Whoa, feels like forever since we did one of these. Fear not! For on this special occasion, we’ll be highlighting two classic compilations of both popular and obscure arcade/console titles for the PSP. Nothing quite says “I Wuv You” like playing a bunch of old games, some of which you’ve probably never even heard of, and being able to whip them out wherever on the go. Of course, the PSP is no stranger to compilations of this nature (See: Gradius Collection, Metal Slug Anthology, Namco Museum Collection), but what makes Capcom’s Classics Collections packages especially groovy is the deluxe offering of more than a dozen notable ports and a bevy of extra unlockables, such as artwork, music and all the unlimited continues you can possibly stomach. And thanks to the recent partnership forged by Milestone Interactive, both Remixed and Reloaded editions are readily available in today’s Indian retailers at the asking price of Rs. 1499 each.

Hit the jump for a complete listing of what games are included, as well as some personal bantering.

Conversely, you may notice some flickering issues and load times, but these problems are to be expected given the PSP’s limitations. All games feature wireless multiplayer ad-hoc support, while a select few games also come with single-disc sharing options (Mercs, for example). There’s even a way to upload your high scores via infrastructure mode, which I’m sure will be wonderful news for die-hard arcade purists. You can even alter the screen size to accommodate a vertical view for your shoot em’ up needs.

Now that that’s out of the way, let’s cut to the chase: both collections are very nicely done, so if you ever find yourself at odds on which version you should pick up, don’t. Your experience won’t deter from owning only one of these precious compilations, but if you can find it in your heart (and your wallet) to do so: grab each of them up. Aside from that, there are some nagging issues. Firstly, both packages were published and sold outside of India for more than two years ago. While it may sound like an oxymoron to call a compilation title “old”, I can’t help but wonder if Milestone could’ve lowered the price of admission to a sweet Rs. 999. Maybe then, less people would hesitate on which edition they’d like to own and end up picking both! Heck, I know I would.

My other issue is the choice of included games. While its fantastic to see newer gamers introduced to the likes of Bionic Commando, Commando, and the 1940s series (especially when you consider their next-gen HD makeovers are just floating around the corner), I have to question Capcom’s decision to include not one but three versions of the original Street Fighter II. Granted, it’s a timeless classic, but I’m willing to bet more than enough people in India have played it and wouldn’t need to see what the big deal was behind Champion Edition and Hyper Fighting. Would it not have been wiser to do what was done with the console edition and simply add Super Street Fighter II Turbo on there? The mind boggles.

Aside from that, you’d be doing yourself a geeky disservice in not considering in obtaining at least one of these compilations. Thanks to Hardcore Gaming 101 for the above arcade game images, be sure to check out the site’s Capcom Beat-em-ups page for more information on certain titles.

You’ve played them. You’ve heard of them. Hell, you’ve probably written bad fanfics about them (no, it doesn’t matter how realistic your portrayal of TifaxSquall is. It’s just not happening, fangirls). Japanese Role Playing Games (JRPGs) are one of the must-haves of just about any video game console you can name, with at least one of the most popular coming bearing the Final Fantasy or Dragon Quest stamp. The quality of JRPGs vary just as much as their irreverent spiraling plot lines do, and finding a derivative troll that feeds like a parasite on your patience is nothing new. However, sometimes you stumble upon a real gem that claims you right from the first Limit Break, and once every ounce of gameplay is experienced, a sequel is the next natural course of action. Here are some of the greatest Japanese RPG franchises that haven’t yet received a new iteration, but which occupy the top of the waiting list.

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Red Alert 3 is coming.

You heard that right. Command & Conquer Red Alert Three will be probably revealed in a PC Gamer Exclusive in there special April issue. While RA3’s existence isn’t completely new (there were several unofficial announcements way back in 2004 and 2005), a sneak peak in an English magazine (the other rumor floating about was in a Belgium magazine) to find out just what EA is doing is definitely worth a look. Now all I gotta find is an issue of PCGamer waaay out here in the middle of nowhere and I’ll be all set. Until then though, I’ll probably just have to satisfy myself by taking a look through the scant few screenshots available that can be found here.

