Collection Review: Midway Arcade Treasures (Part 1)

Game: Midway Arcade Treasures
Console: Sony Playstation
Developer: Midway
Release Date: 8th November 2003

Midway had quite a few hit arcade games back in the day, and after acquiring Atari and Williams Entertainment, the owned the rights to even more. This game is the first in the a three part game series which looks at the best of Midway's arcade games and those which they own the rights to. My Review of Midway Arcade Treasures part two can be read by clicking the hyperlinks. There are 24 games on this collection, so I'll also be splitting this review into two parts.

720°

Game: 720°
Console: Arcade
Developer: Atari
Release Date: 1986

Somewhere between Marble Madness and Sonic 3D, isometric 3D fell out of favour with the gaming public. 720 Degrees is a skateboarding game which uses the isometric viewpoint and seems to pull it off for the most part. Players start their time in the centre of a city, which contains 4 skateparks; Slalom, Ramp, Jump and Downhill. Players must earn enough points to enter each, claim a gold medal and continue on, with 4 levels of competition at each skatepark.

The directional controls of the game are handled well and it's easy to skate about, the trick controls however are a bit harder, as there's only kick to push the skateboard on, and jump which handles all of the jumping and trick moves. The best move seems to be to hold onto the jump button whilst in the air and spin as much as is possible, to score big points. Each of the skate parks has a different type of skating goal, and this is a nice show of variety for such an early game.

Graphically the game is colourful and it's pretty easy to see what everything is within the city setting. Tricks and other moves are harder to view, with the skateboard being so small onscreen. Although I wasn't expecting Tony Hawk's level of quality, it's still a little disappointing that there aren't more tricks on show. Soundwise there are some rocking tunes featured behind gameplay and this is a nice touch for the era.

Overall Skate or Die isn't a bad arcade game at all, it's just a shame that you're bound so harshly to its time limits, meaning that there's little chance of exploring or actually starting to enjoy the game organically. The equipment upgrades dotted about the map is a fun idea and definitely scales gameplay towards improving gradually, but thanks to the time limit I was never really allowed to get as far as I'd have liked.

Rating: 62/100
Grade: C

Blaster

Game: Blaster
Console: Arcade
Developer: Williams Electronics
Release Date: 1983

Blaster is a colourful adventure through space where players must constantly defend themselves from incoming obstacles including astronauts, rocks, ships, and robots. The gameplay is fast paced and though it's difficult to quite make out what's going on most of the time, due to the constant flashing and chaos onscreen, it does feel like a competently put together game.

Players get a choice of which stage they start from, of the game's first four stages though it doesn't make too much difference. It's hard to avoid everything thanks to the strange depth of the Mode 7-esque scaling. Objects also fly at the ship pretty quickly so good reactions are needed to make a decent run into the game.

Graphically the game is very basic, with Atari 2600 like block pixels and an incredible range of basic colours and flashing screens which are sure to make players eyes sore. The shooting sound effect is overpowering in terms of the game's sound design and there's no real music to be heard whilst playing.

Overall Blaster is an average space shooter from a time when there were far too many games in the genre being released by all arcade developers. It's not too bad, but it's certainly not great or particularly replayable. If it wasn't so harsh on the eyes, then I might have been a little more keen to continue through to the end.

Rating: 51/100
Grade: D

Bubbles

Game: Bubbles

Console: Arcade
Developer: Williams
Release Date: 1982

Bubbles has an unusual concept for an arcade game; players take on the role of a bubble who must clean the sink of various dirt based enemies whilst avoiding larger obstacles and enemies, until the bubble grows to such a size that it can go down the drain and progress to the next level. I like that Williams chose such a specific setting for the game as they could have easily gone down the space or animal routes which were chosen so often during this era.

While clearly the game involves bubbles, I found the movement controls to be a little slippery. While this may have been the developer's intention, there's a little too much momentum given by each directional press. Without any way to protect your bubble from colliding with enemies, the movement controls should have been a little tighter to allow for last minute direction changes.

