Bubble Bobble (1986)
Bubble Bobble is considered an all time classic and a game that many love. It is probably one of TAITO’s best known series, behind Space Invaders of course and it has a great addictive nature that has led players to keep coming back over and over again. Many sequels followed but how does this arcade original hold up?
Well, I will be honest, Bubble Bobble is a very different game depending on how you play it, and you can walk away with two very opposing views. If played as a single player game, Bubble Bobble is fun for a few minutes as you play as one of the dragons and try to clear each screen. The novelty wears off after a bit though, but the game keeps going and you end up feeling like you had enough.
The concept of the game is simple, play as either bob or bub and blow bubbles to defeat enemies and turn them into fruit to collect. The music is catchy and there are a number of secrets to find. This release, based on the Arcade Archives release, also contains the original arcade secrets that could be inputed, which is a nice touch. It is just a problem that the game seems to drag on and become less fun after a while, though you can create interrupt data and resume later if you want thanks to the features HAMSTER puts in the Arcade Archives releases.
Where things change is the multiplayer, which is where Bubble Bobble shines. Not only is it needed to get the true ending, but it drastically changes the experience for the better. Things become more chaotic and hectic, but also a lot more fun. In multiplayer Bubble Bobble feels like a different game altogether, and it is the way the game was meant to be played.
Rainbow Islands: The Story of Bubble Bobble 2 (1987)
The sequel to Bubble Bobble…..well, okay one of the sequels to Bubble Bobble ( looking at you Bubble Bobble II on NES), Rainbow Islands is……weird for me. I struggled to enjoy the game the first few times I played it, and was prepared to write it off. The concept is simple enough, with the protagonists of the first game now in human forms and shooting rainbows to take out enemies and ascend higher in the stage. The issue for me, is that it just was not fun and the controls felt frustrating.
What stopped me from writing off the game though, was the many features that HAMSTER had added to the arcade archives release, included here, that let you have a far more enjoyable experience. You can include multiple other modes and alterations to enjoy the game in a different way, and this does help, even if some options can become gamebreaking at times, but I must be honest here. I still do not like Rainbow Islands. It is not the music or visuals, but the gameplay just did not connect with me. The sequel to this game, Parasol Stars ( reviewed here) was a more fun experience for me, but Rainbow Islands is one I have no desire to return to.
Rastan Saga (1987)
Rastan is one of many games inspired by Conan the Barbarian and one that provides a nice bout of gameplay and action. A side-scrolling action platformer, the warrior thief Rastan rises to become a king and to do so, must defeat many foes and you will have a good time while doing this. Rastan was viewed as a brutal game back in the day, but honestly, I have played harder retro games.
What we have is a satisfying run and slash side scroller that constantly throws new things at you. The levels are diverse and have various tricks, but never feels upsetting to play. The bosses have the right amount and challenge and your attacks have a perfect weight. If anything, Rastan Saga is an example of a side scrolling action game that has aged extremely well.
Rastan Saga was not doing anything new for the time, but was instead improving on an existing formula and in many ways, it perfected that. There is a reason the game still has a fanbase today. Rastan Saga is still beloved, unlike…..
Rastan Saga II (1988)
What the hell happened here? The great visual style of Rastan Saga is lost, and the gameplay is terrible in comparison. Whereas Rastan Saga felt like a truly polished experience, Rastan Saga II ( Called Nastar in its western home release) felt worse than a step back. It felt like the developers got in their car, stepped on reverse and just never let go until they fell off a cliff backwards.
Rastan Saga II is clunky, its ugly and frankly not worth the time to play. The charm is gone and only frustration remains here. If this prequel had been the last of the Rastan games, it would have been shameful, but TAITO pulled itself together for what came next, but all things in good time.
Champion Wrestler (1989)
Wrestling games are not something I typically enjoy, which is odd as I am a fan of pro wrestling. There is just something about the genre that makes it hard for me to get the hang of, and so I was no expecting to particularly enjoy Champion Wrestler. But to my surprise, Champion Wrestler instantly connected with me for some reason. It was not the roster, which like many wrestling games used stand ins for real life wrestlers of the time ( and a appearance from Rastan), but rather something in the gameplay. It just worked for me in a way I did not expect and I found myself understanding the game, the more I played it.
Champion Wrestler is best played in short bursts as it will get boring if played too long, but that is also where multiplayer comes in, ans the game has a lot to offer multiple players. It does start to lose its charm in this mode as well after a bit, but again for short bursts of a combat game with friends, Champion Wrestler has a lot going for it. Good music and visuals and gameplay that, while basic, feels inviting for those who are not the best with these kind of games, combine to make a game that is more than passible.
