Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

We Are the Champions delivers a diverse lineup that spans one-on-one duels, side-scrolling beat ’em ups and top-down racing mayhem. Right from the main menu you can pick and choose from five classic experiences, each with its own control scheme and pacing. The compilation is intuitive to navigate, letting both newcomers and retro enthusiasts dive straight into the action without fuss.

In Barbarian: The Ultimate Warrior, combat revolves around well-timed strikes and blocks in a single-arena setting. Matches feel tense and deliberate, rewarding precise swings and defenses. The learning curve is modest but satisfying—mastering the delay between attack and block gives you a genuine sense of triumph when you finally land that fatal blow.

International Karate + shifts the focus to tournament-style bouts with a three-point system that keeps every round competitive. Here you learn to chain punches, kicks and evasions into combos. Timing is critical: a stray kick leaves you open, while a perfectly timed dodge can turn the fight in an instant. It’s deceptively deep for a two-button control scheme.

Rampage and Renegade inject a more frantic, button-mashing energy. Rampage lets you stomp skyscrapers and snack on hapless civilians as giant monsters, while Renegade tasks you with cleaning up the streets one goon at a time. Both titles emphasize crowd control and environmental interaction—whether you’re tossing cars or hurling punks, the chaotic feedback loop is deeply addictive.

Finally, Super Sprint offers a frenetic top-down racing experience. Tight tracks, hazardous oil slicks and rival drivers make every lap a nail-biting affair. Handling is arcadey but precise: learning each circuit’s layout and braking points is key to besting your friends on the leaderboard. Combined, these games showcase a breadth of classic gameplay that still holds up under modern scrutiny.

Graphics

Graphically, We Are the Champions embraces its 8- and 16-bit roots, presenting pixel art that oscillates between simplistic charm and surprisingly detailed backdrops. These titles haven’t been over-polished, retaining the blocky aesthetics and limited color palettes that defined the era. For purists, that authenticity is a major selling point.

Barbarian: The Ultimate Warrior stuns with lush arena backgrounds and grotesque character animations—there’s a visceral kick to every decapitation and victory pose. Its palette is darker and moodier than you might expect from a retro fighter, which helps maintain immersion in its fantasy setting.

International Karate + offers smooth character sprites and fluid motion despite the hardware limitations. Each competitor sports distinct outfits and color schemes, making it easy to track both fighters on screen. Backgrounds are minimal but clean, keeping the action in sharp focus.

Rampage and Renegade lean into a more caricatured style. Rampage’s monsters are deliberately oversized and cartoonish, with destructible buildings that break apart into satisfying debris. Renegade’s street scenes are peppered with colorful signs and graffiti, lending a gritty urban feel. Both run at a decent frame rate, preserving the fast-paced fun.

Super Sprint’s visuals are straightforward yet effective: winding racetracks, roadside hazards, and cheering pixel crowds. While each track may look similar at first glance, subtle palette changes and obstacle placements keep the races visually engaging. Overall, the compilation’s graphics have aged gracefully, offering nostalgia without feeling completely antiquated.

Story

Story weaving isn’t the star of We Are the Champions—like many arcade-style titles, these games prioritize immediate action over narrative depth. However, each entry brings its own simple premise that propels you through matches, fights or laps. For players craving lore, the brief backstories and arcade intros offer just enough context to get invested.

In Barbarian: The Ultimate Warrior you take on the role of a lone fighter entering a gladiatorial tournament, fighting your way to the throne—and ultimately facing off against a treacherous sibling. It’s a classic revenge plot that drives each duel, albeit with minimal cutscenes.

International Karate + positions you as a martial artist chasing world titles. The tournament bracket is the narrative engine: advance through fighters from various countries, each with unique moves and AI quirks. The bare-bones presentation leaves story details to the imagination, but that’s part of the charm.

Rampage’s narrative is delightfully absurd: transform into a giant lizard or gorilla to wreak havoc on civilization, all in a quest to rescue your kidnapped friends. The story is tongue-in-cheek, communicated through simple arcade text, but it sets the stage for endless destruction.

Renegade gives you a street-justice tale—clean up your neighborhood by punching through gangs and rescuing your kidnapped girlfriend. Again, the plot is minimal, serving primarily to justify round after round of beat ’em up action. Super Sprint offers almost no narrative beyond “be the fastest,” letting the thrill of competition carry the experience forward.

Overall Experience

We Are the Champions is a celebration of arcade nostalgia wrapped into one accessible package. The sheer variety—ranging from methodical swordplay to button-mashing urban brawls and high-octane races—ensures there’s something for nearly every type of retro gamer. Switching between genres keeps the experience fresh even during extended play sessions.

Local multiplayer options amplify the fun, making this pack a great fit for gatherings or couch-co-op nights. Versus matches in Barbarian and International Karate + can become fiercely competitive, while Rampage and Renegade shine when players team up to overcome waves of foes. Super Sprint’s split-screen races provide tense showdowns for up to four drivers.

From a value standpoint, the compilation offers five full games at a budget-friendly price, each with its unique mechanics and appeal. While purists might lament the absence of online leaderboards or modern enhancements, the core experiences feel untouched—and that authenticity is precisely the draw.

Overall, We Are the Champions succeeds as both a time capsule of early arcade design and a solid collection of pick-up-and-play titles. Whether you’re a newcomer curious about gaming history or a longtime fan chasing old thrills, this pack delivers engaging gameplay, nostalgic visuals and just enough storyline to keep you hooked. It’s a must-have for anyone looking to reignite the competitive spirit of classic gaming.