Midway Treasures: Extended Play
Score: 80% ESRB: Mature Publisher: Midway Developer: Digital Eclipse Media: UMD/1 Players: 1 - 4 Genre: Arcade/ Classic/Retro
Graphics & Sound: Midway Arcade Treasures: Extended Play isn’t likely to impress anyone who considers the original PlayStation “Old School” gaming, but for the rest of us who actually remember what arcades are, the collection is a fun, portable bit of nostalgia. Both the visuals and sounds are straight-from-the-board ports of the original arcade games. Other than some titles being stretched out to take up all of the PSP’s widescreen, none have been modified in any way – making for an enjoyable trip through the history of gaming. This is especially enjoyable when you realize that most, if not all, of these games’ presentations were considered as top notch for their times.
Gameplay: Considering the average gameplay time of both arcade and portable games, Extended Play makes sense as a PSP release. Included in the collection are 21 of Midway’s classic titles, including Paperboy, Joust and three Mortal Kombat titles. The inclusion of the Mortal Kombat games alone makes Extended Play a great pick-up considering how starved the system is for fighting games. The games included in the collection hit nearly every imaginable arcade genre, from racing to sports to action. Not surprisingly, action games make up most of the collection – so unless you’re a fan of older arcade games like Rampage, Gauntlet or Spy Hunter, Extended Play may not be for you. Most of the titles are just as much fun now as they were years ago, but there are a few (like Wizard of Wor or Sinstar) that really haven’t stood the test of time as well. In addition, most are better suited for multiplayer games, so they may not be as fun unless you have someone to hook up with over Ad-Hoc wireless play.
Difficulty: Arcade games were never meant to last more than a minute, so don’t expect to spend too much time with these games. Later entries, like the Mortal Kombat's offer a little more play time (provided you win matches), but most games will be over before they even start. Most offer unlimited credits, which actually makes some games (like Gauntlet) overly easy, leading to an outright dull experience after a lengthy session.
Game Mechanics: Controls vary from game to game, but are responsive for the most part. The older games in the collection have easier to use schemes while new ones are a little more complicated. All of the schemes are adapted nicely for the PSP’s button layout, though some of the adaptations have a few snags. The three Mortal Kombat's fare the worst of all the 21 games available in the collection. Similar to the system’s other fighting game, Darkstalkers, the PSP’s D-pad doesn’t lend itself well to some of the more complex moves found in the game; especially those that require half-circle motions. They can eventually be pulled off with a little practice (and some hard presses) though, so they don't kill the fun too much. Loadtimes are an issue that have plagued other reviews of Extended Play and, while they are annoying they're not nearly the problem some would have you believe. True, the original arcade versions didn't have load times, but they also weren't on a disc-based system -- so some allowances need to be made. If you are a gamer yearning for a simpler time, Midway Arcade Treasures: Extended Play is a worthwhile purchase. Some of the games may not hold up as well, but they are still enjoyable for short bursts of time when you’re on the go. Otherwise, Extended Play probably won’t appeal to you.
-Starscream, GameVortex Communications AKA Ricky Tucker
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