7/15/1999
This was the game that revolutionized fighting games on home consoles, featuring incredibly lifelike fighters with smooth movements and textured skin. Although it was released a few months after Battle Arena Toshinden, Tekken easily won handily in the Pepsi Challenge of fighters. The control scheme is simple, with punch and kick buttons that map to each arm and leg. Dramatic camera angles make the game as much fun to watch as it is to play, and replays are shown at the end of each round. The holds and throws are especially cool looking. Although the versus mode is the best, a one-player mode allows you to open up hidden characters and view each fighter's cinematic ending. And the endings are actually worth watching! Rating: Teen
1 or 2 players
Check for Tekken on Ebay, Amazon
This sequel to the number one Playstation fighting game offers many more fighters, deeper gameplay, faster action, and loads of extra features. Unfortunately, in order to accommodate all the enhancements, the graphics have been noticeably degraded. In fact, the fighters look pretty blocky compared to the first Tekken. The polygon count is much lower and there is less use of textures. King in particular looks pretty rough. Still, the solid gameplay is faster and beyond reproach.
Tekken's third installment effectively combines the gorgeous graphics of the Tekken 1 with the deep fighting action of Tekken 2. With a slew of new characters and features, this is regarded by most to be the ultimate fighting game for the Playstation. The Brazilian Capoeira is a great new addition, and his movements are amazing. Those who played through the first two are probably getting tired of Tekken by now, but this is as good as it gets.
In the early 80's, Tempest was one of the premiere shooters of the arcades. Its unusual "spinner" controller gave it a unique feel, and its sharp vector graphics provided some amazing 3D effects. Tempest X revives the old classic by adding flashy colorful graphics, power-ups, bonuses, dance music, and explosive sound effects. For the most part, it works. This game looks impressive, and Tempest fans will probably enjoy this. Occasionally the flashy graphics overshadow the gameplay, making it tough to see what the heck's going on. But it's still a lot of fun for gamers who enjoy "twitch" games. Don't bother with the lousy two-player mode though.
Ten Pin Alley is pretty respectable for a bowling game, but its goofy graphics may turn off some. You can choose between three sets of lanes, and they all look pretty nice, especially the neon "Congo" bowl. Your selection of bowlers is less impressive. Most of these guys look like unattractive nerds, but at least the gameplay is fun. Ten Pin Alley employs three meters (similar to those in golf games) to control curve, speed, and accuracy. The physics and sound effects of the ball hitting the pins is exceptionally realistic. I love the rumble of the ball rolling down the lane, along with the background chatter of people. Numerous options allow you to adjust minute details such as ball weight, lane slickness, and background music. There's even a short video of the Bowling Hall of Fame in St. Louis (pinch me, I must be dreaming). Up to six players can takes turns in this game, but my friends weren't patient enough to sit through a whole game.
Tetris is a classic puzzle game that's widely considered to be one of the great video games of all time, if not THE greatest. It has simple, blocky graphics, but remarkably addicting gameplay. It's tough to screw this one up, but Jaleco came close with this pathetic version. The graphics could not be more boring and plain. The two-player mode allows for simultaneous play, but the computer doesn't keep track of who wins! There are some additional modes including puzzle and edit mode, but these don't add much play value. If you want Tetris on your Playstation, this will suffice, but just barely. Jaleco should be ashamed of themselves for not doing more with this valuable license.
The Thunder Force series originally appeared on the Genesis, and set the high water mark for side-scrolling shooting action. Thunder Force V (five) continues the tradition with remarkable 3D graphics and twitch gameplay. Thunder Force veterans will feel right at home with familiar weapons like "wave", "hunter", and "craw". Even the musical score is similar to the old games. But be prepared to have your senses bombarded. The graphics are pretty spectacular, and enemies emerge from the top, bottom, sides, and background. Missiles and crosshairs fly across the screen in all directions, amidst numerous explosions. It takes some time to get a feel for what's going on, and even then you'll occasionally lose track of your ship. The stages feature all kinds of bizarre creatures and bosses that keep coming back long after you think you've killed them. You can choose the order of the stages (good), and they are all relatively short. Is it just me or are video games getting extremely hard? This game is a little too tough. At least there are a full range of options to let you customize the difficulty and control. Completing stages opens up artwork for your viewing pleasure. Thunder Force V is no classic, but shooter fans will enjoy it.
