Rampart

Amazon.com Rampart is an arcade classic that, unfortunately, doesn't come across well on the Game Boy Color. The object of the game is to take over castles by encasing them with circular walls. You will also need to defend your possessions by firing cannons at invaders. Each combat phase is followed by a rebuilding phase. As you catch more castles, you are able to accumulate more cannons to help you better fend off the ever-increasing foes. It's a fun game in theory, but the execution of the graphics in the Game Boy Color version detracts from the playability. Everything is tiny, ill defined, and lacking in detail. The graphics aren't the only downside to this conversion--controls also suffer. The arcade version had a great roller-ball controller that allowed for the perfect combination of speed and precision. The Game Boy Color's small gamepad just can't compete, and the pint-sized targets compound the problem. With such poor controls, it takes an inordinate amount of practice and patience to master this game, and many gamers may give up in frustration before Rampart becomes fun. Play the two-player mode if possible, which is much more fun than the single-player version. --T. Byrl BakerPros: Classic gameplay is intact Very challenging Cons: Bad controls Minimal graphics