SHANE: If you’re interested in this collection of geriatric arcade titles, you’re either an oldster who survived Pac-Man fever...or someone who’s sick of all the sports sims and racing games clogging PSP shelves. Namco’s collection oozes quantity: With 17 oldies and four modernized remakes, you’ll never be bored again, right?

Well, your mileage will vary, but relics like Galaxian, Rally-X, Bosconian, and Mappy are tough going. Oh, and you only think that you want to play through Rolling Thunder again. At least some of the more obscure older titles, such as Motos, Grobda, Dragon Buster, and King & Balloon (Namco’s borderline nonsensical Space Invaders rip-off) provide head-scratching intrigue. You’ll likely spend the majority of your time on the real winners, like Ms. Pac-Man, Galaga, and Dig Dug—perfectly balanced bite-sized enjoyment that makes your two-hour layover melt away.

The gussied-up, remade versions of Pac-Man, Galaga, Rally-X, and Dig Dug aren’t particularly groundbreaking, but the colorful visuals, peppy tunes, and frivolously fun multiplayer action won’t disappoint when you need a quick retro pick-me-up.

SHOE: Here’s gaming with an ordinary compilation: You’re thrilled because the disc contains this, this, and that. You start playing. Fast-forward 15 minutes, and the disc is back in its case ’cause those games just don’t hold your attention like they used to. Here’s gaming with Battle Collection: You’re extra thrilled because it contains way more titles than the average Namco Museum, plus a few updated classics. You start playing. Fast-forward 60 minutes, and the disc is back in its case....

Hey, that’s four times the love. But it could’ve been 20 times had Namco included more remakes (or made them all as excellent as the four-player update of Pac-Man here). I won’t be playing this one for hours on end, but it’s easily one of the best classics compilations ever put together.

1UP.COM—JEREMY: Finally, a Namco Museum that does these classics justice. True, playing Dragon Buster or King & Balloon in the dentist’s waiting room makes the prospect of oral surgery seem appealing in comparison, but fan favorites like Galaga, Pac-Man, and Rolling Thunder more than make up for the weaker selections. Plus, these games have never looked nicer; aside from some color bleeding in fast-scrolling titles, the PSP’s screen makes these retro graphics shine. The remade versions are a little too simple, but they make for a fun extra and provide a decent Wi-Fi multiplayer experience, too (which the original games don’t support). It’s quite likely the best classics compilation to date. P

Publisher: Namco

Developer: Namco

Players: 1-2 (2-4 via local Wi-Fi)

ESRB: Everyone

www.namco.com

You can also choose to tilt your PSP 90 degrees and play the older games in vertical mode.

Good: Plenty of games, fun wireless multiplayer

Bad: A few stinkers, old games get dull quickly

Don’t Import: The Japanese version—it only has half the games

THE VERDICTS (OUT OF 10)

Shane 7.0

Shoe 8.0

Jeremy 8.0

Copyright © 2005 Ziff Davis Media Inc. All Rights Reserved. Originally appearing in Electronic Gaming Monthly.