The number of these compilations of old gaming classics is starting to get pretty hefty. For starters there's the three from Midway, the Atari Anthology, a set from Activision, and even Sega's collection of old, the pre-Dreamcast era Sonic titles. Each has had its particular plus and minus points; with such a wide number of games to choose from, a few sub-standard titles have been slipped in to make up the numbers along with the real top performers. So it's about time that Taito got in on the act, with a set of 29 titles from the early Seventies, right up to the beginning of the Nineties.

The simple three boxes that need to be ticked when it comes to the nigh on perfect retro compilation for us seems quite simple indeed. Firstly, get a selection of varied classic gaming titles from yesteryear, ranging from the real blockbusters to the cult classics. Next, you need a clean menu system with a simple way of backing out and choosing the next title after those rose tinted glasses have worn off. And last of all, a bonus set of extras to make the whole package feel more loved and to see if you can really remember those old full page adverts of all those years ago. Well, it seems that Taito Legends has fulfilled each criteria quite masterfully indeed.

The 29 games that make up this selection contain some of the best examples of pure gaming genius since, well, since games were created. Most will start with that old classic Space Invaders, still offering a dazzling amount of longevity all these years since it was first seen. After that there's a whole wide range of titles, from the likes of the ever playable Bubble Bobble, Rainbow Islands and The New Zealand Story, through to the likes of Operation Wolf, Zoo Keeper and the shockingly addictive Tube It. Each and every single game has been ported absolutely perfectly, with no cases of slowdown, nor any graphical glitches spotted at any turn.

Thankfully, the way to select each of these 29 games proves to be a quite clean and clinical method. It's a simple case of shifting left or right through the 29 different game options until you come across the retro classic you wish to have a blast on. It's a delightfully uncluttered menu screen and thankfully without a lot of the paraphernalia that's usually thrown around with gay abandon, only to make the finding of your favourite gaming gem quite a hassle. Upon highlighting your chosen title, the old arcade style cabinet pops into view, as does the current high score. Go a little further and you have options to read through a brief synopsis of the game's back story and play methods, get a feel of the control system, and for certain games, have a peek at old advertising art and even the odd interview with the original developers. As an overall package, the front end works absolutely perfectly, taking into account not only the subject matter, but also the ease in which we like to find ourselves able to get from one game to another.

For the most part, these retro gems are translated to the modern controller quite impressively. The solid d-pad and face buttons, along with customisable controls for each and every game, means that finding a perfect control system is never too far away. However, problems do occur once you attempt to play a game of Operation Wolf. Here you're required to make use of the left analogue stick to shift your aiming reticule around the screen. The problem being, as soon as you take your finger off the stick, the sight flicks right back to the very centre of the screen. Maybe I'm being a bit too critical - extensive play does give you the ability to truly get your head around the whole idea - but initially at least it's an incredibly awkward and un-usable control system.

It's amazing to find yourself looking back at some of these old titles and find that aesthetically, they still look absolutely wonderful. The New Zealand Story in particular manages to still look not only beautiful, but as solid graphically as a game could ever hope to be. Obviously some games are beginning to show their age, the rudimentary animation of Gladiator for example looking particularly rough, but still this doesn't overshadow what is a highly playable and enjoyable title. Of course, some titles have aged much better than others, from both an aesthetic and gameplay viewpoint, but the good manages to outweigh the not so good by a vast amount. Even the poorest titles here push most modern games playability wise, even after all these years of gaming evolution.

Taito has shown us all just how to put a retro compilation together and Taito Legends is arguably the best of the bunch. Not only do you get some of the most stunningly playable titles from gaming history, with a simple and easy way to select them, but also a wide selection of bonus features with which to keep real retro fanatics' juices flowing. Taking into account the budget price this compilation hits the shops at, and the sheer number of incredible games within, Taito Legends is an essential purchase for all, for those of us who remember most of these titles at their original release, down to newcomers to the gaming fraternity who need to sample some true gameplay; it's one history lesson that I guarantee you won't find boring!

Reviewed by AceGamez (All Rights Reserved).