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Straight from the arcade, Cannon Spike will satisfy those looking for an all-out shooter, but as most things arcade, it's short. Intense but short. Cannon Spike also happens to star a few of Capcom's B-list of "stars" and I can't help but wonder why? Okay, so Mega Man and Arthur (Ghosts & Goblins) are "A"list, but what's the deal with Cammy? Charlie? Was Claire Redfield, Leon Kennedy, Akuma, Bionic Commando and Strider all out of town? And why did Capcom even bother introducing two new characters? They have a rich tapestry of talent to select from, why bring a couple of rookies into the mix? These questions won't be answered in the review. They are just meant for you to ponder.
I like games that fall into the "shoot everything that moves" category, because that means I can multi-task while reviewing. I can get my important phone calls done, eat pizza or paint my toe nails - um - you didn't read that last part. Anyway, Cannon Spike is a relatively inexpensive little treat for DC owners, and will surely captivate you for a few hours of time. Relatively short game time or not, CS is pure"shoot'em-upolis" action. Dreamcast owners haven't seen much of this type of gameplay since Expendable, and Capcom does it up just right. Would you expect any less from the kings of gaming?
The story in a nutshell, consists of you as one of the aforementioned characters, taking back the cities from the relentless robot factions that threaten the security of the free world (or something like that). With your Motor Boots on, allowing for greater mobility (the better to put a cap in yo' ass, my dear) and your high powered weaponry (the visuals of which are excellent), the swarms of enemies and the Boss robots won't be around for very long. True to it's arcade roots, you only get 3 credits to save the world, so you had better not blow it. It may take you a few tries to get to the end, but once you find the character that really works for you, it'll be a POC (piece o' cake).
Getting through the game will be a little easier with a partner along side, because Cannon Spike allows two-player simultaneous play. Considering that the environments do not scroll, four players should have been allowed to go it, but that would have shortened the game time to about six minutes. Well, it would have been a cool, intense six minutes, especially if you could do damage to each other. Maybe next time.
Graphically the game is sharp and filled with all sorts of mayhem; explosions, lighting effects, enemies and huge bosses. Would could be better, really? It's a wild ride while it lasts, and although I would have preferred more room to move in the environments, what is here works quite well within the confines of the genre.
Besides the length of the game (which is offset by the lower retail price I should mention), my only other gripe with Cannon Spike is that Capcom missed the boat when it came to character selection for this game. They have such a plethora of great characters to select from, that it boggles the mind how Charlie (Guile's pal from Street Fighter) made it in the game. Perhaps he has pictures of someone at Capcom in a compromising position.
Cannon Spike fills the void for a solid console shooter, which is the epitome of "twitch" gaming. Reflexes befitting Spider-Man will definitely come in handy here, and sometimes you'll marvel at how you were able to survive against a particular onslaught of enemies. Maybe it was luck, maybe it was skill, but you'll never know until you lay your sweaty little palms on this one.
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