Graphically the game is pretty basic with a lot of blue onscreen, but the colour contrasts well with that of most of the enemies and this makes movement decisions easier. The black ants which appear on screen as enemies are a little more difficult to spot and probably the only thing I'd change about the graphics. Musically the game features some awful short themes before levels and I'd recommend having the volume pretty low to avoid hearing these.

Overall Bubbles is a harmless arcade game with an original concept and simple controls. Player movement could be a little easier to handle, but with enough play it should be easily mastered. The overall concept of the game can wear thin after enough levels, and it really could have benefited from some sort of weapon/mini-bubble shooting command also.

Rating: 62/100
Grade: C

Defender

Game: Defender

Console: Arcade
Developer: Williams
Release Date: 1980

Defender is an early arcade game which was part of the space shooter craze started by games like Space Invaders. It features horizontal scrolling and wrap around so players never reach a border at the side of the screen. The aim is to shoot all of the aliens that appear in order to move onto the next level. There are different types of aliens which inhabit the game world and some can prove to be more trouble to kill than others.

Players must also look for aliens which are abducting the humans on the level and then shoot the alien to collect the human from them and deliver them to safety. While a later game, Dropzone (which borrowed many elements from Defender) is by far a better game with this same rescue concept. There's really not much to do in this space shooter that's worth doing.

Graphically the game is incredibly basic and the laser shoots on a very narrow plane, leading to many near misses which look like they should have counted as a hit. The aliens have fairly generic designs though there's a variety of species to encounter. Soundwise players who like shooting sounds over silence will be big fans of the game; if you're looking for music or any other kind of entertainment, think again.

Overall Defender is a fairly bland space shooter which gained popularity for being a very early game which was fairly playable. Looking back at the game after the wave of games released after 1980 it's clear to see that there's not much nuance or wow factor to the game itself, despite influencing other titles.

Rating: 57/100
Grade: D

Defender II

Game: Defender II (Stargate)

Console: Arcade
Developer: Williams
Release Date: 1981

Popular arcade games often get sequels and it's difficult for developers to decide between repeating the formula and going off wildly on a tangent. Ideally it's somewhere inbetween; a slicker, improved version of the game which takes all the best gameplay elements of the original game and adds to them to present a familiar yet challenging and new experience. Occasionally developers end up releasing something that is basically the same as its predecessor however.

I'll accept that there are a few new enemies in the game, but Defender II is so very similar to the first game in the series that there's hardly anything to talk about in reviewing it. Players shoot things, rescue humans and move on to shooting more things. The difficulty in hitting completely accurate shots is still present and it's just as easy to lose lives as the first game.

Graphically there's almost no changes from the first game; the info panels are a different colour, but that's pretty much all there is. The sound too is also the same, and this is the last straw. Clearly having made a successful game, Williams decided that they'd basically be able to re-release Defender and audiences would still lap it up. While I don't know if gamers back in the day were fooled, I certainly wasn't.

Rating: 57/100
Grade: C

Gauntlet

Game: Gauntlet

Console: Arcade
Developer: Atari
Release Date: 1984

Gauntlet is a pretty classic arcade game; players choose a class of character which slightly influences the gameplay, and sets off through a maze filled with enemies, keys, and potions with exits to the next level dotted around for them to find. While there's a massive number of enemies in each level, just waiting to get their hands on the player, it's possible to destroy their spawn points and stop them from attacking eventually. Luckily players also have a huge amount of health and so can take quite a lot of punishment, despite the fact that it's also constantly ticking down.

Sometimes it can get a little hard to move around the maze with all the enemy crowding, and the further players get, the worse it gets in that respect. Powerups are plentiful and there's some nice gameplay mechanics with teleporters, keys, and other items that complicate the game, but also make it more fun. In terms of replayability there's not a lot going for the game outside of trying your best with each class of character.

Graphically the game is basic by modern standards, but fairly impressive for 1985. There are lots of varied enemies that appear in later levels, and many more on screen that would usually be seen in console games of the era. There are small musical clips as well as voice acting featured within the game, and these are generally good although a little music would have set the scene very nicely.