This exciting and innovative light gun game lets you play two different scenarios: a hotel and a castle. The game requires Namco's Guncon controller, which is by far the best light gun for the Playstation. Time Crisis has mediocre graphics that are not especially sharp or detailed, but the innovative control scheme allows you to take cover between shots, adding a new dimension to the gameplay. I especially love how the bad guys react differently depending on where you shoot them. Time Crisis is a solid arcade shooter, but nothing more. 
For a sequel that took four years to come out, I'm really surprised how similar it is to the first Time Crisis. In fact, it's actually somewhat LESS impressive. The graphics and sound haven't improved at all. The thugs are blocky and tend to dress in dorky white shorts and pink jump suits. I guess Namco was trying to make this game as non-violent as possible, because there's no blood, and thugs yell "SHUCKS!" when shot. The semi-interactive scenery is plain and not particularly interesting. The stages take place in a yacht, an airport, and a mineshaft - not the most original settings! The action is smooth and the control is decent, but the gameplay is utterly generic. There are no power-ups, grenades, or hidden goodies to spice up the action. There are two minor new features. The first lets you switch hiding positions when facing bosses, adding a little strategy, but not much. The other new feature is a consecutive hit counter on the top left of the screen. I don't know if it affects the gameplay at all, but I couldn't resist seeing how many hits I could make in a row. Project Titan is a by-the-numbers shooter that serves its purpose but doesn't break any new ground. You'll need Namco's Guncon to play this one.
This early Playstation 3D fighter didn't sell as well as its flashier cousins (Toshinden and Tekken come to mind), but die-hard fans strongly preferred this game. The reason? Tobal runs at a silky smooth 60 frames per second, and that makes all the difference in the world. The fighters are somewhat blocky (in a Virtua Fighter kind of way), but their movements look incredibly natural, and the controls are crisp and responsive. The extra-terrestrial characters look like they were pulled from the Cantina scene in Star Wars. They vary a great deal in size and shape, giving each fighter a totally different feel. One of the bosses is absolutely HUGE! Although both fighters are always facing each other, they can move around freely. The battles are played out on raised platforms, and falling off the edge is easy to do. Actually, one of the bosses tries to PUSH you off as his main strategy! While the graphics are simple, they look remarkably clean, making this game quite easy on the eyes. The background music is also noteworthy. Tobal No.1 is no joke, and if you're a serious fighting fan, this game belongs in your collection.
Tomb Raider set a new standard for action/adventure games, featuring realistic 3-D creatures and huge expansive levels. The first Tomb Raider game is a classic, appealing to the Indiana Jones in all of us. Laura Croft makes for a beautiful heroine, and the third-person view provides some dramatic camera angles. The control scheme allows you to leap deep chasms and hang onto ledges, but takes a while to learn. The wonderful graphics make each new stage a treat just to look at. Some of the temples look absolutely magnificent. Tomb Raider is a genuinely exciting game, with well-designed stages, thoughtful puzzles, scary monsters, and dangerous traps. The encounter with the rampaging T-Rex is one video game moment I'll never forget. Tomb Raider is a long game, but it's so good you may want to play through it again. 
Although technically an improvement over the original game, playing Tomb Raider II too often feels like an ordeal. It's basically more of the same action with slightly improved graphics and higher difficulty. This game took me MONTHS to complete. Yes, you can save any time (as opposed to the first game where you had a limited number of "save crystals"), but as a result you end up saving constantly. And unlike the first game, it's far too easy to get stuck and frustrated. The levels are imaginative, but many are simply too big, and you'll get tired of wandering around trying to figure out what to do next. I have to admit that I did appreciate the upside-down ship level, which had a Poseidon Adventure flavor to it. Also, there are some nice vehicle levels (like a snow mobile) that provide some much needed variety. Most of the enemies are human this time around, and I didn't find them as intimidating as the monsters and wild animals of the first game. Tomb Raider fans will appreciate this game, but casual players probably won't make it to the end.
