Idea to improve classic game collections

[elviticus]

Ok, I love all of the "classic game collections" you can now get for PS2/Xbox etc. (Midway Treasures, Capcom collection...) but the ability to continue limitlessly just by hitting a button sucks the fun right out of a lot of them.

 

I think it would be cool if you started out with a little money with which to play the games. More money would be awarded in a few different ways:

 

1) You would get a certain amount for free, periodically (like an allowance ) , but not much

2) You could play mini-games (kind of like in Shen Mue) and earn some

3) You could take place in "arcade tournaments" from time to time and, after paying an admission fee, could play games for high scores to win money.

 

Also included on the disc should be the option to just set everything to "free play", for those who think this would be a drag. To me, this kind of a system would make playing games like Gauntet and many others fun again.

[Ghost Soldier]

Good idea, I think thats why they put easter egg games in there collections. Gives you something to shoot for. 8-)

[figgler]

I've always thought classic games compilations would be better if integrated into a modern game.

Imagine a game where you can completely customise a character at the beginning. You'd exist in a full 3D environment and like you said, earn points, or quarters or whatever to play in the arcade. You could actually walk your character up to the machine and start playing. Add in some small RPG type elements that allow you to upgrade and customise the arcade itself, as well as unlock new games and whatnot and you'd really have something cool. Even cooler would be a full blown arcade sim, where you had to attract customers, place the games well, have concessions and whatnot.

[Ghost Soldier]

PacMan World 2 Has a feature like that. You can walk up and play the arcade game using tokens you found in the world.

[Video]

It might be cool, only if that was an Option in the game and not required. I don't know how many times I've seen games ruined by require action that's actually completely unnecessary to the game.

 

You got to remember, while some of these compiliations are bassed on arcade games, most are bassed on console games, which MOST of us probably have already (the ones that cared enough to buy the compilation) Why would I want to play a stupid side game for the privilage of paying some game I could just hook the classic system up and play freely?

 

Hell, even most of my favorite arcade games can be bought fairly cheaply.

[Gabriel]

Chalk me up as someone who just wants to play the games, none of this "earning money" or unlocking secret games.

 

I've already paid my real money. That's more than good enough.

[Flojomojo]

Chalk me up as someone who just wants to play the games, none of this "earning money" or unlocking secret games.

 

I've already paid my real money. That's more than good enough.

I'm with Gabriel. I don't have time for "unlocking" bonuses. That's why I like the old games: quick cheap thrills, no lengthy time commitment. If you want limited continues, stop pushing START again every time you die.

 

What I would change to improve classic game collections: give us something NEW each time. The Activision Anthology is coming out -- AGAIN -- for the PSP soon. It sounds just like the PS2, Windows, Mac, and GBA () versions. That's great, but there are so many other untapped arcade classics out there. XBox Live Arcade has the sam syndrome. Defender, Robotron, Joust, Galaga, Pac-Man, Frogger -- the tried, the true, the TIRED and OVERDONE.

 

I want I, Robot ... Major Havoc ... Jungle King ... Congo Bongo ... so much more...

[sega saturn x]

Unlocking shit has become one of the monst annoying aspects of games in recent years. Especially in fighting games, no I don't want to play through the game 20 times to unlock all the characrters. Let me use them from the start! I'm glad capcom and snk are smart enough to only do it with bosses. And in a few frustrating cases with strikers. Although the Vs. series in its last forms has the WORST case of unlocking syndrome I've ever seen.

[elviticus]

It might be cool, only if that was an Option in the game and not required. I don't know how many times I've seen games ruined by require action that's actually completely unnecessary to the game.

 

You got to remember, while some of these compiliations are bassed on arcade games, most are bassed on console games, which MOST of us probably have already (the ones that cared enough to buy the compilation) Why would I want to play a stupid side game for the privilage of paying some game I could just hook the classic system up and play freely?

 

Hell, even most of my favorite arcade games can be bought fairly cheaply.

