Konami anticipates an 88% jump in profit for the first six months of this fiscal year, thanks to PS3 exclusive Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots as well as arcade and card games which contributed to its growth.
Formerly known as 88 Games (Hyper Sports Special in Japan), this Olympic-inspired button bashing game challenges players to compete successfully across eight events. Starting off is the 100m Dash where participants push two fire buttons alternatingly in rapid fashion in order to race towards the finish line and secure victory.
Gameplay
Konami 88 is an arcade game that puts your button bashing skills to the test. Based on Olympic events such as 100m dash and long jump, Konami 88 offers eight events to test out your button bashing skills while in practice mode you can test yourself without competing against others athletes.
The first event of the game is the 100 meter dash, wherein a player must press two fire buttons alternatingly to qualify and achieve an under-17 second timer in order to move on to the long jump event.
Graphics and animation in this game are functional but relatively stilted, employing digitized speech that’s less-than-clear as was typical for games at that time, accompanied by subdued fanfare tunes reminiscent of opening ceremonies. Graphics show some attention to detail such as showing other athletes warming up for 100 meter dashes, or switching from side view of athlete to perspective view when jumping.
Soundtrack
Konami may be best known for Castlevania and Contra, but they were equally adept at producing lesser-known titles that stand up well today. This NES compilation from their golden age includes eight arcade masterpieces such as Gradius II, Labyrinth Runner and Chequered Flag and is sure to please.
Life Force was composed by Miki Higashino for its arcade version. For its NES version, however, various members of Konami’s staff arranged its audio in an effort to give it a warmer sound than its original form.
Life Force contains not only its original music, but also tracks from SKYMELT band. Their tracks are dominated by synths and bring to mind dystopian future imagined in an alternative past; driving four-to-the-floor cuts coexist alongside slower skyscraper-sized tracks. 13 tracks were specially mastered for vinyl pressing on heavyweight 180g black; each record features a stunning 2D design by lead artist Zac Bolubasz of Life Force game.
Graphics
Konami 88 features graphics that far outshone those found in its arcade version, with crisp pixelation and character animations that captivate. Music also adds to this enjoyable gaming experience by seamlessly transporting you through each round with great style; events requiring certain amount of time, distance or score to qualify ensures they provide enough of a challenge without feeling overwhelming when not meeting qualification quotas are set in each event ensuring players won’t become discouraged too quickly when not meeting requirements.
Hyper Sports Special, known in North America as 88 Games and Hyper Sports Special in Japan, is essentially Track and Field with some visual enhancements. Released just prior to the Seoul Olympic Games, it may not provide an accurate representation of that competition; however it includes all events (excluding Hammer Throw ) found in Track and Field plus Skeet Shooting, Archery and 400m Relay events.
Vertical shmup with stylish weapons and an appealing dragon superweapon; available on Megadrive and Saturn. A brilliant, ahead of its time neogeo style shmup that takes aim at most older games with outstanding music!
Story
Konami 88 was initially released as Hyper Sports Special in Japan and 88 Games in North America, drawing inspiration from the 1988 Olympic Summer Games. Players compete in eight events such as 100m Dash, Long Jump, 400m Relay, Skeet Shooting, 110m Hurdles Archery Javelin Throw. Each event requires them to reach a qualifying quota either time distance or score for qualification to advance further in each round.
Gameplay in this genre typically involves wiggling a joystick to build speed before hitting an action button for either leaps or throws in jumps or relays; or to move their handover target forwards; timing is critical when hitting takeoff angles in Long Jumping or speed and direction when archery throwing; the same holds true when precisely releasing bows to hit targets in Archery throwing.
Overall, Konami 88 is an entertaining little game and worthy addition to the Track and Field series, yet something is holding it back from being truly exceptional. It seems as if its developers took all of the best aspects from previous titles but left out what made them truly great.
