Reason #400 I could be considered an 'eccentric' (aka bat-sh*t crazy) gamer

If I could find an FM Towns Marty system at a reasonable price--most of the ones I've seen on eBay go for around $899--I'd buy one quicker than you can say "are you nuts?"

Even nuttier: I'm only interested in buying three games alongside said system at this point--Bubble Bobble, The New Zealand Story and Rainbow Islands.

That's not where the nuttiness ends, though. The trio of games I just mentioned are, with a few exceptions, simple ports of the arcade originals. Also, I can already play all three of them on my PS2 thanks to the copy of Taito Legends that I picked up a few years ago.

Still, I can't help but want both an FM Towns Marty and the above-mentioned titles. Here's hoping I never find one cheap enough to make this nutty dream come true.

See also: Other reasons I could be considered an 'eccentric' (aka bat-sh*t crazy) gamer

The Great Gaymathon Review #14: Taito Legends (PlayStation 2)

Game: Taito Legends

Genre: Arcade

Developer: Taito

Publisher: Sega

System: PlayStation 2

Release date: 2005

Taito Legends may contain 29 of Taito Corporation's arcade classics, but let's be clear about one thing right off the bat: Only a handful of them will matter (or be recognizable) to most folks. Those few titles are more than worth the package's price of admission, though, so don't take that to be too much of a negative. For me, the main attractions here are Bubble Bobble and Rainbow Islands, with Elevator Action, New Zealand Story and Space Invaders following closely behind. (Honestly, if this compilation included Don Doko Don and Liquid Kids/Mizubaku Diabouken, I'd have little need for Taito Legends 2.) Each of those games, along with their 24 counterparts, seem to be emulated perfectly--hey, it's been a long time since I've played any of them in an actual arcade--although I guess that's to be expected. What isn't so expected: The inability to configure the controls for each of the included titles. It isn't exactly a monumental worry, but it may be a big enough one to put off some players.

See also: Previous 'Great Gaymathon' posts