All right, that’s enough! Look, we’re all very impressed with Andy’s new toy.
Toy Story has always been an interesting franchise. The movies are excellent and the video games have been, for the most part, better than they have any right to be. In a time when licensed games were notoriously bad, the ones based on this franchise stood out as one of the anomalies. So, when it was announced they were not only bringing back a collection of these games as well as an updated version of one of the better licensed games, it grabbed my attention. When it was unveiled it was Digital Eclipse, there was no question how good it was going to be.
Alright, let’s dig into what this bundle includes. First up, we have Retro Roundup which has a collection of Toy Story games and even a bonus Disney game in A Bug’s Life. We get Toy Story for the Genesis, SNES, and Game Boy. Toy Story 2: Buzz Lightyear to the Rescue! for the PlayStation, Toy Story 2 for the GBC, Buzz Lightyear of Star Command for GBC and PlayStation and Toy Story Racer for GBC and PlayStation as well. A Bug’s Life includes the PlayStation and GBC versions. So, I have quite a lot to dig into here. Finally, if you buy the bundle, you also get the updated version of Toy Story 3: Complete Edition.
MSRP: $39.99 (Bundle)
Platforms: XBOX (reviewed), PlayStation, Switch, PC
Price I’d Pay: $39.99
Toy Story Retro Roundup
Let’s start with Retro Roundup. The collection of games here is excellent, and this being Digital Eclipse, they are surrounded by an excellent package that adds tons of features and extras to the package. As mentioned, each game comes with various versions, and each one can be played directly from the menu. Each game also has a host of options which include things like cheat codes, visual filters, and even upgraded visuals on some titles. The emulation here is excellent, and I had zero issues playing any of the titles with an XBOX controller.
In addition, Digital Eclipse has included their infamous practice mode. This lets players spin up a video of a pro playing through the game to showcase how to get past certain parts. The best part of this feature is that players can tap the Y button at any time to take over control and play from that point. This is a great feature, and one that should be included in all retro collections.
As for the features, there are plenty. As per usual we have poster scans, instruction manuals, and boxes to view. These scans are ridiculously high resolution, so you can see all the details, except for certain company logos. Gotta love licensing. Each game also includes a soundtrack to listen to, but the best features are the behind-the-scenes videos. Digital Eclipse is known for their interviews with old team members and personalities talking about the design of these games, and it is no different here. I love this stuff.
Toy Story 3: Complete Edition
The final piece of the package is an updated version of the highly underrated Toy Story 3 dubbed the Complete Edition. The title is very fitting as this new version updates the visuals, fixes issues it had, and makes it available to everyone on modern consoles. This game was legitimately excellent when it was released back in 2010.
This game combines scenes from the movie with an open world section known as the Toy Box, which lets players visit various locations from the films. The game play is mostly untouched with a few tweaks, but the visuals really stand out. The pixels are much cleaner, and the framerate is as smooth as butter. There are still some awkward stutters when loading sections, but for the most part the game has received an excellent upgrade. This also lets new players experience this excellent game without digging out a 20-year-old console.
Overall, this collection is more than worth the price of admission if you have nostalgia for these games. I am not sure how well they have aged, and if I had never played them if I would appreciate them the same way, but as a package, it does its job well. I love these retro collections and when Digital Eclipse is involved, I know they are always of the highest quality.
Review copy of game provided by publisher.