Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

Game Set and Match delivers an eclectic suite of sports titles, each capturing a different flavor of arcade competition. From the fast-paced two-on-two style of GBA Championship Basketball to the methodical rallies in Jonah Barrington’s Squash, the compilation never feels repetitive. You can jump straight from slamming free throws to launching a 100-meter dash in Hyper Sports, or trading jabs in Barry McGuigan World Championship Boxing—every sport brings its own control scheme and pacing.

The controls are generally responsive, though they vary in polish from one conversion to the next. World Series Baseball and Super Soccer stand out with tight directional input and satisfying feedback, whereas some of the earlier US-originated arcade ports may feel floaty on Commodore 64 or Amstrad CPC hardware. Still, each mini-game is easy to pick up, and the learning curve suits both casual button-mashers and completionists chasing every high score.

Platform differences inject further variety. On Amstrad CPC and C64, Konami’s Tennis and CDS Pool are replaced by Match Point, Snooker (C64 only), or Steve Davis Snooker (CPC only). These substitutions make the retro ports feel uniquely tailored, though their slower animations sometimes contrast sharply with the snappier ZX Spectrum originals. Multiplayer remains a highlight: passing the joystick for head-to-head ping-pong showdowns or co-op hurdles in Daley Thompson’s Super-Test sparks genuine arcade nostalgia.

Graphics

The visual presentation in Game Set and Match showcases the strengths and limitations of mid-80s 8-bit hardware. On ZX Spectrum, the bold color clashes add an endearing charm to Super Soccer’s overhead view, while the Commodore 64’s broader palette brings Barry McGuigan’s boxing ring to life with more nuanced shading. Each sport boasts distinct sprites, from the chunky athletes in GBA Championship Basketball to more detailed gear in Hyper Sports.

Animation quality varies across titles: Hyper Sports features smooth sprite transitions that evoke the original arcade, but Jonah Barrington’s Squash and Ping Pong have a more stilted frame rate on certain systems. Backgrounds are often kept minimal to maintain performance, but clever use of perspective in World Series Baseball and Daley Thompson’s Super-Test creates a convincing sense of depth.

Platform-specific tweaks add to the visual tapestry. The CPC version’s Snooker table glows under overhead lighting, whereas Steve Davis Snooker on Amstrad opts for crisp, high-contrast lines that aid ball tracking. While purists might prefer the ZX Spectrum’s signature color bleed, the compilation overall balances fidelity with playability, resulting in a cohesive yet varied graphical showcase.

Story

As a sports compilation, Game Set and Match doesn’t pursue a traditional narrative, but it weaves in the spirit of 1980s athletic competition. Licensed names like Barry McGuigan and Daley Thompson offer a veneer of authenticity, making each match feel like part of a larger professional circuit. You rarely follow a character’s arc, but unlocking tougher opponents simulates a rising-champion storyline.

Menu screens and interstitials deliver context: medal count displays in Hyper Sports hint at Olympic aspirations, while the championship brackets in World Series Baseball evoke big-league playoff pressure. Even in titles without famous branding—such as Konami’s Tennis in its original form or the generic Super Soccer—there’s an undeniable sense of progression as you master each discipline and advance through tournament ladders.

Though there’s no cutscene drama or dialogue trees, the compilation’s structure crafts its own narrative momentum. The transition from one sporting challenge to the next feels like hopping between events at a multi-sport festival. Your personal highs and lows—botched soccer goals, last-second boxing knockouts, or flawless ping-pong rallies—become the story you write with each joystick flick.

Overall Experience

Game Set and Match stands out as a value-packed anthology, offering ten distinct sports experiences plus three more on select platforms. For retro enthusiasts, it’s a time capsule of arcade conversions and licensed tie-ins, all bundled together at an accessible price point. The breadth—ranging from intense two-player matches to solitary sprint challenges—ensures there’s always another event to tackle.

Of course, the compilation isn’t without rough edges: inconsistent frame rates, varying control tightness, and the occasional long tape or disk load can test your patience. Yet these quirks are part of the appeal, reminding players of the era’s hardware limitations and the creativity required to work within them. Switching between systems reveals small surprises—like the unique CPC pool variant or the Spectrum-only Super Soccer release—that add collectible value.

Ultimately, Game Set and Match excels as a historical sampler and a playground for sports fans. Whether you’re chasing personal bests in Daley Thompson’s Super-Test, slugging it out in Barry McGuigan’s boxing ring, or coordinating a winning soccer formation, the compilation delivers diverse arcade thrills. It’s a warmly nostalgic, thoroughly engaging package for anyone seeking a retro sporting fix.