GAME> Prince of Persia (1999)
SYSTEM> Game Boy Color
SOURCE> GamePro presents Handheld Video Games, Winter 1999

Man, every time I see one of these old code systems I always reflect on how much I do not miss them.

GAME> Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros 3 (2003)
SYSTEM> GBA
SOURCE> EGM #173, December 2003

Setting aside all the ethical and financial complications of Nintendo’s eReader, I find the naming conventions of the GBA line of Mario Advance games completely hilarious.

GAME> The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening DX (1998)
SYSTEM> Game Boy Color
SOURCE> GamePro Presents Handheld Video Games, Winter 1999

Finally, it can be told: a pro-level guide to defeating whats-his-nuts, the final boss in Link’s Awakening. Three more forms await after the jump.

This tri-fold brochure was crammed inside Game Boy game boxes of the day. This was back when Capcom had the Disney license. Yes, there was a time when Street Fighter II got just as much promo ink as Gargoyle’s Quest, The Little Mermaid and Snow Brothers Jr. The Darkwing Duck NES game was so new, it didn’t even have box art!

This was also a time of horrible design (triangles! filled with jimmies!) and egregiously unrelated pre-teen clip art. Give a look at the full scans below and reflect on how Capcom turned itself into a name brand gaming powerhouse today.

You also received a lifetime Craze Club membership card for your $3.95. I wonder if current management still recognizes those.

GAME> Namco Museum (2001)
SYSTEM> GBA
SOURCE> EGM #148, November 2001

From the people that brought you Dig-Dug Without Dirt, Pac-Man With Only Power Pellets, and Pole Position On A Straight Road With No Other Cars.

A flea market near my house rematerialized this weekend, and let me say that, as often seems to happen, I did very well. I spent a bit more money than I usually do, but I just couldn’t help it with all these great deals.

The best deal here is most definitely the Atari VCS console, complete with an official Atari Game Center stand/base/storage thing. Game Centers aren’t that rare, but finding ones without any damage to the plastic dust cover is. This came with the Game Center base and dust cover, the VCS console itself, a “driving” paddle controller, a controller extension cable (something I’d never seen or even heard of before on this system), and the AC adapter.

I saw the set on the table at the flea market and tried to play it cool. “How much?” “Make me an offer.” I rolled it around in my head and decided the console could be broken, there could be parts missing, any one of a million things could be wrong with it. I was about to offer $10 and the guy asked for $5. “Sure.”

I took it home and checked everything over. Most of the screws had been pulled from the bottom of the console and were sitting in a corner of the case. Something was banging around loose inside the system. I spread everything out and removed the rest of the screws to check out the inside. It turns out there was half of a pen in there for some reason, but everything else looked good. I took out the pen, reassembled the console (properly this time) and then tried and failed to hook this 1982 wood-panel printed beast to my plasma television.

I tried to figure out exactly what the integrated AV cable wanted from me and decided on an RF switch. I remember playing this as a small child, and it used a metal RF switch with a slider on it. I don’t have any RF switches with an open port on the side, so I consulted with a friend who said he used a coaxial converter he got at Radio Shack. Fortunately, there’s one of those near my home, so I went and got the adapter, brought it home, hooked everything up, and turned it on. I still couldn’t get a picture out of the thing, but it was clear something was coming over the line, so I hunted around for the channel switch underneath, and realized I could only reach it with… the pen. Handy!

Turns out it works perfectly. I already had a few Atari items here from other lots I purchased, including some games and controllers, so I was able to test it out pretty thoroughly. I was originally excited about this because of potential resale, but now I’m not so sure. The thing is really cool, especially in the Game Center. On the other hand, what good games are there for the VCS? Exactly.

For two to five dollars each, I also managed to grab a sealed copy of Demon Stone, complete copies of Contra Shattered Soldier, Dog’s Life, Front Mission 4, and Final Fantasy X-2, and Devil Kings, all for PS2. I also grabbed yet another cheap copy of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures for Gamecube, because they’re always in demand on Goozex, and it’s already been claimed. I even snatched up a loose Iridion 3D cartridge for GBA for a buck. I’m excited about that one as a fan of Shin’en and their other work in the Nanostray series.

This was on top of a tall stack of great CDs and DVDs. All in all, it was a great time.

