Crossbow for the Atari 2600!

A sealed copy of Crossbow

Here's a look at Crossbow on the Atari 2600. I still find it amazing that Atari decided to port Exidy's Crossbow over to the Atari 2600. Not just because of the Atari 2600's limitations, but also because the game is a light gun shooter! The fact that someone thought we could port this game and have it controlled by the Atari 2600 joystick is simply madness. The real crazy part is, the game is actually fun. Atari did a great job with the homeport of Crossbow, even if they had to cut a couple of stages. Check out the video below where we also compare the arcade version of Crossbow to the Atari 2600 version.

PCEWorks Mahjong Dreams Review

PCEWorks has been in the game of reproductions for quite awhile. They have produced some stellar reproductions over the years and are no strangers to going above and beyond by including crazy extras in their box sets (Rondo of Blood Energy Drink anyone?). For their Mahjong Dreams release, they have managed to take a rare, quirky Japanese arcade port, Super Real Mahjong PII-III Custom Special and make it even more Japanese by including...panties!

Sega 3D Classics: Streets of Rage 2

Today Sega dropped their new 3D Classics version of one of my favorite beat em' ups of all time, Streets of Rage 2 and technically the game did come out in arcades outside of North America, so why the hell not give it a look and see how they did with the port?

Like the past games released by Sega and M2, they went all out on this port. The 3D in the game looks great, but it's something I wouldn't play though a whole game with it on. But in some spots it looks really nice. They of course included multiple versions of the game so they have the international version we all know and love from our childhoods but they also include the Japanese version, Bare Knuckle II as well!

They've also added in some extra sound options so you can play the game so it'll sound like it's being played on a model 2 Sega Genesis. One thing I also love is they've got single cart (well DLC) local multiplayer as well, so if you've got a buddy with a 3DS make sure you bring them along!

This is another great port from Sega and well worth checking out. Streets of Rage 2 was one of the games that tipped me to converting to Sega as a kid when it came packed in with the system and you could also mail away for a free copy of Sonic The Hedgehog 2 so it's great checking it out again! I'm going to be checking out the version of Gunstar Heroes when it comes out soon so make sure you tune in for that!

Come back on Monday for a look at the brand new KISS Pro from Stern Pinball!

Sega 3D Classics: OutRun

IT'S FINALLY HERE!!!! M2 and Sega have finally released 3D Classics OutRun on the Nintendo 3DS eShop yesterday and let me tell you folks. This is the conversion I've been waiting for. As always M2 has gone above and beyond bringing Yu Suzuki's classic racer to the Nintendo 3DS. Just like the previous game we reviewed, Afterburner II, the guys and gals at M2 went into the Sega vault and brought out an original OutRun super deluxe machine and recorded all the audio off of it so it's just like you're playing in a real arcade game.

It's odd for me because I actually love how the game looks in full screen with the 3D on...I think that's because their using the enhanced version of the game that was first done on the Japanese Sega Saturn. That's right, it's not "Arcade Perfect" so some folks might not like that. Now the game runs at double the speed of the original a full 60 frames per second. It makes the scrolling traffic and backrounds run super smooth and if you choose to run the game in 3D the game looks amazing. Yeah, it's a shame they don't have the rights to use Ferrari anymore, but if you get over that you're going to be in for a real treat.

Unlike Afterburner II the game controls well. I had to edit the button layout to a more traditional 8-Bit style with the A and B buttons and the R trigger will work the gear shift. You also have the option of playing it in automatic transmission and if you like you can also change to the speedometer to MPH instead or KPH.

This comes highly recommended so make sure you pick it up and try it! We'll be back with a look at Thunderblade and maybe after that I'll do Fantasy Zone. (Not a big fan of Fantasy Zone and Defender type shooters for some reason.)

Twinkle Star Sprites AES Homeport Review

Febuary is Neo-Geo month here at The Arcade Hunters! During the last FunSpot tournament Gerard brought up his old CRT and consoleized Neo-Geo MVS one slot board so we could do some game reviews. The fist one up is one of my favorites, ADK's final game before being absorbed by SNK it's the manliest game ever made, Twinkle Star Sprites!

