Capcom Classics Collection Volume 2 for the Playstation 2

So… the Capcom Classics Collection, where was I after breaking off to play Soldner-X previously? Oh yes, the second instalment in the series!

As with the first collection there’s a pretty sprawling range of genres covered here; Block Block is something of an Arkanoid clone that is at best average but at least playable in short bursts, fans of electronic fisticuffs get the original Street Fighter and Super Street Fighter 2 Turbo to brawl with as well as the lesser known Captain Commando and a vertically scrolling variation on the theme called Avengers, Black Tiger, Mega Twins or the rather splendid Strider represent for platformers everywhere and there’s some sword-swinging hack and slashing in Knights of the Round (unsurprisingly inspired by the stories of King Arthur) and Magic Sword. But by far the quirkiest title on either of these collections simply has to be Quiz & Dragons, a sort of role playing title where the battles are all based on a trivia quiz of all things; it even comes in a Capcom-flavoured variation as one of the extras on the disc!

"Lets see you juggle if I whip off your trunks!"

And although only credited on the inlay as a single title, Three Wonders unsurprisingly offers three distinct games on its own with two being tied together; Midnight Wanderers is a run and gun affair which bears a loose resemblance to Ghosts ‘n Goblins (and reminded me just a tiny bit of the Metal Slug series as well in part because of the presentation) but with a faster overall pace that sees two creatures resembling Gremlins in search of a mythical Chariot… which they eventually find because the second game is a textbook horizontal shoot ‘em up starring those same characters and the aforementioned transportation that takes some of its cues from Saint Dragon or Dragon Spirit since the chariot can gather a “tail” of options that can be used either offensively or defensively. The final member of the trio is a remarkably cutesy maze game called Don’t Pull where the player can shove blocks around in order to splatter enemies in the grand tradition of Pengo.

When push comes to shove... splat!

But as a self-confessed slut for some shooting action, I of course gravitated towards titles like 1941 Counter Attack, Varth, and in particular Eco Fighters; that preference might be something of a surprise to others who enjoy the genre since the more famous Side Arms: Hyper Dyne is present and correct, but as with Forgotten Worlds on the first Capcom Classics, the dual analogue controls for movement and aiming with a shoulder button to fire works extremely well (far better than Side Arms with two buttons for left and right firing does) and, despite the subtle-as-a-brick environmental plot that is delivered in annoyingly unskippable cut scenes, it’s got a lot going for it visually and puts up a good fight without being impossibly difficult.

Saving this planet's ecology with their top hit records...?

As before, there are milestones to reach within the games that unlock bonus features and these achievements really aren’t for the squeamish; for example the hardest of the three for Three Wonders is completing all of the titles and that’s really going to tax most players! But since those bonus features are once more just icing on an already filling cake, enjoying the games is still going to be a higher priority for most people and not easily being able to view them is only really an irritation for those who are more train spotter-ish… like me really. And as before, describing these games as classics is somewhat hyperbolic in most cases, but it’s safe to say that there’s a lot of kick arse gaming present in Capcom Classics Collection Volume 2 that will suit most players and moods.

This second instalment of the Capcom Classics Collection was brought to you by the letters P, S and the number 2 but those with boxes bearing a large X can also get in on the fun.