Learn more about this rare DS collection of classic dual-screen Game & Watch software.Nintendo's handheld game history goes further back than the Game Boy. First created in 1980, the Game & Watch systems were simple but easy to play handheld games that used basic LCD sprites to create gameplay. In addition to the standard single-screen Game & Watches, the design evolved to dual-screen handhelds, which folded in half (a precursor to the Nintendo DS).
So, it's not suprising that the Japanese Club Nintendo exclusive, Game & Watch Collection, contains three of the best multi-screen Game & Watch games: Oil Panic, Donkey Kong, and Green House. If you don't own the original systems themselves, they've also previously been recreated in Game & Watch Gallery, Game & Watch Gallery 2, and Game & Watch Gallery 3, respectively.
However, the recreation of these Game & Watch games is incredibly faithful in Game & Watch Collection. With two screens, the games can finally be properly displayed, rather than having one of the screens squished in a smaller format. Sound is also dead-on, with all the respective effects and jingles accurate to their original counterparts. And, similar to Game & Watch Gallery 4, both screens feature the 'ghosted' LCD sprites that you could see if you played the original systems.
Due to the the system clock of the Nintendo DS, the watch and alarm functions of each Game & Watch are also emulated in Game & Watch collection. Surprisingly, this is the first time ever that this feature has been emulated! You can set the Game & Watch of your choice in "Time" mode, which allows the DS to function like a regular Game & Watch, displaying the time. Interestingly, the alarm will not sound if you have your DS in sleep mode - effectively making the feature completely useless! However, it's a nice touch to see the alarm sprites anyway.
As 'Game & Watch Collection' is a promotional item, there are only three games to play, each with a 'Game A' and 'Game B' mode. There are no modern re-creations of the games, and there do not appear to be any unlockable games or features. When compared to the Game & Watch Gallery games, Collection really is a bare bones homage to three of the better multi-screen games. If you're after a fleshed out collection of Game & Watch titles, one of the previous Gallery series would be your best bet. Collection is quite honestly not worth the $150+ that you can see it going for on eBay. Hopefully though, these three games, along with a lot more, will be compiled for a proper commercial Game & Watch Gallery game for the DS.
Topic: IMPRESSIONS: Game & Watch Collection (Read 2417 times)
