Do they say the third time’s a charm?
The earlier Taito Milestones releases have seen mixed reviews, and it wouldn’t surprise me if the third installment—Taito Milestones 3—follows suit. While this collection offers another set of ten arcade classics, it’s unlikely that each game will resonate with everyone. As someone who cherished the arcade scene of the mid-80s and early ’90s, I can confidently say only a few titles in this collection were engaging enough for repeated playthroughs for me.
I wasn’t anticipating any of these games to offer much in the way of depth. A large number are beat ’em ups, including the entire Rastan Saga trilogy. Now, if you’ve got a buddy who loves these kinds of games, the value of this collection is bound to increase significantly. Some titles even support three or four players, like Dead Connection and Runark. But, unfortunately, my wife doesn’t enjoy those types of games. Fortunately, we both enjoy Bubble Bobble and its sequel, Rainbow Islands. Whether in their dragon or human form, Bub and Bob are always a delight.
That brings me to an intriguing point—how many iterations of Bubble Bobble do we really need? The majority of these games, except for a few like Thunder Fox, have been released countless times as standalone titles or in other compilations. So, much of this collection comprises games that you could pick up individually under the Arcade Archives label. If you already own a few, Taito Milestones 3 might not be a top priority for you.
Imagine a different approach: a deal where you could select ten Taito Arcade Archive games for a fixed price of $40. I bet many would jump at the chance to tailor their own collection. However, what we have with Taito Milestones 3 is something that, to be fair, does impress in some areas—like visuals with vibrant colors, parallax effects, and more detailed on-screen elements than I anticipated. The music, too, is commendable, featuring memorable tunes that would’ve been hard to appreciate in a bustling arcade back in the day. And the game design, with unexpected features for its era, is noteworthy; Cadash, an arcade RPG, stands out for its unique concept alone. But it’s the gameplay that ultimately matters, and here my feelings are mixed, much like Kirk’s were with previous Taito Milestones releases.
Many games in this set capture my interest, and they’re fun to watch. But let’s remember that arcade games were about more than that. They aimed to keep players engaged—those willing to spend more than just a single coin for a quick game. If you’re planning to enjoy this collection at home on your Switch, you’d hope for more than a brief “Played for a little while” log. Maybe that’s perfect for some, but it’s not my experience.
If the Taito Milestone series is to continue, a more affordable price paired with a few exclusive games could be the sweet spot. Adding some historical content, akin to what’s found in similar collections, could also be a nice touch. However, if you already have the standout titles from this third installment in your Arcade Archive library, you might want to think twice before spending $39.99 on Taito Milestones 3—unless, of course, nostalgia calls to you.
