Top Hunter (Virtual Console)
What Is It?
Top Hunter is kind of a weird action game. From the looks of it you would probably expect it to play a lot like Metal Slug, the other big 2D shooter on the Neo Geo. But it doesn't, instead this game feels more like a cross between Rolling Thunder and Bionic Commando. In a lot of ways Top Hunter is like every other 2D action game we've reviewed in these pages, you run from left to right killing all of the enemies that are attacking from each side. The gimmick here is that all of the action is played on two different plains, one that is right up front and one that is further back. While this gimmick is interesting, the idea of jumping into different plains is more interesting on paper than it is in execution. It's also worth mentioning that your character has an unnaturally stretchy arm, similar to Stretch Armstrong (or Dhalsim of Street Fighter fame). For the most part this stretchy arm is used to defeat bad guys, but you can also use it to activate traps and destroy parts of the background. Unfortunately most of the stretchy arm's potential goes unused, you never have to swing to safety or use it to climb up on tall ledges. It's nice that SNK was trying something new in Top Hunter, but neither of these concepts comes together in a pleasing way. Couple this with the fact that it's a short game with limited replay value and you have a game that probably isn't worth $9.
Does It Still Hold Up?
Even though it's a little slow, Top Hunter is still a solid playing action game. The controls are solid and the graphics are richly detailed. It's not as exciting as the Metal Slug series, but it's a lot better than many of the first generation Neo Geo games. At the end of the day Top Hunter holds up better than I expected, even if it's not the most exciting action game on the Virtual Console.
Is It Worth the Money?
Nine dollars is a bit much to ask for Top Hunters. Even if some of the game's issues were resolved it still wouldn't change the fact that this is a short game that isn't much fun. There's almost no reason to go through this action game more than once, and even the multiplayer stuff is pretty lame. There are a lot of great Neo Geo games worth adding to the Virtual Console, unfortunately Top Hunters is not one of them.
Metal Slug 3 (Xbox Live Arcade)
What Is It?
Metal Slug is a long-running 2D shooter franchise that was born on the SNK Neo Geo. In a lot of ways it's a Contra clone, only this game has a lot more character and far better graphics. You play an action hero who runs from left to right shooting soldiers, aliens, zombies and more. Oh, and you're supposed to save kidnapped homeless dudes. Of course, this is just a set up for non-stop action, amazing level designs and some of the best graphics and animation you have seen in this kind of game. But don't fool yourself; this game is really just a stylish Contra clone. This week Microsoft has decided to release Metal Slug 3 for the Xbox Live Arcade, adding HDTV support and online play. But don't worry, you don't need to play the first two Metal Slug games to feel right at home with this sequel, because at the end of the day if you've played on Metal Slug game you've played them all.
Does It Still Hold Up?
While Metal Slug 3 looks and plays like it's from the 1980s, this Neo Geo game is only eight years old. That would explain why the hand drawn artwork is so good. Unfortunately that doesn't explain why the gameplay is so archaic. Metal Slug is nothing more than you running and shooting your weapons, which is a hard thing to get wrong. But what puzzles me is why you can't shoot in diagonal directions. Not only would that make a lot of sense, but it would also make the whole game a lot more fun. If you can get past this minor gripe you will find an exciting action game that has held up remarkably well.
Is It Worth the Money?
I'm going to be honest with you; Metal Slug 3 is kind of a rip off. Up until now most of the classic arcade games have been priced at $5, which seems reasonable for a ten year old arcade game. The precedent has been set, games like Contra, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Smash TV have all been released at a mere $5. Yet Metal Slug 3 is twice the price, coming in at a whopping $10. Now granted, this is better than the $40 version that was released on the original Xbox, but it's still a rip off when compared to the recent Metal Slug Anthology (PSP, PlayStation 2 and Wii). For $30 Metal Slug fans got seven different games, that's just over $4 per game. Had this Xbox Live Arcade game been priced at $5 I think it would have been understandable, but $10 is too much to pay for Metal Slug 3. Metal Slug 3 is a fun game to play, but you can get this game for much cheaper elsewhere.
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