Toaplan Arcade Shoot ‘Em Up Collection Vol. 1 is out now on Steam and GOG and publisher, Bitwave Games, has thought about all the features a retro shooter needs in a modern gaming world. Containing Truxton, Zero Wing, Twin Cobra and Out Zone, you can purchase each one separately or build a collection.
Each title features new online multiplayer and leaderboards as well as emulation designed to have minimum lag. There’s also a host of extras to play about with in each title. Everything from difficulty to display can be tinkered with or you can just leave it all to arcade settings.
What it lacks in gameplay depth, Truxton has in droves on the gameplay front and is quintessential Toaplan. The simplistic design hides how you just have to learn the patterns to succeed. The infamous Zero Wing will catch the eye and has unique mechanics involving a tractor beam.
Twin Cobra has a difficulty that will feel like a mountain climb but it starts to feel fairer once you get some practice in and survive longer each time. Out Zone is the only title in the collection that doesn’t auto-scroll and is the most interesting. It will probably be the least known to most players so this feels like a must-buy if you choose to indulge.
All the games run well on Steam and there is lots of display options to make it a perfect fit for you. The emulation feels solid with no noticeable lag or graphical issues. This collection will be of interest to rookies and veteran shmup fans as all the titles have qualities from great graphics to thundering 80s chiptunes.
If you’re new to shooters these will feel punishingly unfair at times but multiple options help bring the difficulty down if needed. Overall, Bitwave Games have used well-thought-out features with stable performance to produce an excellent collection of classic shooters. You can buy Toaplan Arcade Shoot ‘Em Up Collection Vol. 1 on Steam and GOG now.
