Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

The first few rallies in World Championship Squash are likely to be scrappy. You move with the joystick from a raised behind-the-player angle, and the fire button swings the racket, so the basics are easy to understand. The harder part is arriving in the right spot soon enough to make that swing count. Squash is a game of reclaiming position, and this compact control setup puts the emphasis where it belongs: movement first, shot choice second.

What starts to click is the use of direction with the fire button. Up plus fire produces a low smash; down plus fire sends a high lob. That gives you three clear shot choices without burying the match under a complicated command list. A low ball asks for aggression, while the lob gives you a different way to handle the rally. You will get more out of it by resisting the urge to hit fire blindly and instead treating each return as a decision.

Server-only scoring is the rule that sharpens everything. Winning a rally is not automatically enough—you must be serving to turn control into a point. That can make momentum swings frustrating when you cannot convert pressure into the score, but it also gives the matches a properly competitive rhythm. If you want a quick hit, the single-match option is there; if you want results to carry more weight, the tournament is the better destination.

The adjustable round count, skill level, and ball type are worthwhile because they let you tune the commitment and challenge before play begins. Eight selectable players also give the tournament and exhibition modes a little variety. This is not a sport built around spectacle; it is about learning how to keep a rally alive and then finding the moment to take charge.

Graphics

The court is shown from an elevated angle behind the players rather than from a side-on broadcast view. That perspective puts your player and the space ahead of them in focus, making it easier to judge where you need to move before returning the ball.

Story

There is no plot to distract from the sport. Your context is the competition itself: select one of eight players, enter a match or tournament, and try to come out on top.

The tournament supplies the closest thing to a narrative arc. A single match is about the next rally; a tournament gives those rallies a longer competitive purpose, especially once server-only scoring makes every chance to add points feel earned.

That stripped-back approach suits squash. You are not being asked to follow personalities or off-court drama; you are asked to make better choices on the court. For a related take on the sport, see Jahangir Khan World Championship Squash.

Overall Experience

World Championship Squash is a focused Commodore 64 sports game that earns its interest from timing, court coverage, and the tension of traditional scoring. The controls are simple enough to get you playing immediately, yet the low smash and high lob prevent the rallies from feeling like a one-button exchange.

Its main frustration is also its point: you cannot expect a point merely because you won a rally. You need the serve, then you need to capitalize. If that rule sounds demanding rather than irritating, the game’s competitive rhythm should land well with you.

Give it a chance if you enjoy old-school sports games that make you work within a small, understandable set of inputs. The tournament options and pre-match adjustments add welcome replay value, while a single match lets you test whether the behind-the-player view and deliberate rally play suit your instincts. It is a straightforward adaptation, but a thoughtful one where the payoff comes from finally turning good court position into points.

Retro Replay Score

7.2/10