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Not to be outdone by the Xbox Live Arcade, Nintendo decided to upload Konami's Contra sequel to the Virtual Console. If the game sounds familiar that's because it is, just a few weeks ago I spent three paragraphs talking about the pros and cons of this classic arcade game. If you're one of those people who only owns a Wii and not an Xbox 360 then you're in luck this week (and you'll need it, because we're just now getting out of a six month long drought of good Wii games). As the sequel to Contra you can expect a few things; you already know it's going to be insanely hard (even harder than the arcade original), you know it's going to be action-packed, and you know it's going to be fun for two players. The good news is that it's all three of those things. Unfortunately it's not nearly as much fun as the original Contra, and some could even argue that it's nothing more than the same thing rehashed with new levels. My biggest concern with this game is that when compared to the original and the brilliant third installment on the Super NES, Super C just doesn't live up to the Contra name. Since you can already buy the Contra III on the Virtual Console the only reason most people would want to own this game is for the complete set. Konami (and Nintendo) would have been better off uploading Contra: Hard Corpse, the long-forgotten Genesis Contra game (that blows Super C out of the water). Hopefully that will come out soon, but in the mean time you can pass the time with this fun, but instantly forgettable installment of Super C.

 

Not much has changed since the original Contra hit the scene, and that's the biggest problem with Super C. This really is just more of the same; it's you versus everybody else in this unfairly difficult action game. As with most 8-bit games in this genre, Super C rewards you for memorizing enemy locations, but it's to the point where in order to beat the game you have to have a photographic memory. Unlike the original arcade version, when you continue in Super C you end up restarting the level, something that can make this already difficult game downright frustrating. Couple this extreme difficulty with so-so controls and you have a game that is enjoyable at first, but never as good as it should have been.

 

If you're one of those people who wants to own everything Contra then this is an easy $5 to spend. But then again, if you're that kind of person then chances are that you're going to be putting yourself through unneeded pain when visiting the 32-bit Contra era. Super C is still a fun game, but if you don't already own the original or Contra III then make sure and play those first.

 

 

Forget Final Fight, Streets of Rage 2 is the only 16-bit brawler you'll ever need. Streets of Rage 2 does more than offer new characters and locations, nearly every aspect of this 1993 beat-em-up has been completely redone. All it takes is one look at the brand new graphics (that still look good, I might add) and you'll see that a lot of time and energy went into making this one of the best looking Genesis games of all time. There are also more ways of hurting your opponents, which is always a plus in this kind of game. Along with the improved gameplay and graphics, Streets of Rage 2 also offers brand new heroes, better bosses, and a ton of weird locations. In fact, the crazy locations are one of the reasons this game is so memorable. Streets of Rage 2 is more than happy to take you off of the regular beaten path in order to make you fight in all kinds of over-the-top areas. I'm talking about everything from and amusement park, a sports stadium, and even a large boat. This brand new Xbox 360 version features slightly smoothed out graphics, online gameplay and achievement points. This may just be the most definitive version of Streets of Rage 2 yet, a welcome addition to the Xbox Live Arcade library.

 

As is always the case when we review classic brawlers, Streets of Rage 2 suffers from somewhat repetitious gameplay. So much of this game is about mashing buttons and dodging other people's attacks, and you'll be doing that from beginning to end without much of a break. Still, this is one of those games that is insanely fun to go through with other people. I would argue that the only way Sega could have made this any better was if they added a four-player mode, but alas this is just a two-player experience.

 

Not only is this Xbox Live Arcade port of Streets of Rage 2 cheaper than its Virtual Console counterpart, but it's also a much better deal thanks to the online play and achievement points. I'm disappointed that Backbone didn't go back and alter the game so three or four people could play at the same time, but the addition of two-player online is enough to make me forget what I was bummed about. Like some of the other Backbone-produced Genesis games on the Xbox Live Arcade, Streets of Rage 2 suffers from some emulation problems, but you are saving $3 by buying it on Microsoft's system and you're getting a lot more for your money. 

 

 

Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo HD Remix (Xbox Live Arcade) 

Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo is Capcom's brilliant puzzle game that uses super deformed Street Fighter and Darkstalker characters. While it never reached the heights of Tetris or got the hype of Lumines, Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo is certainly more than a novelty act. In this game you have to deal with pairs of colored blocks falling from the sky, the object is to match up as many colors as you can before a round glowing orb falls from the sky and destroys what you've made. Since this is a one-on-one puzzle game (even when you're playing by yourself) you will have to deal with enemy blocks coming over and screwing up your patterns. The trick to this game is that when your opponent deletes blocks from his/her side you will receive them in the way of countdown blocks, colored blocks that count down as you take your turn. As these blocks are counting down you won't be able to get rid of them, but once they've become real blocks (after the countdown has expired) you can use them in your strategy, ultimately giving you room for a combo of biblical proportions. Thanks to the countdown blocks a game can go either way, even when it looks completely one-sided. This Xbox 360 version of the game comes with several modes of play, online multiplayer, achievement points and a leader board. You can also expect some brand new high res graphics, making this the prettiest version of Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo on the market.

 

Like most puzzle games (except Sega's Columns), Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo holds up remarkably well. While it is no doubt cliché, Capcom's classic puzzler is easy to learn and hard to master. The one-on-one nature of the action turns this into more of a puzzle fighting game, which is a lot different from what you see on other Xbox Live Arcade puzzlers. Best of all, each of the characters has their own patterns and animations. My one major gripe with the game is that the characters themselves aren't as good looking as the rest of the action; this may be due to the fact that Backbone didn't bother to redraw the characters. Instead Ryu, Ken, Chun Li, Felicia and the rest of the gang are using the same sprites that we've seen in every other version of this game. This makes the game looks a bit uneven when stacked up against the high res puzzle blocks. Thankfully this is a minor complaint, but it's definitely disappointing that Backbone couldn't do something about the inconsistent graphics.

 

While $10 is a bit steep, Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo is definitely worth the money. What makes this version of the game so compelling is the online mode, which is something American gamers have lacked since day one. If you don't intend to play online then you might as well keep your PlayStation, Dreamcast, Game Boy Advance or PSP version of the game, but if you've never owned Capcom's puzzler then there's no reason not to buy Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo.

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