Namco

The King of All Cosmos and the Royal Family decide to take some time off from their celestial construction and travel to Earth for a well-earned (for the Prince at least) tropical summer vacation on their own sunny island. Unfortunately, the King's over-exuberance creates a tsunami that strikes and devastates nearby Paradise Commonwealth Island. One of the residents, a turtle, washes ashore next to the Royal Family and tells them his tale. The King then decides to make new islands for the animals of the Commonwealth with several katamari. Similar to the previous Katamari titles, the King sends the Prince to the Sunflower Continent, which is full of the paraphernalia used to create new landmasses.

Tekken 5: Dark Resurrection

Tekken: Dark Resurrection is an updated version of Tekken 5 developed by Namco and released in arcades in 2005. It adds new characters, balance adjustments, and expanded customization options. The game retains the series’ 3D fighting mechanics, where players compete in one-on-one battles using a variety of moves and combos. It was later released on the PlayStation Portable and PlayStation 3 with additional content and online features.

Ridge Racer 6

Ridge Racer 6 is the sixth installment in the Ridge Racer series of racing games. Like previous Ridge Racer titles, the focus of gameplay is on placing first out of 14 in numerous 3-lap races across several tracks and numerous cars.

Pac-Man World 3

Blitz Games2005

The classic gaming character Pac-Man is back for the third iteration of the Pac-Man World series. The game features the classic Pac-Man powers and adds a few new abilities--such as superstomp and electric shock--to assist the yellow-ball-like hero against his ghost foes.

SoulCalibur III

Project Soul2005

Soulcalibur III is a fighting game produced by Namco as a sequel to Soulcalibur II and the fourth installment in the Soul series. The game includes three new modes and a larger character roster with 24 characters playable in Tales of Souls mode and an additional 18 playable in all other modes.

Urban Reign

Urban Reign is a Namco-produced 3D brawler, done in the tradition of Double Dragon and Final Fight.

Tales of Legendia

Tales of Legendia is a fantasy role-playing game that continues the Tales series of games. You can play as Senel Coolidge, who encounters a giant, mysterious ship while adrift in a small boat with his sister. As you explore the history of the ship, you will encounter epic enemies and engage them using the "X-LiMBS" battle system, which lets you fight in real time like in a fighting game. The story is beset with unique characters designed by the animator featured in Kill Bill Vol. One.

Pac 'n Roll

In Pac'N Roll, the inhabitants of Pac-World have been turned into spheres by the evil monster Golvis' Ghost Light. Pac-Man must roll his way through Ghost-Land, collecting pellets and confronting Ghosts to save his family and restore peace to Pac-Land. Introducing an innovative new control scheme, Pac'N Roll lets players control Pac-Man with the Nintendo DS stylus. Players can roll and dash around the environment as well as execute maneuvers such as hairpin turns, immediate stops and precision rolling with effortless strokes of the stylus. In his quest to save Pac-Land, Pac-Man will venture through stages such as Castle Pac, Gyro-Jungle and the Ghost House, while facing perilous hazards like moving floors, dash panels, jump zones and wind zones. Along the way, Pac-Man will find power-ups like the Winged Chocolate, allowing him to fly through the worlds and jump over Ghosts, or the "Knight Chocolate," providing him with armor which grants him the power to crash through walls and withstand more damage. Pac'N Roll also includes the original Pac-Man arcade game, allowing up to two players to munch on pellets and claim the highest score.

Mario Superstar Baseball

The superstars of the Mushroom Kingdom have gathered on the diamond to power up America's game! Pick a captain, fill your team with your favorite characters from the Mario universe, then hit the field. Each captain has a special Star Skill for pitching and batting, so whether you're hurling fireballs as Mario or blasting curving banana-ball dingers as DK, you've never played ball like this!

We Love Katamari

NOW Production2005

We Love Katamari, is a third-person puzzle-action video game where the player controls the Prince, the 5-centimeter-tall son of the god-like entity the King of All Cosmos, who rolls around a "katamari", a magical ball that causes objects smaller than it to attach to it. Throughout each level, the play must collect objects in order to fulfill objectives set by the prince's father.

Dead to Rights II

Widescreen Games2005

Dead to Rights II is a third-person action video game developed by Widescreen Games, published by Namco, and released in 2005. It is a prequel to Dead to Rights. A prequel to Dead to Rights II for the PlayStation Portable, titled Dead to Rights: Reckoning, was released in June 2005.

Tekken 5

The home version of Tekken 5 came with new character customization options and a beat 'em up mode called Devil Within.

Star Fox: Assault

Step into the guise of furry flyboy Fox McCloud as he returns to take on his deadliest enemy; wingmen Slippy Toad, Peppy Hare and Falco Lombardi are covering your back, as you take on hordes of intergalactic hostiles on land and in air. Hop into Arwings for aerial skirmishes and Landmaster Tanks for ground-based confrontations, or simply run around on foot dispensing laser justice; the searing single player adventure is a total blast, while the glorious four-way split-screen mode is sure to keep you and your friends coming back for more. With sniper rifles and rocket launchers, this is one Fox you don't want to mess with!

Ridge Racer

Namco2004

Ridge Racer is an arcade racing video game named after the eponymous Ridge Racer video game series to which it belongs. Ridge Racer has been described as a 'compilation' of the series, featuring tracks, cars and remixed soundtrack from previous titles in the 1990s.

Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War

Project Aces2004

Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War is a first person air combat and flight simulator. Like other Ace Combat games, each mission is determined by a level briefing and objectives. There are 32 missions in the main campaign mode, while an additional "arcade" mode puts the player in the role of Mobius One (from Ace Combat 04: Shattered Skies) as he faces endless waves of enemy attacks. Regardless of the mode chosen, once in the air the player will have control over speed, direction, altitude, gun cannon, missiles and special weapon of their aircraft. A new feature from previous Ace Combat games, is the concept of Wingmen and being able to issue simple orders to them in the air. This allows the player to better coordinated group attacks as well as giving each wingman a personality of their own. Additionally, the player as squadron leader will be asked to make decisions ("Yes/No") while flying in the air. Between missions, the story is progressed through a series of cutscenes.

Xenosaga Episode II: Jenseits von Gut und Böse

Monolith Soft2004

Xenosaga Episode II: Jenseits von Gut und Böse is a direct sequel to the first episode of the science-fiction RPG Xenosaga series.

Katamari Damacy

Keita Takahashi2004

The King of All Cosmos accidentally destroyed the stars and—having recovered—wants the prince to rebuild them. Unfortunately the prince stands a little less than half a foot tall, so recreating the stars will require some effort. Enter the Katamari, a sphere the prince can push around our world to “roll up” items increasing the Katamari’s size until it’s suitable for the King. Taking place in stylized versions of Japanese houses, cities, and environs, the prince pushes the Katamari around collecting items which adhere to it. At first, the prince can only pick up smaller items, but as the Katamari grows, the more it can collect. Push pins and paper clips cling to the Katamari increasing its size so it can roll over obstacles and pick up bigger items. Over many levels, the Katamari can eventually pick up people, cars, and other bigger items. Players steer the Katamari from a third-person perspective using the analog sticks on the PS2. A tutorial stage takes the player through the controls and sets up the story as well as introducing a side story about a Japanese girl who can feel the cosmos. Wanting to challenge the prince, the King sets requirements on the Katamari’s size and sets time limits on the level. Bonus missions restore constellations and have their own restrictions. The world of Katamari Damacy is brought to life with off-beat animation and a catchy soundtrack. Players can find presents hidden in the levels that contain accessories for the prince. Two players can also battle head-to-head in a Katamari competition.

Donkey Konga

Namco2003

Donkey Konga is a GameCube rhythm video game starring the ape Donkey Kong, developed by Namco and published by Nintendo. Instead of the standard GameCube controllers, the game is intended to be played with a special controller called the DK Bongos that resemble two small bongo drums. Donkey Konga was developed by the same team of people who made the Taiko: Drum Master series for the PlayStation 2. The tracks include hits such as "Louie Louie", "We Will Rock You", "Shining Star", "Rock Lobster" and "Losing My Religion". There are tracks from the Mario series, the The Legend of Zelda series and other Nintendo related music. All regional variants of the game have differing track listings, and in the North American version of both games, almost all of the licensed non-Nintendo/traditional songs are shortened covers.

Baten Kaitos: Eternal Wings and the Lost Ocean

tri-Crescendo2003

An original roleplaying game for Nintendo GameCube from the team behind Xenosaga. The game makes heavy use of cards for everything from fighting battles to purchasing items. Cards are actually a central part of the story as well, as they are holders for "Magnus" which is short for "Magna Essence." Magnus is the true nature of all things throughout the world, including swords, magic spells and even apples that are gathered in the town in which your adventures start out. A real item can be turned into Magnus form and stored in a blank card. It can then be taken out from the card and will turn back into real form. Features detailed CG cutscenes to tell the story and turn-based battle sequences.

Kill.Switch

Namco2003

Aiming and moving in cover and blind-fire modes is tricky, though. To gain the 3-D effect, some detail gets sacrificed. Usually this is no problem, but occasionally you'll have a tough time recognizing an object. You move from area to area to engage a new group of enemies. You'll conveniently find crates for cover and barrels to help you pull off big explosions. Locking the enemy in your crosshairs, signified by your crosshairs turning red, doesn't guarantee a direct hit? The accuracy depends on the weapon of choice. A shotgun will normally provide a kill on the first shot. If you have an automatic rifle, your shots are relatively inaccurate even if your aim is true.

SoulCalibur II

Project Soul2003

SoulCalibur II for the PlayStation 2 is an expanded port of the Arcade game, including Heihachi as a playable character and new game modes.

SoulCalibur II

Project Soul2003

SoulCalibur II for the Nintendo GameCube is an expanded port of the Arcade game, including Link from The Legend of Zelda as a playable character and new game modes.

Time Crisis 3

Nextech2002

The third installment in Namco's light gun shooting franchise, Time Crisis 3 offers exciting, fast-paced shooting action by the world renowned VSSE agents as they fight to save an innocent nation from total annihilation. Choose from four weapons--machine gun, handgun, shotgun, and grenade-- to blast your way past enemies. Practice your sharpshooting skills in Sniper Combat and multiple gameplay modes. The game also includes multiple gameplay modes, a new playable character, and the original Time Crisis. It's time to warm up that trigger finger and step into the action.

Klonoa 2: Dream Champ Tournament

NOW Production2002

Floppy-eared hero Klonoa returns in another fast-paced, colorful side-scrolling adventure for the Game Boy Advance. In his latest challenge, Klonoa must race against time and other dream travelers in the Dream Champ Tournament to collect stars, sun and moon stones to become the ultimate Dream Champion. Combining platform, puzzle and adventure elements, Klonoa 2: Dream Champ Tournament is just the adventure fans of the series have been anticipating. Explore the intricate and puzzle-packed worlds where you’ll meet a wide variety of interesting creatures! Solve Fiendishly-Designed Puzzles - Use Boxes, Bomb Boxes, Switches, Pressure Switches, Goomis, Springs and Scales in your quest for glory. Hoverboard Races - Each world contains a fast-paced thrill ride of gem collecting fun! Master your Skills to Win - Klonoa must prove his skills against other dream travelers in the Dream Champ Tournament.

