(This is a new column dedicated to finding games online that are free and legal. Free shit gained by smash and grab, while pretty amusing, is not condoned by anybody at Haruokay.)
iPhones and iTouches are great for a lot of things. Mapping the best route to get where you're going, watching youtube videos about cats and fat people who can't dance, funding Skynet- er, I mean Apple, it's full of many wonderful uses. Unfortunately, gaming is seldom one of them. Most of the times actually, it's just an embarrassing mess and a waste of your hard-earned (probably) money. Fortunately, Capcom are meeting us halfway this time.
Capcom Arcade is a collection of classic Arcade titles from the titular publisher spanning the mid-80's to the early 90's that first appeared on the app store around the beginning of 2011. The app started with a list of only 4 games including 1942, Ghouls and Ghosts, Street Fighter 2 and Commando. Capcom has since been trying (and for the most part, succeeding) in adding a new arcade title every month. Most of those updates to this point have felt like a cop-out. The first update gave us Ghosts and Goblins which is essentially an older Ghouls and Ghosts. The second update was another version of a game already in the arcade but it was Street Fighter 2: Champion Edition so all was forgiven.
I can't stay mad at you.
To top it all off, this past weekend Capcom added not one, but two new additions to it's portable arcade: 1943 (Another sequel/new version of an old title) and... Final Fight which in any format, is still a classic worthy of your time. While it's true that you can find any of these games in just about any Capcom anthology collection out there, there's still an appeal to be able to carry those many games around with you at once for a few free playthroughs. Which brings me to the only catch-22 with this whole arrangement.
Free play tokens. Each day you get three free play tokens that the game will dispense to you as soon as you turn it on for the first time each day. (And sadly no, those tokens do not carry over if you don't use them that day.) Each game requires one token to play and one to continue. Capcom has set it up so you can purchase any arcade cabinet for only 99 cents for unlimited plays. For some people this may be worth it but mind you, these are iPhone controls. If playing Ghouls and Ghosts gave you bloodlust before, playing it on here will either make you break your iPhone/iTouch, or it will make you break the nearest person standing next to you.
Such situations bring out the best in Arthur, and the worst in you when you scream "Cocksucker!" next to that frightened child on the bus.
There are some extra bells and whistles thrown into this collection too, such as unlockable art (mostly unlocked through spending actual money) and in-game power-ups. (Also, at a price) They even threw in a few social networking options in as well if that's your thing. The controls are simple but some games translate better to iOS than others. Both Street Fighter titles play surprisingly well while games like Ghosts and Goblins are a lesson in masochism. Still, a little fanservice and some free tokens do a lot to increase the value of Capcom Arcade.
All in all, this little package is definitely worth checking out. The selection has already gotten to the point where it feels like there is enough variety and if Capcom keeps up with the monthly updates it's only going to get better. The prices never go higher than 99 cents for anything here and I would rate this as a decent choice for gaming on the go. Just think of it like when you were a kid and your parents would only give you a few quarters for the arcade, only with the added bonus of being able to play this while you're drunk.
By: Tim
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