The first Capcom Classics Collection must have sold well enough, because the second volume is here, boasting twenty different games to whet the whistle of gamers who were just yearning for more.
Capcom has taken a shovel down into their arcade archives to pull out some unarguable gems, as well as a few dirty rocks that should've been left down in the mines. On the positive side, we get some neat nuggets such as the Ghosts 'n Goblins clone (but more fun) Black Tiger, olde beat-em-up The King of Dragons, the platforming cuteness of Mega Twins, and yes, finally, the original arcade game Strider. These aren't the only excellent games here, but their inclusion are enough to make an arcade enthusiast salivate with hunger. Mediocre titles like The Street Rumbler, Tiger Road, and Last Duel help pad out the collection, and duds like Avengers and the original Street Fighter make it stink just a little. Compare Street Fighter to Super Street Fighter II Turbo in this same compilation, and you'll see just how far the series advanced in just a few short years.
AND you get Block Block. I don't know where that name comes from, but it's a fun little Arkanoid clone.
Just as I had mentioned in my review of the previous volume, this collection just feels flat out unbalanced. There are far too many slasher games and flight shooters. Relief comes only with games like Mega Twins and Quiz & Dragons, which stray from the generalized Capcom arcade formula and provide a different and more spontaneous gaming experience. On the plus side, there aren't three or more different games from the same series here; a greater spread of franchises and one-timers alike can be found here. Still, tedium has set in once again -- by the time I was finished looking at the last game on their list, I was really worn out by all the games I felt I was playing over and over...
Featured here: Eco Fighters and Strider
Several games start out by telling me that "Winners don't use drugs." Well, actually, that's a lie at this point. Have you seen modern athletes? Anyway, it was a nice touch to keep these screens intact. You know what else was a nice touch? A bonus game featured called "Capcom Quiz", which is a quiz game (duh!) that poses questions specifically about only Capcom games. I didn't do too well because I don't know enough about the Resident Evil series right now, but it's still good fun to play with people who know NOTHING about Capcom, so I can look superior with all my Mega Man knowledge.
And, like the previous collection, each game has extra stuff that can be unlocked by achieving specific goals which can be determined ahead of time by looking at a special list, accessible via the pause menu during gameplay. Artwork, playing tips, etc. will help you more thoroughly enjoy and appreciate every game in the collection! You can also fiddle with the difficulty and number of continues and lives available to you in each game before you start, as was an option in Capcom Classics Collection Vol. 1 as well. And again, the graphics are pretty much pixel-perfect and respectful to their arcade counterparts. But once again, the sound suffers greatly with pings that will make an ear fall off your head. Be wary of your television's volume -- you may spook the cat otherwise. There is a decent presentation menu here, although it's nothing special. It serves its purpose without seeming too flashy.
Well, there's a SLIGHTLY better variety of games available here. There are a couple of nifty platformers, a quiz game, and even a puzzler to be found which breaks the boredom found amongst the numerous beat-em-ups and flying shooters. And true Capcom enthusiasts will be happy that Strider was finally included here (after it was sadly EXcluded from the previous volume). Still, take caution before making this purchase: you must have the real gamer spirit and a strong interest in arcade games before you shell out your hard-earned snow-shoveling money for Capcom Classics Collection Volume 2.