SoulCalibur II

Project Soul2002

SoulCalibur II is the third installment in the Soul series and continues the tradition of his predecessors with improved graphics, new characters and new levels. A majority of the action takes place in Weapon Master mode where you have to choose a character and travel a set map to fight the many other warriors through different levels and challenges. Console ports were released, including guest characters from other franchises. The Arcade version has a unique mode called "Conquest Mode". This mode, which uses a name and password system to save data, allows the player to select one army among four. The player then fights against enemies in a series of eight 1-round battles, win or lose (the first seven are based on the player's rank, and the eighth is chosen by the player – this can only be interrupted by a Versus challenger.) After each round, the player earns EXP and can be promoted, and the game also rates the player in four categories: Soul, Power, Wisdom and Skill. The game also keeps track of which moves the player knows and uses most often. After the eight battles, territory control is updated and the player has the option to fight a bonus round against their character played by the AI.

Dead to Rights

Namco2002

Meet Jack Slate, a cop framed for murder and facing execution. Slate escapes from Iron Point Maximum-Security Penitentiary to bring down the criminals that framed. In Dead to Rights, you play the role of Slate, as he fights through the hard streets and corrupt enemies of Grant City. There are plenty of ways go about bringing the conspirators to justice--Jack can perform disarm moves, shoot different weapons, pick locks, fight hand-to-hand, and play minigames such as arm wrestling, bench press, and dancing. In this gritty, crime-noir inspired epic, you're always on the run.

Klonoa Beach Volleyball

Namco2002

Klonoa Beach Volleyball is a spin-off of the Klonoa game series. Its release was limited to Japan and Europe only with the characters speaking in English in the latter.

Xenosaga Episode I: Der Wille zur Macht

Monolith Soft2002

Xenosaga: Episode I - Der Wille zur Macht, the first chapter of a trilogy, is a Japanese-style sci-fi role-playing game, sharing many common themes and gameplay elements with Xenogears. The battle system is not unlike the one used in Xenogears (combo attacks, AP and EP gauges, etc.), but random encounters are eliminated. Instead, the enemies are now visible and battles can be avoided. During combat the few upcoming ally and enemy turns are shown onscreen, allowing the player to make strategic decisions based on who will act next. A rolling slot moves with each turn as well, conferring a bonus such as added damage or bonus XP for any action on that turn. If the enemy would be in position to take an advantage then the player can expend a character's "boost" gauge to cut in and act next, although enemies can boost as well, and enemy boosts always over-ride player boosts. Each character has a unique tree of Ether spells they can learn by spending Ether points earned in battle, with lower spells requiring spells above them to be purchased first. After a spell is purchased, so long is it does not require a unique talent of that character, the spell can also be purchased and learned by any other character that can afford double its normal cost. The Anti-Gnosis Weapon Systems can be equipped with different weapons and accessories and can be used in combat provided that a character has enough AP on that turn to board their AGWS.

Pac-Man World 2

Namco Hometek2002

Long ago, back in medieval times, an evil spirit known as Spooky had terrorized all of Pac-Land. In response to this, the great Wizard Pac created a potion that turned 5 ordinary fruit into the "Golden Fruit." A young knight called Sir Pac-alot fought and sealed Spooky underneath a large tree using the Golden Fruit, which were attached to the branches of the tree. In the present time late at night, Inky, Pinky, Blinky and Clyde sneak into the village and, in their mischief, pick the Golden Fruit off the tree in the center of town. Unfortunately, this has released Spooky from his prison. Spooky tells the ghosts to take the Golden Fruit and follow him if they wish to rid the land of the Pac-people forever. When Pac-Man awakes, he hears the news from Professor Pac about the Golden Fruit and Spooky, and sets off to defeat the ghosts and Spooky.

Tekken Advance

Tekken Advance is a fighting game released for the Game Boy Advance. It is non-canonical to the Tekken storyline, but follows the events of Tekken 3. It uses sprites based on Tekken 3's 3D models for its characters and was the first Tekken game to be released on a Nintendo platform.

Resident Evil Survivor 2 Code: Veronica

Nextech2001

Resident Evil Survivor 2 Code: Veronica is a first-person shooter video game and the second installment in the Gun Survivor series. As in most lightgun games, the objective is to make it through an environment while shooting enemies. It is somewhat less typical in that you have full roaming control over your character rather than being stuck on rails. More unusually, a timer begins as you enter each area. If the timer runs out before you leave, Nemesis will appear and chase you.

Ace Combat 04: Shattered Skies

Ace Combat 04: Shattered Skies is an aerial combat simulation. It allows the player to participate in semi-realistic dog-fighting with a collection of fighter jets, including the F-22 Raptor, F-16 Fighting Falcon, F-117 Nighthawk, U-2 Dragon Lady, C-130 Hercules and SR-71 Blackbird. Eighteen missions will take the player from search-and-destroy buildings to one-on-one and all-on-all dog-fighting. Along the way it becomes possible to upgrade the fighter with defense systems, deadly weapons, and other accessories.

Tekken 4

Tekken 4 marks the return of Namco's premier fighting franchise, Tekken. This version features enhanced graphics, gameplay mechanics, and fearsome fighters. Newcomers engage old favorites in interactive, multileveled arenas. The addition of walls, terrain effects, position changes, and enhanced sidestepping will force you to adjust your fighting strategy. Expanded game modes such as Training, Team Battle and the new Tekken Force provide the player with a deeper gameplay experience.

Klonoa: Empire of Dreams

A colorful and fun puzzle game with inventive level design, filled with great ideas that bring joy and delight to any gamer that enjoys a challenge.

