Playing fake Nintendo games has never been more fun than this.
The story goes like this; Game Master Arino, one of the most devious villains ever in video game history, thrusts you back to the golden age of the 1980s as a young kid and forces you to take part in several challenges that span across multiple, 8-bit video games. Strangely enough, a young Arino is at your side--providing counsel and pre-pubescent banter befitting of a hyper-active kid with the Nintendo every other kid wants. You'd better hope to have your retro, gamer fingers ready because beating these games and satisfying the Game Master's dubious challenges therein are your only ticket back home.
I'm certainly not suggesting that playing these games is an arduous task. Far from it. In retrospect, you'll find quite a bit of enjoyment with some of the greatest 8-bit titles you've never played. Cosmic Gate is an endearing Galaga knockoff in every sense of the term. Super Robot Haggle Man's a quirky platformer. Rally King is a top-down, generic racer. And Star Prince prides itself as being a worthy progenitor of Blazing Lazers. And those aren't the only games you'll get to play--as you make progress, you will unlock a Dragon Quest-style role-playing game, and the third title in the super-popular Robot Haggle Man series.
Retro Game Challenge makes every effort in making the player feel like they're living in the 80s. Arino will periodically purchase game magazines (they're called GameFan interestingly enough, and that was actually a game magazine that ran publications during the early and mid 90s) filled with cheat codes (real gamers don't cheat), strategies, and a bit of humorous here-say common in many publications. (You might get a chuckle out of some rather tongue-in-cheek suggestive references--like Hugh Jass and I.P. Freely. Get it?)
The games themselves are unilaterally 8-bit in their presentation. And, for the most part, they play and control quite well. The shooting games will force you to do without rapid fire in the beginning until Arino gets a rapid-fire controller for you to use. As you play the games, the young Arino will cheer you on and react to how you're playing. ("Whoa!", "Aww,maaaaan!") That voice work is done well, and it actually feels like you have a friend at your side watching you play. Depending on how you feel about that, it can be construed as a welcome addition or a major headache. Also, each game can be unlocked and played at any time under the Freeplay option to be enjoyed to your heart's content. I find myself playing Star Prince an awful lot because I am a sucker for old-school shooters.
Overall, Retro Game Challenge is a quirky yet unique experience. It's not so much the thought of just playing old school 8-bit games, but rather, it is as much an exercise of your imagination as it is your gaming trigger finger. If you're an enthusiast for old games like I am, you will definately appreciate this package.