Dreamcast

Centipede

Unfortunately, as with virtually all the classic games reborn on a current-day console, playing the new version of Centipede is really nothing like playing the original. What's really disappointing is that instead of shooting centipedes over and over, you could have instead been exploring a great 3D world and blasting away tons of cool enemies. But instead, Centipede tries too hard to latch on to the classic gaming experience, and it pulls what could have been a great 3D shooter into the hollows of the average.

Whoever thought of taking the premise behind the classic Centipede arcade blaster and thrusting it into the 3D world should be shot. Well, I suppose if the game was any good, I wouldn't be complaining. But the game isn't good. It's boring and repetitive, and aside from a cool little background story and some funny cut scenes, lacks any real merit.

Many game companies like Hasbro seem to believe that if you take an old game and add fancy 3D graphics and digitized sound, it will be even better. Well, as we've seen time and time again, that is not the case, and Centipede is a prime example. This new 3D version looks good but the gameplay is much slower and far less exciting.

Really, no one should buy this game. If you like the original and you see this for 5 bucks, get it because it contains the game. (Could they have legally left it out? Namco certainly doesn't think so. Stupid Pac-Man.) Or you could buy an Atari collection that has it and get other good games. It may cost like 10 bucks more but it sure lasts longer.