Klonoa 2: Lunatea's Veil

Klonoa 2 puts players in the role of Klonoa, who, along with a new cast of friends, has stumbled into another adventure, this time to save the world of Lunatea and help unveil the mysteries of the enchanted world. The game features gameplay inspired by the original Klonoa with 2D side-scrolling in a 3D-rendered environment. Klonoa's equipped weapon is a crystal ring which contains the life of Lolo inside helping him. Klonoa, a long-eared creature, has stumbled on yet another mystical adventure. In Klonoa 2, a dark kingdom threatens the enchanted realm of Lunatea. Now it's up to Klonoa and his friends, Lolo and Popka, to prevent evil forces from bringing monsters and sickness into their world. Help Klonoa through 24 magical stages featuring hover-board gliding, perceptual changes, and new treacherous foes. On your adventure, you'll drop off waterfalls, get shot into the air by cannon, and gain special abilities from your defeated enemies.

Tales of Destiny II

Wolf Team2000

Tales of Eternia is an action japanese role playing game, with real time battle scenes (combos and spells can be assigned to the face buttons). The game is set in the fantasy world of Inferia, follows the story of a young hunter named Reid Hershel and his friends, Farah and Keele, as they meet a mysterious girl who speaks an unknown language. Their subsequent quest to discover her origins leads them across a dimensional boundary to an entirely different realm known as Celestia, where they become involved in an age-old conflict between the two worlds. It would later inspire a 13-episode anime co-produced by Production I.G loosely based on the game's plot.

MotoGP

Namco2000

Developed by Namco, this racing simulator brings the excitement of MotoGP to the consoles.

Tekken Tag Tournament

Namco2000

Has a huge upgrade to the graphics, and even adds in stages and music that weren’t in the original.

Mr. Driller

Namco1999

Mr. Driller is an arcade puzzle game developed by Namco and first released in 1999. Players control a driller who descends through layers of colored blocks, clearing paths while managing a limited air supply. Blocks disappear when four or more of the same color are connected, creating strategic challenges as the screen scrolls upward. The game emphasizes quick decision-making and careful planning under time pressure. It became known for its simple mechanics, increasing difficulty, and bright visual style.

Tekken Tag Tournament

Namco1999

Tekken Tag Tournament is an update of Tekken 3 and is the fourth installment in the popular Tekken fighting game series. It is not canonical to the Tekken storyline however.

Ace Combat 3: Electrosphere

Namco1999

Ace Combat 3: Electrosphere is a combat flight simulation video game developed and published by Namco for the PlayStation. The third game in the Ace Combat franchise, it was released in Japan in 1999. Players control an aircraft and must complete various mission objectives, such as destroying squadrons of enemies or protecting a base from enemy fire. Electrosphere carries a more futuristic science fiction-inspired landscape and world compared to the modern-day theme of its predecessors. The japanese version of Ace Combat 3 differs significantly from the international release: its campaign features 52 missions split among different paths depending on in-mission decisions. The story centers around the "Intercorporate War" in 2040 between Neucom Incorporated and the General Group.

R4: Ridge Racer Type 4

Namco1998

R4: Ridge Racer Type 4 is the fourth game in the Ridge Racer series. It includes eight tracks (with reverse variants, for a total of 16 layouts) and 321 vehicles, all of which are fictional. This iteration was one of the first PlayStation titles to feature Gouraud shading on polygons, giving the game a visual depth that was previously missing. It was also the first Ridge Racer game on the system to feature two-player split-screen mode and offered two different driving models.

SoulCalibur

Project Soul1998

SoulCalibur is a weapon-based 3D fighting game developed by Project Soul and produced by Namco. It is the second game in the Soul series, preceded by Soul Edge (1996). Originally released in arcades in 1998, it ran on the Namco System 12 hardware. In 1999 it was ported to the Dreamcast with improved graphics and new features. The North American version was released in September 1999 as a launch title for the Dreamcast and was part of the successful launch of the new console. It became available as a downloadable title on Xbox 360's Xbox Live Marketplace in 2008. The title brought many innovations to the fighting game genre that include a heavy emphasis on weapons and a unique eight-way movement system. Soulcalibur is widely regarded as one of the best Dreamcast titles and is one of the most critically acclaimed fighting games of all time.

Tekken 3

Namco1998

The console version of Tekken 3, which adds more content to the original arcade game, such as new characters and additional game modes.

Ehrgeiz

DreamFactory1998

Ehrgeiz is a 3D fighting game that features some characters from Final Fantasy VII. Cloud Strife and Tifa Lockhart are playable in the arcade and the PlayStation versions, and Sephiroth, Yuffie Kisaragi, Vincent Valentine and Zack Fair were added to the PlayStation version's roster. Ehrgeiz differs from most 3D fighting games by drawing heavily from the concepts of wrestling games and Dream Factory's own Tobal series, which allow for full 360-degree movement and do not require fighters to be facing each other at all times.

Tales of Destiny

Wolf Team1997

Tales of Destiny is a follow-up to Tales of Phantasia. Like its predecessor, it has the structure of traditional Japanese role-playing games, but substitutes turn-based combat for action-oriented one. Battles take place on separate side-scrolling screens and resemble those of a fighting game. The player controls the main hero, navigating him on the battle screen and performing various attacks and combos. Other party members are controlled by the game's AI, but it is possible to pause the battle at any time and assign new combat style to any one of them.

Klonoa: Door to Phantomile

Klonoa: Door to Phantomile is a side-scrolling platform game viewed from a "2.5D" perspective. The player moves the protagonist, Klonoa, along a path in a two-dimensional fashion, but the game is rendered in three dimensions. This allows the path followed to curve and for the player to interact with objects outside of the path.

Time Crisis II

Time Crisis II is a light gun arcade game and the second installment in the Time Crisis series. It introduces co-operative multiplayer to the franchise. The game was first released in arcades in April 1998, with an enhanced port released on the PlayStation 2 in October 2001, bundled with the GunCon 2 controller.

