14 DAY TRIAL // Even after all these years, 16 bit titles still amaze me. These games were a turning point in the industry and have set the scene for their successors.
Here we are at the last two titles from this awesome Sega collection. Keep in mind that these two are also some of the oldest games from this pack (1989 and 1988).
Crack Down is a cool run and gun arcade that uses the top down perspective. Even if the game was designed to be played mostly in 2 player mode, you can still play it by yourself.
The story isn't too complex: Ben and Andy, two Special Service agents, have to stop the evil Mr. K and his Artificial Life System.
You'll have to help them infiltrate the chilling futuristic city, place bombs and get out before they detonate.
There are two ways in which you can play the game: the first one involves lots of killing and item collecting, the other one is all about dodging bullets and avoiding baddies, which come in all shapes and sizes.
The main goal remains bombing each level and then running for your life.
Even though it features lots of levels, co-op gameplay, various enemies and several weapon choices, the game can get a little dull. At first it is quite hard to put down, but after just a few levels it will quickly loose its appeal.
One thing I really enjoyed about the game (too bad I didn't discover it sooner) was the ability to dodge bullets if you lean against the wall. This will have a dramatic impact on the number of lives you save throughout the game.
The other game in the compilation is an old-timer and if I were to describe it, words like “crazy”, “fun”, “revolutionary”, “rail arcade shooter” do not suffice. It's simply unique.
In Space Harrier II you can walk, fly, change direction while shooting, dodging obstacles (trees, columns, pylons) and why not, contemplate the checkerboard-like scenery.
The story line continues the science-fiction tale from Space Harrier. The year is 6236 and Harrier is needed once more. Fantasy Land is in danger.
Quick on the scene, our hero is equipped with a powerful laser. He must attempt to outwit and outmaneuver the hordes of monsters while prevent Fantasy Land from being blasted into oblivion!
There is a total of 12 stages, each one ending with the slaying of a boss. You'll have to finish each one of them before advancing to the final chapter and meeting all of the 12 bosses once again.
Defeat them and you'll get the chance to slay the Dark Harrier himself!
Space Harrier II had a killer graphics system for its time and, like its predecessors, it also featured digitized voices (just like in Altered Beast), which are awesome things for a 1988 game.
Nowadays, these features don't impress anybody anymore, but the gameplay experience turns it into valuable addition to your arcade games collection, at least by my standards.
The 10 games bundle will offer any player, regardless of his gaming skill, vibes like never before.
Ultimately, the appeal of games like Sonic the Hedgehog, Comix Zone, Shinobi III or Golden Axe lies not within their graphics or intellectual stimulus, but in the retro feel that players get from it. It's time to rediscover the fun of arcade gaming with this Sega Megadrive Classic Collection.