I'm a big Tomb Raider fan, but this time Eidos went too far. Tomb Raider II was painful enough, and this third edition is even HARDER! The gameplay features some minor new tweaks and special stages. The graphics are slightly improved, and the dual shock controller is supported for the first time. The huge stages include London, the Amazon, and Antarctica, but the scope of the levels has become too large. What happened to the tombs? Unless you finished the first two games and are dying for more, I would not recommend this. A difficulty setting may have helped matters, but Tomb Raider 3 simply isn't much fun.
Oh yeah - this game rocks! Tony Hawk is the ultimate "extreme" game, with more attitude than all the others combined. And you don't need to know anything about the skateboarding to get hooked on this revolutionary game. You can choose between several professional skateboarders and numerous locations including a school, a mall, and a warehouse. Each stage is loaded with ramps and rails for you to perform tricks on. The graphics are excellent, and the camera always seems to be in the right place. The music will really pump your adrenaline, with classic jams from punk rock bands like the Dead Kennedys and Suicidal Tendencies. No question about it - this is some of the best music I've ever heard in a video game. But the real star is the well-designed control scheme, which makes it easy to pull off some really eye-popping maneuvers. Like any good video game, it's easy to play, but mastering Pro Skater takes some serious practice. There's a great two-player split screen mode, but the heart of this game is the Career Mode, which challenges you to achieve five goals on each level. Completing these goals will unlock additional levels and features. Typical goals include racking up a certain number of points, destroying a number of objects, finding five letters, or locating hidden objects. Tony Hawk's Pro Skater is amazing - a modern classic.
An undersea exploration game, Treasures of the Deep puts you on the back of a submersible vehicle (which looks like an underwater jet ski) to perform a series of missions that involve salvaging lost relics. I was looking forward to freely exploring magnificent undersea ruins, so you can imagine my disappointment upon discovering that most levels are linear in design. In fact, many are shaped like undersea mazes, and I didn't like those at all. Still Treasures of the Deep manages to be occasionally exciting thanks to its variety of sea creatures, collectable items, and hidden areas. The murky ocean water looks realistic and is teeming with life. Torpedoes and missiles let you to blast sea monsters and enemy subs, and easy-to-deploy nets let secure your treasures and send them to the surface. Some of the areas are enormous, but an overhead map helps track your position. I enjoyed the whole treasure-hunting aspect, and the game hooked me for a while. Unfortunately, you need to complete the missions in order, and you will get stuck on the most annoying stages. Treasures of the Deep features a jazzy musical score that doesn't match what you're seeing on the screen. Gamers with an interest in scuba diving or marine biology might find Treasures interesting, but those looking for fast action should look elsewhere.
In the warmer months I enjoy playing games featuring water and tropical locations, but Turbo Prop is not what I had in mind. The water in this game doesn't look real at all, and it's hard as a rock! As a result, your boat is difficult to control as the choppy waves toss you all over the place. Forget the racing - your main challenge is just to stay within the narrow confines of the waterway, and hitting land (or any other obstacle) will send you spinning through the air! The poorly designed, narrow courses are located in Miami, Utah, Canada (ice), and even a volcano (wow - orange water!). The graphics aren't too bad, but the techno background music is the worst I've heard in a long time. The dual-shock vibration feature is supported, but it just feels like an annoying pager going off constantly. Why can't we have a good boat racing game on the Playstation? 
Regarded by many as the best game of the series, Twisted Metal 2 was a major improvement over the original, with smoother gameplay, bigger and better battlefields, combo attacks, and more hidden surprises. The vehicle lineup is largely unchanged, with the exception of a tractor and a muscle man stuck between two huge tires (what the heck?). The new stages are more interesting and wide open, including Paris (where you can destroy the Eiffel Tower), a city in Hong Kong (with a working subway), and Antarctica (glaciers). The new "combo" moves allow you to jump, shoot backward, or freeze your opponent by pressing certain button combinations. The gameplay is deep, and the split screen mode allows you to either cooperate or compete with a friend.
