Music Reviews

This is a somewhat difficult cartridge to review, because reactions to it will vary so widely. If you're young enough that none of the titles I'll mention ring a bell, consider this a three star cartridge that should be your first choice if you ever want to try a retro compilation. For anyone who grew up with an Atari 2600 in the early to mid 80's, however, this is a five star cartridge that should be among the first 10 that you get for your Game Boy. What you have, basically, is a handheld Atari system with 34 of it's best known games, plus extras, on one cartridge. Simply astonishing.

The four games featured on the front packaging are among those you'll probably be playing most often. In Freeway you help a chicken cross a highway. In Chopper Command you pilot a Chopper and, well, shoot the heck out of anything airborne that moves while avoiding crashes and return fire. In River Raid, you make your way down a river blasting enemies while avoiding shooting refueling tanks that you need to use.

There are other games you'll like too, but one rules above all the others. Mario. Samus. Alucard and the Belmonts. Before them all, there was Pitfall Harry - and countless of us grew up trying to get our Indiana Jones like hero through a jungle alive, those triple-crocodile jumps the bane of our young gaming existence.

There are some extra pluses and minuses. Those used only to games like the colorful Mario ports will find the screen a bit dull, but that was the Atari coloring of the time. Return fire bullets were small, which means that on the Game Boy they're Really, Really Small. Again, that's the system and the games. Finally, fans of the popular Kaboom!, the game featuring the dreaded Mad Bomber, should be aware that the controls don't lend themselves to the game very well - perhaps the only instance in the cartridge.

Now, however, for the pluses. You get a menu screen resembling an Atari cartridge deck, and can view the original box art and instructions - enough to give you a smile in itself. And - here's the big one - the cartridge retains records of high scores, which was the whole point of the Atari era. If you get a high enough score, you can even get a virtual patch resembling the ones you could send away for in the 80's if you provided Activision with a snapshot of your TV screen with a score of a certain level.

If you want to relive those days on handheld, then this cartridge is a must for you.

This is a great collection for those who can remember the old 2600 games. Keeping the high scores and including graphics of the patches and original manuals is great as well. Younger players might not get as much from it though. Its a great collection for the price for sure!

Most of the games in this anthology of Activision's golden age are little more than bizarre curiosities, but the sheer fact that there are 55 of them (complete with some unreleased prototypes and "alternate" versions of games involving *gasp* human blood) sure does make up for a lot. Some graphic muddiness due to the GBA screen aside, the video and sound emulation is right on. Most of the good 'uns (River Raid, Pitfall) still hold up surprisingly well, though Kaboom is totally unplayable without the paddle controller. And while you may never actually figure out what the hell is going on with Kabobber or the NASA-licensed Space Shuttle, you're bound to enjoy the minutes trying

I bought this game 3 days a go, and I am very happy with it.The graphics are outstanding and I have to say the same for the music! I can't put it down it is soooooooooo great.I have books,toys,tapes and now the game from Dinotopia.
I LOVE DINOTOPIA!

I bought this for my nephew for Christmas and he loved the game. As said before the graphic are great and this gams is wonderful for kids who love Dinotopia.

i bought this for my daughter for christmas and she loved it. so did i. i took it to work with me one day and my coworker got hooked on it. the graphics are great. the music was outstanding! i think i played just to hear the music...lol. it was a lot of fun.

ESPN finally took Madden. At least until August 10. But let me tell you Madden has serious competition this year. I think the greatest innovation in football video games may be the how ESPN uses the right stick for jukes and QB evade moves. It feels natural and gives you so many options. With all the moves availabe your opposition will never know whats coming. The V.I.P. system comes in a close second. The system is great way for you to learn your weaknesses. Play against yourself for a couple of days and see how much you will improve. And of course....the presentation! One thing that has always lacked from football games was the feeling that you were watching a real game. ESPN gives us everything we could ask for and more. The shots of in between quaters, the halftime hi lights, the great commentary are all apart of this illusion. The end result is a true ESPN broadcast. The drafts are a lot more important now that you have Kiper giving you the down low on all the top prospects and the idea of actually giving those rookies faces is a nice touch. Also the contract negotiation part of free agency has made huge strides. now you can detail every aspect of each player's deal. Keeping all these little parts in mind, the big break through in franchise mode this year, was the weekly planning system. You now have the ability to prepare for each game, from the tuesday morning meeting, to how much time you will spend coaching each player. Overall this game takes the cake and the early lead in the 2005 video football game series, and its gonna be hard for Mr. Madden to get the lead back this year.

