Game Boy Advance

Capcom Classics: Mini Mix

All three of these games are accurately emulated for Game Boy Advance, and while that preserves the original graphics, music, and controls, it also means there are no upgrades, even minor ones like save features. A two-player mode for Mighty Final Fight is another obvious update that just isn't there. Still, all three of these NES classics are great fun even today, and having them in one handheld package at a budget price is irresistible. Highly recommended.

On the whole, the games are fun, the price is right and the package, though lacking in extra features, is sound. Nostalgia gamers will invariably eat this one up, as it is a way to take that trip down memory lane without getting online and breaking the law or busting out that NES that you needed to blow into in order to get it to work (yes, I know it's a bad idea and it's the 72 pin connector that needs to be replaced, but you ALL did it). For other gamers, these are titles that shouldn't be frowned on because they lack the technical power seen in more current games. These are classic titles for a reason and one only needs to play through them to understand that.

Admittedly, the replay value of this game speaks for itself. The game offers three different gaming experiences, but admittedly, they aren't going to last long. There's only so much you can do in such a small compilation title, especially compared to the massive arcade-based collections. It's a shame that Capcom didn't add in a fourth game, as the NES holds several titles that haven't been re-released, such as Gargoyle's Quest II or Street Fighter 2010). Still, if you are looking to pick up some classic 8-bit games and are willing to pay the minor $20, Capcom Classics Mini Mix is definitely for you.

Despite a lack of any bonus features, Capcom Classics Mini Mix is still a worthy title for any old-school collector-- no NES GBA SP or Famicom Game Boy Micro would be complete without this game-- and any serious gamer who hasn't played these titles should think about picking this up. The absence of a save feature hurts the Mini Mix in a big way, but considering that the NES Classic GBA series offered a total of one game on one cartridge for the same price instead of three, the sting doesn't seem quite as bad.

Capcom Classics Mini Mix contains three games that originally appeared on the Nintendo Entertainment System. The games are relatively unaltered and packaged in a single Game Boy Advance cartridge. You can jump and slash the ninja horde in Strider, swing around on a grappling hook to thwart a terrorist group in Bionic Commando, and use kung fu to beat up the thugs that have kidnapped the mayor's daughter in Mighty Final Fight. This trio may not look or sound as nice as recent games developed specifically for the GBA, but they're far from ugly, and, more importantly, the gameplay in each of them still holds up.

All three of the original carts for the games included could be picked up for the same price as this compilation. While not as cheap as Nintendo releasing even earlier NES titles for $20 each on the GBA, this is a slap in the face to fans who were anxiously awaiting the Mega Man collection. It's a lost chance for something special in the Game Boy Advance's final days.

All in all, it's rather difficult to make an emphatic recommendation for Capcom Classic Mini Mix. While the inclusion of Bionic Commando should perk up the ears of even the most jaded gaming veterans, the inclusion of two games that haven't aged so well isn't enough of a deal to make the game worth dropping 20 bills. As one plays Strider and Mighty Final Fight, it's tough not to think of their better 16-bit versions, as well as other GBA ports, like River City Ransom EX, which manages to work a bit better. Again, Bionic Commando is the piece de resistance here; if it and two just-okay NES games is worth your time and cash, then check this out. Otherwise, handheld gamers should cross fingers and toes for a bigger (and better) Capcom NES retro compilation on the DS.