Cadash (1989)
Cadash is interesting and not something I expected when I first played. I knew it was a side scrolling Action RPG made for the arcades, but the actual experience of playing it was ….different. Cadash is a game that you will either immediately take to, or take a long time to click with, but it will click with you eventually.
This is not an action game with light RPG elements, but a game that makes full use of the RPG genre to create something special. You gain experience, upgrade items and weapons and interact with various NPCs, while choosing from a cast of character classes to play as. The are shops to go to, and quests to complete, and the way it was handled here is nothing short of brilliant.
Not every part of the game is amazing, and some characters are more fun to play as than others, but there is a lot to Cadash that makes you want to keep replaying and trying the game again and again. There are a number of glitches from the original release still present here, and softlocking the game is possible, but the Rastan Saga style combat is expanded brilliantly here, with more depth and the magic system. You may not get the appeal right away, but Cadash will connect with you at some point.
Dead Connection (1992)
The first-ever port for Dead Connection, the experience is a bit underwhemling to be honest. This run’n’gun game takes elements of film noir and sees you picking a character and taking out waves of enemies in single screen stages, either by yourself or with friends. It sounds like a great ideas, but the final result is just kind of there.
Oh, to be sure there are good points, such as being able to fully explore the single screen stages which are very detailed, such as by going into background buildings or climbing on structures. It is just that the game feels so basic and the film noir theme does not feel used well, that Dead Connection does not live up to its potential. It feels this way both in single and multiplayer, but the final blow is that after a short time, you feel like you have seen all the game has to offer and just do not want to continue. Sad, as this one had potential.
Runark (1990)
Also known as Growl, Runark is a beat em up that takes heavy visual cues from the Indiana Jones series, but is about fighting animal poachers. It needs to be noted that this is not a game to play if you have photosensitive concerns, as it is very flashy, but if that is not an issue, then you are in for a fun game. With satisfying, weighty combat and a fun soundtrack that keeps you invested, Runark has a lot going for it.
One thing that stands out about Runark is not just the weapons you can pick up, which are amazing, but the animals. Once you save an animal from the poachers, it will aid you in combat and this really helps give the game a unique identity. Runark shows that TAITO understood how to make a great beat em up and how to create a great setting. The fun combat, excellent visuals ( excessive flashing aside) and unique gimmicks, help make Runark a must play.
Thunder Fox (1990)
Thunder Fox is two genres in one game. It is both a side scrolling brawler in the style of the Ninja Warriors, but also a run n gun action game. Thunder Fox struggles to be both though, with the action elements feeling uneven as a result. If it had committed to being a full beat m up or run n gun, it would have been a better experience, but it tries to be both and not in the way Bucky O’Hare did in the arcades.
I actually initially really liked Thunder Fox and kept playing, finding it to be fun at first , but the more I played, the more I found myself growing bored and finding the game generic. The protagonist does not stand out, and the stages become super cheap after a while, not to mention the bosses. TAITO had made good run’n’gun games and good beat em ups, but Thunder Fox just flops as a blend of both.
Warrior Blade: Rastan Saga Episode III (1991)
Rastan Saga II was an utter disaster, but Warrior Blade not only redeemed Rastan, it took the series to new heights. Now a Golden Axe style brawler, Warrior Blade managed to surpass this inspiration with more satisfying combat, better visuals, and rich music along with some interesting gameplay mechanics. You can choose the order of stages to play, or in the option of this release, change how the level layout is handled, and once you select your character(s), off you go.
Combat has a great weight to it, while the levels are incredibly well designed, and the enemies satisfyingly varied. As you complete stages, your characters level up for the rest of the game, but that is not all. You feel a satisfying sense of progression as the game goes on as you get drawn further into the experience by constantly throwing new ideas at you, and of course we have to describe the set up. Warrior Blade used a multi screen display and this is handled beautifully in this release, with options to customize how you want it to look.
Warrior Blade is easily the best game in this collection, and needs to be played by all. If you like beat em ups, this is for you and if you ever wanted a truly great Conan the Barbarian inspired game, you are in luck.
So as seen, the majority of the games are good, and even some of the bad ones are not stinkers, but either just didnt live up to their potential, or just did not appeal to me personally, with only one real stinker in the bunch.. TAITO Milestones 3 is a great collection, and has some of the best games so far. Very much recommended.
Disclaimer: A review key was provided
