Capcom Classics Collection Remixed

by JohnnyK
March 29, 2006 00:00 AM PST

If you're a fan of the quarter crunching games from years ago, this compilation might just be right up your alley.

Crap, I just bought the Xbox version of Capcom Classics Collection, and now the company that brought me all that classic arcade goodness is putting a title out on the PSP! Oh, the humanity! Wait a minute; this is actually a good thing. To give portable gamers a slice of the good life, Capcom has tweaked and polished 20 of their classic arcade titles for gaming on the go, and if you're a fan of the quarter crunching games from years ago, this compilation might just be right up your alley.

Pick And Choose
20 games are included in Capcom Classics Collection Remixed including: 1941, Avengers, Bionic Commando, Black Tiger (finally!), Block Block, Captain Commando, Final Fight, Forgotten Worlds, Last Duel, Legendary Wings, Magic Sword, Mega Twins, Quiz & Dragons, Section Z, Side Arms, The Speed Rumber, Street Fighter, Strider, Three Wonders, and Varth. Keep in mind, these are the old school arcade versions of the games, so such notables as Forgotten Worlds and Bionic Commando are quite a bit different than what you played on your NES or other console back in the day. This discrepancy, however, isn't necessarily a bad thing. While some of the titles haven't aged all that well, such as the archaic and downright bizarre Quiz & Dragons, games like Black Tiger and Magic Sword are just as fun as they were years ago.

To give each title a bit more depth, Capcom has included has included some unlockable bonus content for each one. For each title you can unlock a short informative history, gameplay tips, art work, and even the game's entire soundtrack for when you have a hankering for some old school tunes. Each unlockable comes with some sort or requirement, such as getting a certain number of points or beating the game. Thankfully, these tasks aren't too difficult considering you can give yourself unlimited continues for each game.

Getting Some Perspective
Capcom Classics Collection Remixed is a pretty straight forward experience - play through classic arcade games and have some fun. What's cool, however, is the neat option that allows you to choose the screen perspective for each game you're playing. There are a variety of different screen settings, including the neat ability to switch the perspective so that it's vertical. Games like 1941 play perfectly in to this function, letting you play the game with a sort of pseudo-arcade feel. The only obstacle is that you then need to hold your PSP in a somewhat awkward vertical position, which can lead to some wicked hand cramping. However, purists will undoubtedly appreciate this little detail, regardless of its carpal tunnel syndrome inducing potential.

Overall Capcom Classics Collection Remixed is a fairly enjoyable time, especially if you're been looking for a tight compilation title for your PSP. It's unfortunate that some of the console version titles haven't made their way to the portable version, since the inclusion of some killer titles could really have pushed this collection over the top. As it stands, you end up with a mix of average to good games, along with some classic stinkers that should have probably faded away in to obscurity.