Twinkle Star Sprites is a very unique game. It's a hybrid Vs. Puzzle game crossed with a shooter. The game is easy to understand but the action gets really intense when you and your opponent start sending attacks back and forth. Each character in the game has their own shot type, charge attacks and of course different boss that they can send out to cause damage to your opponent.

Since we're playing this with the Universe BIOS chip on the MVS it will allow us to play the game in the home or arcade version with the choice of different languages. This one covers the poorly translated English version with the AES home version that includes the extra story bits the arcade game lacks. In the next video we're going to look at the Japanese MVS arcade version that lacks the story intro and has the correct character names!

We've got a new podcast recorded this past Sunday and we'll have it up for you folks to enjoy later in the week, so stay tuned!

Sega 3D Classics: Afterburner II

It's been a LONG time since we've done a Home Port Review. Since my capture device is pretty much worthless and Sega ran out of 3D Classics we haven't had any to talk about...until now! This past Thursday Sega FINALLY released the first game in their second wave of 3D Classics on the Nintendo 3DS. The first one up is Afterburner II!

The controls in the game on default are pretty iffy. The 3D Pad goes way too fast while the D-Pad is REALLY slow and you can't even do barrel rolls with it. Other then that it's a pretty good translation of the classic arcade original.

But of course, M2 and Sega had to go above and beyond with this one. While they could have just simple ported the ROM like most do, they actually went out and tracked down the arcade units to record sounds off of them to make you feel like you're playing inside of the cockpit! Now I'm going to pay close attention to the one at FunSpot next time I play it. They made it so the screen in the game moves just like in the arcade and they even sway the camera down and then up when you take off. It's pretty damn cool!

The other games in the lineup are Thunder Blade, Fantasy Zone 1&2 and my personal favorite...OutRun! We'll have a look at the next batch of games as their released! Be sure to tune in later this week for a brand new podcast!

Sega 3D Classics: Galaxy Force II

Hey folks! Nick here with yet another look at a Sega 3D Classic on the Nintendo 3DS. Today we're checking out 1988's Galaxy Force II! Sega really were the kings of the arcade. They always seemed to top themselves with every game they did and Galaxy Force II was the game with the biggest "wow factor". I didn't get to see the game often, due to it's size and also how much the game cost. There was a smaller motion version of the cab but I never saw it, just the "Super Deluxe" edition that spins 360 as you play. The arcade in Disney World used to have it, and if you look up the Disneyland People Mover from the early 1990's you can catch a glimpse of the game sitting in the Tomorrowland Arcade. Even the King of Pop himself, Michael Jackson owned a Galaxy Force II machine. It was sold the estate auction after he passed, I have no idea who owns the game now.

If your a fan of Sega's Afterburner then you'll like this game because it's pretty much "Afterburner in Space". The game has the same exact controls. You have your flight stick with machine guns and you fly over far away ships to lock onto them and take them down with missiles. But unlike Afterburner you can't target a large group of ships until you get the power up which will let you shoot down a ton of enemy ships. The two biggest differences is in the beginning of the levels you have almost free reign on where you want to fly. Towards the middle of the level you will go back onto the path they want you to take where you have to fly through an enemy base to destroy the core. That's where the throttle comes in handy for when you have to make some tight turns, if you hit the wall you can kiss your shields and a good chunk of energy goodbye.

Finally I guess I gotta address the elephant in the room and talk about the new YouTube changes. Everybody's going nuts, some folks have a lot of videos taken down and while we didn't have any taken down in this week's changes we have had some and due to that our account is in the red. The last video that had a strike was the Predator Pinball video. Even though it only had a few sound bites and no movie footage whatsoever it still got flagged WORLDWIDE. So even though a review should count as Fair Use I'm not going to put adds onto our review videos. I will try to see if they'll still work on the walkthrough videos, but if they ever take us down we still have our Blip channel at Blip.tv/arcadehunters so if we ever do get shut down from these new bullshit policies, you'll know where to find us.

