A true homage to the golden age of gaming and a very special gift for old-school players.
Let's analyze every aspect of the game:
Graphics (9/10):
Games are 8-bit inspired, so don't look for awesome 3-D or flashy effects while playing, just practical graphics.In my opinion they are very artistic and mimic perfectly those of the NES.
On the other hand, the "outside games" graphics are correct, even good for DS standards and Game Master Arino's head is just hilarious.
Sound (9/10):
I almost cried when I heard Rally King's theme.Nostalgic music with a "beep" style which bring fond memories of the NES days, each theme song adequates perfectly to the game.Special mention to Star Prince and Guadia Quest themes.Sound effects are also like in 8-bit consoles, and some are even recognized from those 8-bit games (try finding which ones)
Story (8/10):
The story is simple but original, a frustrated middle-aged dude has thrown you back in the 80's to play his challenges with a young version of himself watching as you play.You feel pretty identified with the young Arino, he talks like a true videogamer child of the time, even telling you that he wants to play games forever and such child-like things.Also, the detail of his mother telling him not to play so much videogames is simply awesome.
Gameplay (10/10):
Just great, it's like being again a child playing NES in your living room after school.Every game has that special touch which made NES classics so great.Even the smallest details are there, like the "between-stages-screens", "before-title-screen-story-video", the confirming beep when a cheat is input successfully and even the "The End" or "Congratulations, Happy ending" ending screens.Every game is entertaining in his own way, and the challenges make you want to play more and more to see what will come next.Maybe the best game is Guadia Quest, but that's just because I love classic RPGs :P
The detail of the magazines is just sick, they even included a editor-in-chief page with silly jokes, just like the real thing.
Control (10/10):
Controls are easy to learn but difficult to master if you didn't play any NES games similar to these (not my case).Control just respond as expected from an 8-bit game and they even emulate that "clumsy feeling" without being a nuisance for enjoying the games.
Duration & Difficulty (7/10)
If you really like the game and have enough skill you'll finish all the challenges pretty fast, leaving you wanting more.Then there is the "freeplay" mode, where you can finish each game, get the best score you can and it keeps track of almost everything you do, so it's entertaining and challenging to unlock everything in every game.Difficult depends on your raw skill in every game, but old-school gamers shouldn't have much trouble completing most of the game.
Sadly, the game lacks any multiplayer options, it would be nice a wi-fi feature to download new challenges for each game or to get scoreboards on-line.
Veredict: 9.5/10
Retro Game Challenge will make you remember why you love gaming and why you play games every day since you were a child.The only flaws are the lack of a multiplayer option or a scoreboard online and that you'll want more challenges after finishing the game (btw you can bet some crazy stuff with your friends, like scores or such).
I await some kind of sequel, but it would be a true surprise since this game was released quite long ago in Japan.Maybe if it sells well in the US market the developers will think about a sequel.
In conclusion: Buy it ASAP, you won't regret it.A must-have for the NDS