Midway Arcade Treasures
Score: 92% ESRB: Teen Publisher: Midway Developer: Midway Media: CD/1 Players: 1 - 2 Genre: Miscellaneous/ Miscellaneous
Graphics & Sound: Midwas Arcade Treasures brings those old time classics to your television, and though they don't look better than ever, they do look exactly the same as when they were stored in those oversized cabinets. Every pixel has been accurately transported from the arcade to the home screen. Nostalgia will rush through you the second you see these familiar visuals. The sounds are equal to the graphics. Nothing has been left out, and hearing that omnipotent voice on Gauntlet stating that the wizard needs food has never sounded better, even though it sounds exactly the same as it did in the arcade. For those unfamiliar with these oldies, don't expect to hear Dolby quality effects or music. This is primitive stuff, but it is oh so sweet to aged ears.
Gameplay: Midway Arcade Treasures has 24 classic arcade games packed into one CD, Midway's biggest classic achievement yet. The games included on this CD were around during the heyday of arcade gaming, and didn't suffer from flashy graphics or horrible story lines. A couple of vectors on the screen and a two line blurb about the back story pasted on the cabinet were all that was needed in those days. Ah, the memories. You'll see games like Rampart, Gauntlet, Smash TV, Robotron 2084, Joust, Marble Madness, the list goes on. There is enough here on a single CD to satisfy any classic gamer's appetite. Nothing flashy has been done to these games besides the fact that you can save your high scores on a memory card. Nothing has been changed during the port from arcade to console, and even the original bugs from the arcade are still present.
Difficulty: Old games like these didn't have difficulty levels that you could choose from. They were arcade games that were designed to eat your quarters. Unfortunately, not every game gives you unlimited continues, meaning it will be nigh impossible to beat the games that actually have an ending. However, these titles are meant for a few short minutes of intense fun, no matter how difficult.
Game Mechanics: Since most of the controls for these games were limited to a joystick and a button or two, the mechanics translate well onto the PS2 controller. Only games like Rampart that used special devices such as a track ball seem a bit odd to be using a joystick with, but this is easy to get over and hardly takes anything away from the experience. At twenty dollars, Midway Arcade Treasures is almost too good to give up. Some may say that not enough was done to these games, like improving on them or tweaking with the code. However, if you're like me and you want the same thing you got when these games were in the arcade, you'll be more than happy to shell out the measly sum for a jewel like this.
-Snow Chainz, GameVortex Communications AKA Andrew Horwitz
Lethal Skies II Mojo!