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D.S. Cohen

Classic Video Games Blog

By D.S. Cohen, About.com Guide to Classic Video Games

The Original PSOne Classic Rayman Rereleases on the DSi

Monday December 7, 2009

Rayman PSOne Packashot

It looks like the Sony PlayStation 3 and PSP no longer corner the market on downloadable classic PlayStation One titles. Today Nintendo and Ubisoft have released the PSOne hit Rayman for the Nintendo DSi as part of the DSiWare digital delivery service.

Typically classic console games are reserved for the Nintendo Wii's Virtual Console, with DSiWare titles limited to new games and remixed classics, but because Sony is in competition with Nintendo, PSOne titles aren't part of the Virtual Consoles offerings. It looks like Ubisoft found a workaround to the problem by releasing the classic platformer about a hero of floating body parts to the DSi with a few new added features.

In addition to the original classic game the DSi version can utilize the DSi Camera (what you can do with it has not been announced), a touch screen map and a new time bonus challenges.

While I'm still sulking over Nintendo's removal of the GBA cartridge slot on the DSi, which officially killed the Game Boy, if more PSOne classics start creeping onto the handheld platform I might have to consider forgiveness...nah!

Packshot © Ubisoft

Capcom Announces Final Fight: Double Impact for 2010 - A Final Fight and Magic Sword Two-Pack Rerelease

Monday December 7, 2009
Final Fight Screenshot

This week Capcom has announced the confusingly titled Final Fight: Double Impact for release in April 2010 via PlayStation Network and Xbox Live Arcade. The download includes the original and HD upresed versions of the arcade classic Final Fight with a new alternate soundtrack, but also the sword and sorcery arcade classic Magic Sword. Why is calling the download Final Fight: Double Impact? Because half of it, Magic Sword, is completely different game that is unrelated to the Final Fight franchise.

Both games will be available for a single price and have online multiplayer co-op capabilities, a first for Magic Sword whose previous home console ports have been single player only.

  • Final Fight: The backdrop for the classic Capcom 2D side-scrolling fighting game has Mike Haggar, the Mayor of Metro City discovering his daughter has been kidnapped by the Mad Gear gang, so he teams up with her boyfriend Cody and his buddy Guy to get her back.

  • Magic Sword: A 2D sword and sorcery adventure that is chock full or orcs, barbarians, wizards, Ninjas and grizzly bears as two warriors journey to the top of Castle Dragon Tower and face the evil Drokmar. The sinister wizard has reawakened the Black Orb and brought darkness to the land. The warriors must fight their way through numerous levels of Dungeons & Dragons inspired non-stop action.
Screenshot © Capcom

Atari Offers Free Classic Arcade and 2600 Games Online

Monday December 7, 2009
Atari 2600 Packshot - Adventure

Hot on the heels of their big movie deal for the classic video game Asteroids, Atari premieres Atari Arcade, a new section of their website where you can play six of their retro arcade and Atari 2600 hits for free.

Titles include:

  • Adventure (Atari 2600)
  • Asteroids (Arcade)
  • Battlezone (Arcade)
  • Crystal Castles (Arcade)
  • Lunar Lander (Arcade)
  • Yars' Revenge (Atari 2600)

The games can all be played in-browser or full screen using keyboard controls. Let's hope this is just the beginning of a good thing and we'll be seeing more retro Atari hits from the past populate the library.

Packshot © Atari

World of Commodore 2009 Classic Computer Show This Saturday Dec. 5th

Sunday November 29, 2009

Commodore 64 Print Ad from the '80s

Time for all of you crazy Commodore computer collectors to get your airline tickets to Canada 'cause the good folks at the Toronto PET Users Group are prepping their annual World of Commodore show for this Saturday Dec. 5th, located the Admiral Inn in Mississauga, Ontario.

In celebration of the Toronto PET Users Group's 30th Anniversary, they are pulling out all the stops to make this the biggest and best World of Commodore show ever! The event will include guest speakers, dealers selling classic and new Commodore hardware and software (including Commodore 64 computers, accessories and games), video screenings, raffles, freebies and a chance to meet and chat with fellow enthusiasts from one of the greatest computer families a retro gamer could love.

More Info on World of Commodore 2009 and the Commodore 64...

Image © Commodore International

Post-Thanksgiving Workout Featuring - Track & Field the Olympian Arcade Game

Sunday November 29, 2009

Track & Field Screenshot

The Thanksgiving feast is over, but with side dishes like stuffing, mashed potatoes, candied yams, mac & cheese, and pumpkin pie, it's enough to make the Atkins diet self destruct! So it's time to start working off all of those delicious carb laden dishes with a cardio workout retro gaming style. I'm talking about running the 100 Meter Dash, going for the long jump or tossing around a javelin!

You say your belly is too full to get out and do all that moving around? Don't worry, with the classic arcade game Track & Field, you don't even have to get up off your couch. Track & Field was the first video game hit based on the Olympic Games when it released to video arcades back in 1983 and has been reissued and repackaged for numerous home console systems ever since.

