$20 Game of the Week: Retro Game Challenge (Nintendo DS)

Gotta love the 8-bit era of gaming. Playing the old NES brings back so many classic memories. Remember using the drift technique in Rally King to make it through to the end of the race? Or how about seeing if you could make it to level 64 in Cosmic Gate? Or how about when you finally defeated that mega-tough guardian in Guadia Quest after some serious level grinding? What’s that? You don’t remember any of those games? Good. There is a reason for that (besides me calling you a liar if you said yes). Those games, along with 5 others, are retro-style games created for this cart. While they have 8-bit NES looks, rest assured, they are as current as Gears of War or Halo.

Based on the Japanese TV series Retro Game Master, or GameCenter CX, Retro Game Challenge is a compilation of games made as if they had been developed for the NES. The game also features a story. The game master Arino has become disenchanted with gaming after losing at online multiplayer one too many times (a plight I’m sure many of you can relate to). Taking his frustrations out on you, he has sent you back in time, turned you into a child, and is forcing you to play through the games he enjoyed as a youth. You’ll unlock the games as you progress, and each game has several challenges to meet. As you finish each game’s challenges, they become unlocked for you to play anytime you wish. Just like in real life, you’ll read instruction manuals, check out gaming magazines, and even make use of cheat codes. There is a subplot about 2 kids playing video games together, but it doesn’t have any bearing on the actual gameplay.

As for the games themselves, while they are brand new and exclusive to this cartridge, they are reminiscent of various NES titles and early arcade classics. Cosmic Gate is a Galaga-style shooter, while Guadia Quest is a role-playing game. Robot Ninja Haggle Man is a platformer series which progresses from being a Mappy-style hop and bop in its first game to a exploration-heavy action game in its third, complete with upgradable abilities and battery backup save. Although the game doesn’t have much variety (one game, Rally King SP, is simply an upgraded version of another), this game has something for everyone, and it’s an awesome way to take a trip down memory lane, even if the games are fictional. There is a sequel in Japan which features 16-bit games, although U.S. publisher XSEED has stated that it would be unlikely to receive a U.S. release due to the low sales of the original game. However, there is always hope that they will change their stance. Until then, Retro Game Challenge is a must-buy for Nintendo DS owners, especially those who like old-school gaming.