video game reviews

May 10, 2010 at 12:00a.m.

video game reviews

‘FINAL FIGHT: DOUBLE IMPACT’

Grade: B

Age Rating: T

Two arcade icons are bundled together in “Final Fight: Double Impact,” complete with remixed soundtracks, multiple visual styles and other goodies.

“Final Fight” is one of the more durable brawlers of the early 1990s, with one or two players able to choose from its trio of vigilantes and take on the Mad Gears gang of Metro City. Each of the playable fighters has a unique set of punches, kicks and special moves.

The game is simple to play and pretty difficult to get through without dying a lot — it was designed to relieve arcade-goers of their quarters, after all. But continues aren’t limited here — players who keep plugging away will reach the end eventually.

Platforms: Microsoft Xbox 360 (Xbox Live download), also for Sony PlayStation 3 (PlayStation Network download); $10 (800 Microsoft Points)

‘FOTO SHOWDOWN’

Grade: C

Age Rating: E

The first DSi-exclusive title (aside from the download-only DSiWare), “Foto Showdown” (Nintendo, $29.99) is a somewhat gimmicky monster-battling game.

Players enter a tournament on a mysterious island, pitting teams of up to six monsters against computer-controlled critters or other players’ beasties.

In a battle, there are several spaces for monsters to occupy, and as the field is cleared of defeated critters the survivors can move among the empty spots.

—Justin Hoeger, Sacramento Bee