Along with Superman/Batman, Freddy vs Jason, and Alien vs Predator, Robocop vs Terminator was one of several movie mega-crossovers that were brainstormed during the 90s. Of those four, only AvP and FvJ ended up seeing movie releases while Robocop vs Terminator ended up being a comic book limited series. There were two games loosely based upon the comic, one for Sega, another for Super Nintendo. While the Sega version was known for its blood, the SNES version was known for it’s music and moody atmosphere.
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In it’s 40 year history, hip hop music has seen many changes, for the better, and for the worse. We’ve seen it go from New York all the way to the West Coast, Down South, Midwest, and even international. Many different artist have left their own mark on the genre, and what was once considered a fad is now one of the most influential forms of music in the world. This 1997 album from Priority records is a testament to hip hop’s influence. This album consists of cover versions of classic rap songs performed by then-top artists, many of which have gone on to become big names in their own right. Some of the album’s standouts include Bone Thugs-N-Harmony’s remake of NWA’s Fuck Tha Police, The Wu-Tang Clan’s cover of Run-DMC’s classic Sucka MCs, and Mack 10’s remake of NWA’s Dopeman. I’m not sure if this album is in print anymore, but if you can find a copy, check it out. It would be interesting to see another version of this album with today’s artists. It would be interesting to hear Kendrick Lamar, T.I, and 50 Cent do remakes of classic 80s and 90s hits.

Based on the film of the same name, Terminator 2 the arcade game was an excellent arcade blast-em-up that made good use of the license. Taking control of the T-800, players must make their way to the past in order to protect John and Sarah Connor from the liquid metal T-1000. You’ll play through several levels inspired by the movie as you blast dozens of enemies. The SNES version used both the Super Scope and the Mouse, while the Genesis version used the Sega Menacer. It features a few ‘Ahnold’ sound bytes, but other than that, not much was special about the game. That was okay though, it was still fun, and it did justice to its source material.

This past week saw the release of the critically panned Aliens: Colonial Marines. The low rankings this game received have led many to believe that it’s next to impossible to make a good Alien game. However, if one looks to the past, there was a near perfect Alien game for Super Nintendo which was based upon the third film in the franchise. Playing as heroine Ellen Ripley, you make your way through the halls of a prison planet completing various objectives in a nonlinear format. Rather than producing a straightforward adaptation of Alien 3, LJN instead presents a nonlinear platforming game in which Ripley can use a different variety of weapons to defeat the Xenomorphs. The graphics are dark and dreary, perfectly suited for the horror franchise, and the soundtrack does a good job of making the already creepy atmosphere even more tense. This is one of those carts you’ll have to do some searching for, but if you’re a fan of the franchise, or if you like Metroid style sci-fi exploration, you’ll want to check out this classic.

Streets of Rage 2 is a sequel to Sega’s classic beat-em-up, and it signified one of the best reasons to own a Sega Genesis back in the days. Taking control of one of four characters, you set out to rescue your friend from criminal overlord Mr. X. You (and a friend if playing co-op) will battle through 8 levels, such as a tropical island and an amusement park. The graphics are some of the best seen on the Genesis and the soundtrack, composed by Yuzo Koshiro is one of the best soundtracks in a 16 bit video game. The electronica/techno beats will keep your blood pumping as you beat up everyone in your way. It’s available in several Sega compilations, and you can buy it on just about every download service, so if you haven’t played this classic, now is a good time to do so.

Final Fantasy was the last of the ‘old school’ Final Fantasy games, and it would be the last numbered entry on a Nintendo system (barring the remakes). When it was released over here, it was re-titled Final Fantasy 3 as it was the third FF game to be released in North America. It’s graphics, characters, and story stand out as one of the greatest RPG epics even to this day.
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Project Horned Owl is a classic Playstation light gun shooter, and one of the few available for the system. Taking place in a futuristic world, you (and a friend if playing co-op) take control of two policemen out to stop a terror plot. You’ll blast your way through criminals, cyborgs, and mechs throughout the game’s 5 stages. If the mech designs look familiar, that’s because manga artist Masamune Shirow, the man behind Appleseed and Ghost in the Shell did character designs for this game. The game has bright anime-styled graphics and fully voiced cutscenes. Despite it’s roughness, fans of old school rail shooters like Lethal Enforcers and Operation Wolf will love this game. Hopefully it will show up on Playstation Network if it isn’t there already. It’s just too bad there are no PS3 light gun accessories to play it with.

Beam Software developed this 1991 NES adaptation of A New Hope. You play as Luke Skywalker as you make your way through the sands of Tattoine, explore the Mos Esiley Cantina, and you know the rest, it’s freakin STAR WARS! You’ll encounter Han Solo and Princess Leia, and you can even play as them. However, they only have one life. If they get killed, Obi Wan Kenobi can revive them a limited number of times. There are also shooter segments where you fly the Millennium Falcon. The game’s soundtrack also contains NES versions of the familiar themes. The controls are touchy and it lead to several frustrating deaths, but it’s still an excellent movie tie-in on the NES. And it’s nowhere near as bad as Namco’s bizarre Japanese version.