watch out weekend here i come

Weekends are a time for everyone to relax and unwind from a stressful and busy week. What better way to unwind than playing a few games, right? From my experience, they can help you refocus your mind from situations that may have happened during the course of the workweek. Plus, it's a great excuse to stay home and relax.

The weekend is, arguably, the best time for playing games because you aren’t thinking about all the work you have to get done or all of your commitments where you have to be at. And if you're like me, you probably have a backlog of games you need or want to finish.

But no matter what your motivations are or what titles you choose, games are a great way to occupy a little bit of your time and take your mind away from the crazy world around us. Here are three classics I replayed over the weekend.

Streets of rage

I'm a big Rage fan, so when I had to pick out a retro game to play over the weekend, I knew it had to be Streets of Rage. I dusted off the Sega Genesis and plugged it into an old CRT TV and got to work on a non-stop retro weekend. On the whole, I was very impressed with SoR considering it was released nearly 30 years ago. It remains to this day, the fastest and most playable beat 'em up ever. And although it wasn't that challenging (I beat it in one sitting) it was still incredibly fun while it lasted.

The power-ups and weapon-related special moves offered up some nice addition to the gameplay. Team Rage's fighting mechanics were honed to near perfection. And the graphics, though showing their age, was better than I remembered them to be. Add to that the soundtrack from Yuzo Kushiro and you literally got the perfect gaming package. It's no wonder why so many considered Streets of Rage to be one of the premier fighting games of the 16-bit era. If you're a retro gamer or a Rage fan like myself, I urge you to try this one out again. If you want to read about a modern-day version of the game, check out our review of Streets of Rage 4.

splatterhouse 2

When I saw Splatterhouse playing on a Turbo Grafx-16 system, I was completely gobsmacked and knew immediately that this was the game I was gonna bed down with over the weekend. I was only a mere pup when the game was released in 1992, but that didn't stop me from breaking open my piggy bank and buying a Sega Genesis system just to play the game. I remember vividly my reaction when Splatterhouse 2 first popped onto the TV screen with its arcade-quality graphics, stunning sound, and brilliant beat'em up action, I knew it was the best video game since Pac-Man. Plus, Splatterhouse 2 was the first to depict real gore and upped the ante for shock value.

Splatterhouse 2 was a fantastic sequel to an already great game. I'm glad Namco had decided to keep the gore intact because if it hadn't, it would have lost a lot of its appeal. But just because it's an older game, don't expect it to be a walk in the park as it is not an easy game to complete. The action might be straightforward, but the execution and look of the game (especially for that time) are totally unique and well worth revisiting!

splatterhouse 3

Splatterhouse 3 takes the previous linear gameplay and gives it a gut-wrenching twist. Sure, the action is still side-scrolling, but you can now choose your path to the game. The gameplay is still iconic as you have to punch, kick, and whack the green stuff out of your enemies while annihilating the end boss. From there, you move from floor to floor on a mission to save your family. Unlike the previous versions, the soundtrack here is intense and fits the mood well. When Rick howls in agony, you can actually feel his pain. It's a sound that will remain with you for a long time.

Overall, I enjoyed reliving Splatterhouse 3 and considering it was released in 1993, I'd say the graphics and gameplay still hold up very well. The high 'gross-out' factor is good clean fun and will have you riveted to your seat until the last good splat! If you ever get a chance to replay this classic, don't think twice and just do it.

Joel

Healthcare Professional, Gamer, and Writer all rolled up in one. He once opened up an old Atari 2600 to see if it had a heart ... and it did. Hence, the lifelong love affair with gaming.

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