Last Dance: Taito Legends 2
Classic game compilation releases seem to be pretty common today. Ranging from "arcade perfect" to complete crap, each of these compilations face two issues. First, being an honest look at the games included to see if they're any fun today. Even with rose-tinted nostalgia shades, not every game is destined to age well. The simple fact is that design tastes change over time. The second issue these compilations face is how accurately the games are emulated. It may seem a little odd that today's consoles still can't emulate every piece of arcade machinery from ten years or more ago, but it's easy to overlook the fact that many of these games were produced with highly specialized hardware components that work very differently from their console counterparts. The differences in hardware often results in poor performance, odd controls, and altered visuals.
The subject of this week's Last Dance is a compilation that confronts these issues head on while managing to become something greater than the sum of its parts. It's a collection of games that may not seem all that great at first glance, but ends up feeling like the video game equivalent of a forgotten mix tape a friend made for you but never got around to playing.
Taito Legends 2 might sound like a strange choice for an article like this. The games included here are not new by any means, only a handful of them are "pretty" by today's standards, and most gamers would file the majority of the included titles under "I think I remember that one..." What makes this collection of games stand out from the rest of the pack requires a look back at the lackluster collection that came before it.
Taito may not be the same company as it was before being acquired by Square Enix, but way back in it's hay day they were one of the biggest names in arcade gaming. Many of their most popular and recognizable games, like Space Invaders, Bubble Bobble, and Elevator Action were featured as part of the meh-quality Taito Legends 1 for PS2, Xbox and PC. The release suffered from emulation issues and some rather uninspired inclusions. Are any fans of Super Gun out there? Even without its inaccurate light gun? Didn't think so. The collection was firmly planted in the company's earlier days, for better and worse, and it showed. In mix-tape terms, it was a solid base for something great, but didn't quite develop to be what it should have been.
When putting together the selections for the Legends 2, someone at Taito must have realized that their biggest names were already used in the first one and that if they wanted to make another installment, they would need to shift their target focus away from blockbusters of yesteryear and onto something different. By choosing to go after hardcore gamers, Legends 2 consists of games that long time fans will remember playing in the arcade and new gamers will still be enjoy when playing for the first time.
In place of plastering a long list of every game included on the disc, here are some thoughts on some of my favorites from the collection...
Elevator Action Returns: The inclusion of this game alone justifies the price of the entire collection. Using the original Elevator Action formula as the basis for some insane level design and highly detailed sprites, this sequel feels as fresh as the day it was released. The game is so polished and addictive that it makes you wonder why Taito hasn't gone back to this game for a new DS or XBLA release.
Qix: Guiding a point of light, the player using guides creates patches of colors inside of a square of abstracted enemies. Think of it as a reversed version of Tron: you die if an enemy collides with your trail while you are in the middle of completing a shape. Even with a severe case of visual minimalism, this game still manages to find a good amount of tension.
Puzzle Bobble 2: Yes, it has been released on every console and handheld known to man, but this is easily one of the cheapest ways to get your hands on this arcade staple. Puzzle Bobble is like Tetris in that I don't believe that there are is anyone that hasn't played it or doesn't like it.
Gun Frontier, Grid Seeker, Puchi Carat, Gekirindan, Metal Black, Insector X, G-Darius, Darius Gaiden, RayStorm, Syvalion: 8, 16, 32 bit, horizontal or vertical, it doesn't matter how you take your shooters, Taito Legends 2 delivers them in spades. Fans of the genre will not see a better collection anywhere else. From the super-sweet visions of Pichi Carat to the bizarrely bio-mechanical foes you'll face in the Darius and RayStorm titles, anyone with even a remote interest in the genre will find something to like there.
When it was first released, this collection sold for $20 and was worth every penny. Recently, I've seen this collection in stores for as little as $6 and cannot imagine a better deal. That's just cheaper than most XBLA games, a dollar over the cost of an NES game on the Virtual Console, and the same price as a PSN classic. All the games on this disc aren't going to be familiar to everyone, but are well worth the effort to discover. It's hard to say that any gamer should avoid this collection because of how many hidden gems are included here. Every game isn't going to turn your crank, but you're bound to find something you haven't played yet and will love.
Game-Boy
Posted to Video Games on 7 January 2009
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Other stuff like this: last dance, pc, ps2, taito, taito legends 2, xbox
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