Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

Konami Collector’s Series: Arcade Advanced brings six of Konami’s earliest arcade hits together in one cartridge, and each title retains the original quirks and challenges that made them classics. Frogger tasks you with timing jumps across highways and rivers, while Gyruss flips the shooter genre on its head by sending your ship on a circular, outward-bound trajectory. Rush’n Attack adds a stealth-action twist as you infiltrate enemy bases armed only with a combat knife, and Scramble forces you to balance altitude, ammo, and fuel on a relentless side-scrolling bombing run.

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Time Pilot expands the scope by sending you through eras of aerial combat, looping you around the screen’s borders as you dodge enemy fighters and rescue downed pilots. Yie Ar Kung-Fu delivers one-on-one bouts that feel surprisingly balanced for an 8-bit era fighter, with each opponent sporting unique move sets and attack patterns. Across all six titles, controls feel tight and responsive, a testament to the faithful re-creation of the original ROM code.

Where Arcade Advanced truly shines is in its exclusive multiplayer modes. Each game offers a two-player option—sometimes cooperative, sometimes competitive—letting you team up to clear waves of enemies in Gyruss or challenge a friend head-to-head in Yie Ar Kung-Fu. These modes extend the replay value far beyond what the solo arcade cabinets ever offered, and they breathe new life into these decades-old designs.

For both veterans and newcomers, the difficulty curve remains steep but fair. Pattern memorization is rewarded rather than punished; bonus lives and hidden power-ups offer tangible goals, and climbing the on-screen leaderboards gives players a reason to hone their skills. Whether you’re dodging tanks in Scramble or mastering the timing of Frogger’s lilypad leaps, each session feels purposeful and satisfying.

Graphics

Graphically, Konami Collector’s Series: Arcade Advanced stays faithful to the chunky pixels and limited palettes of the early ’80s. Sprite work is clean and free of flicker, capturing the original cabinet art while running smoothly on modern hardware. Colors pop without bleeding, and enemies remain distinct even when multiple hazards converge on screen.

Though there are no high-resolution remakes here, the collection offers optional display filters that simulate vintage CRT scanlines or clean up jagged edges for a crisper look. Vertical titles like Scramble and Time Pilot can be rotated 90 degrees in handheld mode, preserving the authentic arcade orientation and enhancing visibility of incoming threats from all angles.

Animations feel purposeful—your ship barrel rolls in Gyruss, the frogs in Frogger give a subtle hop before landing, and opponents in Yie Ar Kung-Fu flinch convincingly when struck. These small touches, along with faithful sound effects and original music tracks, create an immersive retro atmosphere that transports you straight back to smoky arcades.

Hidden behind in-game achievements are bonus galleries showcasing concept sketches, promotional flyers, and early color tests. Unlocking these extras doesn’t alter the core visuals, but it does offer a fascinating window into Konami’s development process, giving players a deeper appreciation for the art direction that defined these classics.

Story

Arcade classics rarely hinge on narrative, and this collection is no exception. Frogger’s storyline is delightfully simple—you’re a frog trying to reach home—while Gyruss casts you as an interstellar pilot fighting alien hordes. Rush’n Attack drops you into enemy territory to rescue POWs, and Time Pilot has you jetting through decades to bring down historical flight threats.

Yie Ar Kung-Fu presents the closest thing to a tournament plot: you’re a martial artist facing off against a colorful roster of challengers, each with a brief taunt or quirky animation to establish personality. These minimal stories never overstay their welcome; instead, they serve as just enough backdrop to frame the action, letting gameplay take center stage.

While fans seeking deep narrative may be disappointed, the collection compensates with unlockable text archives and developer anecdotes hidden behind gameplay milestones. These snippets of history offer insight into the early ’80s arcade scene, the inspirations behind each title, and the marketing campaigns that positioned Konami as a household name in coin-op gaming.

Ultimately, story in Arcade Advanced functions as garnish rather than the main course. But for those who enjoy retro game trivia, the bonus extras and contextual notes serve up a tasty side dish, enriching each session with a sense of legacy and authentic period flavor.

Overall Experience

As a package, Konami Collector’s Series: Arcade Advanced delivers tremendous value—six definitive arcade experiences, all meticulously preserved and enhanced with modern conveniences. The cartridge’s inclusion of local multiplayer and unlockable galleries transforms familiar games into an engaging party piece that invites repeated playthroughs and friendly competition.

The user interface is straightforward, with a central menu that lets you jump between titles instantly, save your progress in each game’s high-score tables, and tweak display settings on the fly. Load times are negligible, ensuring that every coin-op challenge kicks off exactly when you press start.

Collectors will appreciate the authentic artwork on the cartridge and box, which mirrors the look and feel of Konami’s original packaging. Newcomers gain access to arcade history without the frustration of hunting down vintage hardware or quarters. And the hidden bonus content offers long-term goals that keep even seasoned players invested beyond mastering each game’s core mechanics.

In an era of ever-expanding remasters and deluxe editions, Konami Collector’s Series: Arcade Advanced stands out by providing a pure, unfiltered window into arcade heritage. Its blend of faithful re-creation, novel multiplayer modes, and archival extras makes it a must-own for anyone who values gaming history or simply wants a concise dose of old-school fun.

Retro Replay Score

7.7/10