Ace Combat 2

Ace Combat 2 serves as the follow-up to Namco's Air Combat, a combat flight simulator for the PlayStation. In this sequel, the player steps into the shoes of a mercenary pilot, determined to thwart a global terrorist conspiracy. With 30 challenging missions ahead, your triumphs will enable you to acquire weapon upgrades, parts, and various enhancements, mirroring the mechanics of the original game. Enhanced with crisper visuals and more immersive audio, Ace Combat 2 also boasts an expanded array of planes and customisable options. Additionally, it introduces dual shock support, along with the inclusion of analogue joystick support, enriching the overall gaming experience.

Tekken 3

Tekken 3 is the third installment in the Tekken series. It maintains the same core fighting system as its predecessors but brings many improvements, such as significantly more detailed graphics and animations, fifteen new characters added to the game's roster, more modern music and faster gameplay.

Micro Machines V3

Codemasters1997

Micro Machines V3 takes the immensely popular miniature-scale racing series to a new level by adding weapons and power-ups to the fray. Now you can grab turbo charges for bursts of speed or blast away opponents with grenades and force-fields. For the first time on a portable system you can still drive all of your favorite Micro Machines vehicles on all the classic tracks such as the pool tale and sand-box, but now you can do it with an attitude! Features 48 courses - breakfast table, school desk, science lab, beach, restaurant, garden, pool table, etc. Power-ups to blitz the opposition include: hammer, mines, force-field, etc. Collect, test and gamble special prize cars for up to 32 vehicles -- including monster trucks, transmutable cars, futuristic cars which are all faster than before.

Soul Blade

Project Soul1996

The console version of Soul Edge adds more content to the original arcade game such as new characters and additional game modes.

Rage Racer

Namco1996

Rage Racer is the third title in the Ridge Racer series of racing games. For the first time in series, Rage Racer introduces a brand new advanced single player career system which uses credits that player can get after winning races, then it can be used to buy or upgrade cars.

Tekken 2

Namco1996

The console version of Tekken 2, which adds more content to the original arcade game, such as new characters and additional game modes.

Soul Edge

Project Soul1996

Soul Edge is a 3D arcade fighting game and the first in the Soul series, it is one of the first 3D fighting game in history that place a particular emphasis on the story of the fighters. Each character have their own weapon, allowing for a wide range of play styles. The slower, longer ranged characters try to deliver their heavy blows from a distance whereas the quicker, faster characters try to get in as close as possible and deliver quick-hitting attacks.

Tales of Phantasia

Wolf Team1995

Tales of Phantasia is the first installment of the Tales series, and was released by Namco in 1995 for the Super Famicom. Released at the end of 1995, Tales of Phantasia is considered one of the crowning achievements for its time. It has graphics that push the console to its limits, an original never-before-seen battle system, and the addition of actual voices and voice actors. It is also the first and only Super Famicom game to feature an entirely original, vocalized theme song featured directly in the game.

Ridge Racer Revolution

Ridge Racer Revolution is the PlayStation sequel of Ridge Racer. Like the original Ridge Racer, the player races against eleven other computer-controlled cars. The game adds two hidden cars for the player to unlock, and 2-player support.

Time Crisis

Time Crisis is a light gun shooter arcade game released by Namco in December 1995. It was later ported for the PlayStation in 1997, bundled with the Guncon light gun controller. Time Crisis is a three-dimensional first person rail shooter similar to Virtua Cop and The House of the Dead installments, in which the player holds a light gun and goes through the motions of firing at on-screen enemies. Time Crisis is best known for its cover system, in which players can duck behind cover to avoid enemy fire and reload his weapon. There are three stages, each consisting of three areas and a boss battle. Unique features are described here in: A foot pedal which performs multiple functions: when the pedal is released, the player takes cover to conserve hit points while reloading the gun. While the pedal is released, the player cannot attack. In console conversions, a button command replicates the foot pedal's functions. The player loses a life if he/she is hit by a direct bullet or obstacle whilst not taking cover, with the game ending if he/she loses all lives. A light gun (introduced in Point Blank) which utilized a special memory chip to synchronize areas of the screen's image as the player rotates the gun around. The light gun also features a blowback function which simulates real-life gun recoil. A countdown timer, recharged by clearing an area of enemies. As running down the clock causes an instant game over, the player must take risks, shooting enemies rapidly and hiding only when necessary. A time extension is rewarded when an area is passed and there are also time bonuses awarded for shooting certain enemies quickly. The PlayStation port features an exclusive side-story mode, in which the player's performance, such as how quickly he can clear an area, affects the path he takes through the game, resulting in multiple possibilities.

Air Combat

The first game of the Ace Combat series. Combat flight simulator in which you play a mercenary pilot who hires his combat skills to several corporations, governments, etc. in order to get cash for weapons & upgrades. The game progresses through a series of linear missions, and has a 2 player split-screen deathmatch mode plus a series of extras like hidden planes, mini-games, etc.

Tekken 2

Tekken 2 is the second game in the Tekken series, it made various improvements over its predecessor in terms of graphics and features. All the characters from Tekken returned and eight new characters were added to the character roster along with new moves and combos.

Tekken

The console version of Tekken adds more content to the original arcade game such as new characters and additional game modes.

Point Blank

Namco1994

Point Blank is a first-person arcade shooter developed by Namco. Players use two attached light guns to hit targets onscreen; missions require speed, quick judgment or pinpoint accuracy. The game consists of non-violent, all-ages, shooting contests like shooting targets, shooting cardboard targets, etc.

Tekken

Namco1994

Tekken is a fighting game and the first entry in what would become the Tekken series and franchise. It was one of the earliest 3D animated fighting games applying many of the concepts found in Virtua Fighter by Sega. Contrary to traditional fighting games that involve inputting commands as rapidly and accurately as possible, Tekken slows the action down by emphasizing rhythm, strategy and deception over speed.

