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PRODUCT REVIEW
Midway Arcade Classics
By James Booth

Midway Arcade Classics from Handmark (see http://www.handmark.com) is a trip back in time to the video arcades of the 1980s. Available as a download from Handmark or on SD card, Midway Arcade Classics contains Defender II, Joust, Root Beer Tapper, Sinistar, and Spy Hunter.

Defender II
In Defender II, shown in Figure A, you must, of course, defend the planet from alien invaders.

FIGURE A

Defend the planet from hordes of attacking aliens. Click picture for a larger image.

Your ship is equipped with auto-fire lasers, smart bombs, hyper-space jump, and invisio cloaking technology, just like in the original arcade game.

[Just for the record, your esteemed Editor-in-Chief lost vast, VAST quantities of quarters, standing in front of an original Defender game console, in a Store 24 on Boyton Street in Worcester, Massachusetts. In fact, back in 1980, you could most likely find him at 3am either in front of the Defender game or at the local Denny's. Sadly, 24 years later, not much has changed. -- DG]

Joust
In Joust, shown in Figure B, you play a knight riding a flying ostrich, jousting the enemy for glory.

FIGURE B

Knock your opponents off their mounts to advance. Click picture for a larger image.

Your goal is to flap your bird higher than an enemy and hit him from above to knock him out, then scoop up the egg he drops. After defeating all the enemies on the screen, you progress to the next wave.

Root Beer Tapper
Root Beer Tapper, shown in Figure C, has you as the bartender, in a variety of establishments, doling out root beer to the thirsty patrons in order to clear out the bar and move on to the next level.

FIGURE C

Serve up those thirsty patrons. Click picture for a larger image.

The action can get kind of hectic as you toss drinks and catch glasses and tips, all while trying to keep the parched customers from tossing you out for not serving them fast enough.

Sinistar
I must confess, I've never really cared for Sinistar, shown in Figure D, even in the arcade.

FIGURE D

Without Sinibombs, Sinistar will gobble you up. Click picture for a larger image.

You have to maneuver your ship around the sector, shooting asteroids to release crystals. Then you catch the crystals to make Sinibombs before the enemy workers collect enough to make Sinistar. Once he's released, Sinistar will seek you out and gobble you up. Your only hope is having enough Sinibombs to destroy him, so you'll want to collect those crystals.

Spy Hunter
Spy Hunter, shown in Figure E, was my all-time favorite video game of the 80s and Handmark has done a great job of capturing the look and feel of the original arcade game.

FIGURE E

Mow down the enemy with the machine guns in your super spy car. Click picture for a larger image.

It has everything: the machine guns, oil slicks, smoke screens, and missiles. The equipment upgrade truck is there, as are the enemy cars with spiked wheels, the bulletproof cars, boats, helicopters, civilian traffic, and multiple environments. In fact, the only thing missing is the theme from Peter Gunn. The premise is simple, shoot, or otherwise run off the road, all the enemy vehicles you encounter while avoiding civilian traffic and getting your equipment upgrades.





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