Anilrgowda

With video games becoming more popular than ever, the widening of the rift between casual and hardcore gamers seems inevitable. Hardcore gamers argue that those who don’t dedicate hours upon hours to a single game aren’t ‘real gamers,’ while casual gamers just want to have short stints of fun. But few people realize that some old-school titles require much more skill than any modern game. Put your average self-proclaimed hardcore gamer into a twitch-based game like Strider and they will be lucky to pass the first level. And with Microsoft’s successful effort to lure casual gamers to the Xbox 360 with Xbox Live Arcade, the high demand to relive nostalgic games has been confirmed.

Unfortunately, there are quite a few classic games that haven’t yet made it to Xbox Live Arcade, so Capcom has released an assortment of 20 arcade ports focusing on the early 1990s called Capcom Classics Collection: Volume 2. Usually, modern gamers don’t get too excited at the idea of ports since they add nothing new to a game already released on another system. However, in this case, fans want the games to be as identical to their arcade counterparts as possible, with every "pew pew pew" and special maneuver left intact. This doesn’t mean that minor improvements aren’t welcome, such as the ability to use either an analog stick or the D-pad for character/vehicle movement, but fans of a game will be the first people to notice any significant changes.

That is why all twenty games in CCC: Volume 2 look and play as close to their arcade cousins as possible. Some games in the collection have the option for enhanced visuals, but they aren’t vastly improved. In addition, using the analog stick doesn’t produce true analog control since pushing slightly in one direction is the same as pushing all the way. On the other hand, most games play much more comfortably when using the analog stick rather than the D-pad, so I welcome the option.

While all games retain their original options menus, Capcom has included a standardized option menu across every game to minimize confusion. It lets the player adjust the controls, video and audio output, save and load games, and access the requirements for bonus features. Speaking of which, three bonus features are available across all twenty games: hints, art, and music. Unlocking hints is usually as easy as achieving a certain score, but gaining access to art and audio is much harder. Original game art can usually be acquired by beating a certain boss, and beating the entire game rewards the player with remixed audio tracks. Personally, I could care less about any of the extra features, but they offer fans an extra incentive to play each game.

Explaining the pros and cons of each game would be tedious for readers, so here are my thoughts on a handful of them:

The original Strider makes a triumphant return in the arcade-perfect port of…err… Strider. Although the player is limited to jumping around and attacking with only one button, fast reflexes are required as this side-scrolling combat title is still as difficult as ever. Why the ultimate futuristic combatant wields a sword instead of a gun is anybody’s guess, but he can slash in two completely different directions! On top of that, he can crouch and hang from ledges! Seriously though, Strider has always been one of my favorites, and playing this game reminds me of my past commitment to keep arcade machines alive by feeding them a constant stream of quarters,

Blasting waves upon waves of enemies during WWII while playing 1941: Counter Attack would be easier if the player didn’t have to dodge dozens of projectiles at once, but that’s also what makes it so much fun. This fast and furious top-to-bottom scrolling shooter isn’t much different from others in the genre, as it has one button to shoot and another for the special smart-bomb style attack. However, I do like the ability to obtain ‘ghost ships’ that follow my airplane around and add extra firepower.
robably the most forgettable game in the entire collection is Avengers. This top-down brawler sports terrible graphics and even worse animations. Only two attacks are available (punch and kick), but the problem is that they can only be thrown in four directions. This makes lining up attacks much more difficult than it should be. Obviously, this game is filler because I can’t imagine anyone playing it a second time.

Golden Axe fans will like King of Dragons, a medieval side scrolling, hack-and-slash RPG that lets players choose between playing an Elf, Wizard, Cleric, Fighter, or Dwarf. The funny thing is, every character plays just like the others, with the only difference being distance attacks. This title incorporates basic RPG elements such as gaining new levels and enhancing statistics, but they are very limited. In addition, there is no block button, so the player has to bounce around avoiding enemy attacks while also inflicting their own. In the end, I prefer Golden Axe to King of Dragons.

For the most intense side scrolling action on the disc, I recommend Side Arms. While I never played the arcade version, this port is extremely addictive. It features more advanced controls than the other games, as the player uses the B button to fire right, and the X button to fire left. Having such an unusual control scheme lets the developers throw enemies at the player from all directions! Since the player is controlling a human with a jetpack instead of a spaceship, several different weapons can be obtained and then used at any time. That’s right, just like Genji 2 on the PS3; this 1990s game is way ahead of its time by sporting next-gen features like real time weapon change! Of course you will also want to hit the enemy’s weak spot for maximum damage…

Being able to use the analog stick helps with most games, but only inserting true analog control could help Block Block. This Breakout-style puzzle game pits players against complicated block setups that are much more intricate than the game it is based upon. As a result, the gameplay is fast-paced and requires precise movement of the paddle to bounce the ball back and forth between the blocks. Too bad the paddle moves too fast instead of moving according to how hard the analog stick is pressed. This results in jerky paddle movement that often misses easy returns on the ball. Incorporating a sensitivity adjustment option would alleviate this problem, but alas, there is none. Those unfortunate enough to play this game will spend more time cursing at the screen than actually playing.

Another side-scrolling beat-em-up featured on the CCC2 disc is called Captain Commando. It sets itself apart from the others by letting players pick up weapons, like maces and rocket launchers, from fallen enemies and unleashing havoc. Players can also jump into robots and pummel the enemy. Four characters are available: Captain Commando, Mummy Commando, Ninja Commando, and Baby Commando. Wait a minute, Baby Commando? There is something unsettling about taking an infant in a robot cockpit and using it to smash bad guys to smithereens. What is his special weapon? Projectile vomit?

After playing through this collection, it becomes apparent that most of the games that Capcom released during the early 1990’s only have cosmetic differences. Nearly all of the games on this disc are either side scrolling beat-em-ups or some variation of the space shooter, and none of them are very complicated. They mostly require fast reflexes. Was the average gamer satisfied with such a limited selection during this time period?

Playing some of the games on this disc is nostalgic, and reminds me of what I was doing in those years. However, due to the complexity and gorgeous graphics of modern games, I just can’t stay interested in any game on Capcom Classic Collection: Volume 2. I am sure that fans of old-school games will find something to like with this anthology, but I will take Gears of War over this entire compilation any day.




While the retro-gaming experience is partially enhanced (in most cases) by the availability of the analog stick, the core gameplay of all titles remains the same. This is usually a good thing, but some titles should be totally scrapped due to poor design.






Visually, CCC2 retains the original look of its titles, down to the last pixel. It would be nice if every game had the option for enhanced graphics, as some of these are downright ugly!






Every bleep and audio track has been faithfully retained to add authenticity. Remixed audio tracks add a modern twist to old-school classics.






Most games in the collection can be completed within only a couple of hours, and the only real reason to replay them is cooperatively with friends. Too bad not all games offer this feature.






There really is none.