Circuit City Games - Mini Reviews

[ARCZero]

Someone posted in the official CC games thread about reviewing games, and I thought it'd be a good idea to start a new thread for the reviews. I picked up about 50 games (for playing!) and I will be slowly going through them. Any ways, here's a mini review to start it off.

Game: Rock 'n Roll Racing (GBA)
This is a port of the SNES game by Blizzard. Back in the day I was into computer gaming and ended up missing the whole SNES era, so this is a new gaming experience for me. The game is an arcade over-head racer comparable to Super Cars II for the Amiga computer. It can be compared to the Super Off Road arcade game but with the gaming screen being more close up to the track, and the ability to use weapons.
If you like that sort of game you'll dig Rock 'n Roll Racing. Unlike some other GBA games it plays really smoth on the GBA. The voice samples are the cleanest I've heard on the GBA. The "Rock 'n Roll" part of the title comes into play because there's MIDI-lke rock tunes playing as you race. So far I've noticed Ozzy and The Who tunes. There seems to be only around five tunes but they're all good and add to the experience. Early on in the game it's way too easy, but it gradually gets harder. The better you do in races the more money you earn and the more upgrades you can make on your car. The races happen in a sci-fi environment, and as you progress you race on different planets against different aliens. One nice feature is that your progress is saved to battery back-up as you make your way through the game.
Fans on the genre will have a blast with this game. I give it an 8/10 for a GBA game.

- ARCZero

[tholly]

well, among other games, i picked up spy hunter 2 for xbox from the cc sale.

i figured it would be pretty junky, but i was surprised....while its still not the best game, it is enjoyable and easily worth the $5. you drive a fancy car that has guns and mines built into it, basically a whole game based off one of the james bond cars....while i would have never paid $50 for it, it is worth giving a try, especially at this cheap price ...... 7 outta 10

[Cmosfm]

Well....

Mega Man Network Transmission - Gamecube

Tries too hard to be like the original Mega Man's but fails....miserably. Not only is this game horridly slow, repetitive, hard and BORING, the mix of RPG with side scroller action makes this an experience I never want to go through again. Ever.

still worth 4.99 though. :P

[MegaDrive20XX]

Grabbed by the Ghoulies Xbox- for $5, this was worth it....take Luigi's Mansion and kick it up for 3 more hours of gameplay on top of the Cube title.

Except this was more of a straight forward game, then a free-roaming spree like Luigi's Mansion.

Feels like a kid's game, but had some pain in the ass challenges per room. Like "Dont get hit, use only items, and you must defeat only THESE certian enemies" A little advance for kids dont ya think?

The game itself, it's like a Halloween Saturday Morning Cartoon Special come to life...with "The Ghost and Mr. Chicken" added in. Very colorful,well animated.

I hate to admit this, but some things will make you jump from a quick spook. Classic Haunted Mansion scares are always nostalgic.

If you are a fan of Conker or Banjo-Kazooie series, please feel free to pick this little gem.

(Hey, there is even a Killer Instinct "3" joke in the game, good luck finding it, it's pretty cool)

[ARCZero]

Game: Sega Smash Pack (GBA)
This is a compilation of three Sega Genesis games: Ecco the Dolphin, Golden Axe, and Sonic Spinball. The first negative aspect of this title is that I seem to recall other "Sega Smash Packs" included a few more games. I believe the other versions had at least a few flagship games such as Sonic 1 and 2. Even though Ecco the Dolphin was popular back in the day, I never got into it and the only mainstream hit on this compilation for me is Golden Axe. Here's my thoughts on the three games:
1. Ecco the Dolphin
Although it seems to play well, I still can't get into this game. It's plays somewhat like an adventure game mixed with a platform game and bores the heck out of me!
2. Golden Axe
The first game I went to play on the compilation, and in summary this port sucks. The controls and graphics do not seem right. For some reason all the bad guys color palates are darkened. In the arcade game I could get past a stage or two with only a hit. Due to the craptacular controls in this port, I got one health point removed for each enemy I fought.
3. Sonic Spinball
This was my first time playing this game. I'm a pinball fan and IMO this is the only decent game on the compilation. That said, this isn't the best pinball game, but it's worth a few minutes of fun every now and then. There seems to be only one virtual pinball board that has four or five pinball boards nested within it. Sonic acts as the ball. This is the best game on the compilation which isn't saying much.

