Namco Museum Battle Collection – PSP – Preview

Namco Museum: Battle Collection is, as you could
guess, a collection of Namco’s greatest hits from the 8-bit era. It is also a
collection of upgrades to several of Namco’s most beloved titles, including
Pac-Man, Rally X, Galaga and Dig-Dug. The originals will also be included,
allowing you to jump back and forth between the past and the present.

Bear in mind that these upgrades are mostly
graphical and were mostly done to enhance the intensity of the gameplay. For
example, Pac-Man looks three-dimensional but will have 2D gameplay. The PSP’s
power gave the developers the power to render an isometric view. The camera is
zoomed out a little, and the playing field is a tad bigger than before, giving
the ghosts the upper hand.

Rally X, on the other hand, sticks with the
top-down view. The graphic upgrade brings it to the 16-bit level, which means
it’s still three full generations behind PSP. The gameplay should be its saving
grace, featuring more obstacles, more opponents, and a faster vehicle.

Namco wants the American version to be extra
special, so they’re giving us 10 exclusive games. The full list hasn’t been
released, but we do know that you’ll be able to play Bosconian, Xevious, Tower
of Druaga, Mappy, Dragon Buster, Dig Dug 2, Grobda, and King & Balloon.
Bosconian has got me sold. Play it and you’ll know why.

Last but not least, Namco Museum: Battle
Collection will utilize the PSP’s Wi-Fi capabilities for ad hoc multiplayer. Up
to four players can battle simultaneously.

Namco Museum: Battle Collection will be an
awesome game when it’s released this fall. Let’s hope it sells for an awesome
price.

For All E3 2005 Previews