Robin Hood - NES Game (Retro Fam)

I remember being about thirteen, coming home from school and playing this game on my Apple IIgs. Hours upon hours wasted. Well, now I can waste even more because Capcom has released it on Xbox and Playstation, completely updated yet very faithful to the original.The story starts with you as Robin Hood in Sherwood forest. You have to defeat the Sheriff of Nottingham in a similar style of play that made the original Defender so great. It's a territorial battle, where the number of men that you recruit and have stationed in a province will determine your ability to protect that province against attack. This part of the game is rather quick and thrown together. They would've done better to extend it, since it is the primary difference between this updated version and the original release.From here you enter into the original storyline. England is in disarray and it's up to you to save it. Several other nobles are vying for the same properties as you are, and you must choose your properties and fortify them with castles and men, all the while watching your back against attack. The ultimate goal is to defeat other nobles and claim their territories, and essentially be the last one standing when it's over.As a standalone game it's hard to recommend very highly. It's relatively simple compared to the monolithic games of today, and doesn't have a lot of "sparkle" to it. But as a fan of the original it's like being reacquainted with an old friend. They pay homage to the original scenes.