Overall I give Sega Smash Pack (GBA) a 4/10. I almost bought it on a whim for $15-$20, and wonder if it's worth $4.99!

- ARCZero

[sisko]

Superquick review here:

Game: Frequency (PS2)

Yeah the game has been out forever, and I've been meaning to pick it up for a couple years now, but finally did.

Its a fun game! If you like rhythym and groove games (DDR, Parappa, etc etc) you will like this game. If you like music, you will like this game. If you like mixing music, you will REALLY like this game.

The goal is to unlock the songs tracks (guitar, drums, vocals, etc) as the song plays. You do this by entering commands as you progress through the song (ala DDR). Depending on which tracks you open up, and the order you open them up in, the same song can sound very different, but still good! There is a scoring mechanism, and there are a few unlockables.

Pros? 3 Difficulty levels, great song selection (ranging from No Doubt to Oakenfold), and superior sound quality.

Cons? Limited track selection (only 25(?) songs), and it can get extremely frustrating :)

Worth $5? YES
Worth $10? YES

Go buy it :D

[Overbite]

Maximo: Fun but super hard
Frequency: Really fun
Bloody Roar 4: mediocre fighting game. good for $5 tho
Gitaroo Man: HARD. wow you hafta be exact with the timing.
Megaman & Bass: Plays like a megaman game, only harder
Megaman battle network 2: quite fun lil rpg
Final Fight One: good. not sure how accurate it is to the arcade version.
Boktai: weird. the sun thing can be a problem sometimes, and hitting enemies is a pain

[novamaster0]

dokapon
reveiw 6/10
I picked this game up at the $5 circuit city thing.
I looked at the back and it was an rpg ,which sold me there, and it had a mosnter raising objective. From the box it sounded like a pokemon clone with better graphics. For 5 bucks you can't go wrong, I thought.
I started soon by placiing this into my gba, it was definatly not a pokemon clone. It starts as a dungeon explorer with a town you explore to get gold and items. It is an ok game to pick up on a whim or in a weird rpg mood this game is an intresting chalange.
the odd stuff
the battle system in this game is very strange. It is practicly rock paper siscors, and a normal attack you can pick a normal attack which the best defense is a normal sheild. Or you can pick a rock paper or siscors attack
it is simply like the hand game, where tie is redo if attacker wins he does double damage and if he loses attack is averted very strange battle system.
If you die you lose all held items and get revived at the church it gets very annoying because if you die with your most expensive sword you lose it and can't get it back. You think you can just restart your game, but it will save when you die which can be very annoying.

The monster system is like items they are like a backup party member if you die they are all gone you can bring 4 into a dungeon with you but only use one at a time. Which gives you know reason to risk them all with such expensive traps. If your are looking for a very odd rpg and want something portable and find it for 5 bucks it might be a decen't thing to pick up, but shouldn't be your first priority. It was a good try by a non-major name company. Unfourtantly It was a failure.

Edit:grammer fixed[/b]

[classicb]

Superquick review here:

Game: Frequency (PS2)

Yeah the game has been out forever, and I've been meaning to pick it up for a couple years now, but finally did.

Its a fun game! If you like rhythym and groove games (DDR, Parappa, etc etc) you will like this game. If you like music, you will like this game. If you like mixing music, you will REALLY like this game.

The goal is to unlock the songs tracks (guitar, drums, vocals, etc) as the song plays. You do this by entering commands as you progress through the song (ala DDR). Depending on which tracks you open up, and the order you open them up in, the same song can sound very different, but still good! There is a scoring mechanism, and there are a few unlockables.

Pros? 3 Difficulty levels, great song selection (ranging from No Doubt to Oakenfold), and superior sound quality.

Cons? Limited track selection (only 25(?) songs), and it can get extremely frustrating :)

Worth $5? YES
Worth $10? YES

Go buy it :D

I agree go and get it this is my favorite CC game I got and I also got Viewtiful Joe (which is also great)

My review if for everyone getting to the sale late because chances are this game is still there and its a lot of fun.

