Wikipedia

Taito Legends 2

Taito Legends 2 a compilation of Taito arcade video games and the follow-up to Taito Legends. It was published for Xbox, PlayStation 2, and Microsoft Windows. As with the former collection, it is derived from the Japan exclusive Taito Memories series.

Taito Legends 2
Developer(s)Empire Interactive (Xbox, Win)
Mine Loader Software (PS2)
Publisher(s)
Platform(s)Xbox, PlayStation 2, Windows
Release
  • AU: 30 March 2006
  • EU: 31 March 2006
  • NA: 16 May 2007 (PS2)
  • NA: 10 July 2007 (Win)
Genre(s)Compilation
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

All three versions of the game were simultaneously released in March 2006 in Europe and Australia and published by Empire Interactive. The United States received the PlayStation 2 version on 16 May 2007 and the Windows version on 10 July 2007 with publishing by Destineer. For unknown reasons, the Xbox version was never released in North America. However, the European PAL-region Xbox version is entirely compatible with the North American NTSC-based Xbox systems without any modifications.

The PlayStation 2 version uses the same layout and engine as the Taito Memories series, while the Xbox and Windows versions use the layout and engine of Taito Legends with additional content on some games.

Eight of the 43 games - Balloon Bomber, Bubble Symphony, Cadash, RayForce, RayStorm, G-Darius, Pop'n Pop, and Syvalion - were split across the platforms due to porting issues,[1] requiring players to buy more than one version to get every game available.

Games

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Taito Legends 2 consists of the following 43 arcade games when combined whilst each version contains 39 games. Balloon Bomber, G-Darius, RayStorm and Syvalion are exclusive to the PlayStation 2 version whilst Bubble Symphony, Cadash, Pop'n Pop and RayForce are exclusive to the PC and Xbox versions.

Titles included in the various versions of Taito Legends 2
Title First release PS2 Xbox Windows Taito Memories Regional title
Lunar Rescue 1979 Yes Yes Yes I Vol.1
Balloon Bomber 1980 Yes No No I Vol.2
Crazy Balloon 1980 Yes Yes Yes I Vol.2
Qix 1981 Yes Yes Yes I Vol.2
Alpine Ski 1982 Yes Yes Yes I Vol.1
Front Line 1982 Yes Yes Yes I Vol.2
Wild Western 1982 Yes Yes Yes I Vol.2
Chack'n Pop 1983 Yes Yes Yes I Vol.2
The Legend of Kage 1984 Yes Yes Yes I Vol.2
The Fairyland Story 1985 Yes Yes Yes I Vol.1
KiKi KaiKai 1986 Yes Yes Yes I Vol.1
Bonze Adventure 1988 Yes Yes Yes I Vol.1 Jigoku Meguri (Japan)
Kuri Kinton 1988 Yes Yes Yes I Vol.1
Nastar Warrior 1988 Yes Yes Yes I Vol.2 Rastan Saga 2 (Japan); Nastar (EU)
Raimais 1988 Yes Yes Yes I Vol.2
Syvalion 1988 Yes No No I Vol.1
Cadash 1989 No Yes Yes I Vol.2
Cameltry 1989 Yes Yes Yes I Vol.1
Don Doko Don 1989 Yes Yes Yes I Vol.1
Insector X 1989 Yes Yes Yes I Vol.2
Violence Fight 1989 Yes Yes Yes I Vol.2
Football Champ 1990 Yes Yes Yes I Vol.2 Hat Trick Hero (Japan)
Growl 1990 Yes Yes Yes I Vol.1 Runark (Japan)
Gun Frontier 1990 Yes Yes Yes I Vol.2
Liquid Kids 1990 Yes Yes Yes I Vol.2 Mizubaku Adventure (Japan)
Super Space Invaders '91 1990 Yes Yes Yes I Vol.1 Majestic Twelve: The Space Invaders Part IV (Japan/USA PS2 release)
Metal Black 1991 Yes Yes Yes I Vol.1 Gun Frontier 2
Arabian Magic 1992 Yes Yes Yes I Vol.2
Grid Seeker: Project Storm Hammer 1992 Yes Yes Yes I Vol.1
RayForce 1993 No Yes Yes II Vol.1 Gunlock (Arcade), Layer Section (Japan), Galactic Attack (EU, USA)
Bubble Symphony 1994 No Yes Yes II Vol.2 Bubble Bobble II
Darius Gaiden 1994 Yes Yes Yes I Vol.1
Dungeon Magic 1994 Yes Yes Yes I Vol.1 Light Bringer (Japan)
Space Invaders DX 1994 Yes Yes Yes I Vol.1
Elevator Action Returns 1995 Yes Yes Yes I Vol.1 Elevator Action II (USA)
Gekirindan 1995 Yes Yes Yes I Vol.2
Puzzle Bobble 2 1995 Yes Yes Yes I Vol.2 Bust-a-Move Again (Western arcades): in PS2 release
Space Invaders '95 1995 Yes Yes Yes I Vol.2 Akkan-vaders (Japan)
Cleopatra Fortune 1996 Yes Yes Yes I Vol.1
RayStorm 1996 Yes No No I Vol.2
G-Darius 1997 Yes No No I Vol.2
Pop'n Pop 1997 No Yes Yes —
Puchi Carat 1997 Yes Yes Yes I Vol.1

