Get your clubs, axes, and maces ready — the Joe & Mac Retro Collection compilation has officially been released digitally on Nintendo Switch and Switch 2 consoles. Red Art Studios has brought back classic prehistoric Super Nintendo-era adventures in a modern format.
What is included in the collection?
Joe & Mac Retro Collection brings together three iconic platformers from Data East, released between 1991 and 1995:
- Joe & Mac: Caveman Ninja — a classic 12-level Run & Gun platformer. The collection includes both the Western and the original uncensored Japanese versions.
- Congo’s Caper — a dynamic side-scroller following the adventures of the half-human, half-monkey Congo, who rescues his sweetheart across 35 levels.
- Joe & Mac: Lost in the Tropics — the third installment in the series featuring light role-playing elements and the ability to court and start a family in the Stone Age.
Modern improvements and features
The developers not only took care to preserve the retro atmosphere, but also added a number of conveniences:
- A new Boss Rush mode to test players' skills.
- Save states and a Rewind feature.
- An optional CRT filter and screen aspect ratio settings.
- Two-player cooperative mode in Joe & Mac 1 and 2.
- A virtual museum (Virtual Unboxing) featuring original boxes, cartridges, and manuals, as well as a built-in audio player with soundtracks.
Physical editions in early 2027
Publisher Red Art Games announced that in early 2027, the game will receive three types of physical editions for Nintendo Switch: Standard, Deluxe (limited to 500 copies), and the collector's Rock Edition, which will include a retro box, an acrylic stand, a pin set, posters, stickers, and a printed manual. Pre-orders are already open on the publisher's official website.
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