With 15 games, you're bound to find something to like in this collection of arcade efforts from Konami's early/late '80s output. Sadly, most of these choices are questionable at best, but this compilation is salvaged by a wealth of features that set a new standard for retro re-releases. Of course, it does have Contra. That could be worth the admission price alone.

The game roster is as follows:

• Scramble
• Horror Maze
• Pooyan
• Time pilot
• Roc'N Rope
• Track & Field
• Circus Charlie
• Basketball
• Road Fighter
• Yie Ar Kung-Fu
• Rainbowbell
• Shao-Lin's Road
• Gradius
• Rush'N Attack
• Contra

Many of those will likely be unfamiliar, while others ring a bell either because you have fond memories of them, or because you played these games on the Xbox Live Arcade. In the case of games like Gradius and Contra, these are not the familiar Nintendo NES versions. These are the original arcade games, emulated flawlessly.

Games such as Basketball should never have been resurrected, even to fill the list on the back of the box; the same goes for Horror Maze and Circus Charlie. Others fall in-between the duds and classics, like shooter Rainbowbell, quirky Pooyan, and primitive shooter Scramble.

Then we have the classics, from Contra to Time Pilot over to Gradius. Even in portable form, it's easy to appreciate their style and gameplay, which in most cases has held up over 20 years. This is why you're buying this set. Thankfully, no one was careless enough to implement unneeded touch screen controls in any aspect of these games. The bottom screen is used for options only.

It's also a possibility you've bought this for the wealth of extras included on this card. Standard extras include arcade flyers, history, and tips. Digging deeper reveals incredible care taken to help all gamers appreciate these games.

Technical people can enjoy looking at the actual arcade board, with full touch screen control to view every chip. Music nuts can listen to each individual piece in the detailed music player, along with any sound effects. Gameplay fanatics can dive into the actual dip switches and set any options they like. You'll do this by looking at a picture of the real set of switches, and seeing the result on the top screen.

More is to follow, including a full replay feature that can record and entire session of play, or be stopped at any time. When you're done, send that clip to any within range with their own copy. The bottom screen displays every button press you make, along with a timer. If you're having trouble in any of these titles (or to see someone actually play Basketball), pre-recorded replays let you see the full game in action without having to unlock anything.

In addition to replays, co-op is available in games that have the feature. Both players will need a card unfortunately, though demos can be sent to those who don't. Retro fans can have a blast if they have the appropriate set up.

Konami Classics fits in on the DS, though the game selection is almost entirely aimed at die-hards, as only those with the deepest appreciation for retro gaming can appreciate Shao-Lin's Road. However, anyone should be able to understand the fun available in the extras that raise this compilation above some similar packages from competitors.

Konami Classics Series - Arcade Hits is rated E10+ (Everyone 10 and older) by the ESRB for Mild Violence.