SUNSOFT is Back! Retro Game Selection review

Across social media, there are a legion of users who play armchair publishing executive. Praising niche localizations and rightfully critical when titles don’t get the same physical releases of other regions, this is gaming’s meta-game, and it’s curiously addictive.

Growing up, I didn’t have that kind of outlet, so I’d quietly simmer when I learned about Japanese games that would not be getting a stateside localization. Decades later, SUNSOFT is Back! Retro Game Selection has taught me that maybe I didn’t miss much.

Anyone Up for Eight-Bit Masochism?

Sure, it’s nice seeing the publisher bringing some of their NES-era titles to the West for the first time. And there’s little room for complaint about the technical aspects of the collection. From spotless emulation, the inclusion of the original Japanese manuals and ads, along with a handful of perks like the ability to rewind play and apply faux-CRT filters, SUNSOFT is Back delivers some satisfying supplementals.  And there’s little room to complain about value; ten-dollars is reasonable for a trio of eight-bit titles.

No, the fundamental issue with Retro Game Selection is that each of the titles are middling non-essentials – released along the same time that Sunsoft was publishing hits like Blaster Master and Batman. In comparison, The Wing of Madoola, Ripple Island, and Firework Thrower Kantaro’s 53 Stations of the Tokaido, feel like games that would have earned mediocre review scores. Save for one title, the other selections are more punishing than pleasurable and sadly, more repetitive rather than remarkable.

Going Down Swinging

Like Kid Icarus, The Wing of Madoola gets easier the longer you survive. As the last magic welder of the Rameru clan, Lucia acquires an ever-growing inventory of weapons and items. Each is assistive, if not essential, as you trudge toward Darutos’s demonic castle and put an end to his fiendish reign.

Likely, Lucia ‘s speedy weapon swinging might remind players of SNK’s Athena. Initially, Madoola is maddening, as your sword can only stun enemies who jump about like hyperactive fleas.  But as your arsenal grows in power, frustration recedes as you swat enemies from standing and crouching stances and explore caves for new tools. It’s an idea that designer Kenji Sada would return to with Blaster Master, a superior and more temperate title.

Island Adventuring

Ripple Island provides an opportunity to revisit one of console gaming’s early adventure titles – back when pen and paper were required for notetaking. After the kidnapping of the king’s daughter, the monarch issues an ultimatum: whoever rescues her gets to marry her. You play as Kyle, using six different commands (move, look, speak, take, use, and kick) to navigate a realm where humans and talking animals cohabitate. Unless your spatial awareness skills are sharpened, expect to use graph paper to map out Ripple Island’s layout.

Undoubtedly, SUNSOFT is Back! Retro Game Selection’s saving grace is the inclusion of the magnificently titled Firework Thrower Kantaro’s 53 Stations of the Tokaido. You play as a humble pyrotechnician who travels from Kyoto to Edo to reunite with your fiancé, Momoko-chan. Gonzaemon, the game’s villain is envious of your firework-crafting skills and sends a procession of ninja, spearmen, and hawk handlers as you make your way through a charming 8-bit rendition of the eastern sea route.

Intriguingly, your unlimited supply of explosives don’t behave like typical projectiles. Instead, each toss sends the explosives sluggishly arcing across the sky, forcing you to lead enemy targets. You’ll uncover a handful of assistive abilities like onigiri that turns you into a rolling ball or geta that allow you to walk in the clouds. Much like Super Mario Bros., there’s even shortcuts across the 21-stage campaign, but you’ll need to earn coins to pay for passage. Most interesting are the area-accurate courtesans who’ll slow your walking speed and reverse Santa, who’ll steal your presents.

Conclusion

While titled Firework Thrower Kantaro is undoubtedly entertaining, SUNSOFT is Back’s other offerings probably won’t hold your attention for long. If you’re obsessed with owning a trio of localized Eighties-era oddities, Retro Game Selection might be worth a look. But for most players, there’s other eight-bit titles more deserving of your time and money.

SUNSOFT is Back! Retro Game Selection was reviewed
on Switch with review code provided by the publisher.