Sega 3D Classics: Super Hang-On

2600 here with a review of 3D Super Hang-On for the Nintendo 3DS! This is yet another awesome game in Sega's 3D Classics line. Sega has produced a pretty faithful port of the arcade classic, Super Hang-On. Sega has provided a plethora of settings to adjust so that you can get the most out of this port. Plus, if you were never very good at this game, you can both adjust the time limit and select previous stages you have reached. The only slight negative is that the 3D is not as fitting for this game as it was for 3D Space Harrier. The issue is that some of the motorcycle sprites look like they are almost floating on the road. This is only a slight negative due to the original arcade game sprite animations of the motorcycle shadows. Be sure to check this game out as it is well worth the $5.99 price of admission. 

Sega 3D Classics: Space Harrier

Sorry for not posting this last night, I wasn't planning on making a video about this one since I knew 2600 had wanted to do reviews of both of the new Sega 3D Classics but due to his flaky internet access up in the boonies he's unable to at the moment. Also, I really wanted to use the stop motion animation video that 2600 made since I haven't done an arcade home port review in a VERY long time.

So today we're looking at Sega's classic, Space Harrier off their new 3D Classics line of games on the Nintendo 3DS. These games have been available in Japan for a few months but now they're starting to make their way stateside. Still no announcement for you guys in the UK but hopefully soon. The first two games being released here are Space Harrier and Super Hang On. Thankfully Sega is using the arcade versions of both games and not the Genesis home ports. They have other games on tap like Streets of Rage 1, Ecco the Dolphin, Shinobi III and Sonic The Hedgehog. They're also releasing the arcade version of Galaxy Force II that simulates the full motion cab and sadly the Genesis port of Altered Beast.

This port of Space Harrier plays damn near arcade perfect. I only noticed a few sound issues but other then that nothing really major. They really went the extra mile by not only emulating the game but the cabinet itself. You have the option to play the game with the 3D and also have the screen moving in all directions just like if you were sitting in the cockpit of the original arcade game. It's a great touch. Well worth checking out for the 6 dollar admission. I hope this does well so we can see more of their classic games like OutRun and Afterburner.

Arcade Home Port Review: Avenging Spirit

2600 returns with some original animation and a full review of the Game Boy port of Avenging Spirit of the Nintendo 3DS Virtual Console. There's also a port/remake of the original arcade version that you can also play on Apple iOS, sadly no Android port has been made of yet. This game is unique because you play as a guy who's shot dead and you become a ghost and you can haunt and take over people's bodies. Think of the Game Cube game, Geist but instead of having to haunt a bowl of dog food you can just float over take over anybody you like before you run out of spirit power.

The Pinball Arcade: Attack from Mars

Hope you're all having a good weekend. Here's the pinball app review of the week! Today we're starting off table pack 8 from the Pinball Arcade, first off is one of my most favorite games. Bally's Attack from Mars! I loved this game back when it came out in 95' my friends and I would play it over at Sports Plus all the time. I noticed many places always had the middle drop target inside of the saucer missing, thankfully almost every place I've played the game in recent years keeps the target inside working making the game more of a challenge. I've still yet been able to make it to the "Ruler of The Universe" Wizard Mode in the game. I've destroyed Mars, but I was missing the super jackpot in order to qualify for the mode. Maybe one day I'll be able to do it on a real machine. Till then, enjoy the video and have a great weekend!

The Pinball Arcade: June Update

Hey folks! Just a few days ago the June update for The Pinball Arcade hit the Apple App Store so here I am with the video look at Gorgar and Monster Bash. The Pinball Arcade is going to be Apple's App of The Week soon so if you don't have the game yet be sure to look for it.

I still want to issue a complaint with the game. If you look now on the App Store you'll see there's a free version and a 99 cent version that gives you Tales of The Arabian Nights. When I downloaded the game the night it came out on the App Store the 99 cent version wasn't an option, just the free version. For some reason you can not share the table downloads between the versions of the game. So while I've paid for every table that's come out it's only on the "Free Version" and not the actual paid version. A few days ago the Farsight team was saying Apple wanted them to drop the free version to lessen confusion which means they might drop support on the free version. I really hope somebody from Farsight is reading this. I have nothing but the utmost respect and wish you guys the best, but I will not download all of the tables again just so I can have access to the Facebook leaderboards. Please considered combining the apps together so everybody can use the tables that they paid for.

