Reviews

Capcom 1989	Played in Callus95
A Capcom classic, and a game that had some seriously attractive visuals (well...back in 198)) A platform shooter/beat em up, you play Hryu, a gymnast who takes on the evil soviet-types with what looks like a giant nike symbol. Loads of brilliant sequences and amazing bosses (Remember the giant monkey? Or that AMAZING looking "thing" at the end of the dinosaur level?) Class music too.
	Like Golden Axe, made a virtually perfect megadrive conversion, but after you'd shelled out 40 pounds(60-70 dollars?) for it(that's right..games were hugely overpriced even BEFORE widespread piracy gave the games companies THAT excuse) you discovered what perhaps wasn't so obvious in the arcade...it was over very quickly indeed.
In fact if you didn't finish it in a day you were (a) over 18 or (b) doing something else.Strider is like a hot dwarf stripper...short, but sweet.
	As mentioned the megadrive version is very faithful but I'd try the original rom on CALLUS for that arcadey feel. And don't even think about approaching the blasphemous megadrive-only sequel. Thanks to my buddy Beeve for this review :-)

Sega 1989	Played in Mame 32 version 35 beta 12
This was the first arcade game to really put a serious dent in my meagre pocket money, and it wasn't just because of the weird S+M overtones (you play either a hugely muscled man in his underpants, a Xena lookalike in a bra or a dwarf with a huge "chopper") A sword-and-sorcery variation on the Double-Dragon/Final fight theme-walk sideways and kill things-this has some really nifty gameplay...
	Apart from the usual kicking punching and slashing you can also boot tiny pixies to accumulate magic spells to put serious hurt on the armies of skeletons, goblins, giant bald men etc that stand in your way.In addition you can also ride dragons and purple chicken/salamander type mutants,if thats your thing.
It wasn't overly challenging in the arcade and even I managed to complete it, albeit after putting in about 40 credits. The Megadrive conversion is great...extra levels and a player vs player option.
	Avoid the sequels. If you want to check it out I'd recommend the Megadrive version on either Kgen or Genecyst. The in-game map in the Japanese Megadrive version I had years ago contained a town labelled "Turtle Virage". We laughed a lot. Thanks to my buddy Beeve for this review :-)

Namco 1979	Played in Mame DOS version 35 beta 13
Galaxians, what can you say? The definition of a classic arcade game and the first video game I ever played. Which is why for me personally arcade game history began with this one.
	Although very simple in gameplay, move left and right and shoot alien scum, no power ups, no bonusses (the only exception being a higher number of points awarded for shooting the yellow and red alien ships while they attack) it's addictiveness still captures me today.
No mad hammering of the shoot button here. Only pure skill in aiming and eye to hand co-ordination will keep you alive in this one. There is no rapid fire (this was introduced in the sequels). As in Space Invaders, the mother of all shoot 'hem ups, you can only fire the next shot once your first one has left the screen. Miss your shot and you're in trouble...
	Never an easy game, but one that always leaves you the impression that next time you can do a little better. Still, after 20 years of trying it makes me think that...hmmm, that either speaks for the game or against me :-) Make up your own mind and try it out, it rocks!