This game is the most real to life sports game i have ever played i love the first person mode with the helmet cam's and i love watching sportscenter at the end of the games and not ot meniton the Crib mode is awesome this game is a must have for any true football game fan

10.0 Presentation
Quite simply, a sports game has never been this well-presented. This is the poster child for exemplary use of a license.  

 9.0 Graphics
This is one handsome football game. Great animations, excellent player models, and cool ESPN integration make this a looker.  

 9.0 Sound
Excellent contextual commentary utilizes the ESPN talent to the fullest. On-field sounds and music make it even better.  

 9.0 Gameplay
Realistic and fun, packed with modes and features, this is a very complete game. Default difficulty is still too easy.  

 10.0 Lasting Appeal
Can you make $20 stretch further? Online head-to-head and league play, an excellent Franchise mode, the collectible Crib, and cool VIP feature means you'll be playing this one 'til the cows come home.

and XBOX has a little more icing on the cake vs PS2

I played this on game cube, and it rocks. 100's of upgrades for your vehicle, beautiful tracks, and amazing graphics make this game great. Not much better than cruising with a 705 hp Lancruiser riding on an 8 inch lift and 38s. As you race you gain reputation and can qualify for teams, getting special parts and trucks. Also, 14 inch lift sucks. I tried it on a tacoma and i rolled over backwards going up a steep hill.
No damage when you roll over or drive into the water took this game down a star. Also, there are 4 vehicle sounds. small suv, large suv, light truck, and heavy truck. The vehicle modeling is a little off too. you can turn tighter than you should be able to at 60 mph.

Overall, the fun of upgrading your car, the racing, and the graphics almost completely outweigh the cons. The best offroad game I've found.

Awsome off road game. Thats all I can say.

This game has good graphics.

I'm fairly impressed with this title. After spending a good portion of time in my youth playing the original Wing Commander titles, I had to pick this one up. The GBA version is based on the 1997 PC version of the same title, which was a masterfully created interactive movie with one of the best space combat engines ever put together.

Wing Commander was a very successful franchise comprised of five games plus a number of spin-off titles. While always strong on story, the first two games (published in 1990 and 1991) relied on animated characters to tell the story in between missions. The third title (1994) was the first big budget interactive movie starring Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker from Star Wars). The extravagance continued with Wing Commander 4, and Prophecy rounded out the series in 1997.

I didn't expect much from the GBA title but was very impressed with the smooth frame rates and its nearly faithful reproduction of the original's gameplay. My only complaint has nothing to do with the game or its design, but more to do with which Wing Commander game they ported.

The developers could have met with greater sales success had they ported the first two titles, as the back story would have been easier to implement on the GBA. While the original Prophecy story is here, the presentation of it could have been much better.

Bottom line: If you love space combat games you will love this one. I haven't tried the multiplayer option yet, but I hear it's terrific. You can't go wrong with this one!

A port of the PC hit, Wing Commander: Prophecy almost pushes the GBA to it's limits in terms of graphics and gameplay. In this unbelieveably tough mission based shooter, you get to fly around in full 360 degree movement taking on massive ships while also doing reconnaissance missions. Prophecy for the GBA is very similar to it's PC counterpart; the biggest difference being the obvious lack of FMV sequences that the Wing Commander series is known for (featuring actors such as Mark Hamill and Malcolm McDowell), but that is forgiveable considering the platform this game is on. The graphics are outstanding minus a few graphical glitches here and there and some blockiness, but other than that Prophecy offers some nice eye candy. The 48 missions are hard and the multiplayer deathmatch mode is more than worth playing. Controls can be cumbersome, which is the game's biggest flaw, but despite Prophecy's shortcomings, it is a near triumph in terms of the GBA's graphical and gameplay capabilities. All in all, if your an old time fan of the Wing Commander series and you own a GBA, your in heaven.