GAME> Donald Duck: Goin’ Quackers (2000)
SYSTEM> Game Boy Color
SOURCE> EGM, February 2001

Goin’ Quackers borrows heavily from the Carl Barks Disney comics of the ’40s, ’50s and ’60s (just as did the animated DuckTales). The game came out in 2000 for just about every system – just a few months after Barks passed away at the age of 99 – and is dedicated to his memory.

The new Nintendo DS compilation of the four stellar Mega Man Zero games from a generation back is now in stores at a price point of $30, says Capcom. Here’s the official line, and you can find the full text of the press release below.

First introduced in Mega Man^® X, Mega Man Zero features Zero, a Maverick hunter responsible for disposing of robots that have turned against humanity. First released in 2002, the Mega Man Zero series follows our hero, Zero, through a gripping 2D action-adventure as he battles his way through countless enemies to save the populace of innocent reploids (robots). Complete with new modes and a slew of unlockable items, the Mega Man Zero series is now finally on the Nintendo DS^TM.

Source: Capcom

CAPCOM^®’S MEGA MAN^® ZERO COLLECTION NOW AVAILABLE FOR THE NINTENDO DS^TM

A Bundle of the Legendary Mega Man Zero Titles Is a Definite Must-Have for your Nintendo DS^TM Collection

SAN MATEO, Calif. — June 08, 2010 – Capcom^®, a leading worldwide developer and publisher of video games announced today that the Mega Man^® ZERO Collection has shipped to North American retailers only on Nintendo DS^TM. Mega Man ZERO Collection is comprised of all four Mega Man^® ZERO titles previously released on GameBoy^® Advance system. Mega Man ZERO Collection is rated E for Everyone and will be available for a suggested retail price of $29.99.

About Mega Man^® Zero Collection

First introduced in Mega Man^® X, Mega Man Zero features Zero, a Maverick hunter responsible for disposing of robots that have turned against humanity. First released in 2002, the Mega Man Zero series follows our hero, Zero, through a gripping 2D action-adventure as he battles his way through countless enemies to save the populace of innocent reploids (robots). Complete with new modes and a slew of unlockable items, the Mega Man Zero series is now finally on the Nintendo DS^TM.
In Mega Man ^® Zero, our hero, Zero, is finally awoken after being asleep for 100 years. He finds himself in a world of turmoil where innocent reploids are being persecuted by the government of Neo Arcadia. Reploids who have managed to escape persecution flee to an old city which now lies in ruins. Led by a genius scientist named Ciel, Zero joins the resistance group to help combat the government of Neo Arcadia, ultimately saving the innocent reploids.
A year after saving the reploids and stopping the government of Neo Arcadia, in Mega Man^® Zero 2, our hero, Zero, is once again being hunted by Neo Arcadia. They set out a trap for Zero and plan on tricking him to cause havoc between the reploids and humans. Caught in the midst of all this, Zero must stop Neo Arcadia again. But can he succeed?
The dust has settled and the remaining reploids are beginning to make progress in forming Neo Arcadia into a utopian society for both humans and reploids alike. In Mega Man ^® Zero 3, Zero encounters a malevolent new reploid called Omega, who has unleashed the evil power of the Dark Elf to brainwash the resistance in order to take control of Neo Arcadia. Alongside his allies in the resistance group, Zero narrowly escapes Omega’s clutches and together they fight to reclaim stability in Neo Arcadia.
Mega Man^® Zero 4 picks up right after the events of Mega Man Zero 3. After falling under the evil rule of Dr. Weil, Neo Arcadia has collapsed into a state of chaos and confusion. Zero discovers this disastrous turn of events when he and his friends come to the rescue of a band of humans fleeing Neo Arcadia. Now it’s up to our hero Zero to resolve this terrible conflict between humans and reploids to restore peace and security to the land. With new systems to seize enemy weapons and create strengthening chips, plus new Cyber elf programs to introduce new abilities, this is some of the most exhilarating Mega Man action you can get in a handheld experience!

GAME> Pokemon Gold / Pokemon Silver (2000)
SYSTEM> Game Boy
SOURCE> 100% Unofficial Pokemon Trainer’s Guide, 2000

This chart sort of takes the mystery out of Mystery Gift, doesn’t it?

If you’re browsing for it on the shelves this June 8th, this is what it will look like. What do you think? It’s a far cry from the classic Mega Man box art, which was awesome on a whole other level.

Source: Capcom