Game Info
Game Name: Konami Classics—Volume 2
Developer(s): Konami
Publisher(s): Konami
Platform(s): XBox 360
Genre(s): Compilation
Release Date(s): December 15, 2009
ESRB Rating: E 10+
The second of Konami’s collections for XBox 360, Konami Classics Volume 2 has the hit arcade games Contra, Rush ‘n Attack, and Track & Field all on one disc for your enjoyment. As with many collection games, a couple games usually are good and one game is a bit of a tanker (as is the case in this game).
Contra
Woman included
In Contra, you are Bill “Mad Dog” Rizer and Lance “Scorpion” Bean and you are Earth’s defense against an alien invasion in the form a group called Red Falcon. Can you save the world and stop the alien takeover?
Contra is a classic. Released February 20, 1987, the run & gun style of play is quite addictive, but as you can see quick when the up, up, down, down, b, a, start code doesn’t work. Contra is a hard game. It is quite easy to pick up a stray bullet and quickly lose a life (or in the classic 2 player version, you can kill you partner by moving off the screen too quickly).
The game also has a couple different styles of play with the “3-D” tunnel segments of the game. The tunnels can be a bit frustrating in that it becomes much harder to see the deadly bullets and the chances of death increase. One-shot deaths also mean boss battles are pretty tough…it would be nice to have an energy bar for a game like this!
Contra still holds up and it is quite fun for its mindless play. The multiple versions of guns are good and getting trapped into picking up a new gun often meant death (plus getting stuck with that crappy laser). Making it through this game can be tough for even skilled players.
Rush ‘N Attack
Jump, stab, jump, shoot…Got it!
You have one shot at infiltrating a military base to free your fellow POWs before they are executed. Shoot, knife, and jump your way through four stages of enemy soldiers and set your people free.
Rush ‘N Attack (released in 1985) can get very tough. The game sometimes becomes almost Pac-Man like in that dodging the enemies is sometimes better than taking them head on. Climbing up and down also becomes a hazard because getting caught on a ladder could be instant death.
There is no continue so you’ve got one shot to get it right. Good luck soldier, you’ll need it.
Track & Field
You have six events…Can you bring home the gold for America or will you go home empty handed.
When the sign for the game is more exciting than the game…that’s a problem
Track & Field (released in 1983) is the dud on the disc. It isn’t necessarily a bad game, but borders on being impossible (or at least frustrating enough that you want to give up). Track and Field is one of those game that can do serious damage to your controllers also. Most of the events are based on rapid back & force on the joystick and timed button pushing.
What is frustrating about Track & Field is that you can only do the events in order. That gives you no way to practice one of the hardest events…the hammer throw which is five events in (the order is 100 Meter Dash, Long Jump, Javelin Throw, 110 Meter Hurdles, Hammer Throw, High Jump). It takes a while to work your way up to Hammer Throw and then you can’t practice.
Track & Field also doesn’t mesh well with Rush ‘N Attack and Contra which both are run & gun styles of games…It is an odd choice for this disc, but the other games can make up for the disappointment of Track & Field.
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