Konami Classics Arcade Hits Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I'm a big fan of classic game collections and have purchased several.This collection from Konami is one of the better I've seen, both because of the selection of games and the quality of the emulations.These games, at least the ones I remember playing at the arcade, play just like the originals--to the extent that a handheld game can play like an arcade game in a cabinet, that is.The sound and graphics quality are as I remember them, and these are faithful renditions of these arcade classics.

The Games: the following games are included in this collection:

-Scramble
-Horror Maze
-Pooyan
-Time Pilot
-Roc'n Rope
-Track & Field
-Circus Charlie
-Basketball
-Road Fighter
-Yie Ar Kung-Fu
-Rainbow Bell
-Shao-Lin's Road
-Gradius
-Rush N' Attack
-Contra

I suspect many people are drawn to collections like these by one or two games they remember.For me the game was Contra, one of my favorite games ever.I have fond memories of Rush N' Attack and Gradius as well, and was glad to find faithful renditions of these games as well.All 3 of these games are excellently represented here, and have stood the test of time well (Rush N' Attack maybe less so than the others).

Most of the other games here are pretty good as well, and some (like Time Pilot) were surprisingly fun for someone like myself who is just discovering them for the first time.Despite a few duds (Basketball was pretty weak, for example), this collection is pretty strong and should provide some pleasant surprises for anyone buying the collection because of one or two specific games.

Cons: The screen size is the biggest limitation to this game.Even though the graphics were faithfully preserved in these ports the DS's small screen doesn't do them justice, though this is a limitation I can live with and obviously knew existed before I bought the game.Also, while I understand Konami's intent here was to port the ARCADE versions of these games, I can't help but wish I had the NES version of Contra (complete with Konami code) and the extra events from the Gameboy's version of Track and Field.Still, these are pretty minor qualms because, again, this is a collection of games exactly as they appeared in arcades.

Extras:There are some extras here.The game features a well done animated timeline of when all of these games came out, which I found very entertaining the first couple times.It starts when the game boots up but, thankfully, can be skipped if you're tired of it.The game also features a 'replay' option, allowing you to record your games and even trade them wirelessly with other gamers.There's also a jukebox type feature, which features many musical tracks from each of the games.Each game features instructions and a few tips, as well as a short introduction to the game.It also features a gallery section where you can see original leaflets from the game and also an image of the game's board.The game menus are a little strange and it takes some messing around with the menus to figure out where all this stuff is, but after a few minutes it becomes pretty straightforward.

Multiplayer:This game includes an option for both single card 2 player mode and multi card 2 player mode. Many of the games will allow you to play 2 players cooperatively with just one cartridge.It's great to see this feature included--I love being able to play 2 player Contra without having to track down another copy of the game.

Overall:This is a great collection.I'm thrilled to be able to play some of my old favorites again (and discover some great games I missed the first time around), and the fact that I can do so on my portable DS makes it that much better.20 years ago the ability to play all these games on a handheld system for what I sometimes dropped in a day at the arcade was beyond my wildest dreams, but now Konami has made it a reality.And, I must say, I'm quite pleased with the result.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Konami Classics Arcade Hits

Product Description:
Konami Classics Series: Arcade Hits brings together 15 of the arcades' most popular quarter-eating hits! Experience the sights, sounds and magic of classic Konami arcade games arcades and relive your arcade memories with a full collection of in-game music and even send demo versions of each game to your friends to share in the fun. No quarters necessary!

Want to read more honest consumer review about Konami Classics Arcade Hits now ?