18,19 MCV528_final:Layout 1
9/3/09
13:40
Page 1
18 MCV 13/03/09
WWW.MCVUK.COM
40TH ANNIVERSARY PAST CLASSICS
Then and FROGGER Developed for the arcades in 1981, Frogger is regarded as a video game classic. The title was such a hit that it is often referenced in popular culture, and the game is still popular today, with editions available online, on iPhone and Xbox Live Arcade. SCRAMBLE/SALAMANDER/ GRADIUS/PARODIUS Scramble is a 1981 horizontally scrolling shooter developed for the arcades, which spawned a series of other Konami classics, including Gradius and Salamander. Gradius was launched in 1985 and was released in Europe as Nemesis and the series has received multiple sequels including last year’s Gradius ReBirth for WiiWare. Konami has also developed a parody spin-off series based on Gradius called Parodius. CASTLEVANIA Konami’s long-running Castlevania series began life in 1986 on the Famicom Disk System, and gained recognition when it arrived on the NES and was localised worldwide in 1987. The game tells the story of the vampire hunting Belemont family and their fight against Dracula. There were three Castlevania titles released for the NES, and the acclaimed series has appeared on most major systems, with recent games released on DS (see right). CONTRA The run-and-gun action series started off in arcades in 1987, before being ported to the NES and MSX systems. Multiple sequels followed, with modern editions including Contra 4 on DS. Versions of the original Contra have been released onto the Virtual Console, Xbox Live Arcade, mobile phone platforms and in Konami collections. METAL GEAR The original Metal Gear title developed by Hideo Kojima debuted in 1987 on the MSX2, before coming to the Nintendo Entertainment System. An unofficial sequel, Snake’s Revenge, arrived in Europe in 1990 without Kojima’s involvement. However, Kojima developed his own sequel, Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake, in Japan during the same year. After that, it took eight years for the Metal Gear series to return, with the 1998 release of Metal Gear Solid.
TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES Based on the classic TV series, the first game produced on the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles licence arrived in 1990 on the NES and was ported several times. The critically acclaimed and best selling SNES title, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles in Time, arrived in 1992. Konami’s love affair with the Turtles has continued up until a few years ago, with games based on the Turtles’ 2003 TV reboot. TINY TOON ADVENTURES: Konami owned the licence to the Tiny Toon Adventures during the early ‘90s, and the first game based on the animation was released in Europe in 1992 on NES. A full sequel was released in 1994 entitled Trouble in Wackyland, while several titles were also launched for the Nintendo Gameboy. DANCE DANCE REVOLUTION: Konami pioneered the rhythm action genre with its globetrotting arcade hit, Dance Dance Revolution. The original landed in European arcades in 1999, and featured a board on which gamers had to dance. The series has been a worldwide sensation, and there have been titles released for PlayStation, Dreamcast, GameCube and Wii, including special Mario and Disney tie-ins. ISS Although Konami’s love affair with football began with Hyper Soccer on NES, the firm’s first big football series was International Superstar Soccer. The first ISS arrived in 1994 on SNES, with versions appearing on Mega Drive, N64, PlayStation, GameCube and Game Boy. MYSTICAL NINJA The Goeman series has been a big Japanese hit for Konami since it debuted in 1986. The franchise is based on Japanese folklore and has spawned a series of merchandise, anime and manga tie-ins. TRACK AND FIELD First released in arcades during 1983, Konami’s button mashing Track and Field was later ported to consoles, receiving critical and commercial success. The series has since appeared on multiple formats, including last year’s come-back release, New International Track and Field on DS.