The Coop   Members

Gunbird 2 (Dreamcast)- While not the best shmup on the DC, it's still a fun one. Quirky characters, a good challenge, plenty of different characters to choose from (including Morrigan from Darkstalkers), and an easy to understand scoring system for those who like going for score. The graphics nice, and the tunes are decent as well. It's not really a big stand out shmup, but its well constructed qualities still bring it up into the Borderline YES range. GunValkyrie (XBox)- A sleeper hit. Very nice graphics, good control, big levels, fast gameplay that still allows you to explore, and a good challenge that keeps you on your toes as you play. The gameplay is kept simple, but flexible. You can choose your weapons, and then head out to scour the landscape looking for the bug-like aliens you have to kill. Whether it's running along the ground, or using your boost pack to bound high through the air, it's a lot of fun to play this game once you learn the controls. It came and went pretty quickly when it was released, but it's one I feel shouldn't be left to rot in the bargain bins. YES. Soul Calibur 3 (PS2)- dsx100 more or less summed up any points I had to say. The gameplay balance is a bit off from the second game, but like SCII, there's a lot to be done in this fighter. Between the large fighter roster, the very nice visuals, the good tunes, the sharp controls, and all the stuff that lies underneath them, this one's a YES to me. Metal Slug 4 & 5 (XBox)- While Metal Slug Anthology brought the whole 2D series together, some of the games on it didn't quite match the versions that came out on the XBox (MS-3, 4 & 5). The load times in the "Anthology" package don't hurt 4 and 5 much, but the XBox's lack of such load times gives it a point in its favor... as does the graphical handling (no shimmering). They're still the same fun and gun blazing madness-filled games on either compilation, but the XBox's MS-3, MS-4 and MS-5 do have a few qualities that "Anthology" doesn't. As such, I give this game a YES. There's no "Anthology" on XBox, and anyone with just an XBox (or simply no PSP, PS2 or Wii) would be well served to get this combo pack.

Street Fighter Alpha III (Dreamcast)- A lot of folks consider "Third Strike" to be the best Street Fighter game out there. But to me, "Alpha 3" holds that honor. A huge roster of every last fighter up to that point (over thirty), very nice and clean graphics, good animation, good music, endings for everyone, great gameplay balance, lots of fun modes to play the game in... this game's got a lot to it. A solid YES assuredly. Dead or Alive 3 (XBox)- The third entry in the bouncy DoA series, offers up a lot of what DoA 2 had, but spruced it up with some nicer graphics, bigger and more detailed arenas, more costumes, and a final boss that's hard on the eyes thanks to the blurring effect used during your fight with him (think major drug trip). Of course, the "Ultimate" version of DoA2 came along and out shown its sequel, but DoA3 still packs in the same fighting formula that the series is famous (infamous?) for, and offers up a fun gaming time. While the "Ultimate" DoA2 is really the bright spot of the series, DoA3 is still worth a Borderline YES as it stands in that game's shadow. Rallisport Challenge 2 (XBox)- Like Rally racing? Like lots of tracks, plenty of cars, gorgeous graphics, good sound effects, nasty courses that can be raced in the day or night, and the challenge of having cars that can be damaged? How about simply liking good racing games? If you answered yes to any of that, then get this game. Where RSC1 made for a really good Rally game with its graphics, physics, tracks and decent car selecting, RSC2 took everything and upped the ante by a healthy bit. Everything looks just a little nicer, the tracks are great to race on in sun/rain/dark of night/snow, the controls are spot on, your car still takes steady damage as you race (tire wear, body damage, performance loss for impacts, etc), the driver camera is a lot of fun with how it's set up, and the whole game is simply well made. This is a rally game that does a lot of things right, and one of the better rally games out there thanks to its blend of arcade-y and sim traits. A YES without a doubt.

Get the PC version. It has the same games as the XBox version, it runs just fine on US PCs, and here's the cool part... you can play the games in MAME (with dipswitch settings accessible). The PC version installs ROMs, and these ROMs play in MAME without any problems. All you have to do is zip up each folder, and drop the zip file into MAME's "roms" folder.

