Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

Pong / Asteroids / Yars’ Revenge on the Game Boy Advance offers a surprisingly robust suite of classic arcade experiences packed into one handheld cartridge. Pong retains its trademark simplicity, pitting two paddles against each other in a test of reflexes and timing. The left and right paddle controls are mapped intuitively to the D-pad, making it easy to dive into matches with a friend or challenge the built-in AI at varying difficulty levels.

Asteroids brings the thrill of maneuvering a spaceship through a relentless field of floating rocks. The responsive controls allow for smooth rotation and thrust, while the GBA’s shoulder buttons serve as fire and hyperspace triggers. Even on the smaller screen, the core loop of blasting asteroids, avoiding fragments, and racking up high scores remains as addictive as ever—especially when you crank the speed up and the fragments start zipping in every direction.

Yars’ Revenge completes the trio with an inventive shooter/puzzle hybrid that has you chomping through barriers and unleashing the powerful Zorlon Cannon at the evil Qotile. The default control scheme feels natural, letting you zip your Yar creature around the screen and scratch at the shield that guards your foe. As you progress through waves, the game ramps up with new patterns and obstacles, showcasing the kind of quirky arcade genius that defined the late ’70s and early ’80s.

Graphics

Graphically, Pong remains faithful to its heritage: stark, blocky paddles and a simple square ball. The GBA’s backlit screen gives those black-and-white visuals a bit of pop—though the lack of color in Pong itself is part of its charm. Frame rate stays rock-steady, ensuring that every collision and paddle deflection feels crisp and immediate.

Asteroids on GBA trades the original vector lines for pixel-perfect recreations that mimic the jagged edges of the arcade classic. The backgrounds are pure black, letting the white “asteroids” and flashing saucer sprites stand out clearly. Occasional color highlights liven up explosions and thrust animations, making the action easier to track even when clusters of fragments rain down.

Yars’ Revenge steps it up with more vibrant hues: your Yar creature comes alive in shades of red and orange, contrasting against the dark backdrop of the Qotile’s fortress. Animations are smooth, whether you’re darting across the screen or unleashing a glowing beam. While you won’t find modern lighting or particle effects here, the retro aesthetic has been lovingly preserved and scaled to the GBA’s 240×160 resolution without any awkward cropping or distortion.

Story

Rather than offering a deep narrative, Pong / Asteroids / Yars’ Revenge leans into pure arcade tradition: simple premises that kick off instantly. Pong delivers the timeless “two paddles, one ball, highest score wins” setup, with no backstory required. Its minimalism is part of what made it revolutionary in 1972, and it remains effective for head-to-head competition.

In Asteroids you assume the role of a lone space pilot, tasked with neutralizing drifting rock formations that threaten human colonies. While the story is mostly implied—no cutscenes or dialogue here—the escalating danger as asteroid fragments proliferate provides all the context you need to keep dodging, blasting, and hyperspacing your way to a new high score.

Yars’ Revenge is the most narrative-driven of the three, offering the lore of the insectoid Yar species revolutionizing against the evil Qotile. Each stage feels like a battle for freedom, fueled by simple on-screen text and the haunting Zorlon title theme. It’s a concise story, but cute animations—like your Yar chomping a hole in the shield—add character and charm that elevate the basic premise into something memorable.

Overall Experience

Pong / Asteroids / Yars’ Revenge makes for an excellent nostalgia trip and a strong introduction to arcade history. Each game is instantly recognizable, and the GBA adaptation preserves the feel of the originals while smoothing out any rough edges in control or display. Whether you’re playing on a train, waiting in line, or settling in for a quick session, these classics hold up remarkably well.

The compilation’s simplicity is its greatest strength. There’s no elaborate menu system to navigate—just pick your title, set the difficulty or number of rounds, and you’re off. The battery-free save feature also means you’ll never lose your high scores, encouraging repeat play as you chase ever-higher tallies across all three games.

For newcomers, Pong / Asteroids / Yars’ Revenge provides an affordable, bite-sized history lesson in arcade design, showcasing how games evolved from paddle-and-ball to space shooters and beyond. For longtime fans, it’s a faithful homage that scratches the retro itch with every beep and bloop. In either case, this GBA compilation proves that great gameplay transcends graphics and era—and that some classics remain timeless fun in the palm of your hand.

Retro Replay Score

null/10