Like my title suggests, this game is simply amazing. The gameplay and graphics are melded together in a game that will surprise and amaze you. The first noticable quality of this game is the amazing graphics, done in almost full 3d! This game is a port of a PC game, and dare I say it, the graphics on the GBA are fairly similar. Gameplay doesn't make the game however, and it's the arena of gameplay where this game shines. The game is a blast too play; you have 48 missions, several ships, dozens of weapons, and a superb multiplayer mode also. The missions range from short to lengthly, and beating them all is a ardous but worthwhile challenge. Playing the game is like watching and participating in a movie. The lengthy cutscenes from the PC version were cut out in favor of text boxes, but it manages to capture the same feel of the game. If you like Wing Commander, enjoy space/flight sims, or simply love well made and fun games, this game is for you!

cool game alot like ssbm (supe smash bros mele) (i have that too)
allthough i like roushuko AX better it depens but if you like close range get roshuko AX if you like far range get meta bee AX etheir way this game is awsome

this game is fantastic.im going to buy it.i love medabots

Although I don't have the game, and only played it for two minutes, I knew that I liked it once I started. It is so similar to the Smash Bros games, you wouldn't believe it! The parts add variety to the game. Allowing different combinations of abilities. This allows for hundreds of possible battle strategies. It can mean hours of endless gameplay, and you still won't get bored.

This game is just like the ps2 version.Where is the use of the extra xbox power?

One of the best in rallies, but the multiplayer part leaves a lot to wish for. there is no championship for multiplayer, it does not keep the scores and you start with a brand new car ( no damage) in every next race. No fun. Beside that in a single player handling feels pretty real but still not perfect. Great speed, sharp curves, no problem.

First off, the people who gave this game negative reviews don't know what they are talking about!! This game is awesome!! This game has 3 elements that I love, cool outdoor scenery, neat offroad action, and most of all the physics are freakin' sweet! I like that the car shows damage, why can't other game developers do this? If I hadn't just rented this game, it would probably not leave my console for a long time.

I stared at this thing for like 30 minates when I bought it thinking....(how in the world am I going to be able to play a gamecube game on this tiny T.V. Even bigger 5 inch srceens don't look that good when playing games on them) Then, the second I turned it on my eyes bugged out of head! dispite size, the techogly put into this thing makes it clearer than a nomal T.V! I believe it's called a FVF srceen? all I know is that from the second I turned on this device, I know I have seen the future of portable gaming. oh there is one small bad thing though, even thought it looks as sharp as playing on a T.V, some of the already small text can be hard to read. other than that, I usally play on this now in my room because I enjoy playing on it much more. p.s.(don't listen to reviews done by people that don't own this product)

This is one of the most valuable investments you can make. If you don't have a tv in your car or room. You can play and have just as much fun as a regular tv. When you recieve the item the screen looks small but when you get playing it is just as big as usual. With ajustable sound and color you can play just the way you like it.

you must buy this item!!! it is great use in the car because it isn't big and easy to move around. look at it this way have youi ever played a gameboy. It's joust like that but the screen is an inch or two bigger and better color. if you nave an adapter its an easy way to play in the car. also just get a case to but your gamecube in get out the controller put the screen in and you're playing in the car. you have a 2.6 inch in on the controller for $40 instead of paying 100-150 dollars for a 5.4 inch. this is a great item and not to much money.

I bought this for my 23 month old daughter yesterday, she LOVES it. She was so excited while I was putting it together. She will be keeping this at Grandma's house (she spends about 3 days a week there). My daughter especially loved the ferris wheel. She and I both like the music, luckily there is an off switch should Mommy or Grandma need break from the noise.

I also bought two extentions to this set (Little People Surprise Sounds Fun Park & Little People Parading Pals), each of these are so cute and fun.

My daughter's Aunt thought it was such a cute toy (I think she will play with it too and she is 35!). Of course I am looking forward to playing with it myself. :)

I think this is a great investment. If something changes I'll edit this review.