Pac-Man 2: The New Adventures

Namco1994

Pac-Man 2: The New Adventures, known in Japan as Hello! Pac-Man, is a side-scrolling adventure game "sequel" to Pac-Man. Instead of being a maze game like the majority of its predecessors, Pac-Man 2 incorporates light point-and-click adventure game elements. It was produced and published by Namco for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) and Sega Mega Drive/Genesis systems, and was released on April 6, 1994 by Namco. The game borrows its structure and certain elements from Pac-Land, and also appears to contain certain elements from the animated series, such as Pac-Man's family and a main villain commanding the ghosts. The Genesis version was not released in Japan or Europe.

Pac-Attack

Namco1993

Based on Namco's Japanese-only arcade puzzler Cosmo Gang the Puzzle, Pac-Attack is similar to many block-dropping puzzle games from the time, such as Puyo Puyo. The objective of the game is to place ghosts and blocks that are arranged in a three part L-shaped piece, so that Pac-Man, after three or more pieces (who replaces one of the parts), can eat as many ghosts as possible to try and clear up the game area. Pac-Man's directions are chosen at random between left or right, but as he goes moving on in the game area (after you place him, of course), if he bumps against a block or the "walls" of the game area, he will change his direction. As Pac-Man eats ghosts and clear rows of blocks, the level increases, which affects the speed and gravity of the pieces one places, as well as the amount of pieces placed before Pac-Man will appear. If one is unable to fit the bottom two parts of a piece into a legal zone of the playing area, the game ends. However, by filling up a meter on the left of the screen via eating ghosts, a fairy will be summoned in place of Pac-Man. She can fit into any empty space, and can clear up to 7 rows of ghosts; all blocks that were on top of cleared ghosts will drop down accordingly. The game also includes a Puzzle mode. It features 100 levels, in which you have to eat all ghosts with no more than 4 Pac-Men at least (the number reduces in certain levels), and, unlike the other modes, you can change Pac-Man's direction with the press of a button.

Ridge Racer

Namco1993

Ridge Racer was initially released on the Namco System 22 arcade system board and was later ported to the PlayStation console. It is the first title in the long-running Ridge Racer series of games released for arcades and home consoles. The game's objective is to finish in first place in a series of races. Ridge Racer was among the first racing games to utilise polygon graphics to its full potential.

Rock n' Roll Racing

Silicon & Synapse1993

The game pits four racers against each other, with up to two of them being player-controlled and the rest being AI opponents. Each race consists of four laps around tracks viewed from an isometric perspective, which enables players to discern the presence of frequent sloping sections spread throughout the game's various tracks. In addition to navigating the turns, racers must also maneuver hills and dips without falling or jumping over the guard rail at the track's edge.

Splatterhouse 3

NOW Production1993

Splatterhouse 3 is a video game released by Namco for the Mega Drive/Genesis in 1993. It is the sequel to Splatterhouse 2 and was one of the first games to be given a rating by Sega's own Videogame Rating Council.

TumblePop

Data East1991

Tumblepop is a 1991 platform arcade video game developed by Data East first published in Japan by Namco, then in North America by Leprechaun Inc. and later in Europe by Mitchell Corporation. Starring two ghosthunters, players are tasked with travelling across different countries, capturing enemies and throwing them as bouncing ball, jumping on and off platforms to navigate level obstacles while dodging and defeating monsters in order to save the world.

Splatterhouse

Namco1988

Splatterhouse is a sidescrolling beat 'em up video game in which the player controls Rick, a parapsychology student who is trapped inside West Mansion. After his resurrection by the Terror Mask, Rick makes his way through the mansion, fighting off hordes of creatures in a vain attempt to save his girlfriend Jennifer from a grisly fate. Players of this game will also recognize a number of western horror film influences, such as Friday the 13th and Evil Dead 2. Similar to many sidescrolling beat 'em up games, Rick can only move in a two-dimensional environment. The playing field does not feature a three-dimensional area, a feature that was added later in the series with Splatterhouse 3. He has the ability to jump and can punch and kick. Rick also has a Special Attack, where he will perform a drop kick that sends him skidding along the ground, damaging any enemies he hits. Rick can also perform a low kick, low punch, and jumping attacks, as well as pick up and use various weapons placed in the levels. All of the levels consist of walking left to right, with occasional auto-scrolling segments. However, alternative pathways through sections of the house are possible by falling down through holes or jumping up onto ladders. In this way, branching gameplay is possible, if only prevalent in the middle levels. Levels culminate in boss fights that take place in a single room. Unlike traditional side-scrolling fighters, boss fights have varying objectives and styles. Unlike most arcade games in the genre, Splatterhouse sends players back to checkpoints after losing lives or reaching game over, discouraging "credit feeding" as a method of overcoming the various challenges.

