Rare Replay

Rare Replay is a 2015 compilation of 30 video games previously developed by Rare and its predecessor, Ultimate Play the Game, in their 30-year combined history. The emulated games span multiple genres and consoles—from the ZX Spectrum to the Xbox 360—and retain the features and errors of their original releases with minimal edits. The compilation adds cheats to make the older games easier and a Snapshots mode of specific challenges culled from parts of the games. Player progress is rewarded with behind-the-scenes footage and interviews about Rare’s major and unreleased games.

The compilation was one of several ideas Rare considered to celebrate their 30th anniversary. Inspired by fans, upcoming Xbox One backwards compatibility features, and the idea to connect Rare’s past and future, the company sorted through 120 games to choose titles that best represented its oeuvre. They prioritized games with characters and environments original to the company. Rare incorporated six emulators in the package, and worked with its parent company, Microsoft, to use its unannounced Xbox 360 emulation. Rare Replay was announced at the 2015 Electronic Entertainment Expo and released worldwide as an Xbox One exclusive on August 4, 2015.

The game received generally favorable reviews. Rare’s Nintendo 64 classics, with Blast Corps in particular, were the communal favorites, while Perfect Dark Zero, Grabbed by the Ghoulies, and the Spectrum games were liked least. Critics appreciated the package’s design and craft and considered the release a high-water mark for compilation releases. Reviewers were disappointed by the absence of the Donkey Kong Country series and GoldenEye 007 due to inevitable licensing issues, while a few thought the package was fine without them. Critics considered the archival game content and developer interviews among the compilation’s best features, and were upset to see the content hidden behind time-consuming in-game challenges. Reviewers noted that Rare’s founders, the Stamper brothers, were conspicuously absent from the interviews. Critics had high praise for the “rewind” and Snapshot features, and criticized technical issues in the Xbox 360 emulation and game installation. Rare Replay became Rare’s first United Kingdom all-format charts bestseller since Banjo-Kazooie in 1998.