Arcade Classics for Sega Genesis

Arcade Classics is, as the name suggests, a compilation of 3 classic arcade games. You get Centipede, Missile Command and Ultrapong (Pong), all on one cartridge, both in their original arcade forms and in updated ‘Sega’ versions.

Centipede is a shoot ‘em up, where you have to defend your pod against an angry centipede. The segments of the centipede move across the screen and gradually move downwards towards your pod. You’ve gotta try and destroy all of the segments before it gets too close, because if it reaches the bottom you may well end up colliding with it. To make matters worse, a spider frequently appears near your pod, which you can destroy for bonus points, but it makes it even more difficult to defend yourself. Centipede has the classic arcade trait of being easy to learn but hard to master, and the difficulty level increases quickly. The controls, sound and graphics are all solid, and it’s easy to see why this game was such a hit in arcades.

The next title, Missile Command, is also a shoot ‘em up. This game pits you in the defense of 6 cities under attack from ballistic missiles. Armed with anti-missiles, you must destroy the missiles before they cause destruction. The missiles fall slowly at first, but the difficulty gradually increases, and you must be careful not to deplete your limited stock of anti-missiles. Whilst the graphics and sound are somewhat crude by today’s standards, Missile Command is still an extremely engaging, addictive game.

Ultrapong, which is basically Pong under a different name, is supposedly a ‘bonus’ to complement the other titles, but it’s definitely worthy of its inclusion on the cartridge. I’m pretty sure most of you are familiar with the concept – you move a paddle up and down to stop your opponent from scoring. You must score 15 points to win, but this is no easy task as the AI opponent is very smart. A slight criticism I have of this game is that the hit detection is rather odd – the ball can pass right through the back of barriers. However, Ultrapong controls solidly and the game variations (including a hockey game based around the Pong concept) add depth to this game. It’s the kind of game that keeps you coming back for more, and I’m sure it’ll be popular for many years to come.

In conclusion, Arcade Classics lives up to its name and delivers 3 classic arcade games. Whilst it doesn’t really bring anything new to the table (the Sega versions feature slight graphical and audio improvements), I don’t think you need to when the gameplay’s so solid. Though I wouldn’t recommend you rush out and buy a Sega Genesis (or Sega Mega Drive) just to play this game, as the trio have been ported to countless other systems, if you own a Genesis, I’d recommend you pick Arcade Classics up if you get the chance.


By Chris Burridge Barney