Galaga '88

Namco1987

The gameplay in Galaga '88 is built on the same premise as that of the original Galaga game, but is in many ways more complex and more difficult. The game is divided into a series of 29 Stages distributed through eight Worlds. The starship Galaga accelerates between Stages and Worlds and even to higher dimensions (go to the section on Dimensional Travel below to find out more). With the exception of the third and eighth, each World culminates in a Challenging Stage. There are six such stages to engage in any full game, and each begins with the on-screen announcement "That's Galactic Dancin'!" and has its own YM2151-generated song to which the enemy formations dance. In any given Challenging Stage, both the design of the enemies and their dancing formations shall vary according to the player's current Dimension. As in Galaga, the objective is to destroy all forty enemies before they fly away off the screen. However, refraining completely from touching any controls for the duration of a Challenging Stage awards a "secret bonus" ranging in value from 10000 to 25000 points, and equal to the "special bonus" which would have been awarded for destroying all forty enemy aliens instead. Galaga '88 introduces a variety of new enemies and behaviors. Most of these special enemies are worth varying amounts of bonus points when destroyed. Some enemies can combine into larger enemies which take multiple hits to destroy, while others arrive in eggs, explode in a shower of fireworks, grow with multiple hits, or sport armor which makes them invincible while in formation. Certain enemies drop small formations of tiny creatures that wiggle their way down the screen, and still others can act as escorts to incoming groups of enemies and then quickly dive at the player before leaving the game. Most stages also include various obstacles which appear once the enemy formation has been assembled. These can be destroyed with either one or several shots, and the first one on each stage will leave a "Warp Capsule". At the start of the game, the player can select how many Galaga starships to start with (one or two), affecting their number of remaining lives. The game ends after the final boss is defeated (or when the player's last ship is destroyed or captured) - in the latter case, the player can continue the game for an additional credit. The Game Over screen shows the player's hit-miss ratio and a visual representation of their progress. If the player reaches Stage 27, the game also shows a picture of the final boss (damaged if defeated, but silhouetted if not). If the arcade operator has set the "continue" option to "on", the player also cannot continue if he is defeated on Stages 27-29.

Pac-Mania

Namco1987

Pac-Mania is a variation on the game Pac-Man. You need to guide Pac-Man around a maze and eat all of the dots on the board in order to proceed on to the next round. Numerous, multi-colored ghosts also roam the maze trying to stop you. If you eat one of the power pellets in the maze, the ghosts will temporarily turn blue and run from you. Pac-man can earn bonus points by eating the ghosts when they are in this state. The maze is now in 3-D and is larger than screen which will scroll to follow the action. To help get out of tight spots, Pac-Man now has the ability to jump. But be careful, because some of the ghosts have learned this trick as well and you could end up in a mid air collision!

Dragon Spirit

Namco1987

Dragon Spirit is a vertical scrolling shooter arcade game that was released by Namco in 1987 and licensed to Atari Games for its American manufacture and distribution. In the kingdom of Mitgult, a serpent demon named Zawell escapes imprisonment after a thousand years, and kidnaps Princess Alicia. A soldier named Amul is chosen to rescue her and destroy Zawell. He points his sword skyward and transforms into a powerful blue dragon. He can breathe fire and drop bombs, as well as collect up to thirteen additional powers during his journey. Amul must fight nine of Zawell's mightiest beasts, one at the end of each stage, before facing Zawell himself.

Rolling Thunder

Namco1986

Rolling Thunder is a run and gun/action arcade game that was released by Namco in 1986 and licensed to Atari Games for US manufacture and distribution. It runs upon Namco System 86 hardware, and was later converted for the Sinclair ZX Spectrum, the Commodore 64, the Amstrad CPC, the Atari ST, the Commodore 64, and the Nintendo Family Computer. It was also featured in Namco Museum Encore. The player takes control of "Albatross", a member of the WCPO's (World Crime Police Organization) "Rolling Thunder" espionage unit. Albatross's mission is to save a missing female agent named Leila Blitz from a secret society named Geldra located in New York City. Albatross must travel through two different segments or "stories", both comprised of five stages, for a total of ten game stages. On each stage, Albatross can enter doors, to hide and take cover from enemies, as well jump over to higher or lower floors with rails, including stairs. Albatross begins this game armed with a standard-issue pistol, which can be substituted with a fully automatic assault rifle that allows for continuous firing by holding down the firing button. Albatross can gain ammunition for either weapon, by entering doors which are marked "bullets" or "arms". Despite the presence of a life meter, Albatross can only take two physical hits from the enemy: a single hit drains half of the meter, and he will be killed instantly when struck by a projectile attack such as enemy bullets or lasers. (However, all bullets can be blocked by your own).

Gauntlet

Atari Games1985

The players, up to four at once in the arcade version, select among four playable fantasy-based characters; Thor the Warrior, Merlin the Wizard, Thyra the Valkyrie, or Questor the Elf. Each character has his or her own unique strength and weaknesses. For example, the Warrior is strongest in hand-to-hand combat, the Wizard has the most powerful magic, the Valkyrie has the best armour and the Elf is the fastest in movement. Upon selecting a playable character, the gameplay is set within a series of top-down, third-person perspective mazes where the object is to find and touch the designated exit in every level. An assortment of special items can be located in each level that increase player's character's health, unlock doors, gain more points and magical potions that can destroy all of the enemies on screen. The enemies are an assortment of fantasy-based monsters, including ghosts, grunts, demons, lobbers, sorcerers and thieves. Each enters the level through specific generators, which can be destroyed. While there are no bosses in the game, the most dangerous enemy is "Death", who can not only drain a character's health, but is difficult to destroy. As the game progresses, higher levels of skill are needed to reach the exit, with success often depending on the willingness of the players to cooperate by sharing food and luring monsters into places where they can be engaged and slaughtered more conveniently. While contact with enemies reduces the player's health, it also slowly drains on its own, thus creating a time limit. When a character's health reaches zero, that character dies. The character can be revived in place with full health by spending a game credit (i.e. inserting a coin) within a certain short time window after it died. This allows even the least proficient players to keep playing indefinitely, if they are willing to keep inserting coins.

Battle City

Namco1985

Battle City, also known as Tank 1990 or Tank in some pirate multicart releases, is a multi-directional shooter video game for the Family Computer produced and published in 1985 by Namco. The game was later released for the Game Boy and was included in the Japanese version of Star Fox: Assault. It is a port of the arcade game Tank Battalion with additional features (including two player simultaneous play and a level edit feature). There was also a rendition for Nintendo's Vs. System arcade cabinets. The player, controlling a tank, must destroy enemy tanks in each level, which enter the playfield from the top of the screen. The enemy tanks attempt to destroy the player's base (represented on the map as a bird, eagle or Phoenix), as well as the human tank itself. A level is completed when the player destroys all 20 enemy tanks, but the game ends if the player's base is destroyed or the player loses all available lives.

