Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

Quattro Mega Stars brings together four distinct arcade‐style adventures in one cartridge, offering a sampler of Codemasters’ late‐era 8-bit design philosophy. At its core, the compilation is an exercise in variety: each mini-game introduces different controls, objectives and pacing, ensuring that boredom never sets in. From precision platforming to aerial navigation, you’ll find yourself constantly swapping mental gears as you jump from one title to the next.

In CJ’s Elephant Antics, you guide a rotund pachyderm through a series of circus‐themed obstacle courses. The goal is deceptively simple—collect all the bananas before time runs out—but mastering CJ’s somewhat weighty momentum adds a layer of challenge. Responsive arrow-key movement and a single “jump” button make the controls approachable, but that same inertia means you’ll often overshoot ledges unless you account for your momentum.

Little Puff in Dragon Land trades heavy feet for aerial agility. Here, you play a baby dragon learning to spit fire and glide between platforms. The hitboxes are generous, and timing your fire-breaths to clear enemies feels satisfying, but the game occasionally relies on pixel-perfect jumps that can frustrate newer players. Still, the exploration aspects—secret alcoves and collectible gems—add depth to what might otherwise be a straightforward vertical-scroll challenge.

Big Foot slots you into the role of a lumbering monster wreaking havoc through city streets. Unlike the other entries, this is more of a beat-’em-up romp: stomp cars, toss tanks and avoid military defenses. The destruction mechanics are intuitive, though repetition sets in quickly without varied enemy types. It’s a fun diversion, but after a few runs you’ll notice the lack of evolving objectives.

Sky High Stuntman rounds out the package with a flight-based obstacle course. You pilot a stunt plane through rings, over ramps and around floating hazards. Sensitivity on the joystick (or keyboard) is high, so mastering tight turns is rewarding but steep. Checkpoint placement is generous, which balances the trial-and-error nature of precision flying—just be prepared to replay sections until muscle memory clicks.

Graphics

Visually, Quattro Mega Stars is emblematic of the late 8-bit era: chunky pixels, a limited palette and charmingly simple background art. Each title maintains its own aesthetic identity while sharing a consistent quality level. Sprites are well-animated for their time, and screen layouts tend to be clutter-free, ensuring you can focus on the gameplay without too much visual noise.

CJ’s Elephant Antics boasts bright, contrasting colors that make platforms and hazards stand out. The elephant sprite is surprisingly detailed, with a subtle trunk-swing animation. Backgrounds shift between circus tents and outdoor fields, offering enough variety to keep the eye engaged as you strut CJ across precarious bridges.

Little Puff in Dragon Land employs softer, pastel-inspired tones. Puffy clouds and floating platforms give the levels an airy feel, while your dragon hero is outlined crisply for clear visibility. The fire-breath effect is a simple four-frame loop, but it conveys the idea effectively, and particles fade nicely against the sky backdrop.

Big Foot’s urban destruction is rendered in a grittier style: muted grays, deep blues and flashes of red when cars explode. The monster sprite is bulky and imposing, but attacks and environmental damage are represented with minimalist pixel flourishes. It’s not the prettiest of the four, but it nails the “monster movie” vibe of stomping through downtown.

Sky High Stuntman mixes sky-blue gradients with vivid ring patterns and runway markers. The scrolling horizon occasionally cycles colors to simulate sunrise or sunset, a neat trick on 8-bit hardware. Aircraft sprites are small but distinct, and the sense of speed—albeit pixelated—is convincingly delivered through parallax starfields and shifting clouds.

Story

As a compilation, Quattro Mega Stars isn’t heavy on narrative—each game comes with a brief premise to frame your objectives, then lets gameplay carry the experience. If you’re expecting deep lore, you’ll be disappointed. However, these light story hooks serve to introduce variety and context for the mechanics, which is all many action-oriented titles of the era aspired to do.

In CJ’s Elephant Antics, you’re essentially helping a circus elephant retrieve his lost banana stash before showtime. It’s a whimsical setup that never gets in the way of the platforming. There’s no dialogue beyond a title screen blurb, but the levels themselves—complete with circus posters and juggling clowns in the background—do enough world-building to keep you invested.

Little Puff in Dragon Land gives you the role of an over-eager baby dragon whose goal is to free his fellow hatchlings and collect magical scales. Again, it’s minimal exposition—just enough to justify why you’re flying through cloud cities and battling floating orbs. The lack of cutscenes means the action starts immediately and never really slows down.

Big Foot assumes you’ve tuned in to a classic monster-on-a-rampage flick: you’re the last surviving giant beast, smashing through metropolitan defenses in a quest to find your way home. The story manifests as backdrop sketches between stages, but once the signal hits “play,” it’s pure destruction chain reactions and military counterattacks.

Sky High Stuntman’s plot is arguably the most abstract—you’re an intrepid aviator performing death-defying stunts for an unspecified air show. Each level is preceded by a one-line brief, and your only real narrative reward is unlocking the next course. It’s the most “arcade cabinet” of the bunch: punch in the tokens, fly the loops, rack up points, repeat.

Overall Experience

Quattro Mega Stars shines as a budget-friendly anthology that showcases the breadth of Codemasters’ design on 8-bit platforms. With four thematically different games, it offers substantial playtime and prevents monotony through genre shifts. Whether you’re in the mood for cautious platforming, aerial stuntwork or city-smashing rampages, there’s something here that will appeal.

Difficulty levels vary widely between the titles, meaning some games will feel forgiving (CJ’s Elephant Antics) while others demand precision and patience (Sky High Stuntman). This uneven challenge curve might frustrate newcomers who expect a uniform learning path, but it also encourages picking and choosing based on personal preference and skill.

Nostalgia plays a big role in the compilation’s enduring charm. The crackle of 8-bit sound effects, the onscreen flicker of sprites and the sheer accessibility of the controls harken back to an era when simplicity was king. Modern players will appreciate the straightforward “pick up and play” ethos, though seasoned veterans may note the hardware limitations more readily.

Overall, Quattro Mega Stars delivers a well-rounded package for collectors and retro enthusiasts alike. It won’t revolutionize game design, but its variety, low barrier to entry and distinctive 8-bit flair make it a worthwhile addition to any classic gaming library. If you’re after bite-sized sessions with clear objectives and a dash of nostalgic polish, this compilation hits the mark.