Joe and Mac Retro Collection: Primitive Fun at Summer Game Fest

ByLiesel Booker

The gameplay trailer for the Joe and Mac Retro Collection at Summer Game Fest showed that although Summer Game Fest is normally about the future of gaming, there is some value in looking back to the past. Published by Red Art Studios, this compilation will feature three classic games that take you to the caveman days.

The Joe and Mac Retro Collection Trailer

Image of Joe and Mac retro collection, courtesy of Future Games Fest.
Image of Joe and Mac retro collection, courtesy of Future Games Fest.

The trailer begins with gameplay clips on an old-fashioned CRT TV, giving gamers of a certain age a nostalgic vibe. The collection will consist of three SNES classics: Joe and Mac: Caveman Ninja, Joe and Mac 2: Lost in the Tropics, and Congo’s Caper. It will include the uncensored Japanese versions, along with new features like rewinding and CRT filters. A Kickstarter for the game is also set to launch soon.

Hey, Wait a Minute . . .

One questionable aspect of the collection is how it doesn’t include the arcade version of Joe and Mac. In addition, the collection will be released on the Switch, but all three of these games are already available as part of the Nintendo Switch Online SNES collection. This has to make subscribers wonder if the games will be removed from Nintendo Switch Online. The rewind and CRT filter features are also already available on Nintendo Switch Online. In addition, the collection also feels bare bones. The only add-on mentioned on the Kickstarter is some new artwork.

Conclusion

I’m a huge fan of retro game collections, but I have my doubts about this one, especially if it causes the games to be removed from Nintendo Switch Online. If it included the arcade, NES, and Genesis releases and had some behind-the-scenes features, it could be something special. Perhaps those will be added as Kickstarter stretch goals. As of right now, though, it doesn’t look like anything special.

 

Liesel Booker holds a master's degree in English Literature from Salisbury University, and she has loved reading and writing her whole life. She is an avid gamer with a special love for Nintendo and indie games. Her two adorable cats love to sit with her while she writes for Total Apex. She also really, really loves Star Wars, to the point where she is proud to call herself a geek.

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