Overall Gauntlet is a fun and original arcade game which features a lot more content than many other arcade games of the 80s, with four playable characters, many different enemies and and a difficulty level which gradually increases rather than hitting players full force after the first level. There's also the option to continue from where you left off a few times for an extra credit which is nice.

Rating: 74/100
Grade: B

Joust

Game: Joust

Console: Arcade
Developer: Williams
Release Date: 1982

Joust is a game based on a very simple concept. Players take control of a man who is mounted on a bird, in a an arena where opponents are also mounted on birds. Hitting an opponent from above them will neutralise them and drop an egg, being hit from above will end your current turn and cost you a life. Eggs left for too long on the field of play will hatch into a new opponent, for which a new bird will fly in and come back into play, giving players incentive to collect them.

The controls for this version of joust consist merely of movement and a button to flap the bird's wings in order to gain height. The bird has momentum and so players must carefully judge their every move so as not to be hit from above by an opponent. There's not really much more strategy to the game, though parts of the playing area are removed as the game progresses.

Graphically the game is very simple and is reminiscent of an NES game (it was also later ported to NES and looked much the same). The birds running animation is quite amusing, and there's a smooth sense of flight. In the sound department, there's not much to amuse the ears, with the just odd sound effect and end of level tones.

Overall Joust is executed about as well as its simple concept will allow. The gameplay speaks for itself, the controls are simple and players can grasp what needs to be done from the outset. There's enough sense of fun in trying again to make it replayable for at least a little while, and there's no real issues with the game as a whole.

Rating: 73/100
Grade: C

Joust II

Game: Joust 2
Console: Arcade
Developer: Williams
Release Date: 1986

Four years after the original, Williams decided that it was worth another stab at the Joust model, releasing a sequel. Due to Joust's incredibly simple gameplay, the developers had to take other means to change the game enough to warrant a sequel. Firstly the gave the arcade machine a vertical screen, then they added the ability to change from an ostrich mount to a pegasus, the latter being far heavier and more difficult to control, but better for dropping down quickly.

The controls are much the same as the first game, with the addition of a transform button. The levels featured in Joust 2 are more varied than in the original, with a few nice touches in places. There are also some new and more varied enemies in this game, compared to the first, but this isn't quite enough to shake the feeling that it's not quite as good as the original.

Graphically the game looks like an NES title, which was acceptable in 1982 before the NES had been released, but in 1986 arcade games demanded better graphics and animation than the current systems of the time, and with it's tiny sprites, Joust 2 is technically unimpressive. Still without any music and with basically the same sound effects as before, there's no real improvement in audiovisual quality.

Overall Joust 2 isn't the best sequel it could have been; there were plenty of better ways that the formula could have been expanded upon. While it's not terrible, and probably would have been a decent game in its own right, players who have experience of playing Joust, and the 4 years of games which came after it will likely feel the same.

Rating: 60/100
Grade: D

Klax

Game: Klax

Console: Arcade
Developer: Atari
Release Date: 1989

Klax is an arcade puzzle game which tasks players with sorting tiles into vertical, horizontal or diagonal lines of 3 or more, awarding points for successful lines. There's only a small play area, at the end of a conveyor belt which keeps sending tiles onto the sorting pad controlled by the player. This means that not only is there the placing of tiles to contend with but also the order in which they'll be redistributed from the sorting pad.

The levels can be points based, tile based, or klax based, each requiring different styles of play to see players through and onto the next level. I really like this as a concept, because it keeps players on their toes and keeps the game fresh as the difficulty increases. For a puzzle game it's surprisingly versatile, and there's also a two player option which is nice.

Graphically the game is simultaneously simple and visually pleasing. There's enough graphical fidelity to make the concept look interesting and new, whilst displaying all the relevant information to the player and not overdoing it in terms of colours and animation. There's no music to accompany gameplay which is a little disappointing for 1989, and the few sound effects that are featured can get a little annoying after a while.

Overall Klax is a fun and fast paced puzzle arcade game which has wide appeal and is easy to pick up. Its only weaknesses when compared to huge games like Tetris are that its small play area demands careful planning and play, and that there's very little to enjoy in the sound department.

