Scramble Review

By Kristan Reed Published 18 September, 2006

Crash and burn.

Version tested: Xbox 360

Continuing Microsoft's recent splurge of classic arcade content on Live Arcade, last week saw the slightly overdue release of Konami's 1981 celebrated side-scrolling shooter - to the surprise of no-one. Retroactively considered to be the first game in the long-running Gradius series, its place in gaming history is forever assured, but does it deserve a place among the Live Arcade elite, or is it destined to derided for being yet more overpriced retro fodder?

As is typical of game in this treasured era, the concept is beautifully simple, and one that continues to be refined to this day. Controlling a spacecraft across a scrolling landscape, the idea was simply to blast everything in the vicinity for as long as possible and also avoid crashing into the ground. Equipped with a basic cannon, you could either shoot straight ahead or drop bombs; which also served as a means of refuelling as you aimed them at the fuel tanks below.

Six appeal

Set across six contrasting (but short-lived) levels, the premise is to eventually take out the enemy base while avoiding a meteor shower, flying saucers, and a whole fleet of rockets that try to time their launch with your passing. And at the end of it all, the game warps back to the beginning and tasks you to do the whole thing again - only with harder, faster enemies.

'Scramble' Screenshot 1

Unlike the numerous side scrolling shooters that followed, there were no power-ups, definitely no continues, and only a few different types of enemies. Within no time, you've pretty much seen all there is to see in Scramble - and in the pixel perfect Live Arcade version, even the achievements are pretty easy to unlock. Of course, the main draw for the veterans will be to prove their worth on the worldwide leaderboards, and claim bragging rights among fellow campaigners. But the rest of you should definitely consider grabbing the free trial version before you part with any points - because it's not one of those arcade classics that stands up to a great deal of repeat play.

Of course, the audio and visuals have been given a cursory overhaul (as Konami has recently also applied to Frogger and Time Pilot), but it's a monumental rush job that's literally nothing more than a simple re-skin that gives Microsoft an excuse to talk about it being in high def. In truth, going back to the old garish style is preferable - at least it feels like Scramble, as opposed to someone's homebrew port.

Anyone out there?

'Scramble' Screenshot 2

And just like Konami's other arcade ports, the presence of online co-op is fairly worthless, when it appears to require luck or organisational skills to find like-minded souls online to even get a game going. Still, we can't knock the fact that it's there, so as long as you've got an online friend to call upon, or don't mind waiting around in lobbies, you can have some basic fun - with side by side 'best score wins' versus mode or simultaneous co-op where the scores are added up. A little pointless, but there you go.

As ever, the question of whether it's worth 400 Microsoft points for the privilege of playing through an ancient relic is one only you can answer.

We could tell you that we think it's not worth it (true) and that Microsoft needs to stop overcharging for these (ditto), but if you're a long-term fan who played it in the arcade when you were 10, you'll get it anyway. Nostalgia's blind, and you don't want to hear anyone telling you off for shelling out on something that costs less than the average drink down the pub.

All things considered, Scramble's still a lovely little game for about 15 minutes. But, in 2006 its place is as museum piece to be respected for what it gave to the world, or as part of a value compilation. It's really not that engaging a game in 2006 once you've got over the initial reaquaintence, and certainly not deserving of a standalone release on Live Arcade when there are so many more worthwhile games to download. On the other hand, it is an extremely faithful port (as long as you turn off the visual 'enhancement'), so if that's what you want, you'll be happy enough.

If you want a real twitch blaster worth the dough, buy Geometry Wars, or try out the Mutant Storm Reloaded trial. But please, don't encourage Microsoft to believe that what Live Arcade needs in more overpriced retro 'classics'.

5 / 10

Read the Eurogamer.net scoring policy
Picture of Kristan.

About Kristan Reed

Kristan is a former editor of Eurogamer, dad, Stone Roses bore and Norwich City supporter who sometimes mutters optimistically about Team Silent getting back together.

