If there's one thing Capcom loves to do, it's re-release games that were made decades ago. Arcade classics like 1942 just keep getting rehashed. It seems like the PSP was a godsend to Capcom, the epitome of retro style. Ghosts 'n Goblins, Street Fighter and Mega Man have all been reissued 'better than ever' on the system, sometimes in three dimensions, and sometimes with so many extras you'd wonder which mode is worth playing more. It's no surprise then that even while there was a Capcom Classics Collection Remixed that they'd decide to release another in Reloaded.

D&D hasn't been the same since they outlawed steroids :(

Now here's the thing ... why? I don't know. I just don't know. What I do know is that it seems to be worth it, with every incarnation, there's something new to love but there's also something new to hate.

For instance, in Remixed there wasn't really the push, the drive, the motivation to play all the games, to explore or have fun and there was no real reward for playing, especially if you sucked. The menus weren't really that friendly, even slightly boring. Reloaded, however, is lovely.

Before playing, I'll comment on the menu and coins system. There's a nice rotating, twirly disc thing with all the games on it, and a ridiculous number of options per game to tweak and adjust. Once you've completed a game or played something, there's a reward. A little list pops up ticking off accomplishments and button presses, deaths and continues, until a total score is summed and then coins are added to your pot. Every game rewards you with these coins, which can be used to play the poker machine. This annoying "mini-game" requires you to spend your coins in order to unlock prizes such as secret codes and artwork but however "fun" this may be, it's a very tedious affair and makes purchasing anything of worth tiresome. On the other hand, this system does allow you to unlock rewards for games you're terrible at meaning you don't have to be a professional to unlock the best stuff. In the end, the score system provides you with a 'monetary' reward for trying. Be warned, I could have been critical of this coins system as in the first collection you had to finish the game or break a certain high score in order to win your rewards, which encouraged replay and personal development. Now they've removed the reward for those hard ass professionals. See, I could have been critical, but I wasn't, I swear.

When things started simple...

Alright, getting onto the games. Below is a full list of each game available:

1942 1943 The Battle of Midway 1943 Kai Ghosts 'n Goblins Ghouls 'n Ghosts Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts Commando Mercs Street Fighter II Street Fighter II Champion Edition

Street Fighter II Turbo: Hyper Fighting Son Son Vulgus HigeMaru Exed Exes Gun Smoke The King Of Dragons Knights of the Round Eco Fighters

..and they evolved

To sum, that's five top-down shooters in vehicles, three top down run 'n guns, three Street Fighters, and six side scrollers plus random game types (HigeMaru). Take your pick. All the games have been pulled off well and stay true to the originals, with rehashes like Street Fighter II sticking close enough to the originals to demonstrate the difference between the three versions on the disc. I won't go into details, but essentially there's a nice mix of genres and the games are all fun to play without any lag, clipping or noticeable slow down or delay and the controls are pretty darned responsive. It's been done well enough that both the d-pad and analogue stick are usable, with the stick being preferable in the flying games. Overall, the games individually are really pretty damn fine.

Wait, Street Fighter ... the controls are horrible in Street Fighter and it's nearly impossible to pull of things like simple quart-circle moves! My mistake, sometimes the controls suck (like in Street Fighter Alpha Max 3) but that's an issue with the PSP not with the software.

Game sharing comes as standard, however not all games are available, like Street Fighter (mega-disappointment) so you'll be stuck with things like Mercs and 1943 to keep you occupied. Not that it's a bad thing, I mean they're good games, but Street Fighter! Come on Capcom. Guess they want people to buy the SFAM3 first.


Alright, I'm a little dismayed and I guess most of this review has indicated that. The thing is, it's still an enjoyable collection but we've seen it all before. For a retro bash I'm giving it 7/10 but really it's just the same gear over again and not all that different from the first Collection either plus the load times are horrendous, which is why I'm giving it less at 6/10.