This Week in Defunct Games - February 17, 2011

What Is It? Released in 1984, this arcade smash hit was the first installment in the long running 19XX series. The concept is simple enough; you play a fighter pilot gunning down Japanese planes in the middle of the Pacific theater of World War II. The gameplay is classic vertical shooter, with you dodging enemies and picking up bonus items. Unfortunately, this was a few years before shooters realized the potential for different weapons and power-ups. Still, 1942 delivers one exciting level after another, recreated on the Virtual Console in its original arcade form. The name may not carry a lot of weight these days, but in the 1980s this arcade shooter was one of their most popular brands.

Does It Still Hold Up? There's nothing technically wrong with the gameplay, the plane is responsive and the levels are (for the most part) interesting. My issue is with the relative simplicity of the whole experience. Without huge power-ups to collect I found myself growing tired of the game quickly. Even the boss battles are relatively weak. There's a lot of fun to be had in 1942, but I preferred the sequels to this bare bones original.

Is It Worth The Money? This is yet another week where Nintendo uploads a game we already had on the Virtual Console. This is not the first time we've seen 1942, a couple years ago we had the chance to buy the NES version. This arcade game is better, but you should be careful and not double up. Despite some reservations, I like 1942. It's not the perfect 2D shooter, but it gets enough right to recommend.

What Is It? You can look at Black Tiger one of two ways: Either it's the spiritual successor to Ghosts 'N Goblins or it's the trial run for Magic Sword. Unfortunately, this 2D action game doesn't stack up to those two Capcom greats. Instead you get an insanely difficult sidescroller with cheap deaths, leaps of fate and every other frustrating trapping of late 80s arcade games. You play a barbarian hero who jumps around and uses a long mace (which also shoots arrows). The gameplay is simple enough, but the gimmick here is that players have to do more than just run from left to right. The game's huge level designs feature both vertical and horizontal scrolling, allowing the developers to hide all kinds of goodies. All the elements are here for a great game, but the frustrating difficulty may turn many gamers off of what could have been another great arcade game from Capcom.

Does It Still Hold Up? There's nothing technically broken about the gameplay, the character controls fine and all of the buttons are responsive. The problem lies in the level designs. While I applaud Capcom for their open-world structure (definitely forward thinking in the late 1980s), I can't overlook all of the frustrating obstacles put in the worst places just to suck money out of your pocket. Dedicated gamers will eventually make their way through Black Tiger, but I'm not sure it's worth the pain and suffering.

Is It Worth The Money? Black Tiger is the type of Capcom arcade game I should love. But there's something about the game's unwieldy difficulty that keeps me from falling in love. Over the years I've gotten better, to the point where I have little to no problem finishing this surprisingly short outing. Even with all that work, this is a hard call for me. Black Tiger is not even close to the quality of other Capcom action games, but then again, very few Virtual Console games are.

What Is It? Believe it or not, Back to Nature is the only Harvest Moon game released for the original PlayStation. What's more, it's also the first Harvest Moon game released on a non-Nintendo platform. But don't let the change of platform fool you, because this is the same Harvest Moon game you've come to know and love. You start out on a small farm with just enough money to plant some crops and earn some extra cash. The goal is to eventually create a thriving farm, have a successful love life and get to know the people of Mineral Town. It's a simple concept with universal appeal. The slow pacing and customization makes this a good game for PSP owers, while the game is long enough to interest PlayStation 3 owners. Unless you're already sick of Harvest Moon, that is.

Does It Still Hold Up? The game looks a bit like the Nintendo 64 release, which isn't a terrible thing. Outdated visuals aside, the game has some user interface issues that I wished could have been worked out. Thankfully the game has enough content to keep fans happy, even if it's a little rough around the edges.

Is It Worth The Money? You're either a fan of Harvest Moon or you're not, there's not much middle ground here. Although I'm not the target audience, Back to Nature is a solid Harvest Moon experience. The price is right, especially if you're one of those people who have never dabbled in fictional farming. Still, there are newer Harvest Moon games that iron out some of the imperfections found in this late generation release.

What Is It? In this world of title updates and day one patches, I wonder if Metal Slug X would even exist. At its core, this 1999 release is a remixed version of the popular (but kind of broken) Metal Slug 2. Beyond fixing some of the technical problems (slowdowns, etc.), this redux offers brand new weapons, enemies and boss battles. The good news is that all of the Metal Slug fun is front and center in this PlayStation 1 port. We're given gorgeous artwork that still looks great today, plus funny animations that are guaranteed to make you yearn for the good old days of sprite-based graphics. Throw in a few awkward vehicles and an unexplained plotline and you have another great entry in the Metal Slug franchise. Too bad it wasn't an original entry.

Does It Still Hold Up? It's a Metal Slug game; you know exactly what you're getting from the get-go. The hand-drawn graphics and animation look amazing, especially when you play the game on the small screen of the PSP. Although the gameplay is solid, I do have an issue with the limited control I'm giving over my gun. Outside of that, this game holds up beautifully.

Is It Worth The Money? Longtime fans of This Week in Defunct Games already know what I'm going to say. Metal Slug X is a solid game at a good price point, but fans of this series should steer clear of this PSN release. These days you can find the Metal Slug Anthology for roughly the same price, and not only does it offer Metal Slug X, but it packs in six other games. Still, Metal Slug X is slightly cheaper than the just-released Metal Slug 1 on the Neo Geo Station, plus it's an all-around better game. I may be conflicted about this version, but one thing is for sure: Metal Slug X is a game worth paying!

