Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Games that need to be remade Vol. 3 CAPCOM EDITION: Buster Bros. series


Buster Bros.


Continuing our series of “Games that Should be Remade” and its current concentration of Capcom games, this time we look at not just one game, but a franchise that sorely needs revisiting. Surprise! It’s another game I’m obsessed with that most Capcom fans don’t care about: Buster Bros.


Known as Pang! in Japan and Europe, Buster Bros. is another forgotten Capcom favorite, with Buster Bros. Collection for PSX being one of my favorite games I own. For those who’ve never played it, it’s basically the “story” of two guys with harpoon guns busting up giant balloons that are terrorizing landmarks around the world by bouncing around. Each time you pop a balloon, it splits in two, going from big easily avoided balloons, to smaller balloons that are trickier to hit and dodge. The gameplay is simple and addicting, the music is incredibly catchy and there are lots of helpful power-ups: twin harpoons, grappling hooks, a gun, force fields and a few others. Spawning three sequels (the last of which appeared in 2000, and apparently in Japan only), the Buster Bros. games were pretty popular in arcades around the world back in the day and it’s really high time Capcom brought the series back! Whether it’s a sequel or a remake in HD, I really want to see this simple, yet addictive, series return.


Things that would be cool for a remake are maybe more selectable characters (a la Buster Buddies, the third game in the series), a stage select, the option to have more and/or unlimited continues, Panic Mode (as seen in every game after the first, where you’re popping an endless series of balloons) and again, online co-op would be sweet. And why stop at two players? An “insane mode” could be implemented where up to four could play against tons of bubbles. Unlike most of the games I’ll cover, Buster Bros. doesn’t need too much visual enhancement, but remixing the catchy soundtrack (one that includes tunes that have been burnt into my subconscious since the first time I saw the game as a child) would be a nice touch.





Buster Bros. was also re-released for Capcom Classics Collection Remixed for PSP. Thanks for throwing us a bone, Capcom, but this is a series that would do great to remake as a downloadable game.


It’s taking longer than I’d like to get these remake ideas up (due to school & work) but look for another one in the not too distant future. If you’re interested, why not jump to the comments and list some Capcom games you’d like to see remade.

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