A Bit Special
Here we have all the games in the A Bit Special Section.
PS2
A Bit Special
A promotional disk only available from McDonalds Japan. Demo versions of Parappa The Rapper 2 and Pipo Monkey are the suspiciously hamburger orientated titles.
PS3
A Bit Special
The small, monkey like pet comes to life on the TV and those family members in the room are on screen too thanks to the Eye Toy. The family can then interact with the monkey: giving them a wash, playing tennis, generally monkeying around. Innovative as ever from Sony.
Playstation
A Bit Special
Contains two real gems from Sunsoft’s back catalogue: Ikki and Super Arabian. In Ikki you must collect the money whilst avoiding ninjas – made far more appealing by Sunsoft’s imagination: daikon and latern power ups as well as the appearance of a rather rough looking geisha of questionable gender to be avoided at all costs. In Super Arabian letters must be collected to form a word and clear the Middle Eastern themed level. Simple, yet fiendish: classic old school material of gameplay over graphics.
Playstation
A Bit Special
Two retro tinged titles from yesteryear get a Playstation makeover but no graphical glitz is required when the gameplay is as pure as this. Puzzle of Atlantis is a definite Super Mario tribute complete with warps and all but the developers have also taken note of the talent behind the level design. Route 16 is a maze based racer where players dip in and out of levels in order to get to the chequered flag. Happy days.
Playstation
A Bit Special
J Pop all girl quartet Mini Moni get involved in some Konami capers with a variety of mini games such as paper, scissors, stone, rhythm action dancing sections and skipping where timing is crucial. Nothing too taxing but perfect for a quick laugh with solid Konami play mechanics under the candy sweet exterior.
PS2
A Bit Special
More of the madcap mayhem that made the prequel such a popular title with plenty of bizarre inhabitants as the giant ball engulfs all that it can rolling around Japanese towns all wondrously realised in the games unique style. Not just towns though – a school, ski resort, even the bottom of a lake keep things fresh and innovative. Tactical additions to gameplay such as having to race your katamari or having to become a giant fireball through collecting wood and rubber. Known in English as We Love Katamari.
PS2
A Bit Special
More of the madcap mayhem that made the prequel such a popular title with plenty of bizarre inhabitants as the giant ball engulfs all that it can rolling around Japanese towns all wondrously realised in the games unique style. Not just towns though – a school, ski resort, even the bottom of a lake keep things fresh and innovative. Tactical additions to gameplay such as having to race your katamari or having to become a giant fireball through collecting wood and rubber. Known in English as We Love Katamari.
PSP
A Bit Special
A short story in Japanese that is a great language tool for those wishing to brush up on their mobile skills with plenty of street savvy language and a few nice images to kindle the love story.
PC Engine HU Card
A Bit Special
Enjoy the legend of Momotaro which is a well known fairytale deep in the Japanese psyche and rich in oni demons and intriguing cultural references. Just keep an eye on Momotarou as he pops to the local ladies onsen.
Miscellaneous Games
A Bit Special
A Konami art style title that lets budding Rolph Harris add features to faces and various outfits to create monster high school girls or samurai themed gangsters. All good clean fun on a little known platform and Konami release.
PS2
A Bit Special
Innovative, if a little off- kilter, ‘Ka’ is played through the eyes of a mosquito trying to get a good feed. The much-maligned insect can fly freely within the room to close in on a human occupant and try and hit one of the sweet spots suitable for feeding. Unfortunately the family living in the house are aware of your humming presence and will lash out if flying too close or the blood isn’t efficiently pinched with a tight joypad rotation. Interesting scenarios with the mother preparing dinner and the slightly voyeuristic section with a lady in the bath. Sony again delivers another genre bending title. Just keep away from the smoking mosquito coils, no matter how tempting they look.
PS2
A Bit Special
Innovative, if a little off- kilter, ‘Ka’ is played through the eyes of a mosquito trying to get a good feed. The much-maligned insect can fly freely within the room to close in on a human occupant and try and hit one of the sweet spots suitable for feeding. Unfortunately the family, on holiday in Hawaii, are aware of your humming presence and will lash out if flying too close or the blood isn’t efficiently pinched with a tight joypad rotation. Interesting scenarios with the mother preparing dinner and the slightly voyeuristic section with the hot weather. Sony again delivers another genre bending title. Just keep away from the smoking mosquito coils, no matter how tempting they look.
PS2
A Bit Special
Namco certainly has a back catalogue worthy of raiding as this compilation remonstrates: Mr. Driller, Kaze no Klonoa, Tekken, Ridge Racer and Ace Combat 2. As you’d expect souped up visuals and slick presentation with movie clips and artwork from the games. Play the games as the makers intended.
Playstation
A Bit Special
A compilation of Namcos highly treasured back catalogue with four titles in their original form and updated 3D incarnations. The four titles are: Babel, a tower adventure, Star Luster, an Elite style space blaster not quite as cerebral as the BBC Micros masterpiece, Wrestle Ball, a video game take on the cult film RollerBall meets the BitMap Bros Speedball and finally Haou no Tairiku, a strategic intervention into Dynastic China.
Playstation
A Bit Special
Once again hats off to Namco: Adventure of Valkyrie, Pac Attack, King of Kings and Namco Classic II. Valkyrie is an absolute treat with its Kikikaikai style free roaming shooting gameplay and pixel perfect realisation of the fantasy styled world. Pac Attack throws the infamous ghosts into a Tetris style puzzle game and the odd Pac drops down from the heavens too to gobble them up. Namco Classics is a golf game with Neo Geo style kawaii caddy and King of Kings is a little known war sim.
