This Week in Defunct Games - Sept. 28, 2012

What Is It? Hot on the heels of Real Bout: Fatal Fury Special, SNK is at it again with 1998's Real Bout: Fatal Fury 2 - The Newcomers. In case you haven't been keeping track, this is the tenth Neo Geo game released on the Virtual Console in 2012. It's also the eighth fighting game in the last nine months. Hope you aren't sick of Terry, Andy and Joe.

While the name may suggest a roster of new characters, the sad truth is that Real Bout: Fatal Fury 2 only includes two newcomers. We get Li Xiangfei, a Chinese American waitress, and Rick Strowd, a Native American boxer. The good news is that both characters are fun to play around with and bring something new to the series. Unfortunately, with a name like "The Newcomers," one expects more than two new characters. Thankfully there are 22 characters to choose from, including characters from past Fatal Fury installments.

Does It Still Hold Up? This is SNK's artists at their very best. Even though we've seen most of these characters in countless games, Real Bout: Fatal Fury 2 finds a way to make everything fresh. The backgrounds are outstanding, full of details you won't see until you're sixth or seventh viewing. The fighting mechanics are more geared towards combos, which is a step in the right direction for the franchise.

Is It Worth The Money? Real Bout: Fatal Fury 2 - The Newcomers is one of SNK's best fighting games and is worth your attention. However, I can understand being sick of fighting games. Not only is this the eighth fighting game on the Virtual Console this year, but it's also competing against the likes of Dead or Alive 5, Tekken Tag Tournament 2, JoJo's Bizarre Adventure HD Ver., Marvel vs. Capcom Origins and Persona 4 Arena. At this point I wouldn't blame you for having fighting game fatigue. If you aren't totally sick of the genre, then Real Bout: Fatal Fury 2 is definitely worth your 900 Nintendo Points.

What Is It? Leave it to Konami to mix everything we love about 2D shooters with the block-dropping mayhem of Tetris. Quarth is neither a straight-up shooter nor a puzzle game, opting instead to be its own mongrel genre. You take control of a space ship that shoots blocks at tiles falling from the sky. The idea is to use your ties to turn each object into a perfect square. You can add to the square, making them as big or small as you want, but it's game over if any piece hits your ship. Not only are you rewarded more points for larger blocks, but daring Quarthers will snag power-ups that will allow for even bigger point multipliers. There are several levels to choose from and ships to pilot, making this an exciting new addition to your Nintendo 3DS.

Does It Still Hold Up? The gameplay is nothing more than moving left and right, all while shooting at falling blocks. I was pleased to see how quick and responsive the firing is; I always felt in control, even in the tensest situations. The graphics are simple and you'll see the same blocks far too often, but that's par for the course when it comes to Game Boy puzzle/shooters.

Is It Worth The Money? Quarth is an endearing little experiment that can be a fun time-waster. Unfortunately, it's a little too easy and there isn't a whole lot to do outside of beating your high score. On the other hand, it's a three dollar game from 22 years ago. This Konami classic isn't a must-have Game Boy game, but it is a unique experience that everybody should try once. You may not fall in love with Quarth, but you won't be disappointed with this charming shooter.