 

Yes- definitely as an option. Also, I'm only talking about the games that have UNLIMITED continues, allowing you to blow right through the games with no skill at all. I think this is the antithesis of what classic gaming is about. With games like Defender or Donkey Kong, you only got to access the higher levels and/or get a high score by doing well at the game - giving you some incentive to try.

 

When arcade games started having the option to continue, it wasn't a bad thing - you'd try hard to do well so as not to have to spend another quarter. When this is no longer a factor, a lot of these games (Gauntlet, for instance) become about as much fun as playing a gambling video game. With nothing at stake, it's a little hard to care how well you do.

 

Maybe the mini game thing is not such a great idea... At least I would like the options to limit continues, have the score reset on continue etc.

[+FujiSkunk]

Y'know, no one is forcing you to use those continues. You can still set personal goals such as seeing how far you can go on a single "credit," and so on.

[elviticus]

Y'know, no one is forcing you to use those continues. You can still set personal goals such as seeing how far you can go on a single "credit," and so on.

 

That's true - that's what I do now if I play one w/unlimited continues... I'd just prefer if I could set an option so every time I started I had, say, 3 continues to go as far as I could then - game over. Maybe a skill setting, so that you could set free play, easy (9 continues), medium (5 continues) etc.

 

I realize this isn't a big deal, I just really like a game to provide a challenge. I hate using "God mode" cheats on more modern games too, same reason.

[n8littlefield]

I'd like to see more companies switch to more thematic releases - like Midway did with their last 2 - one was fighting games, the other was racing. I'd like to see "Capcom Beat'em Ups" or "NeoGeo Sports" type of releases.

[+kisrael]

I hate unlockables....especially in a multiplayer game where one guy has to get brilliant at the game to open up the rest for everyone.

 

(or sometimes they're just kind of retarded...like Katamari Damacy, I'd love to unlock the last level so that non-gamers can build up to rolling over cities, but it's too hard to do in time!)

 

Some people love unlockables... I think it's whether you feel you have more free money or more free time.

 

But like the original poster said, as long as free-play were an option, it might be fun to have some other ideas in there too. I do think having easy, "free" accsss to many games at once kind of cheapens the experience.

[Student Driver]

I think a mini-RPG mode added as a side-feature to a classics compilation would be fun, like the mini-RPGs in Namco's World Court Tennis and Final Lap Twin for TG16. Have the games available for free play, but also include a separate quest where you roam a town/counry/arcade, challenging NPC players to beat their high scores. What could be interesting is that for 2-player simultaneous games, good AI programming could give you partners/competition.

 

My other desire for a classics compilation... when media capacity increases, release a classics collection that also compiles all of the episodes of its companion cartoon series. I'd pony up for another Pac-Man collection if it came with the Pac-Man cartoons.

[+kisrael]

Heh, and RPG would be a cute idea... though doing well might take a lot of work, and I know part of the appeal for the game conmpanies is being able to churn these things out fairly cheaply.

 

I heard that might have been one of the problems with the intellivision collection on ps2... too much dumb 3d "wandering around an arcade" (PS...wtf) and, IMO, not enough work making the games easy to get into with modern controllers.

[yuppicide]

I always had an idea for a classic game RPG.

 

You earned money doing chores, paper route, searching couch seats, stealing from your mom's purse, etc. You could visit the local arcade and they'd have some games you can play with, which they would change periodically.

 

Sometimes your Mom would take you to the mall which has the big arcade.

 

The world would be 3-D. You walk around and can look all directions. Sometimes someone is hogging the Pac-Man machine and you have to wait to play. Sometimes you stick your quarter on the machine and it can get stolen.

 

Sometimes bullies will try to fight and take your money.

 

When you play the games, it'll be actually emulated. Not just something that looks like Donkey Kong.

 

You could save up your money to buy a bicycle if you wanted, this lets you get to the arcade faster, but has less change of a bully catching you. But your bike could get stolen even if you purchase a lock.

Edited August 22, 2006 by yuppicide