You Really Should Be Playing This Game: Retro Game Challenge

By: PoisonRamune, the Apathetic Lizardman

It seems every time we turn around there’s a new minigame collection coming out on the Wii or DS. With many of these minigame collections ending up as bargain bin fodder within months of their release, it’s no surprise why we’re sick of minigames at RwN. However, Retro Games Challenge on Nintendo DS makes me realize that I don’t hate minigame collections per se, just their lackluster presentation.

"I just learned that this game was based on a Japanese comedy show."

While all of Retro Game Challenge’s games could be considered full games (at least for the 8-bit era), our expectations of full retail games have changed so much that this really is a minigame collection. The cleverest thing about RGC is the way Namco presents the games to you, as it’s almost like a simulation of mine and the other RwN staffers’ lives in elementary school (except for Gavin, since I think that guy got his NES in junior high or HS).

In the game you are time warped back to the 80’s by Game Master Arino (Shinya Arino from the Japanese TV show: Retro Game Master) in his perverted attempt to seek revenge on modern gamers. In the 80’s you find yourself at the home of a young Game Master Arino who has just recently gotten: a Famicom/NES, a Galaga clone and a new copy of GameFan (the fictional Nintendo Power/GamePro in the game). Moments after getting acquainted with young Arino, a Max Headroom incarnation of the Game Master appears to lay out the elements of the plot. Through the commonly used plot device found in film and lieterary works such as: The Tempest or The Wizard of Oz, you are given the opportunity to be returned to your home place and time if and only if you complete some challenges. Like the name of the game implies all of these challenges are based on retro games.

"I never understood why the villain that would trap you in some other dimension/island/whatever would ven think to offer you a chance to go back home."

Your first challenge is relatively simple, clear the 5th level of Cosmic Gate (the Galaga clone). After which you’ll be given 3 more challenges in the game (all of which are also pretty easy to complete) and once you tackle those 3 challenges you’re given a new game. The game plays out in this pattern and never throws out any curve balls in the story or ramps the challenge difficulty up to insane levels. In fact, the game stays very gentle and predictable through the whole journey further leading me to believe that the meat of the game is the actual minigames and that the story is only there to give some sort of rhyme and reason to having a bunch of NES style games on one disc (aside from making it a Chinese bootleg and calling it NES 105 “105 Great Games on 1 Nintendo Cartridge”).

"Cosmic Gate... It's better than Galaga. Actually no, it doesn't have that little tractor beam enemy here."

Despite the plot/story’s lack of depth, it will still tickle the 80’s gamer inside of you. Its jokes are hilarious and very reminiscent of the days where 8-bit ruled. There are jokes about game release dates getting pushed back and even stuff regarding 80’s video game pop culture such as references to the Fred Savage film, The Wizard. Another cute quirk in the game’s interface is Arino’s subscription to GameFan. It adds a very clever and innovative way to give you tips and strategies for the new minigames you acquire. It really makes you feel like you’re back in the days before the internet, where you would have to wait for codes and hints to be published in some gaming magazine.

The collection of games in RGC is pretty fun as well. While not totally diverse, they will help kill the time on a long carpool back from work or if you’re waiting for your lady to finish straightening her hair so you can go get dinner. Most of the games are either: simple space shmups or primitive arcade ports. Though there are 8 games to play, over half of them are sequels with similar gameplay mechanics.

"I can't tell if this is Haggleman 1 or 2, but believe me when I say they're pretty much the same game."

In the game you have the 2 shmups Cosmic Gate (Galaga clone) and Star Prince (Star Soldier clone). You also have Haggleman 1 & 2 which play like Ninja Kid or Ninja JajaMaru-Kun and Rally King 1 & SP which are clones of Micro Machines and/or Road Fighter. The 2 “top shelf” games in this collection are Guadia Quest, classic J-RPG done in the same style as Dragon Warrior/Quest and Haggleman 3 which gets a total engine overhaul and plays more like a mix between Ninja Gaiden and Rygar. Guadia Quest and Haggleman 3 really make RGC shine and further solidify the theme of showing how 8-bit games evolved in the 80’s, as these are the last 2 games you win from Game Master Arino.

Even after all the challenges are beat, you’ll find yourself coming back to this game. It’s really got some amazing staying power. I actually need to go back and beat Guadia Quest and Haggleman 3 in freeplay without cheats (but I might save that for a little later). If you’re an 80’s kid and was big on video games back then, you really should be playing this game.

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