Game Shopping from your Sofa
Jul 25, 2007
Too hot outside? Fed up with your local game store? Skip the tedium of retail shopping and relax with some of the best titles the video game world has to offer, delivered directly to your console without CDs, manuals, or interpersonal contact. Some of these games are original creations, some are re-releases of well-loved classics, some are a little of both -- but all are well worth your time.
Xbox 360
Bomberman Live
Original release: July 2007
Price: $10
Hudson's long-running Bomberman series finally made it to the 360 recently. For the first time. No, Bomberman Zero never existed, and if you played it you'll surely agree. Bomberman Live is a classic tale of a bunch of little astronaut guys, a maze, and enough high explosives to blow the whole lot to kingdom come. Best enjoyed with a crowd, if you've never experienced the joy of blowing seven shades of doodoo out of your friends, you can't miss this - and if you're a fan of the series, you probably already own it. Either way, you won't be disappointed.
Verdict: Explosive multiplayer action. 4/5
Carcassonne
Original release: June 2007
Price: $10
One of the flagship titles in the recent resurgence of strategy-oriented board games, Carcassonne comes to Xbox Live Arcade flushed with awards, sales success and countless addicted players. The game is set in medieval France, and sees its players competing to develop the Carcassonne region, constructing the game's board as they go. It's one of the few turn-based Xbox Live Arcade games to support more than one local player, and also plays very well on Xbox Live.
Verdict: You won't get board of this. 4/5
Prince of Persia Classic
Original release: 1989
Price: $10
Jordan Mechner's platform game Prince of Persia, at its debut in 1989, was widely considered to be the pinnacle of computer animation. Mechner used a classic photographic technique called "rotoscoping" to produce the Prince's characteristically smooth movements, snapping high-speed pictures of his brother running and jumping to use as a guide for his computer model. Even today, the animations hold up remarkably well, and, if you ask us, the classic Prince of Persia is better than most of the modernized sequels published in the last few years. Take it for a spin and see if you agree.
Verdict: Fit for a prince. 4/5
 VIEW GEOMETRY WARS EVOLVED SCREENSHOTS |
Geometry Wars Evolved
Original release: November 2005
Price: $5
One of the first games to be released for the newly opened Xbox Live Arcade, Geometry Wars remains one of its most gripping single-player offerings. It traces its roots back to arcade games like Robotron, has an easy-to-learn two-stick control system, takes place at a pace that's absolutely blistering, and has an addictive hook that's strong enough to reel in an elephant. Thanks to its vibrant, almost overwhelming graphics, epileptics should probably steer clear, but the rest of us are guaranteed a fantastic experience.
Verdict: We still can't stop playing. 5/5
 CASTLEVANIA: SYMPHONY OF THE NIGHT |
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
Original release: 1997
Price: $10
SOTN to its friends, this episode in the much-admired Castlevania series touched down on the PlayStation in 1997, just as the console world was reveling in the new-found realism of 3D graphics. Symphony, a 2D action-adventure, didn't exactly capture the mood of the time, but it nevertheless captured the imaginations of a whole generation of fans -- and, thanks to Xbox Live, it's reborn to do exactly the same thing again. Its open-ended style of gameplay borrows heavily from role-playing game traditions, and its fighting-game inspired controls work beautifully. Don't miss it.
Verdict: Symphonic. 5/5
 PAC-MAN |
Pac-Man
Original release: 1980
Price: $5-10
Yellow, hungry, and eternally pursued by ghosts, Pac-Man needs no introduction. Although hardly the first popular arcade game, it was the first to break out of the traditionally male demographic and captivate players of both sexes. Pac-Man's popularity among what we now call "non-traditional gamers" was later recognized by Midway with the release of Ms. Pac-Man which, if anything, was even more successful than Pac-Man itself. Both, plus a shined-up Championship Edition with improved graphics and new mazes, are available on Xbox Live Arcade.
Verdict: Definitely our favorite game character inspired by a pizza missing a slice. 3.5/5
 STREET FIGHTER II |
Street Fighter 2
Original release: 1991
Price: $10
Updated, re-released, and overhauled numerous times, Street Fighter II is still regarded as one of the best fighting games of all time, thanks to its delicate balance and complex system of special moves. The Xbox Live version includes online multiplayer and a "quarter mode" that simulates the winner-stays-on rules adopted by players of the arcade original. The 360's pad isn't exactly ideal for fighting games, but it works well enough -- and you can't argue with gameplay that's this tried-and-tested.
Verdict: Haaaaaaaaaaaadoken! 3.5/5
Too hot outside? Fed up with your local game store? Skip the tedium of retail shopping and relax with some of the best titles the video game world has to offer, delivered directly to your console without CDs, manuals, or interpersonal contact. Some of these games are original creations, some are re-releases of well-loved classics, some are a little of both -- but all are well worth your time.
PS3
Calling All Cars!
Original release: May 2007
Price: $10
God of War developer David Jaffe created this cops-and-robbers romp, which sees God of War star, Kratos, take on a selection of modern-day criminals in a bloody, violent duel to the death. OK, so that's not strictly true, but we sure wish it was. Instead, Calling All Cars is a pick-up-and-play vehicular combat game with a strong multiplayer focus and an appealingly clean graphical style. Chaotic, combative and classy, it's only available on the Playstation Network.
Verdict: Kratos would be proud. 3.5/5
flOw
Original release: 2006
Price: $7.99
How would you feel if a game you designed as part of an MFA thesis turned up on the PlayStation 3 store, for the whole world to enjoy? Ask Xinghan "Jenova" Chen, whose unique ocean-sim creation, flOw is making waves in the independent games world. Originally a Flash game, the PS3 version adds Sixaxis motion sensitive controls, a bunch of new creatures, and high-def support.