This Twisted Metal game was a bit of a disappointment. It seems to take two steps forward and three steps back. The vehicle selection is about the same, but there's a whole new set of battlegrounds, which tend to be small. The good news is that your opponents are easy to find. The bad news is that these areas look sloppy and uninspired. Hollywood is nothing but a bunch of broken ramps stacked upon each other, and Calypso's Blimp is nothing but a series of boring rooms (talk about unrealized potential!). The best reason to buy Twisted Metal 3 is its new 4-player split screen mode, which is genuinely fun despite the limited view. Another neat new feature is the "CPU ally" in the one player mode, making an extra vehicle fight for you (making the game much easier). The music is this game is provided by Rob Zombie, which seems to be the standard for video games nowadays. Unless you're a fan (I'm not), you probably won't appreciate the head-banging background noise. Twisted Metal 3 still provides the destructive fun you crave, but the series is starting to show its age.
Twisted Metal 4 begins with a nice video sequence describing the birth of the Twisted Metal tournament, and the aged, grainy black and white look is very effective. The sequence ends in the present day, revealing that Sweet Tooth has overthrown Calypso as the leader of Twisted Metal. That's interesting, but if you're expecting something new in terms of gameplay, think again. The new vehicle lineup includes a family truckster (remember that from the movie Vacation?), a UFO-looking hover bike, and Rob Zombie's "Dragula" mobile. Rob Zombie also did the music for this game, and it makes my stomach turn. The eight battlegrounds here are certainly a step up from those in the third installment. Highlights include a bedroom level where you battle it out Toy Story style. But my favorite is the Carnival, featuring a haunted house and a roller coaster! Unfortunately, the main game engine hasn't evolved much, and the pixelated tracks and crude collision detection should have been better. I even had to restart the game after getting stuck in a wall! You'd think they'd get it right on their FOURTH try! Anyway, only die-hard Twisted Metal fans will want to pursue this game.
When I first heard about a Twisted Metal game with small, remote-controlled cars, I thought it was a major cop-out. But after giving it some thought, I decided maybe it wasn't a bad idea after all. I mean, Twisted Metal was never realistic to begin with, and this would give the developers a chance to incorporate some creative new environments. It almost worked. The vehicles are based on the classic Twisted Metal cars, but are simpler and more cartoonish. The imaginative battlefields include a playground, haunted/fun house, kitchen, and miniature golf course. I found environments to be well designed and interesting. Since they tend to be small, you aren't likely to get lost or lose track of your opponents. The gameplay is classic Twisted Metal - tough but very addicting. You get three lives in EACH stage, and you'll need them all. Audio-wise, the background music seems inspired by "classic" Twisted Metal music (no Rob Zombie thank goodness). So what's the problem here? It's the graphics. You'd think that by the FIFTH Twisted Metal incarnation on the Playstation, they would at LEAST be able to maintain a decent framerate, but no. The action gets really choppy, and the two-player split screen mode is practically worthless. The physics is poor and you'll often find your car floating through the air, taking forever to land. Even the background scenery is sloppy and full of seams. Small Brawl looks like a mess, and that really pulls down the score of what should have been a very respectable game.
This is hands-down the best video game I've ever played with the word "Lammy" in the title. As the sequel to the popular Parappa the Rapper, this musical game provides some challenging new levels, but the weird-o-meter is off the scale. Like Parappa, you must repeat button sequences to a beat, but this time you're playing the chords of a guitar instead of rapping. This actually works pretty well, but the novelty wears thin. At times the game feels like a rehash, especially during the stages with "recycled" songs from Parappa. The graphics are very nice, with funny, paper-thin characters and amazing special effects. But the story line is "out there". It's bizarre, juvenile, and occasionally embarrassing. Most of the tunes are decent, but the lyrics are absolutely idiotic. Gameplay is challenging; you not only have to press buttons on time, but in some stages you have to hit the buttons VERY fast. Um Jammer Lammy is definitely a trip, and if you can bear the storyline, the challenge will keep you coming back for more.
