Capcom Classics Collection Remixed PSP Review

Not a month goes by nowadays without some company reaching into their back catalogue finding some old classics to fill up a DVD. Then they slap a budget price on and rake in some profits. I am not going to complain though as I am always ready for some old school gaming with the titles of yesteryears past. Some companies put a lot more work into these sets than others and without doubt Capcom are near the top of the pile when it comes to effort put in. It was that. Due to their great work on previous retro completions I was very happy when this UMD dropped through my letterbox. I knew the presentation would be great, but would the games stand the test of time? Well…

Capcom Classic Collection Remixed sports a nice mix of 21 games from a selection of different genres. The full list is Strider, 1941, Mega Twins, Street Fighter (sadly it’s the original bad one), Avengers, Bionic Commando, Black Tiger, Block Block, Captain Commando (my favourite), Final Fight, Forgotten Worlds, Last Duel, Legendary Wings, Magic Sword, Quiz & Dragons, Section Z, Side Arms, The Speed Rumbler, Three Wonders, and Varth. As you can see there are a few duds in there, but there are also a fair few classics making the game live up to the name Capcom decided to put on the front of the case. A nice plus is that as you play through these games you can unlock tips, additional concept artwork, and music players. These are unlocked by reaching a certain level, reaching a certain score, or finishing the game.

All games in the set have options to customise controls and display settings. The first option most will probably see and use is the switch to widescreen display, so you can choose to stretch the image fit the PSP screen. While it is nice to fill up the whole screen, the stretched image does mess up the look of some of the games so it is usually best to put up with the black bars on each side. Some other game like 1941 and other vertical shooters give the option to switch the screen and let you play with the PSP on its end. The controls do become a little awkward in this mode, but the extra screen space helps to see what’s going on. All games also have customisable options to set how many lives and continues you have. All games are automatically set to infinite continues and it is best to leave it there unless you’re looking to challenge yourself.

There is not really much to say about the graphics in these games as they were released in either the 80’s or 90’s when graphics weren’t the be-all-and-end-all of enjoying games. I personally love the look of most of the titles on here as I either played them many years ago when they were first released, or played similar games within the last decade. There is no doubt that nostalgia is a big factor in enjoying some of the titles so people over the age of 20 will probably get the most enjoyment out of this set. All of the games are well emulated and play just like they did back in the day. The only problem I noticed is that one or two of the games have slightly small text that is hard to read on the PSP’s small screen. The audio as with the graphics is all about nostalgia. Even though some of the compositions are well put together, they all sound a bit tinny by today’s standards.

All in all Capcom Classics Collection Remixed is a well put together compilation with a well presented front end to select the games from. The fact the title is on PSP also raises its appeal as it gives you the option to play classic games where and when you want. It’s not a game that is going to last you for months on end, but for any retro nuts (like me) looking for some nostalgic gaming on the move there is no better set to pick up at the moment. Now I must get back to playing Captain Commando – that sure is one underrated game! Why didn’t you release a sequel Capcom!?

High quality retro gaming on the move.

7.1 out of 10