Assault Heroes is a recently released arcade title for the PSN by Konami. It harkens back to a simpler time, one when arcade games were played 3 lives at a time by players armed with nothing but a roll of quarters and an iron will. In the 1980s, games like Frogger, Contra, and TMNT cemented Konami’s reputation for intense arcade action, and they left many gamers with nothing but sweaty palms, empty pockets, and perhaps a high score listed next to their initials.

Even though arcade cabinets have been mostly relegated to cineplexes, pizzerias, and the few lonely arcades still in existence, arcade style gameplay is still alive. Konami has crafted a new arcade experience by blending the gameplay of older titles with the technology of current gen consoles. Assault Heroes reminds players of old-fashioned, top-down action titles such as Ikari Warriors and Heavy Barrel. In these games, the player waded onto the shores of an enemy’s island base, blasted anything that moved, and used vehicles and power-ups to become even more powerful.

Assault Heroes takes this basic formula, tweaks it slightly, and enhances the experience with 3D graphics and the kind of top-notch design you expect from a company like Konami. You play as a member of a special forces unit who must find a secret enemy base and destroy it. The player is armed with a high-tech dune buggy (and eventually a speed boat) that can move and fire in four directions with three different weapons. Controls are simple, but precise: the left control stick moves your vehicle around and the right control stick fires your weapons at enemies. Other buttons are used to switch weapons, exit your vehicle to gain power-ups, and use special items like bombs and grenades.

You’ll need all the help you can get to survive the hordes of enemies coming your way. These include enemy infantry and suicide bombers (who hoot as they approach like Indians from a John Wayne film), helicopters, tanks, turrets, and of course bosses. The player’s 3 main weapons, a machine gun, a flamethrower, and a flak cannon can all be powered up to deal with them, each with their own strengths and weaknesses. You’ll have to switch between your weapons to fight against certain enemies if you want to survive.

The best chance you have is to find a friend to play with, either on-line or in your living room. A second player helps a lot, letting you divide the screen between players to take care of enemies, and to cover you if you lose your vehicle temporarily and have to fight on foot. A friend and I were able to clear most of the stages without even having to use a continue, and the game is at least be twice in hard single-player.

If you ever do get tired of riding in your “doom” buggy (you won’t), Konami includes a bonus stage in each level. When you find one, you and whoever else is playing with you exit your vehicles and go into an underground base. The gameplay changes slightly, resembling Smash TV as you shoot your way through tunnels and into rooms to blow up enemies and get through the level. If either player dies, the bonus round is over and you find yourself back in your vehicle in the main stage, no lives lost.

Overall, Assault Heroes is a quality arcade title. Konami has deep arcade roots, and they still shine through. The action is fast paced, co-op is encouraged, and the game lasts as long as you want it to, not just until you run out of quarters. If you’re a fan of old fashioned action arcade games, or just want some fun, inexpensive entertainment Assault Heroes delivers.

By John Beechem