Taito Legends 2 (PS2)- Okay. First thing to be said for this game, is ignore the IGN and Gamespot reviews. They are horrid, horrid reviews that show the person either only play two games (IGN) or none at all (Gamespot). They give bogus reasons to ignore this game (no interviews? OMGFT!), and they give absolutely no insight on each game on the disc. They're pathetic reviews, by sorry excuses for game reviewers. Now... this game rocks for all the right reasons. Besides having 39 Taito games on a single disc, each game is emulated very well (thought not all are perfect, like the hyper weapon on Metal Black which you can't focus and unfocus at will). Games like Raystorm, Darius Gaiden, G-Darius, Elevator Action Returns, Space Invaders '95, and Metal Black are worth the $19.99 price of admission alone. Add in little seen (but quite fun) games like Arabian Magic, Dungeon Magic, Cleopatra's Fortune, Gun Frontier and others, and the package is made even sweeter. Like all compilations, there are some duds on this one, but the good far outweighs the bad. A Yes for sure. Rygar: The Legendary Adventure (PS2)- Lots of people remember this game on the NES, this sequel does the original proud. Nice graphics, fun gameplay, very good symphonic music, a nice sense of style with the character and setting designs, and some fun bosses. It stumbles a little in the area of translation and voice acting, but you've heard a lot worse. In short, a good 3D action game that's a short (you can get through in 6-10 hours), but sweet. Yes. Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance 2 (XBox)- "Remember the first game? Well, have some more". This phrase literally sums up BG:DA2 to a tee. So much of this game looks and feels exactly like the first one, it may come off as a bit lazy at first. But this game continues the tale of the first one, and offer up the same type of gameplay that balances RPG elements (Stat building and such) and Gauntlet-like Hack 'n slack action, with five new characters, all new levels, and the same nicely done for the time graphics and music. A YES in my book. Midway Arcade Treasures 2 (XBox)- The second entry in Midway's ongoing quest of bringing back the old days... though the game's aren't quite as "old" as before. Like before, Digital Eclipse handled the emulation, and like before, it's done well for the most part. There are some issues with games, like Hard Drivin' (there's some spotty collision detection), MK2 and MK3 (the shadows blink on and off a lot as you play, but the gameplay isn't affected at all), and Primal Rage (there's a rare bug that freezes the game), but for the most part, these games look, feel and play like they did back in the 80s and 90s. With games like Mortal Kombat 2, Mortal Kombat 3, Primal Rage, Narc, Xenophobe, Gauntlet II, Wizard of Wor, Xybots and Cyberball 2072, there's plenty of fun to be had that makes the $19.99 (or less now) price tag worth it. Add in some other fun games like Championship Sprint, Hard Drivin' and Rampage World Tour, and you've got plenty of solid, entertaining games that makes this compilation worth getting. It's not quite as strong as the first MAT thanks to slightly lower quality emulation work, but it's still worth a Borderline YES from me.

Resident Evil Code: Veronica (Dreamcast)- The first Resident Evil game to finally ditch the pre-rendered backgrounds, and go full 3D. It's also a great entry in the series. Very nice graphics, some good cinemas, a story with a bizarre twist or two, a nice balance of RE3 action with the RE1 slower pace, and a solid gaming experience from beginning to end. It's a bit stingy with the ammo at times, but they're all like that. YES. Under Defeat (Dreamcast)- One of the last great games to be released on the system in Japan. It's a shmup, but it's a shmup with style. Gorgeous graphics, two loops to play through, lots of action and blasting without resorting to being a "bullet hell" shmup, some cool bosses, a good challenge, and the best explosion and smoke effects the Dreamcast ever produced. It's gameplay is kept simple, but the game 's crafted very well from start to finish. It even offers background variations for the second loop, which adds a nice touch. A very good game, and a solid YES. Gradius V (PS2)- After the somewhat disappointing Gradius IV, Konami handed the reigns of their long running series to Treasure. The result, is a fresh take on a series that was beginning to grow a bit stale. Very nice graphics, good tunes, some great gameplay ideas with with options, fun boss battles, new visual takes on a lot of the Gradius staples (sans the cheerio shooting Easter Island "Moai" heads), and a rather interesting twist to the opening and ending. In short, a fine entry to the series, and a YES. AirForce Delta Storm (XBox)- Take the original game, give it better graphics, more planes, more missions, and the same generic type of story, and here you go. The arcade-y controls are still spot on, and the sheer number of planes give you a lot of choices in terms of how to go after the missions. The missions themselves are on par with the DC, in that the occasional odd mission gets thrown in to spice things up. One of the few flight games on the XBox, but like it's DC prequel, if you can get past the generic story behind it all, there's plenty of fun to be had. A Borderline YES. Capcom Classics Collection 2 (XBox)- The second set of Capcom's retro packs, and it's just as good as the first. Games like 1941, The King of Dragons, Strider, Super Street Fighter II Turbo (HOLY SHIT IS THIS VERSION HARD!), and Magic Sword make this thing worth getting on their own. But add in other fun games like Eco Fighters, Quiz & Dragons, Knights of the Round, Side Arms Hyper Dyne and Captain Commando, and you've got even more reasons to own this compilation. It's got a few duds in it, like the horrid original Street Fighter, but most compilation have ones you don't wanna play. There's plenty of things to unlock, like music, artwork and such, so it'll give you something to go after while you play. It's another fine compilation, and a YES to me.

