Game & Watch Gallery 4 - GBA

Also known as: Game Boy Gallery 4

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Viewed: 2D Combination Genre:
Compilation
Arcade origin:No
Developer: Nintendo Soft. Co.: Nintendo
Publishers: Nintendo (GB)
Released: 25 Oct 2002 (GB)
Ratings: 3+
Connectivity: Link Cable

Summary

Well before the original Game Boy was even a figment of the late Gumpei Yokoi's imagination, Nintendo still ruled the roost as far as handheld gaming was concerned. In fact, Nintendo invented portable gaming as we know it today with its amazingly simple yet hugely popular Game & Watch series. A game and also a watch (honest!), the Game & Watch was the essential playground prerequisite in the eighties, providing kids with some pocket-sized electronic entertainment as well as telling the time. Fantastic! Now a whole bunch of them have been re-made and bundled onto a cartridge for the Game Boy Advance.

The games involved feature classics such as Donkey Kong Jr and Mario's Cement Factory, as well as a few lesser-known titles like Rainshower, Fire Attack and Boxing. In each case, you can play a direct replica of the original (complete with all the greyed-out, unlit LCD frames) or can switch to Modern Mode and experience the joys of revamped graphics and sound. There are also some additional levels in many cases, which add a bit of longevity to the retro proceedings.

As no Mario-based game would be complete without bestowing upon players the task of star collecting, Game & Watch Gallery 4 does not disappoint. Achieving the high score in each game rewards you with stars, which in turn can be used to unlock new games.

This is an essential addition to the retro fan's collection. It's also a compendium of classic games, which are both simple and fun in a way only Nintendo can invent. There's also the inclusion of a multiplayer link-up mode from just the one cartridge, so you'll be popular at school.