I live in a house stuffed with video game consoles and games. Since we don't have kids, we apparently think it's OK to buy "toys" for ourselves, hence the Sony PSP, Nintendo DS, Nintendo GameCube, Sony Playstation 2 and Nintendo Game Boy Advance - plus several other older systems. I'm into only two types of games - retro arcade games and puzzle-type games (bubble-popping or Tetris-y types) - in a nutshell, games I can play without having to think. So when I saw that two of my all-time favorite video games were available in one software title to be played on my beautiful, glossy Sony PSP screen - Galaga and Ms. Pac Man - I couldn't buy this game fast enough!


Game Overview:

Namco Museum Battle Collection for PSP contains a total of 21 games. 17 of these are old arcade games and include: Pac-Man, Ms. Pac-Man, Rally-X, New Rally-X, Galaga, Bosconian, Grobda, Dig Dug, Dig Dug II, Mappy, Galaxian, Xevious, Rolling Thunder, Dragon Buster, Motos, Tower of Druaga and King & Balloon. The other four games are updated, new versions (called "arrangements") of four of the above-mentioned games: Pac-Man Arrangement, Galaga Arrangement, Dig Dug Arrangement and New Rally-X Arrangement.

The ESRB Content Rating for this game is "Everyone, 10+" for cartoon violence.


The Games:

The 17 old arcade games are the original versions. While the 8-bit graphics could obviously have been better, Namco chose to keep them as they were back in the low technology days. If you don't like the simpler, less smooth graphics of old arcade games, you might want to try any of the four arrangement games for updated, crisp, popping-with-color graphics.

If you are interested in purchasing this game, then you probably are already familiar with several of the original arcade games. I won't go into detail on many of these games, except to say that I don't understand why some of these games were included, because they were lame to begin with. A perfect example of this is Dragon Buster - this is the worst version of a platform game I've ever seen. This software title would have been fine without several of these older games.

The Arrangement games are absolutely worth describing here in this review. These updated versions of the classic games are downright beautiful. They really maximize the graphic technology of the Sony PSP - they explode with color - and getting bombed by an enemy actually looks like a real fireball - not a little scattering of chip-chopped pixels like the original versions. These Arrangement games alone are worth the price of this game.

The Pac Man Arrangement game is the basic version of the original Pac-Man, but is much more colorful and zippy, and includes many new mazes, as well as maze features - tunnels, warp panels, bridges, elevators, doors, power pellets, and a "Lucky Present" that turns all the Pac-Dots on the screen into Power Pellets. None of these new features make the game less Pac Man-ish but rather they add a bit of new technology to an old favorite.

Galaga Arrangement is my favorite. This game is a lot like the original version of Galaga, but it's a pleasure to play because not only is it downright gorgeous, but there are many different fighter combinations that can be used to defeat enemies. You almost have to see this one to believe it!

New Rally-X Arrangement has your putt-putt Rally-X car moving a lot more smoothly than the original game and still has simple graphics, but there are a lot of new items you can pick up on the track that will be beneficial. You can also use smokescreens to steal flags when you leave an opponent in a spinout smokescreen. Apart from rocks, there are new hazards on the map that include dirt, oil and a sand pit.

Dig Dug Arrangement has simple graphics but at least you can tell what the items are - and the graphics are far better than the original Dig Dug game! In this game, you will be coming across hazards as you dig (hard layers of earth, pipes, lava, etc.).


Options and Details:

All of the games in Namco Museum Battle Collection for PSP can be played alone or via the PSP Game Sharing Function. This allows you to play wirelessly with up to three other players who have the Sony PSP but not necessarily the software title. Just one copy of the game is required for this.

If you have a PSP that you has system software that has never updated since you purchased the system, you may need to update your PSP in order to play Namco Museum Battle Collection for PSP. What this means is that your PSP's system software is an earlier version. Since I have had my PSP, I have updated three times. This is not because it must be done over and over, but because some games require newer versions of the PSP system software. For example, my Namco Museum Battle required one update, and another game I have required one update further. Updating is quick and easy. The update is free, is contained right on the game disc requiring the update and is easily selected from the main menu. You will need your battery to be fully charged, your AC cord to be plugged into an electrical outlet, and have your PSP turned on. It takes just a minute or two to update from start to finish.


Our Experience:

My boyfriend loves the Arrangement version of Galaga and plays this game a lot. I play a lot of both versions of Galaga and Pac Man. This is an enjoyable title that requires no thinking to play and can be quite addicting. I am very pleased overall with the games contained in this title - and I haven't stopped being totally amazed by the Arrangement games.


Price and Purchasing Information:

I purchased my Namco Museum Battle Collection for PSP at Amazon.com for $39.99. It is currently available at GameQuestDirect.com for $36.99 for a new game, or GameStop.com for $39.99 (new) or $36.99 (pre-owned). Brick and mortar stores such as Best Buy, Circuit City and EB Games will have it at similar prices.


My Other Video Game Reviews:

Super Bubble Pop for Nintendo GameCube
Wheel of Fortune for Playstation 2

Recommended: Yes