Follow me my friends, and let Uncle Coop tell you a tale. A tale of triumph and tragedy, odds overcome, and swearing a-plenty. It all began long ago when I got my first FPS... Zero Tolerance for the Genesis. Bad tunes aside, I enjoyed running up and down its simplified halls, pumping off shots at stiffly animated people and robots, and squinting at the 1/4 of the screen that was used for the actual gaming screen. I bought it from a pawn shop near where I lived at the time, and was in pixelated heaven as I saw the genre that had been alive and well on PC for a number of years by the time Zero Tolerance came out. We jump forward a few years, and there I was as I browsed the steadily shrinking area of Genesis games at the local K-Mart of that same town. On a shelf above the gaming racks, was a row of new 32X units, all packed with Doom. Much to my surprise, they were $30... a cash amount that I just happened to have. So, I grabbed a 32X from the shelf, went up to the cashier who was middle-aged woman I had passingly known for about a year, and purchased my new toy. Once home, I tried to hook the add-on up, but it was missing a key part... the cable that allows an older Genesis unit to connect via its RGB port in the back. Somehow, I got a unit with two cables that hooked up from the back of the 32X, to the end on the RGB cable I was missing, instead of one of each cable. So, I packed the system back up, and got a ride to K-Mart so I could exchange it. This took only a few minutes, and before long, I was home again. I hooked up my new 32X, plugged in Doom, and hit the power switch. After staring at an empty black screen for fifteen seconds, I turned the system off, made sure everything was set up right, and tried again. This time I got a pop from the TV speaker, but nothing else. After an hour of trying things, and giving various items the prefix "fucking", I came to the conclusion that the copy of Doom in this second 32X box was defective. And so, back to the K-Mart I went... but this time, I had a plan. I took my Genesis with me, and once at the store, I asked the woman if I could piece together a working 32X system from the two I had returned, and then test it on one of the TVs they had turned on in their electronic center. She agreed, and ten minutes later, I'd mix-and-matched a 32X unit with the needed cables, and a working Doom cart. With this done, home I went, and I indulged myself in an couple hours of having my first Doom experience. And all was right with the world. Another year is jumped, and myself and a friend are found in that same town's local video store, looking for some games to rent for my Saturn. On their shelf was the Saturn version of Doom, which I'd heard nasty things about in an issue of GameFan. But, as with most seemingly bad ideas, curiosity was nagging me. So, we ponied up the $9 to rent it and a couple other Saturn games, and then went to his house to play the night away. Much to my surprise, the Saturn version wasn't as bad as the review made it out to be. Yes, the frame rate was pretty rough, and the sound effects didn't work right unless you set it to "mono" for sound, but there was so much more than what was offered in the 32X version. The monsters had more sides... things became darker as they moved away from you... there were more types of enemies... more weapons... most of the Ultimate Doom and Doom II levels... much better music... it was like a whole different game compared to the 32X's eternally bright rooms and forward-only facing monsters. And so it was that a couple months later, after I had to return the Saturn version of Hexen to a local Walmart because of its enormous memory block usage (over 3000) and non-working passwords, I came back from that same store with a new copy of the Saturn version of Doom, and dug into it. Leap ahead a few years, and you'd find me browsing a new town's local K-Mart that was closing its doors for good. They had a brand new SNES with Killer Instinct as its pack-in for $25. After inspecting the battered box to make sure everything was still intact, and seeing that some bastard had taken the "Killer Cuts" CD, I noticed a new copy of Doom for the SNES sitting in the case for $9. Just because I already owned two versions of the game, was no reason to not get a third... right? I forked out the cash for the system and game, and went happily home with the knowledge that I'd found a little treasure. Yes, the graphics and framerate were rough, but the music was quite nice, there were more levels than the 32X version, and playing through the game's 16bit encarnation in all its heavily pixelated glory was fun. A couple more years go by, and there I am driving to a local flea market near the same town. A few months earlier, I'd bought a new PS1 from a local Funcoland, and its version of Doom was something I wanted after reading reviews of how good it was. I'd been lucky enough to get the PS1 version of Final Doom while I was buying the system, but they had no copies of Doom in stock. But fortunately for me, the flea market I was headed to had a permanent video store there, that also sold games new and used... and they had one remaining new copy of the game I sought for $25. I eventually arrived, bought it, went home, and just went "Doom" happy. I played Doom first, and smiled at the smooth framerate, the good tunes I'd heard in the Saturn version, colored lighting, proper sounding effects, and all the good stuff that the Saturn port was either missing or had broken because of the sloppy job Rage Software had done porting the PS1 game to the Saturn. But now I felt content, knowing I finally had a good version of the game, and the "Final" game to boot... or at least, half of the "Final" game as I later found out. Leap ahead again a few years to May of 2001, and we find myself with my first PC playing Unreal. Oh the joy I felt as I started slowly buying the PC games I'd heard so much about, but never got to play. Quake, Unreal, MechWarrior 2... ah, much gaming goodness was had. A couple months later, I found out that a collection was going to be released in the Fall... a collection of games that I couldn't resist getting. On September 9th, 2001, Doom Collector's Edition was released, and I was at a local Gamestop to pick it up the day it finally arrived in-store. As I drove home from the store, I couldn't help but think, I finally have the originals! Yes, Ultimate Doom, Doom II: Hell on Earth, and the entire version of Final Doom were sitting next to me on the passenger seat. Each game uncut, unedited, with every level intact... oh I could hardly wait to get home and install it. When I finally did, it was indeed a great moment. I heard the original midi tunes for the first time. I saw the textures and monsters at a nicer resolution. I marveled at the framerate that was so smooth and stutter free, and relished the controls that felt so much more fluid. I read the goofy endings as I came to them. It was like finally reaching the peak of a mountain, after climbing up smaller hills that I had thought was that mountain. I had a sense of... satisfaction. I had the real game... the game the previous versions tried to be. Leap forward to today. At some point, I will buy the GBA port of Doom, just so I can have that game with me whenever I have a long trip to make where I'm not doing the driving. Now if I could just find it for a reasonable price... So that you have it. I own five versions of Doom in various forms, with a sixth one on the way. I enjoyed each one of the five I currently own in their day, and I still have them all with me. It may seem a bit odd, or perhaps even foolish, but it was a weird process that offered up increasing levels of fun as it went along. And yes, I have Doom 64 as well. Oh. And if you ever find yourself playing the 32X version, don't bother looking for the BFG9000... it's not in the game. Yep. The folks forgot to program in the biggest weapon. The only way to get it, is to use the ammo cheat that gives you everything, but makes it so you can't see the ending. Neat huh? So with all of that out of the way, tell me... how many versions of a given game do you own?

