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Genre: Arcade/action

Format: Download

Developer: Pangea Software, Inc.

Publisher: Pangea Software, Inc.

Minimum System Requirements: Mac OS X v10.3.9, 1GHz G4 or any Intel Mac, 512MB RAM, 64MB video card

Review Computer: 2GHz 20" Intel Core Duo iMac, 1GB RAM, 256MB ATI Radeon X1600

Network Feature: No

Processor Compatibility Universal

Price: $19.95

ESRB Rating: N/A

Availability: Now

Demo: macgamefiles.com (40MB)

Official Website: www.pangeasoft.net/arcade/

Someone will have to answer me this question: Why is it that whenever game developers decide to update classic arcade games, they always choose the exact same ones? There were hundreds of arcade games released in the classic era of the upright cabinet, and yet modern developers can apparently only remember about five of them. Where's my Battlezone update? Tailgunner? Qix? Why not Berzerk or Moon Patrol or Journey?

On second thought, forget about Journey. I know why not Journey.

Pangea Arcade brings us updates of Centipede (Firefall, in this incarnation), Missile Command (Warheads) and Asteroids (Nucleus). Certainly popular games, all, in their day, and yet two of the three were covered by MacSoft back when MacSoft released more than two games a year. So, what separates Pangea's versions from other updates of similar games? First, you get three games here for the price of one. Second, those wild Pangea visual effects we've all come to know and love. And third, in at least one instance, superior gameplay. But let's take this one at a time.

First, we've got Firefall, which isn't just an update of Centipede, it's an update of an update of Centipede. Pangea's original Firefall was released in 1993, and is currently available as freeware if you've got a Mac lying around that can still run OS 9. Barring that, you get this new superior version.

The problem is that, despite what you think you remember, Centipede never was all that much fun. It was frantic, but not much more. In this version, you pilot what I guess is a spaceship—allowed to move up, down, left and right, but only at the bottom quarter of the screen. Segmented worm type objects drop down at you, and it's your job to destroy each segment before it gets to the bottom and hits you. Clear out six of these space worms and you're rewarded with a bonus round.

Of course, little in life is as easy as just blowing up worms. There are countless obstructions, including what appears to be household tools. Wait, are we in outer space or the garage? I guess it doesn't matter. Along with the hazards come power-ups, which you can catch to obtain the usual things such as triple shots, screen freezes, etc. You'll need them. This game's crazy difficult, especially with a mouse (the original Centipede utilized a trackball).

The gameplay in Firefall hasn't changed much, as Pangea apparently chose to focus their energies on the graphics, which are stellar. The problem is that the action is vertical, whereas Macs these days give you much more space horizontally. I think it would've been gutsy for Pangea to turn this game on its side and let the worms come at you from right to left. As it stands, though, fans of Centipede, Galaxian and the like will enjoy this, but other gamers will find themselves spending much more time in...

Warheads. This is Missile Command, but it's Missile Command times four. Whether this means four times the fun or four times the anxiety depends upon the player.

I guess it bears explaining that pretty much every video game in the early 80s was about cleaning up the screen. Space Invaders, Asteroids, Pac Man...they were all about clearing objects from the playing field, then starting over. Missile Command was the worst of these, because the objects you needed to clear were making a bee-line for you. One mistake, done. Game over. Man, that's a harsh lesson for a 12-year-old.

In Warheads, you have six power stations defended by three missile launchers. As missiles fall from the sky, you launch yours in defense, using either the keyboard or the mouse. You'll need a three button mouse to launch from your middle location, and I wasn't able to find a way to customize the controls. Regardless of how you launch your missiles, they're limited, so strategy comes into play. Do you fire right away, or wait to try to take out two or three at once? From which missile launcher should you fire? Luckily, there's not much more to think about, because you don't get much time to think. Clear the threat from one area, and you're immediately spun to another to rise to its defense.

Again, there are power-ups, this time parachuting from the sky. The ammo reloads will be welcome, but the missile upgrades will be especially effective on later levels (and in Warheads, the later levels come much more quickly than you'll expect). Unfortunately, there doesn't appear to be a power-up that rebuilds any power plants or missile launchers you've lost.

This game is tough, but it's a joy to play for the graphics alone. The backdrops and explosions are magnificent, and the way the setting warps at the sides as the camera spins and bounces gives the game a weird dimension that's pretty cool to see.

Also cool to see is Nucleus, which is Asteroids with a purpose. Yes, you're a little ship against an ever expanding universe of space debris, but there's more than that. Here, you're not blowing up asteroids just to blow up asteroids, you're doing it to clear the way for the electrons you have to collect and take back to the nucleus. And why do you do this? To create a black hole, of course, which will suck up everything within reach, including your ship if you're too close. Complete the task, and guess what? Time to gather even more electrons to take back to the nucleus to create another black hole. And here you thought interstellar travel was going to be glamorous.

The asteroids are quickly replaced with objects that are much more deadly and harder to destroy, offset by the power-ups floating about. You're also assisted by a handy arrow that indicates which way you should go to achieve your objective, as well as a radar indicator that pinpoints the various objects.

The gameplay is simple, but the added objectives give it a bit more staying power than the others in this collection. And, as with Warheads, the graphics are amazing. I don't mean PlayStation 3 amazing, I mean fireworks display amazing. It's all explosions and color and intensity and exactly what you want an arcade game to be.

Now, speaking of graphics, all three games can be played in 3D with the help of red/blue 3D anaglyph glasses. This is the recent trend for most of Pangea's games, but Pangea Arcade isn't a good use of the technology. Aside from the fact that the 3D isn't perfect (it works better in black and white than in color, but is still somewhat blurry), it also doesn't add much to these games, which are decidedly 2D. It pops some stuff up, but doesn't enhance gameplay. Still, it's tremendous fun to show off, and people who aren't used to it are going to love sitting down for a while just for the experience.

Ultimately, then, that's what Pangea Arcade is all about. Sit down for a bit, experience it, and get up and leave. You have countless shareware choices for updates of Centipede, Missile Command and Asteroids, but not many in one package like this for this price, and not many that look this good. Fans of these games or arcade classics in general will be impressed with at least one of the titles (although probably more), but there's another category of gamers who will enjoy this: fans of Pangea graphics. It sounds odd, yeah, but I'm one of them. I like the way Pangea games look and play, and I'm happy to experience that, no matter what the game's objective.

I just hope that next time, the objective involves blowing up enemy tanks, destroying spaceships from the tail end of an interstellar cruiser, or...uh...drawing boxes of varying sizes while avoiding sparks and undulating lines.

Video games used to be weird.

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