Game: "Metal Slug Anthology"

Consoles: Nintendo Wii, PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable

Developer/publisher: SNK Playmore

Genre: Compilation/2D side-scroller action game

Number of player: One to two

Rated: T (teen), for strong cartoon violence

The premise: Each of the seven games in this anthology has its own plot, but this review considers the collection, played on a PlayStation 2, as a whole.

This set is a throwback to the days of 2-D gaming. With its arcade simplicity, this game ensures its replay value, making this anthology a "quarter muncher" brought home.

Game play: All the games play pretty much the same, with alterations to the controller functions.

From the moment you parachute into the foray, you are assaulted from all sides and from every angle. The game does, however, ease you into it a bit. Because of an unlimited continue option, the game's "one hit to kill the character" is no big deal. With a selection of weapons including shotguns, rocket launchers and lasers, you will be a killing machine in no time.

The good/bad: Thank goodness there is another great collection of video games in one place. This game includes all seven arcade released games on one disk with additional content.

With all the action going on, I was glad to see that slowdown — always a consideration when many things are happening at once in a video game — was not a problem.

Wow! Playing these games really takes me back — it reminds me how bad graphics were way back when. I played "Metal Slug 1" on a big TV, and it looked really dated. There was no option to smooth out the graphics on a big TV nor the ability to involve better technology to help (such as high definition).

Tips: Be sure to save as many hostages as possible to get better weapons and items to increase your score. Shoot at random parts of the screen to unlock hidden hostages for bonuses and help during boss fights. Become overweight by eating too much food in "Metal Slug 2" and see how your weapons change.

When playing a fast-paced game series such as this, be sure to take a break once in a while — that's to save you from getting motion sickness and nauseated.

Once the game is beaten, you are rewarded with the ability to play the game's music.

My take: A quarter muncher like this is a good addition to any library for fans of high-paced action games. These games are just as fun by themselves or with a friend.

Pick this one up to relive the 2-D arcade goodness.

Jeffrey Davis, of Honolulu, is a video-game enthusiast.