Verdict: Go with the flow. 4/5
 TEKKEN 5: DARK RESURRECTION |
Tekken 5: Dark Resurrection
Original release: March 2007
Price: $19.99
You might have seen this in the arcades -- if you're one of the twenty or so Americans who still frequent these sadly neglected shrines to video game culture. It's yet another installment in the outstanding and critically acclaimed Tekken series, and thanks to the Playstation Network, it's the easiest one to get hold of. Fans will thrill to the collection of new stages and characters, as well as the return of many old favorites. Although there's no online mode yet, one is promised as a free add-on in the not too distant future.
Verdict: Fans won't want to miss it. 4/5
 VIEW LEMMINGS SCREENSHOTS |
Lemmings
Original release: 1991
Price: $3
Although the iconic (and usually ill-fated) Lemmings trace their origins to a competition to produce the smallest possible character animation that still retained some, well, character, the sadistic puzzle game they spawned proved one of the Amiga's gems. Check out the PS3 port of Lemmings and perhaps, as you smirk at the sight of the despairing shake of an exploding lemming's head and ensuing shower of bits, you'll spot the gleeful disregard for suffering and social norms that gave rise to the early Grand Theft Auto games, which hail from the same developer.
Verdict: Let's go! 4/5
 MORTAL KOMBAT II |
Mortal Kombat II
Original release: 1993
Price: $4.99
One of the original "video game nasties," it's a little amusing to think of Mortal Kombat II, somewhat tame by Grand Theft Auto standards, causing a nation of parents to fear for the integrity of their offspring. The culprit, of course, was the game's infamous "Fatality" moves, which saw, among other things, contestants being decapitated, frozen alive, or sliced in half. Nice. While Mortal Kombat II's shock value is largely gone, the solid beat-em-up gameplay retains its competitive edge.
Verdict: Fatality! 3.5/5
Too hot outside? Fed up with your local game store? Skip the tedium of retail shopping and relax with some of the best titles the video game world has to offer, delivered directly to your console without CDs, manuals, or interpersonal contact. Some of these games are original creations, some are re-releases of well-loved classics, some are a little of both -- but all are well worth your time.
Wii
Paper Mario
Original release: 2001
Price: $10
You might have caught this N64 game's Wii sequel - here's a chance to play the original. Paper Mario introduced an imaginative and seldom imitated graphical style, imagining the game's characters as 2D paper-dolls inhabiting a 3D world. This enables gameplay twists -- literally -- that are as mindbending as they are creative.
Verdict: Just as good as the Wii-native sequel, and a fraction of the price. 4/5
 STARFOX 64 |
Starfox 64
Original release: 1997
Price: $10
Definitely a front-runner in the "games most in need of a sequel" stakes, Starfox 64 is itself a sequel to one of the most iconic games on the SNES. Huge bosses, branching levels, four-player multiplayer, and production values that set new benchmarks in its time, it's a sci-fi cornucopia of shoot-em-up thrills. Viewed-from-behind shooters in this style don't come along often any more, so it's all the more welcome that this N64 favorite has made its way to the Wii.
Verdict: Do a barrel roll! 4/5
 SUPER MARIO BROS. |
Super Mario Bros.
Original release: 1985
Price: $5
If you've been fortunate enough to cross the Atlantic on one of the airplanes equipped with in-flight Super Mario, you'll know why this classic became the best-selling video game of all time. Sure, the visuals might be rudimentary by today's standards, but we challenge you to spend half an hour playing it and not be captivated. Thanks to the Wii's Virtual Console, Mario and Bowser's antics are preserved for the foreseeable future -- and you don't need to be at 36,000 feet to enjoy them.
Verdict: It's a-classic! 5/5
 ZELDA: A LINK TO THE PAST |
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
Widely regarded as the best Zelda game of all, A Link to the Past's top-down style might be unfamiliar to more modern gamers, but thanks to the success of its sequels you'll recognize many series conventions have their roots here. This installment introduced the concept of "light" and "dark" worlds that share common features with good and evil twists respectively, and it's an idea that's been thoroughly explored in countless titles ever since. Link to the Past's complex but approachable gameplay has barely dated, although the same can't be said for the graphics.
Verdict: Pink to the last. 5/5
 MARIO 64 |
Mario 64
Original release: 1996
Price: $10
Widely credited with being the first 3D platformer to really understand this new dimension, there are still games being released that don't get the camera controls as right as Mario 64. Its free-roaming levels and open-ended design are just as influential now as they were 10 years ago, and it remains perhaps the best example of how to make a game that Just Feels Right. If you missed out on the N64 original, it's the ideal way to wean yourself off the flashy graphics and high-dollar production values of today's hits, and give yourself a taste of how things used to be.
Verdict: Still a trendsetter even after all these years. 5/5
 BOMBERMAN 93 |
Bomberman 93
Original release: 1993
Price: $6
Hey, we had to include one Wii game that didn't involve Nintendo superstar designer Shigeru Miyamoto in one capacity or another. One of the first party games on any system, Bomberman '93 was brought all the way up to date for the Wii's Virtual Console. Get five players on one Wii -- four remotes and a Gamecube controller will work -- and you're guaranteed a rollicking good time blowing the hell out of each other. The single-player hasn't proven so timeless, but even among the Wii's great selection of multiplayer games, Bomberman '93 can easily its head up.
Verdict: Foom. 4.5/5