Read more articles from Kristan by visiting the Kristan Reed archive page.

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Comments (57) Latest comment 5 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • lefizz #1 5 years ago

    Microsoft please stop these crap retro titles.

    There are loads of decent games on 'Live Arcade' but i havent found a single one of these that work.

    If you want some proper retro fun get down the car boot and grab a SNES, a NES or if your bloody lucky (big grin) a Vectrex.
    Edited by 1 at 18/09/06 @ 13:06

  • stuarty_2003 #2 5 years ago

    SCRAMBLE!!!!!

    (couldn't resist)

  • d0bbo #3 5 years ago

    Who the fuck wants to play a game from 1981 on a £280 console?

  • Fairlane #4 5 years ago

    @d0bbo

    I guess I did - well boredome will make You do stupid things

  • Blerk #5 5 years ago

    Why don't they just release the original game unaltered for 50p or a quid or whatever? Does anyone really want Scramble with updated bits and pieces?

  • swede #6 5 years ago

    "And at the end of it all, the game warps back to the beginning and tasks you to do the whole thing again - only with harder, faster enemies."

    You could have put in a SPOILER ALERT - I wont buy it now

  • lefizz #7 5 years ago

    Actually to be honest MS if they want to continue down this road, it would be much better to pick and era of video gaming when the games were much slicker and so work better in this sort of repackage way. The real aracade classic they should be working on are 2d bit mapped masterpeices such as R-type, Metal Slug, Mr Heli that sort of thing.

    Going for stuff from the dawn of gaming is just a poor idea. The names might be emotive but the games are often so crude that it renders them unplayble.

    The only games that seem to work from the very ealry era are vector games such as asteroid and missle command however i would think that neither of these work work on a game pad very well.
    Edited by 1 at 18/09/06 @ 13:12

  • foxy2006 #8 5 years ago

    @lefizz

    couldnt agree more..

    but you didnt get your vectrex from a car boot sale ;)

    Penge Car Boot FTW!

  • swede #9 5 years ago

    Anyone remember the unofficial speccy port? - i think it was called penetrator (!) - great game though

  • lefizz #10 5 years ago

    Indeed foxy but there was one down there 3 years ago that i ummed and arrged about so techincally i could have bought one.

  • JetSetWilly #11 5 years ago

    yeah I remember Penetrator on the Speccy. It had fireworks on the title screen. Was damn hard too.

  • bauhaus #12 5 years ago

    More retro crap

    Glad I bought the 360 and a fat LCD to play this on, mate of mine plays the same stuff via MAME on his laptop, the loser

  • pollster #13 5 years ago

    Well i actually like it (apart from those dam tunnels!)

  • glaeken #14 5 years ago

    Has anyone made the who wants to play retro games on a £280 pound console comment yet?

    Ah yes. Congrats d0bbo for supporting the cliché.
    Edited by 1 at 18/09/06 @ 13:32

  • repairmanjack #15 5 years ago

    /wonders when Supermutt is getting ported to Live.

    /hopes to see Chuckie Egg in HD.

  • Rev.StuartCampbell #16 5 years ago

    I was looking forward to this, but it's a bit of an arse-up. The new graphics are ugly, the new sound is nasty and inferior to the original (as with Time Pilot), and neither the 360's d-pads nor analogue stick do a good job of the precise control the game demands for hugging the terrain and taking out the targets. It's also pretty stupid to have your forward-firing gun on the bottom fire button, and your downward-firing bombs on the rightmost fire button, with no config option.

    Oh, and the review's wrong - the enemies get neither harder nor faster on subsequent rounds. All that happens is that your fuel is consumed at a higher rate, to the point that after four or five rounds you have to destroy EVERY fuel tank or you die. Everything else stays the same.

    Fair score, though, unlike Time Pilot's. I'm all for updates of old coin-ops on Live, and £3.40 isn't an unreasonable price, but this is one of the poorest.

  • Darkedge #17 5 years ago

    knock the price down to 100 points for this stuff - and that'll be a winner.

