Official Website

Platform: PlayStation 2, Xbox, PC CD-ROM

Genre: Retro Gaming

Number of Players: 1 - 2

Taito, like many companies that emerged in the dawning of the video game industry, is a name that has quite a few popular and well-recognized names associated with them. Space Invaders, Elevator Action, Bubble Bobble; these are just a few of the games that Taito has in their lengthy list, and also like a number of companies, Taito has been putting their greatest, and in many cases obscure, games together in retro collections. The first collection was a must have for me simply because Bubble Bobble was included, but Taito Legends 2 includes even more games, and while so I may remember fondly, there are ones that I really have barely any knowledge of at all, and this makes the second collection yet another must own title for a retro fan like myself.

Things were quite a bit simpler in the early days of the arcades, a place that was once a bustling attraction for many a youth. Some things like platform and hack n’ slash games were staples of the industry. You’ll find titles like Arabian Magic, Bronze Adventure, two games that have you working your way through a number of worlds. Don Doko Don meanwhile is more of a classic approach with a single playing field that changes after you pass the stage

If puzzle games are more your speed, Taito Legends 2 has you covered. Cameltry, a rather unique marble style game, the Tetris inspired Cleopatra Fortune or the Pong like Puchi Carat

Taito Legends 2 also includes some extremely rare games that you won’t find in even the most well stocked retro arcades. Many of these games were quite simple like Crazy Balloon, a game that simply has you navigating a balloon to the goal at the end of the stage. Lunar Rescue finds you rescuing astronauts. Qix however is one of those games that is quite frequently found in some of those old school arcades, and it’s now included here as well

Sports games are another long standing favorite, and there are a few of those found here as well. Alpine Ski is exactly what you might think it is, just a skiing title, but Football Champ isn’t the football that you know, but instead a soccer game. If you’re a sports fanatic, this is actually all of the games you’ll find in that category, but Taito Legends 2 has plenty of other offerings.

There are games here that have some familiarity with them as well. Chack 'n Pop might not sound like a name that you know, but the monsters that Mr. Chack'n must avoid you’ve most certainly seen in Bubble Bobble. Darius Gaiden on the other hand is the sequel to the popular Darius franchise, and while the game retains the classic side-scrolling shooter approach, there are some really odd things seen in the game, and Darius is found once again with G Darius, a game which is exclusive to the PS2. Elevator Action Returns, or Elevator Action 2, brings that popular game back once again, though the action isn’t just a skyscraper, but a number of locations featuring new enemies, new weapons and new characters. Space Invaders also makes an appearance with Space Invaders 95 and Space Invaders DX.

If shooters are more your thing, there are other games aside from Darius to fill that need. Games like Gekirindan, Grid Seeker: Project Storm Hammer, Gun Frontier and its sequel Metal Black, Insector X, Ray Storm, Rayforce will provide plenty of side scrolling and overhead shooting action, and these types of games really never get old and have changed very little over the years.

With over 35 games available on one disc, Taito Legends 2 has something that just about everyone can enjoy, and for those of us who actually were a part of the arcade revolution, there are definitely some titles that bring back fond memories. Although many of them might be simple when compared to the games that are released today, Taito Legends 2 is almost like having a partial encyclopedia entry of the glory days of video games right in the palm of your hand and this time, you won’t need to get quarters before playing.

-mike-