Retro Game Challenge would be an easy game to overlook. The Nintendo DS has seen no shortage of "classic" gaming collections, and the game's unassuming, though admittedly stylish, front cover does little to distinguish the game from the crowd of ubiquitous 2D shooters. But Retro Game Challenge aims for something far more ambitious than your average retro game collection - it revels in nostalgia for the NES era while creating its own original "classics." The title consists of nine brand new nine games that look, play, and feel as if they could have been created in a time long ago.
It should be noted that the "retro" in Retro Game Challenge may not be what you expect. If you're looking for to odes to Super Mario Bros. and Contra, keep moving. The game goes for slightly more obscure, and tilts a bit toward titles more well known in Japan. You'll be playing games reminiscent of the top-down shooter Galaga ("Star Prince"), the old-school RPG Dragon Quest ("Gaudia Quest"), and in the game's highlight, a fusion of Metroid, Castlevania, and Ninja Gaiden ("Robot Ninja Haggleman 3"). But you'll also play games inspired by titles you've most likely never heard of or that never saw the light of day in the US, like Ninja JaJaMaru-kun, the apparent inspiration for the game's "Robot Ninja Haggleman" 1 and 2.
To add to the already novel concept, the game introduces another frame: the story goes that the "Game Master" has sent you back in time to challenge the childhood version of himself at classic games. If this seems slightly awkward, this is because the game is based on a Japanese television game show ("GameCenter CX") that is little known in the US. The English localization strips the game of specific references to this television show, leaving us without much context for this "Game Master" or his motivations. But outside of a bit of inter-game dialog, the story elements are minimal here, and won't engage you or get in your way. And while the premise doesn't add tremendously to the game, it does allow for one of its more charming touches. As you play your main game on the top screen of the DS, you'll see your childhood versions of your avatar and the "Game Master" sitting cross-legged on the floor, controllers in hand. For gamers of a certain age, this will likely inspire some warm memories of days long past spent in a similar pose.
But what is important here is that these games are all very enjoyable to play, and inspire the same frantic excitement you may remember from classic NES games. The game also makes a wise decision and adds a modern conceit that does a great deal to keep the experience fast and fun. Each game is broken down into a set of four achievements. These are pleasantly varied, and have you do more than just progress through the games to unlock these goals and progress further. Some challenges will simply ask you to obtain a certain power-up, or use a certain type of attack. Challenges are rarely overwhelming, and most generally take no more than a few minutes to achieve (with some definite exceptions). Even the challenges in Gaudia Quest, a sizable RPG that could almost stand alone, are manageable. While you have to accomplish your goals in one play-through in the game's earlier titles, the more epic late-game entries allow you save your progress, avoiding what could have been a frustrating hurdle. Gamers who want more than the included challenges are free to return to the games in Free Play mode, and many of these games definitely merit additional play on their own.
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