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Capcom Classics Mini Mix Review
Written by Robert Falcon on Thursday, September 28, 2006
Three classic NES titles for a mere $20; faithfully reproduced.
No real extras to speak of; some classics are missing here.
Many thought that the Game Boy Advance wouldn't be getting some Capcom classic love, what with the Capcom Classics Collection titles appearing for the PSP and all. Well, many were WRONG. HAHA! That'll teach you. No, seriously, Capcom has delivered a piece of delicious classic gaming goodness for you GBA and Nintendo DS owners, in the form of Capcom Classics Mini Mix. And what this game may lack in favorable extras and graphic touch-ups, it makes up for with some fun gameplay from the NES past.
Three games are packaged here in all, and while it's a reasonable value for $20 and plenty of nostalgic fun, I think the collection would have benefited more from more games. I'm talking some great old-school stuff, games like Code Name Viper or the DuckTales and Chip n' Dale Rescue Rangers titles. I suppose that's another Capcom Classics Mini Mix for another day. Meanwhile, here's a look at the three games that are included.
Strider- An alternate take on the hit arcade game, Strider is probably the sloppiest of the three when it comes to execution. There are little graphic flubs here and there, particularly if you're going up and down in areas throughout a level. However, it's a decent little action affair, with Strider Hiryu slicing away at enemies with his powerful blade and collecting necessary files and power-ups to move along to each new area. I prefer the arcade Strider to the NES version, just because it moves a bit faster and more precise, but there's no way it could have been duplicated in its arcade form on such an old system. This game's not too bad, really. You just have to deal with its limitations.
Bionic Commando- Although I would have preferred to see the Game Boy Color build of the game (or even the original arcade game), Bionic Commando is still a blast. In the game, you take control of a soldier with a bionic arm who must do away with an evil army, using only his wits and his various guns to get through the next level. The game requires a slight bit of strategy in moving around your support teams and contacting the base, but mostly it's about precise arcade action, and it delivers most of the goods. Again, the graphics are nothing special, but this is a game that's almost two decades old, so I'll forgive its shortcomings.
Mighty Final Fight- This one's probably the best of the three, a little munchkined version of the original Final Fight arcade game. The Mad Gear gang is spreading havoc throughout Metro City, and it's up to the Mayor (Haggar) and his two friends (Guy and Cody) to save it from peril. The game's made with beat-em-up action similar to that of Double Dragon, but has a power-up system that works pretty well, and tighter graphics and music. In fact, I almost prefer it to the original Final Fight, if only because it's more cartoony. I just wish it supported two players, though. Fighting solo just isn't as much fun as it could be with two.
So you've got three games that deliver a pretty good value. Sadly, that's about it for this package. There's no extra music galleries, no mini-games, not even the ability to play with upgraded visuals. It is kind of bare-bones in that regard, and that may turn off those who look for everything in a collection.
However, if you can deal with the shortcomings, you still get your money's worth out of this $20 package. Strider isn't the greatest version out there, but it will stir up memories; Bionic Commando is entertaining; and Mighty Final Fight will just put a smile on your face. If you even have a bit of classic gamer in you who lived and breathed NES, then Capcom Classics Mini Mix belongs in your collection.
posted September 28, 2006