Capcom Classics Collection Vol. 2

So complete it even includes Street Fighter 1.
Version
 PS2, Xbox		Developer
Capcom		Publisher
Capcom		Genre
Retro



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Unless you were an arcade addict, there are some slightly lesser-known titles on offer too. Block Block is a decent Arkanoid clone only let down by the sensitivity of the controls. Originally played in the arcades with a paddle - which for all you youngsters out there, is a dial-type control device that only turns left or right - it is let down by an imperfect conversion to the PS2's game pad.

"Mega Twins is a cutesy and fun platformer featuring an early example of Mario's now famous wall-to-wall jump technique."

Eco Fighters is a surprisingly complex shooter in the R-Type mould and one that allows you to control your firing direction independently of your movement. A separate node at the end of your ship controls the direction and can be rotated for full 360 degree shooting. Mega Twins is a cutesy and fun platformer featuring an early example of Mario's now famous wall-to-wall jump technique.

Last Duel is an early yet innovative shooter in which the player controls a car and a spaceship on alternate levels. The car allows the rate of scrolling to be adjusted depending on how fast you are going, however there is no reverse so if you inch past a power-up you cannot go back and pick it up. The spaceship allows you to traverse the screen at will although the level constantly moves forward.

"The original Street Fighter is also available which is interesting for historical purposes only; it has some awful digitized speed and tough opponents."

The original Street Fighter is also available which is interesting for historical purposes and to die-hard SF fans only as it is not a patch on SSF2T. Containing some awful digitized speed and tough opponents, it is a wonder that the series ever gained the popularity that it has. Like SSF2T though, the original 6 buttons controls have been somewhat awkwardly converted to the PS2's four face buttons and shoulder buttons.

Other titles that round out the lot include The Speed Rumbler - a tough but innovative top-down GTA-esque game in which you can drive or walk, shooting enemies and avoiding obstacles. You can also run over baddies in all their 16x16 pixelated glory - what must the self-righteous moral crusaders made of that back in the day!

Three Wonders is actually 3 games in one, all excellent examples of retro goodness. Midnight Wanderers is a Disney like platformer with large, detailed sprites and a hint of Ghosts n' Goblins. Chariot is a shoot-em-up utilizing the same characters and similar graphics. Don't Pull is the odd-one-out as you play as a rabbit in a puzzle game reminiscent of Bomberman. Instead of bombs though, you must simply push the blocks to crush your enemies before they catch you.

There are some below-par games here too, such as Avengers which is a rather average beat-em-up and - like in the arcades - will quickly be forgotten. Its only noteworthy contribution is its vertical scrolling game area (a la Commando) as opposed to the more traditional horizontal scrolling.

"Quiz and Dragons is a weird quiz game... it's even tougher now as the topics are all dated, but a new mode replaces all the questions with ones relating to solely Capcom games."

The weakest game of the bunch though is Quiz and Dragons, a weird trivial pursuit type quiz game set in a fantasy universe. If it was tough when it was released, it is even tougher now as with time the general knowledge and events of the late-80s and early-90s have faded from memory. However, another bonus feature - the Capcom Quiz - uses this same game but replaces all the questions with ones relating to solely Capcom games thus providing more of an acceptable challenge.

P L E A S E   V I S I T   O U R   S P O N S O R :

Some things get better with age whilst others age gracefully. Most of the games on offer here are of the latter category; they won't win any awards today but then again they are from an era when characters had only a dozen frames of animation and points were all that mattered. As such, Capcom Classics Collection Vol. 2 will appeal to the retro fan in all of us. Would anyone have believed at the time that 10-15 years later, these games would still be taking our hard-earned cash?











Graphics Sound Gameplay Depth Presentation OVERALL
6.5 6.5 7.5 8.0 7.5 8.0


THE VERDICT: This package is not about cutting-edge graphics, audio or even gameplay but is instead a retrospective of a bygone era. If you have a penchant for the old-school or played these games the first time round, spending lunch-times putting coin after coin in the slot, then you are bound to find some enjoyment - probably lots of it. None of this achievement nonsense or percentage completed - just pure unadulterated gameplay, and lots of it.

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