The titles included in the Western release were taken directly from various volumes of the Japanese Taito Memories-series:

The only title included in Taito Legends 2 that was not previously included in the Japanese Taito Memories series is Pop 'n Pop, though an earlier standalone PlayStation port of the game was released in Japan.

In addition, the North American PS2 version replaces Puzzle Bobble 2 (the original Japanese version) with Bust-a-Move Again, the game's North American equivalent. It also has a loading times during RayStorm and G-Darius. G-Darius uses full motion video on intro, ending and some of the cutscenes of the game.

Reception

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The Windows and Xbox versions of Taito Legends 2 received "favourable" reviews, while the PlayStation 2 version received "average" reviews, according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.[2][3][4] Major criticisms include the large amount of obscure and "filler" titles, all of which are from the Japanese Taito Memories collections in which they are little known in the U.S. (with GameSpot quoting: "There's really nothing legendary about most of the old arcade games found in Taito Legends 2"),[7] as well as unresponsive, "flipped", and clunky controls. Kristan Reed of Eurogamer wrote a more positive response: "It's all but impossible to make an objective assessment that takes into account everyone's hugely varying tastes. What's definitely unarguable, though, that this particular package has much better presentation than the last one, with all games sorted into chronological order (a small but valuable point), and various useful options that make the experience far better than most retro collections".[5] Some reviewers also compared Taito Legends 2 unfavorably with the Sega Genesis Collection, writing the aforementioned Genesis Collection as superior,[18] and was also criticized for its lack of bonus content (asides from instructions panels that can be viewed in the main menu and during gameplay).[9]

References

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  1. ^ "Empire Interactive Forum". forum.empireinteractive.com. Archived from the original on 13 December 2007. Retrieved 13 January 2022.
  2. ^ a b "Taito Legends 2 for PC Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved 7 November 2020.
  3. ^ a b "Taito Legends 2 for PlayStation 2 Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved 7 November 2020.
  4. ^ a b "Taito Legends (xbx: 2006): Reviews". Metacritic. CNET. Archived from the original on 13 September 2008. Retrieved 7 November 2020.
  5. ^ a b Reed, Kristan (31 March 2006). "Taito Legends 2 (PlayStation 2)". Eurogamer. Gamer Network. Retrieved 11 December 2014.
  6. ^ "Review: Taito Legends 2 (PS2)". GamesMaster. Future plc. May 2006. p. 80.
  7. ^ a b Gerstmann, Jeff (30 May 2007). "Taito Legends 2 Review (PS2)". GameSpot. CBS Interactive. Retrieved 7 November 2020.
  8. ^ Miller, Greg (29 January 2008). "Taito Legends 2 Review (PC)". IGN. Ziff Davis. Retrieved 7 November 2020.
  9. ^ a b Miller, Greg (4 June 2007). "Taito Legends 2 Review (PS2)". IGN. Ziff Davis. Retrieved 7 November 2020.
  10. ^ a b Romendil (16 May 2006). "Test: Taito Legends 2 (PC, PS2)". Jeuxvideo.com (in French). Webedia. Retrieved 7 November 2020.
  11. ^ "Taito Legends 2". Official Xbox Magazine UK. Future plc. April 2006. p. 96.
  12. ^ Low, David (1 May 2006). "Taito Legends 2 Review - PlayStation 2 Review". PALGN. Archived from the original on 9 June 2007. Retrieved 7 November 2020.
  13. ^ "Taito Legends 2". PC Format. No. 188. Future plc. June 2006. p. 97.
  14. ^ "Taito Legends 2". PC Zone. No. 168. June 2006. p. 80. Retrieved July 18, 2021.
  15. ^ "Review: Taiko Legends 2". Play UK. No. 139. Imagine Publishing. May 2006. p. 93.
  16. ^ "Review: Taito Legends 2". PSM2. Future plc. April 2006. p. 52.
  17. ^ "Taito Legends 2". Superjuegos (in Spanish). No. 163. pp. 84–85. Retrieved July 18, 2021.
  18. ^ Dutka, Ben (12 September 2007). "Taito Legends 2". PSX Extreme. Poise Media Inc. Archived from the original on 8 October 2007. Retrieved 7 November 2020.
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