  • Collie #18 5 years ago

    Is there nothing else worth reviewing on the 360 than another rubbishy retro title?

  • Machiavel #19 5 years ago

    Thank goodness they didn't adapt this for widescreen - it'd ruin a classic :(

    I do fear they're making enough money from this rehashed crap to avoid considering worthier, but trickier ports. I hope I'm not hypocritised (new word) when the Wii offers the N64/SNES back catalogues...

  • Xerx3s #20 5 years ago

    Yeh, this is indeed shit. 3/10.

    Come to think of it, some time back you gave better games a lower score. :\

    I just wish that they would do some C64 classics. :(

  • captainrentboy #21 5 years ago

    For fuck sake Microsoft,stop with the shit and hurry up with stuff like Worms,Tempest and Final Fight.It's all good giving us this service,but it's not good to keep on releasing utter crap and overcharging for it.Raaaaaa!

  • jlaakso #22 5 years ago

    Smash TV and Street Fighter II were steps in the right direction. Come on, give us something we can relate to. I was three years old when Scramble came out!

    R-Type I'd buy in an instant. There's a lot of cool shit I enjoy on MAME which I'd be willing to pay a little for on the 360. Like scrolling beat 'em ups (Shadow Warrior!).

  • guest informant #23 5 years ago

    Wizball FTW.

  • Santino #24 5 years ago

    jlaakso

    Are you buying a Wii? R-Type will be there, i think from launch
    Edited by 1 at 18/09/06 @ 14:30

  • jellyhead #25 5 years ago

    Penetrator on the Speccy also allowed you to design your own levels. I spent *hours* making them. Great fun.

  • smelly #26 5 years ago

    LOL - But having hi-def games with super duper graphics is OOOOOh so important!

    hehe

  • smelly #27 5 years ago

    >Are you buying a Wii? R-Type will be there, i think from launch

    I think you're making that up..

    I've not heard anything of the sort as confirmed (Especially not for launch)

  • Santino #28 5 years ago

    Smelly

    i cant remember exactly which video it was but it was showing the wii channels off, and R-Type is on one of the channels. i will try and find it for you.

    [link url=http://ms.nintendo-europe.com/wii/?site=w_channel.h tml&l=enGB
    ]http://ms .nintendo-europe.com/wii/?site=...[/link]
    here, i couldnt find the video but i found an image, you can still see it (well part of from this pic) on the channel at the very top right
    Edited by 3 at 18/09/06 @ 15:05

  • Lagto_Soa #29 5 years ago

    There's a lot of cool shit I enjoy on MAME which I'd be willing to pay a little for on the 360. Like scrolling beat 'em ups (Shadow Warrior!).

    I don't see why Tecmo couldn't cough up that little beauty, seeing as it's Ninja Gaiden and they're (currently) true Xbox whores anyway.

    I'm pretty sure Irem are supporting the Virtual Console, so R-Type should definitely be there. Let's face it, why else would you want Irem on board?

  • Santino #30 5 years ago

    Sorry to keep bringing up the VC but people keep mentioning old games they want to play...

    Lagto_Soa
    Tecmo are supporting the VC and NES Ninja Gaiden is mentioned as one of the games they are providing

  • Xerx3s #31 5 years ago

    Perhaps we should make a list for the XBLa head honcho for them to concider. And a list of do-not-touch titles. He actually asked for suggestions in one of MN's interviews.

  • Darren #32 5 years ago

    Yet another poorly converted game that looks horrendous on HDTVs from the blurry, badly scaled credits screens right through to the actual game. Why Microsoft continue to release this dross individually and not as a Konami Arcade Games compilation of, say, half a dozen or more games for 200 points selectable from a main menu I do not know. Actually I do... it's about money... /rolls eyes

    Separately these games struggle to be worth 50 points in my opinion... where are all the good Xbox Live games like Cloning Clyde and Geometry Wars?
    Edited by 1 at 18/09/06 @ 15:13

  • 3william56 #33 5 years ago

    Why not charge 10p a game via Live? A bag of greasy chips and some stale smoke and it'd complete the experience.