Come to PPR, where everything is flame broiled eventually.

Better?- It depends on your skill level. Some people say building a PC is easy, but something tells me you have to be very careful in how you handle all the various parts, and with putting it together. You don't wanna push too hard or you'll snap something, and letting static build up on you could lead to a fried component when it discharges. Of course, if you don't feel comfortable assembling the innards yourself, you could get a friend who's built them before to do it. Or, you just buy it off the shelf. Keep in mind that you'll also have to install all the drivers and the OS yourself to get everything up and running, so you won't be able to simply turn it on and get going. There will indeed be assembly required Cost?- It's supposed to be cheaper to buy everything yourself and build it. You don't have to pay for the extra stuff they cram in there (programs, "not as good" memory sticks that need to be replaced, any extra CD/DVD drives or devices, their labor costs, etc.), as you'll only get what you actually pay for. Know that you will have to buy an OS yourself, so take that expense into account. Of course, make sure you know all the stuff you're going to need to build the type of PC you want (gaming, just web browsing, etc.). Making a thread in the Tech Help forum should give you plenty of advice in that area, so keep that in mind if you go the "build it yourself" route.

Halo 2 (XBox)- The much praised (and often dividing) sequel to the first XBox hit. It offered a broader story, more mission and settings variations, good music, a cliff hangar ending, some interesting twists as you play through, better graphics, and an overall great gaming experience. While some bag on it and it's ending, it doesn't lessen what many reviews have stated... that it's a great game. YES.

Hmm.. you know, I thought I saw this posted as well. Maybe it's in the wrong thread. I thought that as well, but there's no other post with the picture in it. Weird.

I could swear I posted this right after DragonFireKai's post...

It's really a mixture of the two. Games that you feel are quality representations of their respective genres, and ones that you think everyone should experience because you believe them to be fun and worth their time to at least try out. Not really "the best of the best", because then you'd be comparing every platformer, fighter, racer, shooter, to every other game in their genre, and that'll result in a lot of quality titles being lost by whittling it down so much. As an example of this... Someone telling people to play Ultimate Doom, while leaving out Doom 2, Half-Life, Return to Castle Wolfenstein, Quake and other well made FPS games, because they find UD to be the best FPS made.

Huh. Looks like I have a bit of catching up to do... Forza Motorsport (XBox)- Microsoft's answer to the Gran Turismo series. While not as loaded in terms of cars and tracks, this is still a great racing simulator. Very nice physics, great graphics, good tunes, the ability to add your own soundtrack, a large selection of cars (including Ferrari), a good number of tracks... this is a great game. If you likely "arcade-y" racers, this won't be your thing. But if you like to be able to tweak the holy hell out of your car, step on up and take part. YES. Giga Wing 2 (Dreamcast)- Take the basic gameplay of the first game, add in polygonal everything, a ominous synth orchestral soundtrack, plenty of pilots to choose from (each with their own ending and alternate version), a good scoring system, and some nasty bullet-hell gameplay, and you've got GW2. This one's several steps above the original in my opinion, as it takes what worked in the first game, and adds to them nicely. YES. Virtual On: Oratorio Tangram (Dreamcast)- I'm probably going to get blasted for this, but... NO. I tried to enjoy this game... I really did. I own the first one on the Saturn, and had fun with it. But the Dreamcast sequel was just... missing something. The gameplay was basically there, but there was something missing that I can't quite put my finger