Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

Name: Epyx Epics
Item: Epyx Epics
Author: Retro Replay

Epyx Epics delivers four very different gameplay experiences on a single two–cassette package, and each title feels like its own mini-adventure. You can jump from a rhythmic timing challenge straight into a high-stakes infiltration mission without ever touching the tape deck again, giving the compilation remarkable variety for its era. Whether you’re after quick pick-up-and-play thrills or deeper, puzzle-solving sessions, there’s something here to keep fingers busy and reflexes sharp.

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Break Dance turns your joystick into the coolest dance partner around. You’ll mimic moves on a scrolling cue-sheet, battling an opponent move-for-move to see who can chain together the slickest routine. The rhythm is simple to grasp but hard to master, and pacing yourself through longer sequences becomes a satisfying puzzle in its own right.

Impossible Mission takes you into a sprawling, robot-patrolled complex where every puzzle is both mental and time-critical. Your goal is to locate and assemble six pieces of a master security code while avoiding electrified floors and menacing automatons. Inventory management, room layouts and pattern recall all weave together, making each run different and every second count.

Pitstop II and Summer Games wrap up the collection with adrenaline-packed competition. Pitstop II demands precise driving lines, tire management and split-second pit decisions in both single-player and head-to-head modes. Summer Games simulates Olympic events—sprints, ski jumps, swimming—each with its own control scheme that rewards practice and memorization. The two titles together provide hours of fast-paced fun for solo or buddy sessions.

Graphics

On the Commodore 64 hardware, Epyx Epics showcases a surprisingly varied visual palette. Each game leverages the system’s iconic blocky charm while pushing color limits in different ways. You’ll see bright neon streaks in Break Dance, moody shadows in Impossible Mission and the pastel race tracks of Pitstop II, all rendered within the same memory constraints.

Break Dance stands out with its bold, stylized sprites that capture the energy of an urban dance battle. Character animations are simple but fluid enough to convey spins, footwork and power moves, and the split-screen score display feels suitably theatrical.

Impossible Mission leans into darker hues and sharp contrasts to evoke an ominous secret base. Walls, elevators and computer terminals are all drawn with crisp lines, while the occasional speech sample—“Stay a while… stay forever!”—adds extra personality to the environments you explore.

Pitstop II’s side-view racetracks feel clean and functional, with wheels spinning convincingly and pit crews snapping into action when you pull in for service. Summer Games opts for a top-down or side-view approach depending on the event, using bright primary colors to clearly distinguish lanes, platforms and athletes. Overall, Epyx Epics proves that good design can punch well above hardware limitations.

Story

As a compilation, Epyx Epics doesn’t weave a unifying narrative across its four titles—but that doesn’t mean the individual games lack context. Each cartridge slot offers a fresh setting and challenge, letting you fill in the backstories with your own imagination and approach.

In Break Dance, you’re an up-and-coming street performer battling rival crews for fame and bragging rights. The storyline is minimal, but the head-to-head format and crowd reactions give a satisfying sense of progression as you outshine tougher opponents.

Impossible Mission delivers the closest thing to a plot: an evil genius has hidden nuclear secrets behind coded locks, and only your infiltration skills can save the day. Though the narrative is conveyed through brief text screens and digitized taunts, it effectively sets the stakes for every timed excursion through the facility.

Pitstop II and Summer Games rely on competition rather than character-driven tales. In Pitstop II, you’re a race driver eyeing the championship, wrestling with fuel and tire wear along the way. Summer Games casts you as a national athlete seeking Olympic glory across multiple disciplines. Both evoke the spirit of friendly rivalry and intense pressure that define sports storytelling at its simplest and most engaging.

Overall Experience

Epyx Epics offers tremendous value for retro gamers and newcomers alike. Four distinct titles mean you’re unlikely to burn out on any single concept, and the compilation’s two-cassette format adds a tangible sense of old-school charm. Jumping from a dance-off to a bomb-diffusal puzzle then into a race or track-and-field event keeps play sessions fresh and varied.

The learning curve across the four games is well balanced. Break Dance and Summer Games are approachable for quick fun, while Impossible Mission and Pitstop II reward persistence and strategy. Whether you’re after casual high-score runs or deeper mastery, you’ll find yourself returning again and again to hone your skills.

Replayability is a strong suit here. Head-to-head racing in Pitstop II and competitive events in Summer Games make for excellent multiplayer sessions, while Break Dance’s patterns and Impossible Mission’s randomized layouts keep solo runs unpredictable. Each title offers enough content to stand alone, but together they form a robust anthology.

Ultimately, Epyx Epics is a testament to the golden age of home computer gaming—a slice of 1980s creativity that still entertains with its straightforward gameplay, visual charm and boundless variety. For collectors or anyone curious about Commodore 64 classics, this compilation is a must-try bundle of retro fun.