Check out Track & Field as well as these other workout games that will hopefully motivate you to hit the gym between those leftover Turkey sandwiches (I like mine with extra stuffing, and cranberry sauce)

Screenshot © Konami

A Thanksgiving Feast with the Top Classic Video Games About Food

Monday November 23, 2009

Pac-Man game goals from the original arcade flyer

Thanksgiving is this week! It's time to gather round with your friends and loved ones and follow the grand tradition of stuffing your gullet. And just what goes better together than video games and food?

Classic games and eating have a long tradition together, from playing at the pizza parlor or grabbing a quick snack between levels at home. Heck, the first time most of us heard the term "chomp" it was in describing Pac-Man. So in honor of the Thanksgiving feast we've got the Top 10 Classic Video Games About Food for you to stuff your console with.

Besides, stuffing your face in a video game is much less fattening.

Image © Namco

Resident Evil: Darkside Chronicles Revisits the RE Classics

Saturday November 21, 2009

Resident Evil: Darkside Chronicles

No matter how advance new games get, Capcom continues to keep a special place in their hearts for the flesh eating classics that made them the kings of zombie and survival horror, and update them for today's technology and sensibilities. Not only has this past year seen rereleases and remakes of the first Resident Evil game, but their latest title for the Nintendo Wii, Resident Evil: Darkside Chronicles revisits two RE classics that don't typically get as much attention.

Darkside Chronicles splits its focus to retell the stories and scenarios of the PlayStation One classic Resident Evil 2 and the Dreamcast/PlayStation 2 title Resident Evil: Code Veronica. While the gameplay is in a rail-shooter style more akin to the House of the Dead series, it has players taking the roles of Leon S. Kennedy and Claire Redfield for the RE2 areas and Ada Wong and Sherry Birkin in the Code Veronica scenes.

While the game does follow the storylines, locations and characters from the original retro hits, it also features new gameplay, enemies, and characters, including flashbacks that fill in the gaps and add new layers to the Resident Evil universe.

Packshot © Capcom

A Year of Going Postal - Rereleases, Movies and a Sequel

Saturday November 21, 2009

Postal Art

The controversial classic shooter Postal, a game where the main goal is to kill just about everything in sight, might have kept it's guns holstered for the past few years but in 2009 it's been shooting things up quite a bit.

My guess is that this is a sign of today's tough times, giving folks a break from sacraned down "safe" games of today (IE: The last Mortal Kombat was Teen Rated!) and giving them a chance to release their frustrations on the state of the world without going Postal themselves.

  • Postal Rereleases: The classic computer games rerelease website Good Old Games brought back the original and its sequel Postal 2, making them compatible with the biggest enemy of classic video games, Windows Vista.
  • Postal Movie: Uwe Boll resurrected the game to create a new movie franchise. The Postal flick is completely offensive, unforgivable, and in horribly bad taste, it's also pretty darn funny and Boll's best film to date. A sequel is also in the works.
  • Postal III Announced: Recently at the Tucson Comic-Con (does every town have a comic-con now?) Postal developers Running with Scissors revealed plans and a special demo for Postal III. While all of the Postal games have been shooters, the first was a 2D Isometric game, Postal II was a first person shooter, and now it looks like they are taking the third-person perspective for Postal III.

Postal Art © Running With Scissors; Courtesy of Good Old Games (GOG.com)

Frogger Returns Releases Today via WiiWare - Plus a Sneak Preview

Monday November 9, 2009

Frogger Returns Screenshot

This morning Nintendo revealed that Frogger Returns, Konami's remake/remix of the classic Frogger arcade game is available starting today for the Nintendo Wii via their WiiWare downloads service. Returns is also set for release on the PlayStation Network, but a date has yet to be announced.

Frogger Returns follows the happy hoppers journey from the big city to his pad in the swamp as he avoids getting squished by cars, chomped by alligators, or dunked in water (he's the only frog who can't swim). While the upgrade includes next-gen 3D graphics, more levels, new dangers and a larger playing field, the basic gameplay and structure stays true to the original retro hit.

To celebrate the latest classic arcade remake from Konami, we've got a game preview showing off all the amphibians retro hops and splats.

Screenshot © Konami

Excitebike: World Rally - NES Classic Remake Petals to WiiWare This Week

Sunday November 8, 2009

Excitebike: World Rally Screenshot

Following the success of the Wii remix of Punch Out, Nintendo is taking off their retro remake training wheels with an upgrade of their 8-bit Nintendo Entertainment System classic Excitebike. Scheduled to release this week (Monday, Nov. 9th) Excitebike: World Rally takes the old-school feel and motocross gameplay of the original and rides it into upgraded environments, tracks and obstacles.

Excitebike: World Rally is designed to work with both the Wiimote as well as the GameCube/Wii Classic Controller. The Wiiimote will enable motion sensitive controls, but if you prefer the original Excitebike controller scheme, then the Classic Controller is the way to go.

Screenshot © Nintendo

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