Developed By: Hamster
Published By: ININ Games
Categories: Retro, Compilation
Release Date: 12.10.24
Price: $39.99

I was curious how they were going to top Taito Milestones 2. While I felt that the first release may have been a bit too “vintage” for my tastes, 2 had personal favorites of mine like Darius II (a version not included in Cozmic Collection at that), Metal Black, and The NewZealand Story. Volume 3 seems to go the route of lets have a man with a sword or a gun, and then throw in a Bubble Bobble game. Not a bad choice, especially considering this means the collection includes Dead Connection.

So this time, we once again ten titles. Bubble Bobble, Cadash, Champion Wrestler, Dead Connection, Growl (Runark), Rainbow Islands, Rastan Saga, Rastan Saga II, Thunder Fox, Warrior Blade. I’m gonna talk about more the games I felt jumped out to me.

I know I just brought up Dead Connection, but good lord do I love this game. The goal? Shoot a set number of criminals. Doesn’t matter how you do it. Just shoot shit and watch the entire stage get destroyed. Civilians get in the way? Well, that just sounds like their problem, doesn’t it? As far as I can tell, you aren’t penalized, so go absolutely nuts.

We have all three Rastan games. Barbarians are cool! Oh, also Cadash, which feels more like a good DnD campaign. Which is a bit fitting as that as it includes RPG elements and of all of these action games, is the one I consistently return to. I pick the ninja and just toss stars endlessly. Probably not the best solution, but I’m having fun. I will credit feed. But lets actually speak about the three Rastan games. The first is a fast paced action platformer, that feels smooth as butter, the sprites are smaller, so you can see more of your surrounding. Now, with Rastan Saga II, it’s zoomed in, a lot. The sprites are bigger, better, and deaths are more gruesome. But the game just feels slower and clunkier. With Warrior Blade: Rastan Saga Episode III, you can finally play as a woman! But now it’s more of a standard beatemup. But at least the setpieces are exciting.

Growl is another game in this collection I find myself hooked to. Its a beatemup, where you play as a forest ranger. And you fuck shit, right up. You have free movement, so use it to not let poachers and other unfriendlys make you food for a hungry animal you’re supposed to rescue. Explosions can and will happen, a lot of them. An overwhelming amount of them, with those comic book word bubbles too. I’m always fond of when beatemups allow you to pick up weapons off the floor and you’re darn right I’m picking up that whip.

Thunder Fox is something I’d most closely compare to Ninja Warriors, but with a gun toting, muscular, badass. Who does an incredibly outrageous spin kick when in the air. Its fun, it’s simple, and I’d say ripe for a remake.

Final Thoughts

I’m happy that there’s more bundles of Arcade Archive releases. Sure, not every game is going to fit for every player, but this isn’t the purpose these serve. 1. This is a value option. 2. This allows people, who would perhaps buy this bundle as a value to say…enjoy the Rastan trilogy, maybe try some other games. But it’s also another re-release of Bubble Bobble. I’m always happy to see more of these and when Volume 4 is out, you know I’ll be there. Also, hey look we have a wrestling game I didn’t really get much out of, almost forgot to mention that.