What Is It? Because Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo was a huge hit (and Capcom had a lot of spare money and time), we get Pocket Fighter. This game likes to pretend that Street Fighter II never existed; instead using the super deformed anime characters from Puzzle Fighter and making them fight for real. The concept isn't bad, but the gameplay is extremely limited. If anything, Pocket Fighter is a love letter to the longtime fans of the Street Fighter and DarkStalkers franchise. The backgrounds are littered with fantastic references and the special moves play homage to some of the greatest Capcom games of all time.

Does It Still Hold Up? Pocket Fighter is shallow. Anybody expecting this to compete with Street Fighter II, DarkStalkers or any other Capcom fighter will be sorely disappointed. The cast of characters is small and there really isn't a whole lot to do in this game. But that's not the point. This was never supposed to be a serious fighting game. Pocket Fighter holds up as a novelty Capcom experiment.

Is It Worth The Money? When it was first released the critics maligned this dumbed down fighting game for being a full-priced game. And I agree, fifty dollars was too much to ask for what should have been a special bonus game packaged with a Street Fighter release. More than a decade later, I'm perfectly fine with paying six bucks for this throwaway title. It's not the kind of fighter that you will see at serious tournaments, but there's no denying how much fun Pocket Fighter is. Just be warned, Pocket Fighter does not run on the PSP, it is a PlayStation 3-only release. That alone was almost enough for me to drop the grade. Almost.

What Is It? Believe it or not, this late generation PS1 game is not the only fishing title on PSN. For gamers not satisfied with EA's Championship Bass, Natsume is stepping up with Reel Fishing II. The game is a mix of full-motion video and polygonal graphics, making for a somewhat jarring experience 11 years later. Don't go into this game expecting a fast-paced arcade experience (a la Sega's various fishing games), Reel Fishing II is a full-on fishing simulator. This is a game about patience and skill, two things you'll need to have in order to complete the various goals and unlock new fishing spots.

Does It Still Hold Up? The gameplay is fine, but the combination of full-motion video and polygons is weird. The game does offer a shocking amount of content, including some truly varied locations. Some of the controls aren't especially intuitive, but that shouldn't matter to the target audience.

Is It Worth The Money? I'm not a big fan of the simulator fishing genre, but Reel Fishing II does have a lot going for it. I was surprised at how addictive the challenges were; especially when I knew I could advance to bigger and better fishing spots. I was happy to see that this wasn't as slow paced as real life fishing, though I certainly got bored while playing it. This isn't my type of game, but that may have more to do with my disinterest for the sport/activity. Fans of the genre may want to take a look, everybody else should probably move on to one of the other PS1 offerings.

What Is It? With a name like Rockman: Complete Works, I expected more than just one game. But this is not the collection the name suggests, but rather a port of the classic 1987 action/platformer. This is the original Mega Man, the awkward robot dude who couldn't look less confident in his infamous box art. You get the same group of baddies -- Cut Man, Elec Man, Ice Man, Fire Man, Bomb Man, and Guts Man -- and all the same levels. The big difference is that you can save anywhere and get hints along the way. And did I mention the arranged music? Unfortunately, that's about the extent of the changes made to this package. Savor this moment, Mega Man fans, because it's not often that you see an NES game released on the PlayStation. Not legally, that is.

Does It Still Hold Up? The first few Mega Man games have a very particular style of control. You have limited control over your character (no ducking, shooting in diagonals, etc.), but fans of the series will already be prepared for the archaic handling. While the graphics can't stack up to the other PSOne Classics (we're talking about 8-bit sprites here), Mega Man's mechanical heart is in the right place. It turns out that Mega Man is fun no matter what platform you play it on.

Is It Worth The Money? I'm definitely conflicted when it comes to this first Mega Man game. Of course I recommend people play this game, but I'm not a big fan of Capcom releasing these games individually. What's more, PSP owners should bypass this version all together and pick up the incredible 2.5D remake, Mega Man Powered Up. Not only does that version look infinitely better, but you can play as the bosses, make your own levels and much, much more. Plus, Powered Up is a mere $10 on the PSN, only a few dollars more than this 8-bit port.

What Is It? It's the sequel to Mega Man, of course. Much like the first Rockman: Complete Works upload; this sequel features one game, the same type of extras and arranged music. This 1988 sequel offers exciting new levels, a fun storyline and, of course, a new set of bosses to beat (including Metal Man, Air Man, Bubble Man, Quick Man, Crash Man, Flash Man, Heat Man, and Wood Man). This Complete Works version doesn't attempt to improve the graphics, but you'll hardly notice as you play through one of the greatest 8-bit games of all time. If I was a betting man I would put some serious money on Mega Man 3 showing up in the not-too-distant future!

Does It Still Hold Up? Mega Man 2 looks and plays exactly how you remember it. This 8-bit port is a bit rough around the edges, but that shouldn't stop anybody from having a great time. Needless to say, the game is full of frustrating platforming puzzles that require precise jump control and a sharp memory for enemy placement. The music has been arranged and there are a few additional features in this PlayStation port. It may not look current, but Mega Man 2 still holds up well.

Is It Worth The Money? Remember all of my complaints about the first Rockman: Complete Works release? Oddly enough, almost none of them apply to this sequel. For one thing, Capcom never got around to remaking Mega Man 2 on the PSP, making this the first appearance of Crash Man or Bubble Man on the PlayStation Network. On the other hand, it's disappointing that this is one dollar more expensive than its Virtual Console counterpart. Then again, it's hard to complain that $6 is too much to ask when we're talking about one of the two best Mega Man games. I may have been on the fence about picking up the first installment, but Rockman 2: Complete Works is a must-own for anybody that loves 2D action games.