Welcome to World Zero - Reviews for the hardcore gamer

It's easy to be disappointed with Cannon Spike at first. Capcom has spoiled us by filling their games to the brim with extras, so there is an expectation for countless hours of unlocking secrets ahead. Contrary to their reputation, Capcom hands you a what-you-see is what-you-get package. There are no extras (except for the gallery, more on that later), you get the bare necessities for an options menu and a mere 45 minutes of game play. In contrast to my expectations, Cannon Spike excels on a level few games today can reach. Reminiscent of how Contra was always one hell of an adventure no matter how many times you made Red Falcon's heart explode, Cannon Spike just as effectively represents nothing but tried and true old school gaming. It is the perfect solution to those caught mumbling the phrase, "why don't they make games like they used to?" once too often.

Cannon Spike ensnared me with its unbelievable cast of classic characters: Arthur of Ghosts 'n Goblins fame (clad in his gold Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts armor, no less), Mega Man, B.B. Hood from Darkstalkers, Street Fighter's own Charlie and Cammy, plus two very impressive newcomers, Shiba and Simone, who epitomize Capcom design. The players vary immensely not only in personality but in playability as well. No two characters have the same attack, and there are four attacks and one special move per character. The buttons are setup not unlike a two level deep Street Fighter layout. Instead of three intensity levels of punch and kick, you get two intensity levels of ranged and melee attacks that can be linked into mini-combos. Undoubtedly, having the ability to get in close and smack around the enemy with your fists in a shooter is quite pleasing.

Missions basically consist of kicking the asses of twenty or thirty bad guys followed by a mini-boss and then a stage boss. The game levels are a bit smaller than you expect, which results in more frantic battles, so it's not necessarily a bad thing. Item pick-ups, not unlike the options menu, are the bare minimum as well. By defeating enemies you can score health increases, max-life increases, or an extra special attack (you begin with three). It makes me wish at least one traditional shooter power-up was included, like a double shot, but Cannon Spike gets by.

Even without the typical extras, Cannon Spike is far from redundant. There is plenty here to keep the experience fresh. The first seven levels are in random order, which surprisingly enough, really enhances the game's replay value. As noted earlier, you can choose between seven completely different playable characters with the option of bringing a friend along (resulting in an intense cooperative blast-fest). The one and only unlockable extra in Cannon Spike is the art gallery, beat the game once and all that fantastic 2D art is yours.

Despite being a pretty limited shooter overall, Cannon Spike is a definite must-see for any old school shooter fan or anyone who has fallen in love with Capcom's classic characters. Whether you decide it's worthy of rental or purchase status is an entirely different story altogether. Just ask yourself, "Am I hardcore enough for Cannon Spike?"

Rating	The rating scale in detail
8.2	+ Amazing 2D artwork supplements typically impressive 3D Dreamcast visuals.
7.0	+ Great sound effects. - Semi-forgetable music.
9.0	+ Shines in nearly every aspect. + Classic old school style gaming.
9.0	+ Classic character designs. + One of the best in-game galleries in a long while.
6.0	+ Great cooperative 2-player battles. + Random first set of stages. - Not much to keep you coming back once you've seen it all.
8.0	+ Classic action/shooter goodness, replayability is its only downfall.