    But it was a beauty in it's day.

  • Eighthours #34 5 years ago

    But the rest of you should definitely consider grabbing the free trial version before you part with any points...

    ...which lasts all of about 30 seconds. Pitiful.

  • captainrentboy #35 5 years ago

    ''Worms,Tempest and Final Fight?
    Do you somehow imagine that Microsoft are making these games? I would think that Team 17, Capcom and whoever holds the IP rights to Tempest might have something to say about that! ''

    *Siiiigh*No I don't believe that Microsoft are developing these titles,I've just heard at one time or another in the past that these games are supposedly coming to XBLA.So what I was doing in my previous post was directly talking to some of Microsoft's big guys,to y'know,try and hurry up those particular game's development a bit,put the pressure on the likes of Capcom yeah?
    Edited by 1 at 18/09/06 @ 15:27

  • Xerx3s #36 5 years ago

    Why Microsoft continue to release this dross individually and not as a Konami Arcade Games compilation of, say, half a dozen or more games for 200 points selectable from a main menu I do not know.

    MS has nothing to do with this apart from the QA. The only thing that MS actually does is make suggestions to companies that have BC.

  • Twinfalls #37 5 years ago

    This is a joke.

    Why are these being put up as individual articles?

    How many more thousands of these are you planning to waste your front page space with, EG?

  • jonsaan #38 5 years ago

    I love scramble. Always have, always will. However, it's always the same with retro remakes and compilations. What would be great is if all the companies got together and realsed a definitive compilation. That will never happen though. Especially when a sucker like me buys scramble because he's always loved it. :)

    Very few companies have more than 3 or 4 truly classic arcade game. I'm talking about the real oldies here. Yet they all seem to push out compliations with 10 or more games listed as classics.

  • Helios #39 5 years ago

    Can we just copy and paste the comments section from the last live arcade title review then close this article's comments section?

  • pjmaybe #40 5 years ago

    5??!??!?!

    5?!?!??!?!?!?!!


    Peej

  • bloodflowers #41 5 years ago

    £3.40 is overpriced? How are people who think £3.40 is actual money, able to afford a 360 anyway? It's less than dinner down the local chip shop, it's less than a couple of pints, and it's less than a 2 mile taxi ride. 800 points for a game is overpriced. 800+ points for some stat tweaked Chromehounds parts that were on the DVD already, is overpriced. Get it in perspective.

    Thanks Konami, enjoying this - nice job, and another BOOOOOOOOO to Microsoft for making such a lamentable D-pad.

  • krudster #42 5 years ago

    I think the point is:

    Geometry Wars = 400 points, looks good, intense, massive replayability etc

    versus

    random retro port = 400, looks terrible, repetitive, not designed for home use, unforgiving, etc etc etc.

    There's your perspective.

  • smelly #43 5 years ago

    >Why are these being put up as individual articles?

    I agree!

    If the same space is devoted to all the wii's back catalog of games which are downloadable - it could get very very very silly around here.

    (Not bigging up wii.. but can you imagine if EG started reviewing every title released in the same way? It'd get stupid!)

  • BBIAJ #44 5 years ago

    furby

    /is hooked on Black. If you don't own Black on the PS2, go get it! as an employee of Mc Donalds might say, I'm Loving It!

    Black on the PS2 holds up well against HL2 on the PC and in some ways is better. The disingrating walls are possibly the best i have encountered in any FPS to date.

    What's wrong with backwards compatible Black on the 360?

    Looks even better than the jaggy-thon that is the PS2 version that way!

    :oP

  • yagisencho #45 5 years ago

    Why even review releases like this? Scramble is nearly as old as my teeth, and not remotely as endearing.

  • GitSomE_UK #46 5 years ago

    FFS! Is this what it boils down to? Development of new games is so fubared we are stuck with ancient arcade games?