on. It's not a bad game, but it just doesn't reach the "must have" plateau. Metal Slug Anthology (PS2)- Where the PSP version had nasty load times, and the Wii version had the somewhat awkward Wii-mote set up, the PS2 version came out as the version to get. There are short load times between mission segmants (generally 1-3 seconds), but being able to use a digital controller makes playing these old graphical masterpieces so much better. The entire series is filled with great 2D art, blood pumping "war" music, humorous touches, splatters of gore, and an infamous announcer that makes the whole thing complete ("Rowcket Lowncher"). With all seven 2D entries in the series on this one disc (including the newest one, MS-6), it's filled with lots of challenging gameplay, and it'll keep you and a friend busy for a long time. YES. Border Down (Dreamcast)- Made by G-Rev, this is a great horizontal shmup. Cool tunes, smooth and nice graphics, interesting gameplay mechanics (the whole green/yellow/red path thing), multiple endings, different routes through each level depending on how challenged you wanna be... it's a quality shmup from start to finish, and a feather in the DC's cap. Shame it never came to the US though. A YES for sure. Enclave (XBox)- A little known 3D action game, this little thing was a pleasant surprise. Graphically, it was very pretty for its time. Lots of detail and some pretty cool character designs. Being able to choose more than one type of character to play through the game as was welcome, and the different types of missions kept it from being a typical medieval hack 'n slash. It's also got quite a challenge to it, so it'll take some work to beat it. It's a fun game, that if given a chance, will grow on you as you delve deeper into it. It's not a shining beacon for its genre, but it is well made, and worth a Borderline YES to me. Marvel vs. Capcom (Dreamcast)- The third entry in Capcom's "vs" series, is a pretty good one. While it lacks the cool roster of the first two games and the fourth one, it still pack a lot of frantic chaotic fight action into it. As expected, the graphics are good, the music is odd, but alright, the animation is nice, and there's a healthy roster to choose from. The problem is, for me at least, the roster didn't have as many interesting characters. This game feels like it's filled with more "second stringers" than main stars. So for me, it comes in last in the series. But even so, it's still worth a Borderline YES. Note: Avoid the PS1 version of this game. Besides loosing rediculous amounts of animation, it also lost the tag team option because of the PS1's limited RAM. It's not nearly as good as the DC rev. Castlevania: Lament of Innocence (PS2)- The first Castlevania to do 3D well, and the one that begins the entire series' time line. The graphics aren't bad, but not great, the music is wonderful, the level designs are bland, and there's not much platforming. However, it does have interesting characters, some decent voice acting, cool bosses, and a much better take on the classic whipping action than either of the N64 games. It's not the 3D answer to "Symphony", but it's a fun game. A Borderline YES for me. Genma Onimusha (XBox)- Take the original game on the PS1, add new areas and a tougher difficulty, tweak the gameplay a bit with new monsters and soul battling, keep the great soundtrack and cinemas, and you've got this game. It plays a bit like Resident Evil in feudal Japan, but its story, settings and demonic hordes help it to stand apart from its inspiration. It's a case of a good game being made better, and a sold YES. OutRun 2 (XBox)- Take the classic gameplay of the original game, beef it up with gorgeous graphics and a healthy selection of cars, add new mini games to enable players to get said cars, and here you go. It's even got the original OutRun tucked away in it. This sequel doesn't mess around with the formula too much, but it does add little touches to spice things up a bit more than the simple turn/turn/brake setup of the original (namely, power sliding). A good game, a solid sequel, and a YES.