Before the Hot Shots Golf series, this was one of the best golf games around. With realistic graphics, smooth gameplay, and excellent commentary, VR Golf even beat out EA's PGA series in some ways. There are no real golfers in this game, but the polygon players look fairly realistic. A fly-by feature gives you a tour of each hole before you play it, describing the lush scenery with informative commentary. The swing control mechanism is just like every other golf game you've played, but the draw/fade control is much better, making it easy to curve your shots around trees. Pat O'Brien and Brit Peter Alliss provide commentary comparable to TV coverage (be sure to turn them BOTH on). They are usually accurate and occasionally hilarious. In terms of options, you can adjust the gameplay in just about every way imaginable. VR Golf is fun, but it has its share of flaws. There are only two courses, and there's a LOT of loading time between holes. While some of the camera angles are cool, the swinging camera is often disorienting, making it difficult to tell where the ball is heading. You can't apply backspin or topspin on your ball. And most annoyingly, you have to press a button to continue after every shot, and during multiplayer games, you're always having to remind the other players to hit their button. 
I'm not a big RPG/Strategy fan, but Vandal Hearts won me over in a big way. This is truly one of my all-time favorite video games. You control a group of warriors caught up in a storyline far too complex to explain here. The gameplay consists of a series of turn-based battles. You individually tell your warriors what to do, and then sit back and watch the action unfold. Vandal Hearts is pretty gory, and each kill causes of geyser of blood to spring forth. The battlefields range for rolling meadows to claustrophobic dungeons, each requiring a different strategy. Warriors range from powerful knights to fragile magic users, and some of the spells look amazing. The story line is enthralling and the gameplay is hopelessly addictive. I'm anxiously awaiting the sequel.
The first Vandal Hearts was a tough act to follow, and although Vandal Hearts II holds it own, it doesn't quite match the original. Like the first edition, this game is part adventure but mostly strategy. An RPG-style story develops as you guide a group of characters around the countryside fighting one battle after another. Like the first Vandal Hearts, the plot is too long and complicated to go into here. The big news is that they've changed the battle system, and the results are mixed. In the first Vandal Hearts you issued orders to all of your characters first, and then sat back and watched the battle happen. In this game, you and your opponents take turns directing one character at a time. When all characters have been used, the round is over. The good news is that there's a bit more strategy, since you have to guess which character the computer will use next. The bad news is that if you try to attack an enemy who's been activated during the same turn, your guy ends up swinging at thin air. This happens a LOT, and it looks utterly ridiculous. Personally I prefer the old battle system. Vandal Hearts II is still worth playing, and it's more than twice as big as the original. The sprite graphics are largely unchanged from the first game, and the spirited, renaissance-style music adds to the overall experience. This may not be a classic, but strategy fans should give Vandal Hearts II a look.
Viewpoint is an isometric shooter with devastating power-ups and a legendary difficulty level. It plays quite a bit like Zaxxon, except you can't adjust your altitude. The graphics here are even sharper than the original Neo Geo version. Metal objects gleam convincingly, and despite being 2D sprites, the objects appear to be 3D. I also like the pumping, dance-oriented soundtrack. Viewpoint's full-motion video intro may look like a lame Star Wars rip-off, but its audio is amazing. I could hear blasts echoing all over the room! I didn't realize they even had surround sound back in 1996! The back of the box mentions something about "3D Stereo Sound", which apparently means the same thing. You'd think this game would be a slam-dunk, but surprisingly enough, the gameplay is hurting. First off, the control is seriously lacking. The steering feels stiff and inexact, and you can't aim with any kind of precision. That's no good, because Viewpoint is insanely hard. Worse yet, when the screen gets crowded with projectiles, the action slows to a crawl and the frame-rate goes straight to hell. I was absolutely shocked to witness such heinous slow-down on a console like the Playstation. In contrast to the addictive Neo Geo version, I didn't find this one enjoyable at all. A three-letter password is provided, but there's no memory card save capability. I also don't like how the music kicks in belatedly during the very first stage. I don't know what happened here, but Viewpoint for the Playstation falters badly and pales to the Neo Geo version.
I remember when this vehicle combat game first hit the scene. It was the first challenger to the Twisted Metal juggernaut, and it had a lot going for it. First of all, the 1970's theme gave it some personality and provided plenty of opportunity for humor (check out the old lady who flies out the back door of the camper!). The 70's theme is reflected in everything from the driver's outfits to the outdated vehicles and retro music. Unlike the flat, static scenery of the early Twisted Metal games, V8 has smooth, rolling hills, and you can blow up just about any structure. Another nice touch is the way newly-acquired weapons mount themselves to the top of your car. The battlegrounds are fresh and original, including a ski resort, the Hoover dam, an oil refinery, and a ghost town. Despite some clipping problems, the graphics rate highly compared to Twisted Metal. So what's not to like? Well, most of the weapons are VERY cheap. The guided weapons require no aiming at all, and since you get about 20 at a time, you can rain down serious damage on other cars with very little effort. There was a similar problem with the lightning attack in Twisted Metal 2. V8 was never a real threat to Twisted Metal, but it does provide a nice change if you like these kind of games.
