Midway Arcade Treasures 2
Score: 88% ESRB: Mature Publisher: Midway Developer: Midway Media: DVD/1 Players: 1 - 4 Genre: Arcade/ Classic/Retro
Graphics & Sound: Considering that Midway Arcade Treasures 2 is a blast from the past, it would be hard to compare its look and sound to anything current. With that said, this goodness of old school arcade games is due to be compared with its original coin-op machines. And comparatively, Arcade Treasures 2 does a pretty good job of replication. However, don’t expect to be wowed by anything in particular, because the games within aren’t (in my humble opinion) quite arcade-perfect. The graphics of most games are identical from what I remember (yes, I’m old enough to remember these great arcade games). But when it comes to sound, the replication just isn’t totally there. However, as a substitute for a home ‘arcade,’ Midway Arcade Treasures 2 packs enough punch to hold its own in any category of emulation.
Gameplay: If you can remember the “good ol’ days” of gaming at the arcade, pumping quarter after quarter into huge boxes that force you to stand while you play, then you’ll love Midway Arcade Treasures 2. Of course, this time around, you’ll be able to sit down in the comfort of your own home. Midway Arcade Treasures 2 packs 20 arcade machines into the size of a disc, and all play nearly perfectly on your home entertainment center. The games included (see list below) fall into multiple genres, including fighting, racing, sports, action, and role-playing, which means that anyone will find something they’ll love to play. All of the games play great, and the best part is they’re now free! No more dumping tons of silver into restoring your heath or continuing your sports session. A simple press of a button dumps more and more credits, and allows you to continue unlimited times. The only real downfall to picking up Midway Arcade Treasures 2 comes to those who already bought the first disc in the series. This new collection of games actually contains a few sequels to the games from Midway Arcade Treasures, including Gauntlet, Super Sprint, Spy Hunter, and Rampage. However, the quality of games on this second disc is outstanding, and it can’t be denied that the variety will satisfy any old school or newbie gamers interested in the roots of gaming. Also included is a history lesson for the games, as well as a few short videos that give an inside look at some of Midway’s arcade games.
Difficulty: While listing the difficulty for each of the 20 games would take up way too much space, knowing that these games play like the originals should suffice. For the games that you may not have played, let’s put it into perspective. If you have played any recent games at all in a similar genre to the games on this disc, you’ll have no trouble at all jumping right in to the gameplay, and may even find the difficulty and gameplay laughable in some cases. While some games have their own difficulty associated with them (for example, I’m not very good at fighting games, so MK2/3 is pretty hard for me), there will be a couple of games included on this disc that are very playable for anyone at any skill level.
Game Mechanics: Even though Midway may boast that these titles are exact ports, there is one major difference for most users... and it’s called the controller. While the standard PS2 controller will be fully functional for all of the games on the disc (and the controls can even be customized), there is just no way to truly emulate the arcade experience without joysticks and steering wheels. Add these, and Midway Arcade Treasures 2 would get even more nostalgic, and even easier to control. Just recalling how many quarters I dumped into many of these very same games makes me look at Midway Arcade Treasures 2’s tiny price tag of $20 USD and laugh. If I had only waited until now, I could have saved myself ten times that amount of cash playing many of these very same games. And while AT2 may not come with a joystick and standup box, it does satisfy many old-school cravings for nostalgia. If you’ve ever played any of the 20 games included in this bundle, do yourself a favor and pick this one up. Featured Games: Mortal Kombat II Mortal Kombat III Gauntlet II Spy Hunter II Xybots NARC APB Cyberball 2072 Timber Total Carnage Pit Fighter Wizard of Wor Xenophobe Primal Rage Arch Rivals Rampage World Tour Kozmik Krooz’r Championship Sprint Hard Drivin’ Wacko
-Woody, GameVortex Communications AKA Shane Wodele
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