Dig Dug II: Trouble in Paradise

Namco1985

DIG DUG has decided to chill out from the pressures of the real world by taking a long overdue vacation on a beautiful Caribbean island. "At last," he thinks to himself, "sun, sand, surf, and no more hassles from those miserable pests Pooka and Fygar!" Lying in a hammock between the graceful palm trees, he drifts off into a blissful dream of beautiful bikini clad native girls catering to his every wish. But just when he thinks he's got it made in the shade, along come his troublesome enemies to turn his peaceful paradise into a tropical nightmare. Help DIG DUG rid the island of these irritating intruders and bring tranquility back to his vacation by the sea!

Galaga: Demons of Death

Namco1985

Classic arcade shoot ‘em up Galaga was faithfully recreated for the home in this acclaimed NES version.

Pac-Man

Namco Hometek1984

The NES port of the arcade classic.

Pac-Land

Namco1984

Pac-Land itself is split into trips. In each of these trips the objective is to get the fairy (that is kept under Pac-man's hat) to Fairyland and also to return home to Pac-Man's house. The majority of the trip involves moving from left to right avoiding various obstacles such as the enemy ghosts, water spurts and quicksand traps. Each trip is divided into a number of rounds, the end of which provides Pac-Man with bonus points depending on how much time he has left and also his position in jumping at the end of each round. If the player runs out of time before finishing the round, Sue, the purple ghost, will speed up rapidly. The penultimate round of a trip ends with Pac-Man entering Fairyland and returning the fairy under his hat to the Fairy Queen. In return the Fairy Queen gives Pac-Man magic boots. For the final round of the trip, Pac-Man has to travel from right to left back home. For assistance he uses the magic boots, which allow him to jump repeatedly while in mid-air. Once Pac-Man completes the trip, he is greeted by Ms. Pac-Man and Baby Pac-Man. In the US release of the game, Pac-Man's cat and dog in the cartoon series, Sour Puss and Chomp-Chomp, are also there to welcome Pac-Man home. Pac-Man then begins his next trip following the same objectives as before, although the difficulty increases. As in the original Pac-Man, there are fruit which appear to eat for bonus points and power pellets to turn the ghosts blue and vulnerable. A hidden item (sometimes accidentally dropped by the ghosts) is a Flagship from Galaxian, which rewards 7650 points when collected (a reference to Namco's goroawase number of 765). The Galaxian Flagship is a long running cameo that appears in the Namco-made Pac-Man games. There are also hidden bonuses in the game, eating ghosts in a certain order will give extra time and pushing an obstacle in the opposite direction can give extra lives, invincibility, and balloons to collect for points and warps.

Jr. Pac-Man

Atari1983

The gameplay of Jr. Pac-Man is similar to that of its predecessors: The player controls the titular Jr. Pac-Man and scores points by eating all of the dots in the maze. Four ghosts roam the maze and attempt to capture him. The player can eat an energizer to turn the ghosts blue, making them vulnerable for a short time and allowing the player to eat them, sending their eyes back to their home base. When all the dots are cleared, a new maze is presented and gameplay resumes.

Mappy

Namco Limited1983

The player guides Mappy the police mouse through the mansion of the cats called Mewkies (Meowky in the U.S. version) to retrieve stolen goods. The player uses a left-right joystick to move Mappy and a single button to operate doors. The mansion has six floors of hallways in which the stolen items are stashed.

Xevious

It's a nightmare, but it's true! Research shows that we are the actual aliens on Earth, and the ruthless Xevions are the original inhabitants. Now the Xevions want Earth back -- minus humans! Their invasion forces are fierce -- the land is crawling with deadly Domogram Rovers; the sky is black with Toroid Patrol Fleets and Zoshi Death Squads. Our puny weapons offer no defense. Earth's only hope is our powerful new Solvalou Fighter Plane. Its pilot will have a single mission: Penetrate the enemy ranks and destroy the Xevious Mother Ship. The mission is dangerous. We can't guarantee success. But at this point, it's do or die! One small problem. We still need a pilot. Any volunteers?

Pole Position

The very first racing game with the rear perspective camera and track based on real life.

Pac-Man

Atari 2600 Port of Pac-Man The player controls Pac-Man through a maze, eating pac-dots (also called pellets). When all pac-dots are eaten, Pac-Man is taken to the next stage. Between some stages one of three intermission animations plays. Four enemies (Blinky, Pinky, Inky and Clyde) roam the maze, trying to catch Pac-Man. If an enemy touches Pac-Man, a life is lost and the Pac-Man itself withers and dies. When all lives have been lost, the game ends. Pac-Man is awarded a single bonus life at 10,000 points by default. Near the corners of the maze are four larger, flashing dots known as power pellets that provide Pac-Man with the temporary ability to eat the enemies. The enemies turn deep blue, reverse direction and usually move more slowly. When an enemy is eaten, its eyes remain and return to the center box where it is regenerated in its normal color. Blue enemies flash white to signal that they are about to become dangerous again and the length of time for which the enemies remain vulnerable varies from one stage to the next, generally becoming shorter as the game progresses. In later stages, the enemies go straight to flashing, bypassing blue, which means that they can only be eaten for a short amount of time, although they still reverse direction when a power pellet is eaten; in even later stages, the ghosts do not become edible (i.e., they do not change color and still make Pacman lose a life on contact), but they still reverse direction.

Dig Dug