I just saw a commercial for this movie, and one of the praises was "The best movie of the Summer". Now, I enjoyed the first two films, and I'll see this one when it comes out on DVD. But uh... does that praise sound remarkably stupid to anyone else, given that Summer hasn't even started yet?

The Immortal on the Genesis (with some touches I added). There's also a DOS version (same graphics, no gore in the close up battles), and an Amiga version (graphics might be slightly better, no close up battles).

Should we start a pool on how long it takes threads to pop up in OffTop regarding what July, August and such should be theme-wise?

Sadly, only one person knows... and he ain't talkin'.

Street Fighter III: Third Strike (Dreamcast)- And now we have what some consider to be the pinnacle of the Street Fighter saga. As with the other SFIII games, it's a graphically gorgeous game, but now there are more characters, a bit of balance and gameplay tweaking, and of course, Chun'Li's terrifying huge tree trunk thighs. A very good fighter, that does have a nice amount of depth to it. While the default DC pad isn't the best for fighting games, there are plenty of third party pads (Madcatz made a great "Six button" one) that are perfect for this type of game. YES. Last Blade 2 (Dreamcast)- One of SNK's lesser known fighters, but also one of their better ones. Good character designs, great backgrounds, good tunes, very nice graphics, a healthy selection of fighting styles, and it all comes together with unpredictable difficulty levels that keep the player on their toes. Where the first game was a bit sloppy, the second one was much better in terms of balance and gameplay. As with SFIII:TS, the controls are fine if you use a pad better than the default DC one... and really, I had no problems with the default one to begin with. YES. Metropolis Street Racer (Dreamcast)- If you've played either "Project Gotham Racing" game on the XBox, then you know this game, as this is where it all started. The kudos are in place, the graphics are there, the courses are tough, and the controls are good. There are some nice tunes to listen to as you cruise the streets, and there are plenty of goodies to unlock. One of the better racers on the Dreamcast, and worthy of a YES. Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King (PS2)- The offspring of old school RPG gameplay, and modern graphics. It plays so much like the DQ games of old, but it looks so much better. Very nice cel-shaded graphics, good animation, nice music, a long quest, nice voice acting, quirky characters, and some alchemy-like fun that allows you to actually make items to use in the game (potions, weapons, etc). It's a wonderful game that gets a YES easily from me. Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge (XBox)- A flight game with a sense of style. The arcade-y controls make things easy to come to grips with, which makes enjoying the great graphics, good music, nice selection of "alternate reality" WWI/II-ish planes, fun missions, and nasty dog fights all the easier. You'll be flying through caves, buzzing huge zeppelin-like airships, and diving between buildings, and loving every minute of it. This is a great update to the PC games, that loses a little in terms of cinemas between missions, but gains that back in other areas. A nice twist on the "tried and true" mechanics of console flight games. YES.

