Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

Capcom Classics Collection: Reloaded brings together 19 distinct arcade and console titles spanning shooter, beat ’em up, platformer, and fighting genres. The meat of the gameplay lies in revisiting these foundational classics: from the vertical scrolling chaos of 1942 and 1943: The Battle of Midway to the side-scrolling swordplay of Knights of the Round. Each title retains its original control scheme, and the responsiveness on PSP is impressively faithful to the arcade originals, giving both newcomers and veterans an authentic experience.

Game sharing is a welcome addition, allowing up to three friends to join your firefights or brawls even if they don’t own the full UMD. Multiplayer shines in co-op titles like Eco Fighters and Mercs, where coordinating with teammates feels as thrilling now as it did in the arcades. Although some stylistic limitations arise—particularly in older titles with simpler graphics—the drop-in/drop-out multiplayer works smoothly over ad hoc connections, making impromptu gaming sessions a breeze.

Reloaded also introduces a robust save system: you can pause and save any game in progress, a luxury arcades never afforded. This feature is especially handy for more punishing titles like Ghosts ’n Goblins and Super Ghouls ’n Ghosts, where memorizing patterns is half the battle. Coupled with on-the-fly cheats accessible via a retro slot-machine minigame, you can tailor difficulty or unlock concept art and music, ensuring the gameplay loop stays fresh for hours on end.

Graphics

Visually, Reloaded is a mix of pixel-perfect emulations and upscaled SNES renditions. The SNES version of Super Ghouls ’n Ghosts looks surprisingly crisp on PSP’s 480×272 screen, with smooth sprite work and minimal aliasing. The arcade titles—Vulgus, SonSon, Exed Exes—retain their chunky, colorful sprites, and Capcom’s emulation team clearly took care to preserve color palettes and scanline effects, even if true scanlines aren’t present.

While some of the earliest titles like 1942 and Pirate Ship Higemaru can appear rudimentary by today’s standards, the compilation’s UI frames and menu backgrounds evoke a museum-style presentation that unifies the disparate visual styles. A side panel lets you view concept art unlocks, and the gallery mode stands out with high-resolution scans of promotional posters and cabinet artwork from the ’80s and ’90s.

On the technical side, performance is rock-solid across all 19 titles. Frame rates hover at or near 60fps for fast-paced shooters, and button response is immediate—critical for precise fighting in Street Fighter II: The World Warrior and its Champion Edition and Turbo variants. Capcom’s in-game filters offer optional smoothing or pixel-perfect modes, letting players choose between nostalgic grain or blocky pixel authenticity.

Story

Because Reloaded is a compilation, there’s no overarching narrative to tie all 19 titles together. Instead, each game brings its own classic premise: in Ghosts ’n Goblins you’re Sir Arthur rescuing Princess Prin-Prin from demons; in The King of Dragons, a band of heroes embarks on a quest to slay a great dragon. Each story is simple and swift, serving primarily as a backdrop to the action.

For fans of fighting games, Street Fighter II’s world tournament structure offers the most fleshed-out narrative beats. You travel the globe challenging rivals until you face Ryu or M. Bison. That sense of progression and personal rivalry imbues the fighting roster with personality, and you’ll find yourself invested in rematches as you develop mastery over each character’s moveset.

The collection also includes quirky concepts like Eco Fighters, where environmentally themed shoot-’em-up action puts you in control of a forest guardian mech. While these narratives are deliberately light on exposition, they capture the arcade spirit of the era: straightforward motivations, colorful villains, and the promise of a high-score leaderboard to immortalize your skills.

Overall Experience

Capcom Classics Collection: Reloaded offers tremendous value for PSP owners and Capcom enthusiasts alike. Nineteen titles, spanning more than a decade of arcade and console hits, deliver a wide variety of gameplay experiences. The ability to save anywhere, share games with friends, and unlock nearly 900 pieces of art and music ensures the collection remains engaging long after the first credits roll.

Replayability is high thanks to the slot-machine unlock system: every coin you collect in gameplay can net you new concept sketches, character bios, soundtracks, or cheats. This meta-game creates a fun, addictive chase for collectibles, encouraging you to revisit even the most punishing stages to farm coins and fill out your gallery.

While the absence of new content or modern enhancements (like rewinding or netplay) may disappoint some, Reloaded stays true to Capcom’s golden era with minimal fuss. Its clean UI, faithful emulation, and multiplayer options make it an essential purchase for portable retro action. Whether you’re introducing friends to arcade classics or reliving your own high-score conquests, this collection stands as one of the PSP’s finest retro compilations.

Retro Replay Score

7.7/10