EA's stratagem for world domination, bi-monthly Grand Theft Alsos and booth babes that succeed only in convincing us that they're 'hardcore' of... well, a very, very different kind... browse through the Big Book of Gaming Certainties and you'll find 'half-arsed retro compilations' hiding somewhere just below the aforementioned examples and, of course, some kind of Jack Thompson vs. Rockstar punch-up.

For those who wiped away nostalgic tears over the existing two PlayStation2 iterations of Taito's retro-revival-package, Taito Legends was by no means half-arsed. On the contrary, they were arguably two of the greatest retro compilations ever created - boasting more respected names than the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Bubble Bobble, Rainbow Islands, Zoo Keeper... their very names conjuring that tingly warmth inside your stomach, forcing the hairs on your neck stand to attention. As the moniker suggested, these were indeed Taito Legends. However, with the recent release of Rainbow Island Revolution, Zoo Keeper and the Bubble Bobble Revolution/Evolution duo for Sony and Nintendo's revolutionary handhelds, their absence in the PSP incarnation of Taito Legends, subtitled Power Up, was to be expected - so as not to confuse Chrimbo-shopping mums. And, more likely, not to interfere with predicted sales...

But half-arsed? The absence of much-loved gems would certainly suggest so, leaving a huge dent in the current line-up of the 21 retro classics on offer. However, Taito's effort to integrate such archaic games onto the PSP is indeed beyond reproach. The games, despite radical changes in control layout and aspect ratio of the screen, retain every last bit of functionality (including two player support across a wireless connection) as the original coin-sappers, which is sure to keep the traditionalists among us happy. Hell, you even have to hit the left trigger to pop a virtual coin before you can begin playing a game! How's that for attention to detail? The aspect ratio and endearingly low resolution of original arcade gems has been retained, leaving you to choose between either a bordered approach with the crystal clear original resolution or tapping triangle to upscale the game to fit the PSP's 16:9 screen, albeit in a decidedly smudged fashion. That said, even when scaled up it's nothing to make you cringe like hearing your parents going at it in the next room. And let's face it, when that undeniably Seventies bleepy-bloopy music thumps from your PSP's speakers with an unrivalled degree of accuracy, Mum and Dad may well think they're *gasp* young again. Now where did I leave those earplugs?

There's no disputing Taito's impact on the arcade scene during the Seventies and Eighties, and while its internal affairs have remained somewhat low key since Sqaure Enix purchased the company in 2005, it's great to see the company as it was in its pixelated heyday. Spanning over eleven years of videogaming history and a whole host of everybody's favourite beige consoles, titles from the Mercury-esque Cameltry, which sees you moving a ball through a labyrinth by rotating the board like Super Monkey Ball, to the platforming prowess of The New Zealand Story, or the much lauded Space Invaders, there really is a gob-smacking array of classics packed tightly into the UMD casing. However (come on, you knew it was coming!) they can't all be classics, can they? And as the unabashedly Pac-Man stylings of Space Chaser proves, there is a fair selection of games that fail to capture the heart-melting qualities of the other classics available. It has to be said that there are a tad more games than necessary and while the Holy Grail of shoot ém up history that is Space Invaders is a welcome addition, its inclusion in the package in not just one, but three, forms leaves things feeling a little shallow and thoughtless.

Taito have seen fit to get their finger out and re-sculpt a quartet of their original gems, leaving their timeless gameplay intact, whilst tightening the nuts and bolts and giving the golden oldies a bit of botox here and there to sweeten the deal. This approach works beautifully for Taito Legends and the blend of retro nostalgia and contemporary aesthetics work together harmoniously, despite not overtly opting to push the PSP's power. The Legend Of Kage (a Shinobi-esque ninja title and indeed the most technically superior of the titles), Cameltry and Crazy Balloon (a Kuru Kuru Kurin styled game with a balloon replacing the helicopter) are the big draws here, whereas the likes of Balloon Bomb 2005 seem perhaps a little too sparse for today's modern audience.

And that's the problem in a nutshell - this is unlikely to appeal to those without the knowledge and nostalgic attraction of the original gems. There are certainly worse retro compilations on the shelves, but with the original two Taito Legends compilations setting the benchmark, Taito Legends: Power Up pales in comparison to its older siblings. Sure, Taito's efforts to emulate its intellectual properties on the PlayStation 2 is exemplary, but with a whole host of gaming gems missing from the final code (Darius, anyone?) it's safe to say that if you're looking for a good old slice of Taito action then you could do much better seeking out the PlayStation 2 iteration for a more complete package. That said, if you don't have that option or do most of your gaming on the go then there's still a lot to enjoy here.

And for those of you who are curious, here's the full game listing:

Original:

Space Invaders
Space Invaders Part 2
New Zealand Story
Phoenix
Alpine Ski
Elevator Action
Crazy Balloon
Chack n' Pop
Lunar Rescue
Balloon Bomber
Legend of Kage
The Fairyland Story
Rastan Saga
Raimais
Cameltry
Qix
Kiki Kaikai
Kuri Kinton
Return of the Invaders
Space Dungeon
Space Chaser

Enhanced:

Balloon Bomber Enhanced
Cameltry Enhanced
Crazy Balloon Enhanced
Legend of Kage Enhanced

Reviewed by Ricky Lee Staines for AceGamez (All Rights Reserved).