With the release this week of classic games like Metal Gear Solid (PSN) and Mad Dog McGree (not downloadable but available for the Wii) it was time for the GPArcade staff to revisit the arcade game market and see what old school titles are still missing.
Sure, I could wax poetic about any not being able to play any Madden five years or older, Goldeneye, Mario Kart, or even some obscure game I'm sure I've never mentioned before called Sunset Riders, but I bet you're not just curious about those fan favorites, but some other games as well.
The GamePro Arcade staff is here to help. We've included a list of titles each of us feel gamers should be able to download right now. Some of the games might be familiar, others, not so much. Let us know what you think and what you'd like to be able to play.
Hit the jump for our Top 5.
Ivan 'Iron Man' Stewarts Super Off Road - There were a wide variety of iterations for this racing classic (its been on almost 20 different systems) but by far the best was the standup arcade verison. Gamers could race against up to 2 other players in sweet off road action. Not only was it a blast to play but the constant need for upgrades to make it through ever challenging levels made this a game that would suck the quarters right out of your pocket. If this game was out right now, I'd buy an Xbox Racing Wheel just to show Mr. Stewart that I can still kick his ass. - Terry Terrones
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Super Baseball 2020 (SNES) - In the middle of an exciting baseball season, it would make perfect sense to release a classic baseball game. The reason why so many old sports games are not re-released is because of licensing issues with former players. There would be no such problems with Super Baseball 2020. My favorite childhood game was a depiction of how baseball would be played in 2020, with humans and robots on the same field and glass-enclosed stands meaning that there were no foul balls. It has simple one button controls, which would make it far less complicated than sports games today. I will continue to hope we will see this classic sports game on the downloadable front soon! - Ian Guss
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Toe Jam & Earl (Sega Genesis) - Many consoles have attempted to bring Toe Jam & Earl back into the picture. But only the Sega Genesis has managed to portray these funkadelic dudes in their natural light. Using an elevator (which is just a bit too small for the duo) to zip from level to level, Toe Jam and Earl fight over presents containing items just as rocket shoes, birds' wings, spring-loaded shoes and plenty of other gadgets to pass the time while tracking down parts to reassemble their spaceship. On a 360 or PS3, controller vibrations and repolished graphics could really add to a tremendous remake. Toe Jam and Earl's personalities were what made the original game great. If they could keep the "you're it, no you're it" style in tact, fans of all ages would be laughing and downloading this one, again, for years. Keep the 2D style but release it with more pizazz -- no one would be disappointed. - Sean Ely
Harvest Moon 64 (N64) - The objective of Harvest Moon 64 is to take over your grandfather's farm which was left in disarray since his death. You need to pull weeds, bust rocks and chop wood to clean up the mess and start your own farm. Planting seeds, growing crops, raising animals, selling and using all of these goods are just one part of the game. You also need to interact with the community via town events, numerous parties and festivals in which you will also try to swoon a lucky lady. You need to raise a family so picking the right lady is something you need to keep in mind cause after 3 years your father will return to evaluate you on all your progress.
This is one of my favorite 64 games of all time; I spent more time mapping out the seasons, making heart cards to see who I wanted to swoon and even made a flow chart to get through the years. Yeah I was a nerd for this stuff but what can I say I was destined to be a farmer even if it’s in pixel form. But you may ask, why the 64 version over the countless other titles? The 64 version had the best camera set-up and just an overall better lay of the land as far as town location and such. I just clicked better with that version for some reason. So someone needs to get this on their platform, I could just see me going ape shit over achievements on this game.- Andrew Ramsey
Related Links: Be sure to answer our latest question of the week, see what new games are available for download, and check out what's new at the Rock Band store.