Sega.- On the US Dreamcast, it's called "Fatal Fury". It's "Garou" in Japan and on the Neo-Geo. Fatal Fury: Mark of the Wolves (Dreamcast)- SNK's graphical answer to what Capcom was doing with its Street Fighter series by the time the third game came out. This game is a wonderfully animated fighter, with a virtually 100% new cast, that still relies on the familiar characters of old (Geese Howard's son, the kids of Kim Kaphwan, and an older Terry Bogard). It still plays like the SNK games we've all come to know, but it's been given a whole new look. A nice array of interesting characters, easy to pull off moves, cool backgrounds, a good fighting system, and an overall well produced game. A fitting swan song for such a long running series (it's supposed to be the final game in the Fatal Fury franchise). A YES to me. Skies of Arcadia (Dreamcast)- The GC version may have added new stuff, but that doesn't lessen the quality of the DC version. Very nice graphics, interesting settings, fun characters, nice music and voice acting, and a quality RPG from start to finish. The whole sky pirating thing adds a nice twist to the old "sword and sorcery" deal that has been in console RPGs for decades, and gives the game some freshness along the way. A solid YES. Contra: Shattered Soldier (PS2)- Finally. After two games of questionable quality and different gameplay, we got a real Contra game. Graphically it doesn't push the PS2 to its limits, but they are clean and crisp. The action is intense, the tunes are good, the bosses are big and the explosions are plentiful. The controls are tight as well, so when you die (and you will), it's your fault and not the game's. A fine apology after the turd that was C: The Contra Adventure. YES. Shadow of the Colossus (PS2)- What more needs to be said? Stylish, graphically gorgeous, challenging, cinematic... just get the thing. YES. Battle Engine Aquila (XBox)- I'd imagine there are a few people going "What the hell game is that?". Wouldn't surprise me, since this game came and went in a rather abrupt fashion. Basically, you pilot a ship as it either walks on land (think the ships from "War of the Worlds"), a jet. One's slow but powerful, the others fast but weaker. The goal is to help your army as it attacks the enemy. Sounds pretty straight forward, but in action, it's a lot of fun. Nice graphics and tunes, good control, challenging levels and objectives... it's a little known game that got good reviews, but went wholly ignored. A Borderline YES. Midway Arcade Treasures 1 (XBox)- In short, a buttload of Midway games on one disc. A lot of them have been released before, but never on a single disc. The emulation is very good, and the sheer number of classic games on here makes it one to enjoy for a long time. The PS2 version is also good, but the graphics have a shimmering effect on them that's a bit more noticeable than the XBox version. But regardless of which one you get, you'll be in retro heaven. Another good example of how to make compilations. YES.

And a happy fifth anniversary for this thread Tonight, I bring up a boss that I was reminded of as I sat here playing G-Darius on the PS2's Taito Legends. This little bugger's name is Ultimate Defender, and he's always been a pain in the ass for me. In the game, he's one of the smaller bosses, but what he lacks in size, he makes up for in fire power. The first thing to know, is that he has a shield. You can't hurt him at all when it's up, so you have to knock the shield down by pumping shots into an orb on his chin. His it enough times, and the shield goes down so you can hurt him... for a short time. The shield goes back up after about 7 or 8 seconds, so you gotta be quick, and hope he doesn't dart into the background where you can't hurt in while the shield's down. Anyway, as you try and knock out the shield, you're dodging a lot of shots. Bullet spreads, long and steady lasers, laser spreads, missiles that explode into bullet spreads... this guy's got plenty to blow you up with, and they all alternate in a pattern of sorts. Of course, the bullets are so plentiful, that there's not much breathing room to be had as you try and dodge the shots. This boss also uses a twin Beta beam (the big, purple beam all the bosses in the game can fire eventually). One comes from his head, the other from his mouth, and one of them is always fired at wherever you are, while the other simply goes straight from its source. God help you if you've died a lot and don't have a good weapon here, as you'll be stuck with trying to take down his shield with a weak weapon, which means longer and more numerous stretches of bullet dodging. Couple this with the fact that he moves in and out of the background, which can lead to just getting the shield down, and then not being able to hit him at all. Not a fun boss.

There's no such thing as too many options for something like this.

