Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

Memorial Series: Sunsoft Vol. 1 starts with a refreshingly simple proposition: pick Ikki or Super Arabian and spend time with it. The immediate pull comes from that directness. You are not being asked to commit to a huge archive or navigate a dozen unrelated games before finding one worth your time.

What clicks depends entirely on which of the two included games speaks to you first. The collection’s small scale makes comparison easy: try one, switch to the other, then settle into the one that feels worth revisiting. That is a better fit for a short, deliberate retro session than for an all-weekend compilation binge.

The frustration is also obvious. With only Ikki and Super Arabian included, there is little room for a backup favorite if neither lands. This is a purchase for someone drawn to these specific Sunsoft games, or for a retro fan who values a tightly focused historical pairing over sheer quantity.

Graphics

This collection preserves two distinct games rather than blending them into a single new-looking package. The clearest visual contrast comes from moving between Ikki and Super Arabian themselves, which gives the compilation more character than a menu full of nearly identical entries would.

Story

There is no shared story tying Ikki and Super Arabian together. The connective thread is Sunsoft and the act of revisiting two games under one memorial label.

That makes the collection feel more like a small retrospective than a unified adventure. You move from one game to the next because you are curious about the contrast, not because the first one hands off a plot to the second.

If you want a compilation with one continuous narrative arc, this is plainly not built around that idea. Its value lies in giving each included game room to stand on its own.

Overall Experience

Memorial Series: Sunsoft Vol. 1 is easy to respect because it does not overstate its scope. It is a two-game compilation, and its best moments come from treating that restriction as a reason to spend more attentive time with Ikki and Super Arabian instead of treating either as disposable filler.

The payoff is strongest for Sunsoft enthusiasts and retro-game collectors who enjoy owning a specific slice of a publisher’s past. If you already care about either included title, having the pair together makes sense; if you are simply hunting for the biggest possible compilation, the modest lineup will feel thin.

I would recommend it as a focused historical pick rather than a universal starting point. Go in wanting to explore Ikki and Super Arabian in particular, and the collection’s concise format feels purposeful. Go in expecting variety, and its boundaries arrive quickly.

Retro Replay Score

6/10