The ten games included are Bubble Bobble (1986), Rainbow Islands (1987), Rastan Saga (1987), Rastan Saga 2 (1988), Dead Connection (1992), Cadash (1989), Champion Wrestler (1989), Runark (1990), Warrior Blade (1991), and Thunder Fox (1990).
Any collection of games that starts with Bubble Bobble is A-OK in my book. Perfectly emulated here, the crisp visuals, incredibly catchy music and timeless bubble-bursting fun feels just as alive as it did when it was originally released back in 1986.
The sequel – Rainbow Islands – is a very different beast and sees the characters in human form as they toss around some serious rainbow action and make their way to the end of each stage in this vibrant, colourful vertical-centric title.
These were games I’ve known and played for years, but Rastan Saga 1 & 2 were relative newcomers to me, tough and charming – the two very different visual styles used in each game are differing sheens on classic 2D action sword-thrusting gameplay, whereas Dead Connection was like an old friend. A bit of an underdog, it’s actually one of my favourite arcade titles with its gun-toting, mob-blasting action, a thrill ride that is accompanied by great music (reminiscent of Dick Tracy on the MD) and is very much one of the games I will certainly find myself constantly returning to for the music and atmosphere as much as the fun gameplay.
Cadash was also a newbie for me, as I knew the name but had never played the game. Using similar gameplay to the Rastan Saga series, it really mixes things up with a more involved narrative, multiple characters, and RPG elements – very unusual for arcade games at the time.
The save states come in handy here as you make your way through the world, with 2D fighting action broken up by charmingly esoteric broken English that very much made it a new favourite, and the fact that I don’t already own it in my Mega Drive collection frankly disgusts me – I can’t believe that it’s slipped by me all these years!
Champion Wrestler is one of the weaker titles here, but it’s still silly fun in multiplayer, even if it doesn’t quite have the longevity and charm of some of the other titles but is one to pop on after a few beers for some button-bashing action.
Runark (or Growl, in Western territories) is another all-time favourite of mine, a brawler that wastes no time in getting you hips deep in the action, and a game I heartily recommend you try if you’ve not come across it before, a true arcade classic.
Warrior Blade was another game I wasn’t overly familiar with, but it’s hi-res visuals and panoramic-styled approach puts a nice filmic twist on the brawler genre – and can again be enjoyed in co-op mode.
Thunder Fox is a Rolling-Thunder styled game that features co-op, and sees you cast in the rolls of Thunder and Fox, two ‘80s hunks that tear their way through an enemy army.
SUMMARY
With these classic collections, a little extra goes a long way, and should there have been unlockable extra titles, concept art, or histories of each title – it would have made this an all-timer for me. In terms of extras and historical depth, Taito Milestones 3 is quite bare bones, but the sheer strength of the games here make for a powerhouse of a collection of true Taito arcade classics, and easily – for me- the best Milestone collection yet!
It would be cool if Taito could show the same adoration to some of these titles – some almost 40 years old! – that the players still have for them, especially as some have been dotted around in other collections over the generations, an in-game virtual arcade instead of a static menu screen would just make the games pop that much more and only add to the immersion.
That said, these are some very awesome games that are calling out for your imaginary 10p’s, so get stuck in!
🆒COOL🆒
8.5/10
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