Game: NASCAR Dirt To Daytona

First off I'm not a NASCAR fan. I do however like racing games. This game is so deep I almost hesitate giving it any type of review this soon into my playing the game.

Concept:
Make your way through 4 types of NASCAR curcuits. This is makes the game stand out against other NASCAR games. The career mode goes above the rest.

Bottom line if this game is still at your CC get it its easily worth $4.99 if not more. It is the deepest racing game I've played in a while and that includes Granmd Turismo 3 ... really its that good. The only draw back is that most of the tracks are ovals and can get a bit redundant.

What are you waiting for go get it...

[Gamereviewgod]

Ok, I bought a ton so I'm going to be brief on them. Here we go:

GBA:

Scorpion King: Wow. Reminds me so much of Rastan, though it really is just a quickie to tie in with the film. I don't care, it's fun and well worth it. Besides, it's got the jumping downward stab....fond memories.

Midnight Club: This might have been a decent overhead racer if you had any clue as to where your supposed to be going. The arrow at the top doesn't point in the direction your supposed to go, but towards your opponent. I spent half the race going down side streets thinking I was doing ok. Needless to say I didn't win.

Stuntman: SUPERB. Fully texture mappped with a decent framerate, it may be challenging, but that's the fun with the same premise as the home consoles. Actually, it's better than the home console version IMO. Really impressive to see it running on the GBA as well.

Super Duper Sumos: O_O This has to be one of the most disturbing games ever. If you actually manage to open the box after the cover art, you'll find a no-nonsense beat-em-up with disturbing images. All 3 sumos have the same exact moves and combos which kills the variety and the graphics are quite crude.

GBC:

WWF Betrayal: A BEU without combos? Forget it. Horrible graphics and hit detection with gameplay that never enters the ring.

PS2:

PK Out of the Shadows: Great looking and uninventive platformer with a terrible camera. The lock on system is lacking as well. Still, if you can deal with these problems, you'll certainly find some enjoyment here, but probably not for the entire play time.

Bloody Roar 4: Does almost nothing to seperate itself from the first game in the series on the PS1. Sure it looks better, but the game plays exactly the same with only a new stun meter added. Not bad for the price, but someone needs to inject this series with 300 cc's of originality post haste.

Bouncer: Shameful hour long romp packed with useless cinemas that only drag the game down further. Decent 3-D BEU, but there is a serious lack of playtime which the great graphics can't make up for.

Wakeboarding Unleashed: Wow. Very fun Tony Hawk spin-off. Spot on control and very easy to get into. Some of the challenges are still reserved for those who have mastered the genre, but newbies shoud still have some fun. Nice water too.

Spy Hunter 2: Completely unforgving, this sequel to the original update could have been something if you could beat the first level. Firepower comes from everywhere and after the 4th start-over in the first level, you'll retire this one to the shelf.

NHL 2K3: The graphics are somewhat weak, but you won't find a more realistic game of hockey anywhere. Nuff said.

Frequency: Ok, I love Parrapa, but this is junk. I know you guys like it but I find it infinitely confusing and hard to get into. It looks great and music fans will be happy, but I'll stick with the wackiness of Parappa for my music needs.

X-Box:

Knockout Kings 2002: Fun, if now dated, boxing game with brutal hits and weak career mode. Still well worth playing in multi-player, but finding a decent camera will be difficult.

Kelly Slater Pro Surfing: If it isn't on the Lynx and it's not called California Games, I don't want it. Even so, this does feature some superb water effects, but if your limited in your surfing know-how, you'll probably be overwhelmed. It's quite hard to learn the sport from scratch even with the well made training mode, but completing most of the required tasks will be too difficult without practice.

XGRA: I've loved this series since it premiered on the 64, but this entry is weak. The sense of speed is superb, but then out of nowhere on a straightaway, it just dies. It says your going 400+, but it seems like your moving along at 50 MPH. The controls are also much looser from previous games and the adjustment is difficult. Still, when this game moves, it moves.