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There are few games that stay in my memory for more than a year these days. What with the sheer number of titles released growing year by year, the effort required to remember something memorable proportionately grows larger. The current release schedule seems to be like one giant, sadistic RTS game the various companies seem to be playing with each other, with each game coming out being a super-weapon deployed to take care of the competition’s hordes – only to be outgunned, outclassed or even outnumbered by another just a few scant months, weeks or in some cases days later.

New records for gaming excellence have been set, previous records have been shattered, but amidst the war zone that is this year-end, the most important fact comes out amongst them all, one so clear that it cannot be denied: the cake is not a lie! Naw, I’m just kidding you. It is a lie. Or not. Or maybe a not-not-lie. The only truth is that the companion cube lives on for evah!

However, this little gem is the reason for my little Portal reference. It isn’t because of groundbreaking physics or features, or even a new style of game play. Today’s game for Doing it Retro (as well as my first) - Traffic Department 2192, an old classic that had one thing similar to Portal but which is at the same time a distinct rarity these days: a well thought out and well-told story.

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About a week ago, I was on the phone talking with Reggie . No, I didn’t ask him if he knew Hutch had switched over to Vodafone!

He did throw a question that ostensibly came out of nowheres-ville: “Dude, have you every played Ninja Commando?” A quick and resonant “Yes” followed, and for moderately good reasons. That sucker along with many other arcade games from the late 80s till the early 90s, were carved into my mind like stone. For every passing day, I dropped a few quarters into these soul-sucking apparatuses with their half-working joysticks. Just a few quarters, and then maybe a few more. And if I ever ran out, hey no biggie, I’d come back tomorrow with a new stack. And then the next day. And then the next day. And then the next day. I didn’t have a lot of friends back then, what can I say.

Ninja Commando was released way back in 1992 (although I mostly likely played it roughly a year afterward) and later ported to SNK’s Neo-Geo/Neo-Geo CD console. Developed by the now defunct Alpha Denshi Corp (or ADK), they were also responsible for other relatively well-known games – World Heroes, a 2D Fighter, and Twinkle Star Sprites, shoot’ em up with puzzle elements and no less than three under-aged girls hiding underneath a grand sailor motif. But this isn’t the time to blabber about that, this is about ninjas going commando!

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Go to any local department store with a toy section or a gift shop. Chances are, you’ll see one of the many, cheaply-produced “game consoles”. You’ve might have seen them in the form of older 8-Bit/16-Bit models (NES, SNES, Genesis, etc), then later coming out in the form of mobile handsets and so on. But what do we see nowadays?

Introducing the POP Station! Looks familiar? Don’t be so quick to judge! Enjoy your favorite brick game on this handheld wonder, with its far-out layout. Wi-fi anyone? Don’t bother, because it’s not there! Available in stores now!

But wait, there’s more! (more…)

No, this isn’t a spambot, nor is it an ad for that matter. You heard the topic right - there’s free stuff to be found on the internets, and now with 150% more legal awesome!

What I’m referring to, of course, is the announcements from both Ubisoft and EA, releasing some of their games to the public for FREE! That’s right, you heard it. FREE! (oh God was there ever a more glorious word?!)

To be more specific, EA has announced that the Windows XP version of Command & Conquer: Tiberium Dawn (the same one found in their C&C Pack, “The First Decade”) is now freeware, and is available for download in celebration of the 12th anniversary of the series. More details and download links can be found here.

This is a higly welcomed move - C&C Tiberium Dawn was pretty much what pushed the modern RTS era into what it is today. While older veterans may know that the system actually originated from the old Dune 2 games, C&C is pretty much what made it the standard. To see it free and legal - and most importantly working in xp - really brings about a tear to this old retro fool.

However, its not the only game that’s gone freeware. Ubisoft has also released three of their titles - albiet, ad-supported - on FilePlanet for subscribers. The ads are supposedly given only on loading and menu screens, but it may depend from game to game. The three games in this case are Far Cry, Raving Rabbids and Prince of Persia: The Sands of time. You can find the article on it here.

The direct download links to the files can be found here:

Raving Rabbids
Farcry
Prince of Persia

And to clarify: from the looks of it, you need just a basic account on FilePlanet to download PoP and Farcry, while Raving Rabbids doesn’t seem to have public servers (just yet anyway). With a little bit of searching, one may be able to find mirrors for the games as well. Or you could just them get them off the torrents at GameUpdates.org.