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Taito has a long history of arcade hits, and the company ported many of them to the Genesis. In addition to games like Saint Sword and Cadash, gamers received an excellent port of Volfied, also known as Ultimate Qix. Challenging and highly addictive, this puzzle/action hybrid offered excellent gameplay wrapped up in some great presentation – a yummy package all around.
The name Rastan means something to arcade goers who are old enough to have played Taito’s classic in the arcades. It was difficult, great-looking, and it’s twin stereo speakers fired off an awesome soundtrack for everyone in the area to hear. Yes, Rastan rocked hard, and for that reason it’s a shame that the sequel never quite lived up to its predecessor. The Genesis scored an amazingly accurate port, but all the bad came over with all the good, and the result is a mediocre product that fails to do the Rastan legacy justice.
I have to admit, I love me a good brawler every now and then. Being the total scrub that I am, I play just for kicks rather than for prestige or rank. That’s what has me checking out more and more of the older fighters out there. Recently forum member Scooter was kind enough to send me a copy of Treco’s Street Smart for the Genesis, and I quickly popped it in, control in hand. A fan of the SNK original, I was amazed at just how poorly this port turned out. Everything that was good has been changed for the worse, and the one thing that was pretty decent – the gameplay – is left to carry the whole game. Suffice it to say that things didn’t work out.
Time Killers! You loved it in arcades! You clamored for a home port, and here it is! If anything, it’s a perfect example of being careful of what you wish for. What? You mean you didn’t want this turd on the Genesis? Ah well, in that case you have our condolences.
One of the few video game icons that always finds a way to reinvent himself, Pac-Man has done just about everything but grab a gun and fight terrorists (I think that one’s coming to consoles soon). Namco has always endeavored to bring its hungry yellow mascot to new fans, with the most recent attempt being the simple yet incredible Pac-Man Championship Edition on Xbox Live Arcade. One other incarnation that benefited immensely from a simple gameplay addition was Pac-Mania, which simply altered the gameplay perspective and added a jump button. The result was an arcade hit that was ported to about forty billion systems the galaxy over.