Game & Watch Gallery 3

"A collection of 12 games based entirely around points - you know, like old school"

Thirty dollars for 6 re-made Game & Watch games, along with the originals and six more unlockable oldies. That's what Game & Watch Gallery 3 offered upon release, and it was honestly difficult to recommend to friends. The game is essentially just 12 mini-games with six of those twelve re-made. WarioWare is much easier to recommend, as it provides the same thing but in a much greater quantity. However, as the game has aged it's likely that your local video game store's price for the cart has thinned - under 20 bucks, GAW is an easy recommendation.

What the game presents you with upon popping the cart in is twelve games - six original Game & Watch games, black and white and in all their glory, and six games that have been recreated to be more suitable for a platform like the Gameboy Color. Of course, that just means that the games have better graphics and are colored, with old characters replaced with Nintendo trademark characters like Yoshi, or Mario. But it really does make all the difference - they end up having totally different feels. One who's a master at the re-made ‘Egg' game may very well completely suck at the original.

It's vital that the buyer understands that this game is simply a compilation of mini-games that go on until you lose at them. One such example is ‘Egg' - catch all the eggs that fall down (cookies in the modern version). If you miss one, you're docked a life, and after three lives lost it's game over. Your score is kept, and next time you play you have to start from the very beginning.

This is not a full game. Not an adventure game, not a platformer. These are simple mini-games, like the ones you find more off to the side in the big-name titles, there for you for a quick few minutes of fun. This is old-school gaming, the kind that is based entirely around points. If you understand that, then you should have no problem accepting and enjoying GAW. New to video games, or weaned on the Gamecubes, Xboxes and Playstations? Don't like the idea of replaying games just to beat your score, with that being the only goal? Find overly simplified ‘games' boring? If so, this is the last game you'll want to pick up. Melt the facts in your head. GAW is wonderful, but it has a very specific audience. It's also sure to bring back nostalgia for those who actually owned Game & Watch systems back in the day.

The actual games are a rather fine selection. You can pick from Egg, Green House, Turtle Bridge, Mario Bros and Donkey Kong Jr. Egg has you desperately trying to capture all the eggs/cookies as they roll down the little slopes. Green House has you keeping pests away from your beloved garden by spraying them. Turtle Bridge asks you to cross a bridge and retrieve packages… without getting hit by anything below you (fish/birds). Mario Bros has Mario and Luigi working together to package and ship pies. Donkey Kong Jr has you retrieving keys to unlock your father.

Each game is based entirely around one simply concept. The more you pull off the tasks at hand, the higher your score will go. It's also notable that some games allow for two player play (namely one certain unlockable game), which can be fun. However, the real fun here lies in beating your own score. If you're hesitant on getting this title, chances are you shouldn't risk it and just pass it up - besides, there's an even better Game & Watch Gallery 4 on GBA. However, if you're craving for some old school gameplay, or simply want to relive the Game & Watch, G&WG3 is easily a must-have that can last you forever.

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 11/29/05