WWF War Zone blew me away with its smooth, realistic graphics and animation. It's like watching fake wrestling on TV! All the major WWF personalities are here with their own arsenal of moves, and the special moves are fun to watch and occasionally hilarious. Modes include versus, tag team, steel cage, and practice to name of few. The sheer number of customization options is astounding. You can even create your own wrestler, which in of itself can keep you busy for a long time. The sound effects are outstanding. Wrestlers talk trash, and you can even hear people in the crowd yelling such memorable lines as "Rocky doesn't suck!". War Zone has its moments, but the matches tend to run too long and get repetitive as fighters keep executing the same moves over and over. And you can forget about the tag team mode - it's a confusing mess. It's difficult to tag your partner even when he's right next to you, and you can't tell who's supposed to be in the ring at any given time. Overall, WWF War Zone looks great, but the wrestling action is only average.
The classic PC strategy game has finally made the leap to the Playstation, but a heck of a lot was lost in the translation. First of all, these graphics look downright sloppy compared to the PC version. The Playstation resolution simply isn't high enough, and as a result the characters look like blobs. Another major problem is the clumsy user interface which substitutes the controller for a mouse. Although Blizzard attempted to streamline the control scheme, it's still very awkward. Last but not least, the loading times are horrendous. If you can look beyond those huge flaws, the game is playable. But if you have a PC, stick with that version.
It took a dirt-cheap price tag to convince me to buy Wipeout 3, but the smooth framerate, impressive backgrounds, and solid controls won me over. For those new to the series, Wipeout is a futuristic racer with vehicles that glide over bobsled-like tracks. I really enjoy the city background graphics in this edition, and some of these tracks remind me of Blade Runner. A few of the tracks feature rain, but for some reason it even rains INSIDE the tunnels (huh?). The analog control is right on, and the understated, pulsating music makes playing this game almost a relaxing experience. Least I forget, there are plenty of power-ups and weapons to keep your opponents at bay. Wipeout 3 isn't innovative at all, but it's sleek and fun.
Many old arcade favorites have made their way to the Playstation with fancy 3D graphics and sound, but few manage to improve on the original in terms of gameplay. With that in mind, Xevious 3D/G+ is a very pleasant surprise. The original Xevious was a semi-classic overhead shooter from the early 80s, where you shoot UFOs while bombing ground installations. Xevious 3D/G+ retains the same awesome gameplay, but adds some terrific 3D graphics and devastating new weapons. There's even a fantastic two-player simultaneous mode that my friend George and I played for weeks. The later stages are way too hard, but overall this is one of the best shooters you can get for the Playstation. The original Xevious is also included on the disk as a nice bonus.
Being a Yu-Gi-Oh card player I was pretty psyched up about this game. Granted, I wasn't too keen on the overly complicated PS2 version, but from the box it appeared that Forbidden Memories was "straight" Yu-Gi-Oh, just like the card game. Unfortunately, that's not the case. Although it looks very similar to the card game, Forbidden Memories changes a lot of rules, and the results are not good. Like the card game, you play on a board that lets each player field five monster and five magic cards. By positioning your cards face down or in a defensive position, you strategically battle your opponent. Unfortunately, the monsters here don't have any special abilities, a major element in the card game. The key to this game is "fusing" combinations of monsters and magic to produce more powerful cards. Problem is, you have no idea which cards fuse together! It's all trial and error, which causes you to needless discard incompatible cards and lose many matches in the process. Meanwhile, the computer knows EXACTLY which cards go together. That aspect alone pretty much ruined the game for me. Other problems include the lack of a tutorial, and the inability to save after every match in the story mode (sometimes you're forced to play again immediately!). The graphics and music are more than adequate, and the game moves at a brisk pace, but the incomprehensible gameplay spoils what should have been a great game.