Rating: 74/100
Grade: B

Marble Madness

Game: Marble Madness
Console: Arcade
Developer: Atari
Release Date: 1984

Marble Madness is another conceptually simple puzzle game which puts all of its effort into the gameplay. Players guide a marble through 6 isometric obstacle courses which increase in difficulty, against the clock in an effort to make it to the very end. The controls are spot on in terms of momentum, and players have fast and slow buttons to control the marble's speed in tight spots. Time not used in one course carries over to the next, so speed is necessary.

Graphically the game is simple, but shows very well the positions of obstacles and what must be done to progress. While isometric 3D isn't my favourite, it works well with the style of the game and allows players to quickly assess the amount of speed and turning needed to make it to the goal. There's some great music behind each level and this very much adds to the fun of the game.

Overall Marble Madness has a universal appeal due to its simple nature and replayability. The courses are laid out in such a way that there are a few shortcuts, and strategy can be employed to get a faster time on each course. The real secret to the game is its almost perfect controls which give players the power to achieve their best input consistently.

Rating: 79/100
Grade: B

Paperboy

Game: Paperboy
Console: Arcade
Developer: Atari
Release Date: 1984

Paperboy has never been a particular favourite of mine; perhaps because I first played a horrible version for the Commodore Plus/4. However having given the arcade version a go, with full control over the bike's steering and speed, as well as a far better graphical display I can see the appeal somewhat. Players take control of the titular paperboy who must deliver papers to the houses with green doormats. Any non-subscribers to the paper are likely to get a copy through their window.

There are some easter eggs in the game which can be found by throwing a paper at the correct time; a robbery can be stopped, amongst other things, and there's a training course at the end of each level which is almost like a BMX game in itself. Whilst delivering papers, players must avoid almost constant obstacles in their way; these take a while to get used to and are often pretty unfair in their execution.

Graphically the game looks the best I've ever seen it; neither the NES nor the Commodore version even come close to this. It's easy to tell whose house needs delivering to, and the vandalism is made all the sweeter when its effect can be seen. There's some voice acting to accompany gameplay, but many of the lines just aren't that funny.

Overall the arcade version of Paperboy is the one to go for if you want to play; there's good humour, gameplay and controls with the best graphics you'll find for the game. While the concept is simple, riding the bicycle successfully around obstacles can be difficult, but it's an original and enjoyable game for 1984.

Rating: 76/100
Grade: C

Rampage

Game: Rampage
Console: Arcade
Developer: Midway
Release Date: 1986

And so to the 12th and final game in this part of the review, and it's the first game actually produced by Midway on the entire collection. The rest of the games were simply by companies that have since been acquired by Midway, making this anything but "Midway Arcade Treasures". Rampage is a game where players take control of huge mutant animals and wreak havoc on major cities, knocking down buildings, eating people and plucking helicopters out of the air.

While that sounds pretty fun, it boils down to a two button mash-a-thon on the controls. The jump button is used to scale buildings, and the punch button is used to damage them. There's no option to crush buildings from on top as such, and there's little else to do other than keep pressing the punch button on different parts of each building until it falls down.

Graphically the game is dark and bland, the people that appear in windows hardly contrast with the buildings they inhabit and it's difficult to see when you're being shot at, not that there's much that can be done about it. The look of the buildings as they are destroyed is literally the best part of the game, so it's important to take a moment to enjoy it whilst playing.

Overall Rampage is a poor arcade game, and once the thrill of destroying cities and buildings wears off, there's no real reason to continue playing. Apparently there are 768 possible days of destruction featured in the game, but I doubt many people would bother with more than 5. It's a shame there's not more to do within the game, or it could have been a little fun.

Rating: 44/100
Grade: E

With half the collection reviewed, and a single Midway developed game under our belts, it's clear that the company were trying to make the most of the Atari Games and Williams Entertainment legacies which they purchased. While not every game is a stone cold classic, this collection is a bit of a tour through some often mentioned arcade games