Review
Release Date: 10.24.2006
Platform:
PSPDeveloper:
Capcom Co., Ltd.Publisher:
Capcom USA, Inc.Reviewed by
Mikey Dowling on 1.13.2007
Capcom Classics Collection Reloaded is far from being the best classic collection that
Capcom could have offered. Although the collection does have a wide variety of games (19 total), most are just slightly upgraded versions of each other (
Ghost n’ Goblins,
Ghouls n’ Ghosts,
Super Ghouls n’ Ghosts;
Street Fighter II: The World Warriors,
Street Fighter II: Championship Edition,
Street Fighter II Turbo, etc.). There are also games like
Exed Exes --
1942, but with a dragon,
Vulgus --
1943, but on Mars,
Son Son --it’s a wonder she’s included in
Marvel vs. Capcom 2, and
Higamaru -- even though it has pirates -- that should be passed up altogether.
So why the high score? Simple, the games that
are good on the collection (rehashed, upgraded, or otherwise) are
really good games. Plus, the collection hits just about every classic arcade game type with the exception of a puzzle game (though,
Higamaru could be considered one… sort of).
Some games on the collection do show their age, though.
1942,
1943, and
1943 Kai are all great top-down shooters; but with the advancements that have been made to the genre in games like
Ikaruga and
Psyvariar, if you’re not used to the slower pace that the
1940 games have, you may not like them.
The various
Ghost n’ Goblins games are presented faithfully with all the frustration that will come from how difficult the games are. Though, all three are highly enjoyable and having yet another portable version of
Super Ghouls n’ Ghosts is never a bad thing. And finally having a home port of
Ghouls n’ Ghosts is nice, just to have, “the one with a sword.”
Getting the first three iterations of
Street Fighter II is a nice novelty, but it isn’t anything that we haven’t seen in the past, oh... 17 years, on nearly every other system (although this is the closest version to the arcade originals that a handheld has seen).
Super Street Fighter II Turbo would have been a better offering, yet you can’t really complain about playing the incredibly broken
Championship Edition on the road (M. Bison two hit dizzy/50% life-taking moves for the win!).
For the classic
Ikari Warriors-esque games that Capcom was so good at developing for some time, we are treated to
Gun.Smoke,
Commando, and
Mercs. All three are fun games but
Mercs remains the personal favorite among them. It should be pointed out that the versions of
Gun.Smoke and
Commando that are included on
Capcom Classics Collection Reloaded are the arcade versions, and not the NES versions that most know and love.
Capcom didn’t neglect the side-scrolling beat ‘em up crowd, either. To satisfy those who love the genre they have added
Knights of the Round (a pretty fun, although aged game) and, personal favorite on the whole collection,
King of Dragons. The only games that are missing for the genre are
Final Fight and the excellent
Dungeons and Dragons games that Capcom did. Hopefully they will be included on a future collection.
As far as extras go
Capcom Classics Collection Reloaded does not skim on them. Not only are there unlockable songs, artwork, and cheats for all 19 games (acquired through a slot machine that you get coins for by playing the games themselves); Capcom has also included remixed versions of the soundtracks for each of the games. Admittedly this is hit and miss as some of the soundtracks shouldn’t be touched in the first place, but it is a nice little bonus.
As far as a collection of games goes,
Capcom Classics Collection Reloaded isn’t the best. There are better games that could have been included, and some games that could have been left off. But, again, the games that are on the collection that are good, are spot-on good and shouldn’t be missed for the price. Add in the fact that all of the games are on a handheld, and it helps sweeten the deal even more. But, hell.
King of Dragons and the
Ghost n’ Goblins games could have been the only ones on the collection and I would have still picked it up.