GameBoy Original
A Bit Special
A fine compilation of Mappy, Galaga, Namco Classic and Battle City. The platforming delights of Mappy, shooting action of Galaga and golfing exertions of Namco Classic are well known and summaries are on the site. Perhaps the lesser known element in the package is Battle City which involves the players tank defending a position against a whole armoury of opponents tanks with cool calculated shots a requirement to progress.
Playstation
A Bit Special
Import only and as such the rarest release featuring Rolling Thunder complete with ammo rooms to duck into, Wonder Momo, King & Balloon, Dragon Saber (sequel to Dragon Spirit), Rompers, Skykid and Moto. King & Balloon has you popping balloons that keep trying to whisk your girl away. Rompers is the hidden gem with arcade puzzle action as you push walls on to dinosaurs. Simple and highly addictive. Complete with scans of the original arcade posters and photo’s of the motherboards. Games can also be played vertically as initially intended.
Playstation
A Bit Special
Features Pac Man, multi-directional shooter Bosconian, Galaga, Rally X, Rally X New, arcade puzzler Toypop and Pole Position. Galga is most fondly remembered for the tractor beam that can capture your ship and for the frantic bonus stages that put the pride back into high scores. Rally X has solid, old school gameplay behind the simplistic graphics which sees you picking up flags using smoke screens to distract the opposition. Complete with scans of the original arcade posters and photo’s of the motherboards. Games can also be played vertically as initially intended.
Playstation
A Bit Special
Very well rounded compilation from the original masters of back catalogue categorising containing Cutie Q, Gaplus, Xevious, Grobda, Mappy and Dragon Buster. Bomb Bee is hidden in there somewhere too. The titles are all a very pleasant swim in the retro paddling pool with presentation that is proof of the time and effort put into this series.
Playstation
A Bit Special
A delve into coin ops of old with Galaxian, Pole Position II, Ms. Pac Man, Dig Dug, Phozon and Tower of Druaga. Phozon is a bit of a bizarre and unknown action puzzler where shapes must be attached to you ship in the correct pattern whilst avoiding a big bunch of balloons.
NEO GEO CD
A Bit Special
A multi media disk containing, amongst other goodies, playable demo’s of King of Fighters 95, Fatal Fury 3, Samurai Spirits 2, Art of Fighting 2, Super Sidekicks 3 and Top Hunter. Also allows you to view info on other hit releases and to listen to various sound clips from SNK’s back catalogue.
Playstation
A Bit Special
Contains three arcade classics on the one disk: Moon Cresta, Crazy Climber and Frisky Tom. So we have a pre-Galga shooter with the steady hand eye co-ordination required for the docking levels, a climbing game where opening windows, flying plant pots and bird droppings conspire to hinder your progress to the top of the building and finally a puzzler where the water pipe must be repaired to help the fair lady get her shower. Quite a mixed bunch then. The extra capacity of the CD is used to have alternate, updated versions of the games in SF-X, Crazy Climber 95 and Toms Strike Back.
Super Famicom
A Bit Special
Contains three arcade classics on the one cart: Moon Cresta, Crazy Climber and Frisky Tom. So we have a pre-Galga shooter with the steady hand eye co-ordination required for the docking levels, a climbing game where opening windows, flying plant pots and bird droppings conspire to hinder your progress to the top of the building and finally a puzzler where the water pipe must be repaired to help the fair lady get her shower. Quite a mixed bunch then.
Wii
A Bit Special
Bound to bring a tear of joy to the eye of Saturn loving gamers containing both the Saturn original and a brushed up version for the Wii. This version has a wealth of extras plus there are beautiful cut scenes to celebrate Nights twelfth anniversary. And the rumours persist the game can be changed into Christmas Nights somehow.
Playstation
A Bit Special
Enjoy the company of a dog and cat in the garden by feeding them, playing ball or even sending out a remote control car for them to chase round and round.
Wii
A Bit Special
The genius of the Made in Wario games reaches new echelons with the Wii controller adding a new dimension to the already innovative gameplay. The mini games remain as refreshing as ever to the very soul of jaded gamers: be it stir frying the wok, doing squats with the remote on your head, driving, balancing, sawing… There are too many highlights to fully recall including controlling an elephants trunk to move fruit, saving a damsel in distress from plumetting to her doom – even the nose picking level makes a welcome return. All nicely wrapped up in the series street wise characters with smooth intoductions and cinematic sequences. Welcome to Wii.
Playstation
A Bit Special
As apartment manager you must maintain the harmony by juggling the various positive and negative effects of tenants ranging from cat owning old ladies to cowboys and ninja’s. Get it right and you receive a hefty thank you payment after the tenant has stayed for two years. But watch for squatters trying to cause a riot!
Playstation
A Bit Special
Another fine escapade that captures the relentless action and humour of the anime series including plenty of slapstick and deadpan jokes. The introduction seamlessly leads the player into the crux of the game with some click anime showing Bandai’s high value placed on its series.
Playstation
A Bit Special
A unique, refreshing experience in gaming: play as a chef in a variety of restaurants from Chinese to fast food having to prepare dishes correctly to keep the customers happy. Drunken salarymen and cockroaches provide the hazards.
Nintendo DS
A Bit Special
Namco does a heroic job of reinventing its yellow pill muncher making use of the DS to innovate and originate. Play begins by drafting a quick sketch of our little yellow friend who then trots off to the bottom screen. Pacman is then controlled by the stylus on the upper screen with appropriate flicks taking him where required. Skills honed in early stages are soon called on in full as the action heats up, such as being able to draw arrows or bombs. Boss encounters provide an opportunity to demonstrate a bit of lateral thinking adding much to the overall experience. As an extra there is a sketch book to enjoy seeing what happens when a few creative doodles are produced. Pure gameplay, highly original and exactly the kind of title Nintendo preached the DS stylus would deliver.