Jet Grind Radio (Dreamcast)- And now for something completely different... This game was an odd one when it came out. A unique graphical style, combined with Tony Hawk-esque grinding and jumps, lumped together with third-person action, all which tagging walls and such with graffiti. But the one thing that was easy to say, is that it was fun. A funky soundtrack playing as you skated your way around rivals, cops and the like, all so you could spray the walls with either a pre-set image, or ones made yourself. It was different to be sure, and though it was a commercial flop in sales, it still deserves a YES. Soul Calibur II (XBox)- Take everything that made the previous game great, and add even more to it. More characters, more stages, more climactic music, more exploring, better graphics, more moves, and even system specific character additions. I can only speak for the XBox version, but my understanding is that all of them turned out well. A YES undoubtedly. Onimusha 3: Demon Siege (PS2)- The big finale. This was supposed to bring the series to a close in a grand fashion. Wonderful cinemas, great graphics, 3D real time backgrounds (FINALLY), a time traveling twist to the gameplay, and the same fun, challenging action and settings that the series is known for up to this point. Sure, the whole series is an offshoot of the Resident Evil series, but it's a damn nice offshoot. YES. Capcom Classics Collection (XBox)- What can be said here? How about 22 games from Capcom, all emulated very well, with classics like Street Fighter II, Ghouls 'N Ghosts, 1942, Final Fight and Forgotten Worlds on a single disc. This disc is loaded with games that have earned high praise over the years, and they're still great plays today. This collection will keep you busy for a quite a while, is a fine example of how compilations should be done. YES. Of interesting note, this compilation is actually a collection of the five "Capcom Generation" games released in Japan for the Saturn and PS1, plus a number of new games. Ninja Gaiden Black (XBox)- Sure, this was a type of "cash in" by Tecmo, but it's still one helluva game. Basically, "Black" takes the already great original game, adds in most of the stuff from the Hurricane Packs that were downloadable off of Live, gives you a chance to play on an easier setting (Ninja Dog), and just generally made a great game better. NGB is a graphically gorgeous game, filled with tough levels, hard boss fights, cool cinemas, fun gameplay mechanics, and a hidden goody in the form of the original arcade version of Ninja Gaiden (the regular version of NG for the XBox has the three NES NG games hidden in it). Copious amounts of difficulty await anyone willing to play this game, but it's done so well, that you keep coming back just to try and reach that next section. If you own an XBox, you gotta own this game. Just be sure to bring your patience with you. Yes.

Gradius III & IV (PS2)- This pack has Gradius III and Gradius IV on it. While IV is generally considered to be the weakest entry in the series, it's not a shmup. While it's not a bad shmup, it just doesn't do much that hasn't been done better in the first three games. The 3D graphics lost some of their charm and distinctiveness, and come off a bit bland looking. III however, is the reason to get this. Where the SNES version wasn't bad, it was still quite flawed. Massive amounts of slow down, removed levels, easy difficulty, and basically, a toned down port. This PS2 game has III in all it's original glory. The graphics are nice, the music is better, there's no slow down, the challenge is back up where it should be, and those tough 3D levels return. If you play the two back to back, you'll find quite a difference. A Borderline YES. Final Fantasy XII (PS2)- I'd never played a FF game before this one, but it's proven to be quite the introduction. Gorgeous graphics, very nice music, a broad reaching story that centers not on one person, but a group of people, interesting monster designs, very nice voice acting, fun side quests (hunts), and a long quest that will take you while to work through. Plus, you can go about battling the monsters in two different ways (one like a traditional turn-based RPG, or a more frantic "real time" style of fighting). It's a big, well done RPG. And hey... it's got Fran's well rendered ass too A YES without a doubt. ChuChu Rocket! (Dreamcast)- Here's a cutesy puzzle game that really grows on you the more you play it. The goal is to steer the train of mice to a rocket to escape the cat, by setting up arrows that will steer them around obstacles and such. As you progress, these levels get tougher, and require more thought to figure them out. It's got upbeat tunes, a funky graphical style, and is a lot fun. It also has great multiplayer modes, that makes the process even more fun, and gives this little game more lasting appeal. YES. Test Drive Le Mans (Dreamcast)- This racing game took a lot of people by surprise... including reviewers. Great graphics, very nice lighting and time lapse effects, fun and long tracks, cool weather effects, challenging AI that's not cheap, multiple modes (including a very cool "24hr" mode), and a feel to it that's hard to describe (the steering cars just "feels" right, especially in the first person mode). This is simply a wonderful racing game with all the right touches, and much better than the PS2 port that came after it (the PS2 version has frame rate issues). A solid YES to be sure.

Maybe your ISP blocked it (or a group of servers/IP addresses that it's included in)?

APRIL FOO- ... wait.