The Pinball Arcade: Theatre of Magic

As I said in the video, sorry for not putting up updates onto the site. Hopefully I'll make up with three today. This week FarSight Studios finally released The Pinball Arcade on Apple iOS devices as well as most mobile Android platforms. They will be releasing the game later this year for all the major consoles as well as the 3DS, Mac and PC. The team has been promising updates throughout the year including games from the previous Hall of Fame games as well as some other popular tables like Attack From Mars and Monster Bash.

I'm going to do these quick reviews of games on both Pinball Arcade and Zen Pinball just to get the word out. For me it's great having two companies making great pinball apps. You've got Zen with their amazing, creative original tables and Pinball Arcade with the collection of classic nostalgic games. It's a win win for everybody. Stay tuned, tomorrow I'll review  "Ripley's Believe it Or Not!"

Pinball Hall of Fame: Williams Collection for the 3DS Review

Check out our review and read below to see if this collection is worth your time.

3D Classics: TwinBee Review

The 3D Classics series on the Nintendo 3DS continues to pull no punches as it releases not just another classic gem, but one that did not hit U.S. shores when initially released.

3D Classics Xevious Review

Nintendo has decided to surprise us by giving us the classic arcade game Xevious as the next game in their “3D Classics” series. 

Deathsmiles iOS Review

Hey folks, how you do you like the new site layout? 2600's been working behind the scenes putting in some new features to the site like post breaks, all thing I have no idea how to do. So excuse me for a bit while we try to work out the kinks.

I shot this video last night to show off Cave's new iOS App, Deathsmiles. It's the same great shooter you got on the 360 now in the palm of your hands. As with all of Cave's ports the game includes a brand new iPhone Mode with a new character you can buy items and power up as well as a brand new soundtrack that sounds amazing. Till Saturday the game is $4.99 then the price will go to the normal asking price. So be sure to check it out if you have a newer generation iPod/iPhone or iPad.

Outrun Online Arcade Review

Hey everybody, hope you're weekend's going well. I had made this review a few months ago when Sega announced that they would not be renewing their licence with Ferrari and after 2011 the game will no longer be able to be downloaded off of XBLA. As of now you can still download the game (They just had a sale on it not too long ago) and you can still play online. Although they limited it just to player matches. It's still well worth checking out if you don't have another way to play Outrun 2 or Cost 2 Cost.

Mushihimesama Bug Panic Review

Hey folks! Nick here with a new iPod review. This week I'm taking a look at Cave's Mushihimesama Bug Panic. The reason why I made this video review is to help get the word out on what Cave is doing with their one year anniversary of making iOS games. Till April 17th, you can download Mushihimesama for 99 cents. Cave will donate all the money they raise to the Red Cross to help in the Japan Relief Effort. They are also selling their other two games at a discounted price of 4.99 a piece. So if you don't have Espgaluda II or Dodonpachi Resurrection, download them now! Hope you like the review, be sure to check back in on Friday for a special update about the newly opening Video Game Lounge, Insert Coin(s) in Las Vegas!

DoDonPachi Resurrection iOS Review

Hey kids, Nick here filling in for Sarge on the midweek update. Today I've got a new Arcade Home Port that you can play on your favorite iOS device, it's Cave's DoDonPachi Resurrection! It's bullet hell fun in the palm of your hands! Many people will scoff at the price being almost ten dollars but Cave's gone the extra mile with this port. Not only do you get the arcade 1.5 mode but you get a brand new iPhone Mode that has new power ups, a new ship and brand new music. The music is so good Cave even released a CD Soundtrack that you can buy off their site. (They ship internationally)

That's it for today, but stay tuned later in the week. We're in talks with people about an upcoming game and I will (hopefully) be attending Stern Pinball's Rolling Stones Launch Party in New York City!