I think I love Little People stuff more than my almost 2 year old daughter. This set in particular I think is wonderful because the ferris wheel plays music, and what makes it mom-friendly is the fact that there is also an on and off switch! I have more fun playing with these toys than I think she does which allows us some fun quality play time together.

My son picked this out at the store and played with it in the store and continues to enjoy it at home(sometimes he just plays in store, then when I get the toy home he could care less!). Yes, a volume switch would be nice, but it does capture the loud nerve wracking ambience of an amusement park. My son loves to give the little people a vigorous spin and is especially amused by the fun house mirror. The bottle throw component is less enthralling.

All in all a cute, durable toy which my son is enjoying piecing together.

I just had to write this to contradict a previous longwinded review. (Most likely written by the manufactured themselves. They DO write reviews for their own games!) This game absolutely stinks!!!! There is nothing origional about it. It's the same monotony over and over again. Don't waste the money. Use it to buy an old Simon game at a garage sale instead. (...) dont waste your money buying this piece of boring garbage. Lame from the very beginning-- even to a toddler.

Hopes ran high, and the wait was long, but ultmately... it was worth it.

The original Space Channel 5 for Dreamcast is to me a great symbol of everything that was right about that game system. Like many other games for the Dreamcast, SC5 was stylish, creative, original, off-beat, and had loads of replay value. In my mind, it will always be a true classic. Naturally, I was quite disappointed when it appeared that the sequel would never come out in America. But then, like a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow that appeared suddenly in the heart of a black storm (you get the idea), we get not just the sequel, but the original game as well for PS2. And not for $40.00, not for $50.00 or $60.00, but for $15.00!

Truly, both games are well-worth hanging onto, but the sequel is the one that really shines. The timing problems of the first game are corrected, the graphics are improved, the gameplay is more varied, there are more styles of music, and you get to play musical instruments!

People have been ranting and raving about the style of these games for a long time now, but it bears repeating: there simply aren't any console games with more style than the dynamic duo of Space Channel 5. The whole retro-futuristic sci-fi 60's thing is so perfectly executed it makes the game terrific fun (that and a good dose of humor).

The real reason to buy these games though is the gameplay. Gameplay is hard to define, but I can tell you what seperates Sega's Greatest (Panzer Dragoon, GunValkyrie, Space Channel 5) from the rest of the pack. These games aren't like most games, where you play to beat the game and then it goes back on the shelf. No, no, no. These games you will play over and over and over trying to get a perfect score and unlock all of the hidden goodies (in this case hidden characters and extra costumes). Every time you play this game the experience is slightly different because the game changes depending on how well you are doing.

The Space Channel 5 games may be difficult, but there is huge replay value to be had if you're willing to invest the time. If you're the sort who loves games of timing in particular (Ikargua or Parappa the Rapper anyone?) then you owe it to yourself to get this game. Oh, and did I mention the music is awesome?

I've been hooked on Space Channel 5 since getting the original Dreamcast version on a whim. Back then, the lag in Ulala's movements annoyed me, but not nearly enough to keep me from playing the game. The music was awesome, the characters fun to watch, and despite the lagged dancing, the game was fun to play.

I hadn't realized Part 2 had gotten released here in the States, and coming with Part 1 for $15 (preowned--what was that person thinking?), I couldn't resist. I bought it solely because it WAS a new SC5 game, and I was immediately sucked in. Those who have played the original know what I mean: The music is much better (even consisting of instrument battles), moves are executed instantly, and I love the new characters.

As if the replay value isn't high enough, there are plenty of unlockables in this game. You can collect different costumes and microphones to use during your missions--I always find myself picking Cloaked Purge for Level 4, as there's something really interesting about watching the main villain do Michael Jackson's moves. There's also a dance mode where it's just you and the computer, where the computer gives you moves and you mimic them, that gets progressively harder with each level passed.

My only complaint is the version of Part 1 that's been included. The engine wasn't overhauled, so the moves are still laggy. But of course, still fun to play. Part 2 just gets played far more in my house.

This game gets played whenever I'm near my PS2. It's prompted me to import the soundtracks. Trust me, you won't regret buying this game if you love music/rhythm games. And with such a low price for two games, what's stopping you?