Retro gaming is here, and here to stay. The emergence of emulators for just about every old arcade and console proves it. Back in the early '80s the arcades were filled with loads of machines that while not perfect, offered a chance to escape. Nearly every company has jumped on the retro gaming bandwagon, with companies like Namco and Atari striking gold with reissues of some of their masterpieces.
I was fortunate enough to have an arcade about 2 blocks from where I grew up for a while, and the fact that we had no washer and dryer in our house meant there was always a healthy supply of quarters for the laundromat, or in my case the arcade. So it was a bit of a surprise to find out that I didn't know a SINGLE game in Konami's collection of "arcade classics."
Konami Arcade Classics' 10 games stretch from 1981 to 1985, and just like other games in those days, you're not going to see anything remarkable in the areas of graphics or sound. Unlike some of the games from Namco or Atari, you won't really find any games that are good either. Granted, these are games from the very beginning of arcade gaming, but even Pong was more fun then some (if not all) of these games.
Konami has also provided the quintessential History option, but the info you can glean from the 1-screen write-ups is barely useful. On top of all this, the interface that Konami has designed is clunky and cumbersome, not to mention almost as bad looking as the games it connects you to.
KAC's 10 games are actually more like 9, since two of the games are nearly identical.
Pooyan
Balloon-carrying crocs are after some little pigs, so the pigs take up arms, readying bows and arrows to pop the balloons. Move your character up and down, popping balloons from crocs that are either rising or falling.
Scramble
A side scroller where you take control of a small rocket ship armed with bombs and blasters. Players use those weapons to destroy rising missiles and fuel tanks along the ground.
Circus Charlie
Guide circus clown Circus Charlie through a variety of ringtop-related scenarios, from guiding a jumping lion through flaming hoops to walking a tightrope, avoiding pesky monkeys.
Yie Ar Kung-Fu
Yie Ar Kung-Fu is actually pretty amazing in that it boasts 30 different moves, all accomplished by pressing one of 8 different directions and then one of two buttons, or both buttons for a super-combo attack. Guide your fighter through multistoried levels, using every move at your disposal.
Road Fighter
An up-scrolling driving game, Road Fighter puts you in the role of a driver fighting for the lead in a giant race to the finish line. Tracks often span 5 plus levels, and cars become more and more aggressive as you near the finish line, ramming your car and causing you to spin out. Oil slicks, puddles of water, and narrowing streets keep things interesting.
Gyrus
Probably the only title vaguely familiar to me, Gyrus puts you in the role of a fighter ship capable of traveling in a massive circle all around the screen. Basically Tempest meets Space Invaders.
Shao Lin's Road
SLR rode on the heels of the popular mid-80's kung-fu movie craze. It puts players in a no-holds-barred tournament where all the rules of the kung-fu movies are present, including the sweet 3-story-high-compete-with-"swish"-sound leap into the air.
Roc n' Rope
A brave rock climber goes after mysterious golden feathers from a mystical bird, all the while having to contend with fierce animals that threaten to shake him off his rope tethers. Players climb mountains, using a rope attached to a hook that is thrown into the rock, taking care not to run into or be shaken off by the animals roaming the cliffs.
Time Pilot
Guide a time-traveling ship thought various eras, from World War II to the present day to the future. Featuring a free-roaming air space, Time Pilot allows the player to battle against enemies from many different time periods, all with different weapons.
Super Cobra
Identical to Scramble, but instead of a ship, you pilot a helicopter. The missiles and fuel tanks are still here, just colored differently.
The Verdict
Arcade collections are a simply fantastic way to relive the classic games of days gone by... when they're good. Otherwise, you just remember how far we've come. Konami Arcade Classics might make someone out there all warm and yummy inside (yeah, in that good way), but not me.
