|
With remakes, re-envisioning, and retro at the height of its popularity, EA has decided to join the party courtesy of the PSP. EA brings us back to the 90’s when grunge, 90210, and VHS were kings of their domain, allowing gamers who were born in this era to get a glimpse of what gaming was like when they were still in Huggies. This isn’t your typical retro slop either, EA has pulled from their fans wish list to bring us not only a great nostalgic collection, but one that brings back old favorites that gamers have wanted to see for many years now. If this collection does well, who knows, a next generation version of one of these classics could be a serious cash cow for the company.
Granted, not every game in EA Replay is a winner, but the good certainly outweighs the bad when it comes to what was the foundation of EA’s empire we know today. The forgettable titles I will get out of the way first. Virtual Pinball, B.O.B., Budokan, and Syndicate may have had their followings in their heyday, but by no means have withstood the test of time. The games you should really pay attention to go a little something like this: Desert and Jungle Strike; two great war shooters that had us taking out terrorisst and halting Nuclear disaster. Haunting Starring Polterguy; a very Beetlejuice like game where you are a ghost trying to scare a family out of your home. Road Rash 1-3; the game series which paved the way for titles like Burnout by delivering fast paced racing action, combined with the ability to knock your opponents off their bikes. Ulitma: The Black Gate; one of the originators of the top down RPG genre shows the beginnings of what has become games like Baldur’s Gate, Diablo and Untold Legends. Wing Commander and Wing Commander: Secret Missions are two great strategy space shooters that lived in an era where PC was king and thinking was essential. Lastly, we have Mutant League Football, which took the John Madden engine to a new level of brutality and fun. Set in a futuristic setting, you play on a galactic gridiron and not only tackle your opponents, but also could obliterate them altogether. Each emulation is perfect and playing them with the PSP analog or direction pad is flawless. It is true that younger gamers may not “get” these titles, but those of us who were around when they first hit store shelves will appreciate what nostalgic beauty they delivered. Top it all off for a price tag of under 20 bucks and just for the kick of re-living the past, you can’t pass this one up. A must buy for nostalgia buffs.
|
