File Size: 407MBPrice: $5.99Developed By: Sony Computer Entertainment of AmericaPublished By: Sony Computer Entertainment of AmericaOriginal Release Date: October 31, 1996Short ReviewNot Recommended. "Good" is not a word you'd want to use anywhere near this game. 2 Xtreme is easily one of the worst games that I've ever played in my life--you wouldn't even inflict this upon your mortal enemies. Grinding your testicles through a cheese grater might prove to be more fun. (If you're a girl, growing some for the sole purpose of self-mutilation will sure to be more entertaining than this disaster of a game.) No matter how hard you try, it will be nearly impossible to find 2 Xtreme enjoyable.
Retro Review: Jet Moto
File Size: 73MBPrice: $5.99Developed By: SingleTracPublished By: Sony Computer Entertainment of AmericaOriginal Release Date: October 31, 1996Short ReviewNot Recommended. What is wrong with Sony's PlayStation Store? The platform should be used as a vehicle to drive fans to the incredible array of classics that defined the 32-bit generation. (Notice the incredible number of puns here?) Instead, the current selection of games would make one believe that the PS1 only had racing games ... and these games have certainly aged quite poorly. Jet Moto might be fun for a little while, but age has ravaged it quite horribly. Heck, it wasn't even that good when it first came out--paling in the likes of Wave Race 64. Don't waste your $6 on a game like this: it simply isn't worth it.
Retro Review: Rally Cross
File Size: 101MBPrice: $5.99Developed By: Sony Computer Entertainment of AmericaPublished By: Sony Computer Entertainment of AmericaOriginal Release Date: January 31, 1997Short ReviewNot Recommended. Rally Cross may emulate the feel of being in a real rally car better than any modern racing game. Why? Because it makes you want to puke. Expect to be flipped over and over again, as your car tumbles through pixelated worlds dictated by horrifyingly weightless physics. The touchy controls, the poor presentation, and the vomit after-taste should be reasons enough to avoid this racer. It's not like the PSP doesn't have far better racing games.
Retro Review: Jumping Flash!
File Size: 269MBPrice: $5.99Developed By: ExactPublished By: Sony Computer Entertainment of AmericaOriginal Release Date: November 1995Short ReviewRecommended. Although the original Jumping Flash! came out over a decade ago, it manages to feel innovative and fresh. The grainy, antiquated graphics do no harm to the fun, vibrant atmosphere of the game, filled with great music and fun character. The game is simply a blast, and one can only hope that a modern-day sequel will be made. The limited save system is annoying for gamers on the go, but those with time to kill will easily find Jumping Flash! to be the best downloadable PSone game so far.
Retro Review: Medievil
File Size: 330MBPrice: $5.99Developed By: Millenium InteractPublished By: Sony Computer Entertainment of AmericaOriginal Release Date: October 1, 1998Short ReviewNot Recommended. Bringing Medievil to the PlayStation Store was a questionable decision at best. The original PSone game didn't bring anything new to the table, and it's PSP remake didn't fare any better. The gameplay has aged quite poorly over the past eight years, making Medievil a game that you'd like to like ... but can't. Don't let the endearing characters and setting fool you: Medievil is bad.
Retro Review: Tekken 2
File Size: 534MBPrice: $5.99Developed By: NamcoPublished By: NamcoOriginal Release Date: September 15, 1996Short ReviewNot Recommended. Tekken 2 unfortunately shows its age. There's a great deal of gameplay to be discovered in this treasured arcade classic, but the advances made by Tekken: Dark Resurrection are so significant that it's difficult to appreciate the technical shortcomings of Tekken 2. Gamers will have to choose if they'd rather spend $6 for a great classic game, or $40 for an even better modern one.PSP Fanboy Retro Review: 5.5 out of 10See all Retro Reviews.
Retro Review: Syphon Filter
File Size: 384MBPrice: $5.99Developed By: EideticPublished By: 989 StudiosOriginal Release Date: January 31, 1999Short ReviewNot Recommended. Syphon Filter's impressive PSP outing, Dark Mirror, deserves all the accolades it has been earning over the past few months. Gamers should not expect the original Syphon Filter to match the Dark Mirror's quality: the game suffers from lackluster graphics, horrendous controls, and presentation values that simply don't work well on the modern palette. Avoid this one.
Retro Review: Hot Shots Golf 2
File Size: 157MBPrice: $5.99Developed By: Clap HanzPublished By: Sony Computer Entertainment of AmericaOriginal Release Date: February 29, 2000Short ReviewRecommended. For better or for worse, the golf genre's lack of significant evolution makes Hot Shots Golf 2 an incredibly worthwhile purchase. The graphics have aged very well, and the quick load times make this $6 purchase just as worthwhile as other fully priced modern golf games.
Retro Review: Crash Bandicoot
File Size: 467MBPrice: $5.99Developed By: Naughty DogPublished By: Sony Computer Entertainment of AmericaOriginal Release Date: September 3, 1996Short ReviewRecommended. Crash Bandicoot, in some ways, becomes a better game on the PSP than it was on the classic console back in the day. The graphics look sharp on the small screen, and the simplistic gameplay is ideal for gamers on the go. However, expect frustration due to a confusing and outdated save system and some touchy controls.
Retro Review: Cool Boarders
File Size: 282MBPrice: $5.99Developed By: UEP SystemsPublished By: Sony Computer Entertainment of AmericaOriginal Release Date: December 31, 1996Short ReviewNot Recommended. The snowboarding genre has evolved so much over the years, that even nostalgia can't cover the incredible flaws of this game. With only five levels, and poor gameplay, this is one to avoid at all costs.