High Heat Baseball 04: Best baseball game I've ever played and I don't like baseball. The graphics are weak as is the presentation, but the gameplay here is just miraculous. You won't find better AI. Hopefully Microsoft does something right with this series now that they control it.

PS1:

Treasure Planet: Loaded with movie clips and a music video, this is just a generic platformer with the movies named slapped on it. Not terrible, just not great either.

Hercules: Criminally underappreciated, this Disney title is one of the best 2 1/2-D platformers ever created. The animation is Saturn quality, the backgrounds are beautiful, and the entire game is just too short. Oh, and the save system is simply ridiculous. Still, this is a must own title.

That's it. I came to the realization that I didn't nab any GC games and I'm slightly bummed out, but I ddn't do too bad and some of these will last me for a while.

[Gamereviewgod]

Forgot, don't turn on the fast loading option if your going to play Hercules on a PS2. Screws up the sound.

[MegaDrive20XX]

Pac Man World 2 for Xbox

Kids game? probably. Challenge? Oh it's there...
Worth it? Maybe, if you think you need more Pac-Man in your life

Ok, so here we have the 2nd 3D world Pac-Man. Roaming around, smashing boxes...hey is this Crash Bandicoot?? Except you're not trapped in a vertical field this time.

It was really meant to be a children's game...but the sound effects is what got me...nostalgia...

The game gives you the basics on what to do...but there is a mini-arcade in the game! *gasp* What's in it?? Well here's the part where you must play the main game..You get to unlock 3D Pac-Man Mazes, but you need to collect tokens to play the good memories.

Such as original Pac-Man, Pac-Attack (Seems to be the SNES verison, not the same one from the Namco Musuem), Pac-Mania, and Ms. Pac-Man. A Music Box feature, let's you listen to many soundtracks from many Pac-Man games


Did I mention this was Pac-Man? Because GOOD LORD they never stop...

Ok and my final ideal of this game

Controls- 5 Stars (Too simplistic Mario 64 like easy to pick up and go)

Gameplay- 3 Stars (Ok, the only reason why I pick up again and again, was to just earn the tokens and go back to the arcade, Im a sucker for Pac-Attack, while the main game always makes you find all the fruit and goodies, then fight a boss after 2-3 stages) My Only biggest complaint is how the game takes a serious difficulty kick when you get to the Tree Top areas (Very similar to Donkey Kong Country) So much for a kid's game when I cant even time the jumps correctly. Yet if you want just the old Pac-Man games straight, just go buy Namco Musuem to get your fix

Sound- 5 Stars (Hey, Pac-Man sound effects never get old..but its just the same three, the whacka whacka, Ghost Turning Blue, and the Dying sound effect...but the game does add originality)

In General, for $5 I ain't gonna argue, I like this game. Yet for those who want a game for their kids, get it, it's really fun and a good way to introduce the new generation to something we grew up with.

Yet I would recommend finding the Cube verison with Pac-Man Vs. bundled with it (More for your money)

[junglehunter]

Superquick review here:

Game: Frequency (PS2)

Yeah the game has been out forever, and I've been meaning to pick it up for a couple years now, but finally did.

Its a fun game! If you like rhythym and groove games (DDR, Parappa, etc etc) you will like this game. If you like music, you will like this game. If you like mixing music, you will REALLY like this game.

The goal is to unlock the songs tracks (guitar, drums, vocals, etc) as the song plays. You do this by entering commands as you progress through the song (ala DDR). Depending on which tracks you open up, and the order you open them up in, the same song can sound very different, but still good! There is a scoring mechanism, and there are a few unlockables.

Pros? 3 Difficulty levels, great song selection (ranging from No Doubt to Oakenfold), and superior sound quality.

Cons? Limited track selection (only 25(?) songs), and it can get extremely frustrating :)

Worth $5? YES
Worth $10? YES

Go buy it :D

I wouldn't quite describe it as close to DDR as you did. The song literally won't progress unless you enter in all of the lines correctly where as DDR will still go on if you miss notes (until you die, though).

There are also 27 songs in this game. :P

[-hellvin-]

Ps2 - Disgaea

Great game