    If I'd have paid 300+ for an Xbox I'd be a bit pissed off now.

    Scramble should be left where it belongs in a greasy caff/chippy/knackered windswept arcade on a promenade.

    /Phwah.. got that off my chest.

  • bauhaus #47 5 years ago

    >If I'd have paid 300+ for an Xbox I'd be a bit pissed off now.

    Er.. I Did and I am

  • Hypocee #48 5 years ago

    But they *are* remaking Tempest, with Jeff minter himself at the helm. "Space Giraffe" is Tempest: You Can't See Or Hear What's Going On Edition. Huzzah!

    http://www .youtube.com/watch?v=W33tEAOUwBo

  • ChromeMud #49 5 years ago

    "If I'd have paid 300+ for an Xbox I'd be a bit pissed off now. "

    Dead Rising,Oblivion,PGR,GRAW,Prey and all the titles that are just around the corner,but scramble arrives so now it's all ruined,woe is me!
    How can I go on living with a £300 console now?

    Give me a Fu**ing break!

  • Azazel #50 5 years ago

    My 360 is gathering a layer of dust at the moment tbh. That's just cause i've got bored of Oblivion. As soon as Mass Effect and Bioshock come along i'll fire it up again in anger.

    Quakeworld remains my most played game for the 8th year running.

    :D

  • GitSomE_UK #51 5 years ago

    @ChromeMud

    It's not just Scramble, Scramble is symptomatic of everything that's wrong about XBox. IMO the XBox hasn't lived up to the hype, the titles you mentioned aren't that great and after a very short while they go to meh factor 10.

    Even if they were must haves 6 titles? maybe 10? since release... load of arse!

    Releasing these crappy arcade games isn't what many signed up for when buying the 360. It's been a while now and I want games that do it justice.

    So take your break ChromeMud and see the context of my comment in relation to the dirge MS serve that as a customer I'm supposed to be 300+ GBP grateful for.

  • ChromeMud #52 5 years ago

    @ GitSomE UK

    "FFS! Is this what it boils down to? Development of new games is so fubared we are stuck with ancient arcade games?"

    What an absolutely idiotic comment!


    "Scramble is symptomatic of everything that's wrong about XBox. "

    Another idiotic comment.

    D-

    *Must try harder!

  • spadge #53 5 years ago

    I'll make an annoucement about XBLA as soon as I'm cleared to do so ;)

  • smelly #54 5 years ago

    "Black on the PS2 holds up well against HL2 on the PC and in some ways is better. The disingrating walls are possibly the best i have encountered in any FPS to date. "


    Sorry.. I just splurted out my coffee all over my keyboard when i read that!



    "Scramble is symptomatic of everything that's wrong about XBox. "

    All consoles will have shit games. You cant judge a console on one bad game like this, that's not fair. Judge it on all the mediocre games which just have pretty graphics to yell about - apparently they're good enough to make the machine worth buying...

  • mingster #55 5 years ago

    ''on that Gateway piece of shit your mam paid for.''

    this is even funnier as the average age of EG readers is about 30!!

  • GitSomE_UK #56 5 years ago

    @ ChromeMud

    Call that a come back? You know I'm right as your the idiot who keeps shoving notes in Bill Gates knickers while he does the retro dance, the more you sling notes at him the more he gyrates and farts out more crap conversions.


    @SofaLover
    You remember where your mam got the money from for your Xbox 360 you got for xmas from cash converters.

    At least my Gateway PC was brand new and came in a box.

    Anyway you'd better go Bill Gates is waiting to dance his retro dance for you and show you his retro joystick, short 'n' stubby with a touch of orange.

  • jlaakso #57 5 years ago

    Sure, the virtual console on Wii may replace the craving for quality XBLA retro titles, but we haven't actually seen the VC (or Wii) yet. XBLA's already been proven. Hence the focus on that.

    For now, VC is the only reason I'm interested in Wii. I was rather disillusioned by the way Nintendo handled the Gamecube.