Capcom Classics Collection Remixed is a very classy compilation that gives you the chance to check out some of the company's strong arcade roots. And these roots go beyond the obvious choices, like the Street Fighter II games. With quirky, interesting games like Speed Rumbler and Varth in the collection, you might even uncover a few games that you missed the first time around.
The list of games on this disc is an impressive one. You get the original Street Fighter--which is just about as unplayable now as it was when it was first released--plus other old arcade hits like 1941, Avengers, Bionic Commando (this is the sort-of-lame arcade game, not the wicked radical NES game), Black Tiger, Block Block, Captain Commando, Final Fight, Forgotten Worlds, Last Duel, Legendary Wings, Magic Sword, Mega Twins, Quiz & Dragons, Section Z, Side Arms, The Speed Rumbler, Strider (again, the arcade version, though some say this version is more wicked radical than the wicked radical NES version was), Three Wonders, and Varth. That's a great list. As you play these games, you'll unlock tips, additional concept artwork, and music players.
The games are very well emulated, and the developers have included plenty of visual options to choose from for each game. You'll default to a graphical mode that maintains the aspect ratio of the original arcade game, but you can choose to stretch it to fit the whole screen, play in an enhanced mode that shuttles your score and other nonessential data off to the side, and more. Vertical games also let you play in rotated mode, where you'll have to hold the PlayStation Portable sideways to view the action. You'll have to put your hands in a somewhat awkward position to play vertically, but it's fairly easy to get used to, and it's a great way to play games like 1941.
The multiplayer functionality in here is also very smart. You can start a game by yourself and just leave your wireless switch turned on. Then players in range can search for your game, find it, and jump right in. Then, if they decide a few levels of Forgotten Worlds is enough, they can jump back out again, all without completely disrupting your game. This is a great way to handle multiplayer, and it really should become the standard for arcade games with multiplayer that requires more than one system.
As you might expect, the graphics and sound of the original games are pretty much intact. The front end is straightforward and looks fine, though it definitely doesn't look flashy. That really sums up the entire package. It's a great collection of games, they're emulated well, they control fine, and they do the things you expect a classic compilation to do. If you're looking to take some of these classics on the road, you'll have a great time with Capcom Classics Collection Remixed.
