Review: Rare Replay (Xbox One)

This year commemorates the thirtieth anniversary of British studio Rare’s initial game release. The studio celebrates with a comprehensive compilation on Xbox One.

Rare (formerly known as Rareware) established its reputation primarily on Nintendo platforms, with NES titles such as Cobra Triangle, Battletoads, and later, Banjo-Kazooie and Perfect Dark. Upon the launch of the original Xbox, Microsoft acquired the studio, securing Xbox exclusivity and titles like Grabbed by The Ghoulies and Viva Pinata. Now, Rare presents a substantial and well-executed best-of collection, achieving near-perfect scores with its intricate details and additions, although a few opportunities were missed.

To revisit Rare’s origins, one must journey back to 1982, when brothers Chris and Tim Stamper founded the studio under the name Ultimate Play The Game. Their initial commercial success arrived with Jetpac on the ZX Spectrum, a home computer of its era (those familiar with, or who owned one, likely predate the 1980s). Jetpac presented a simplistic gameplay loop, tasking players with controlling an astronaut who must assemble and fuel their spacecraft while evading enemies. Rare Replay incorporates all Spectrum classics, faithfully emulating their characteristics – from the limited color palette to the occasionally imprecise sprite collision and frame rate drops during intense action. All of the older titles within the compilation feature a new “snapshot” mode, presenting five distinct challenges for each game, such as completing a level within a specific timeframe or accumulating a target score within a limited duration. Completing these challenges unlocks additional achievements, potentially allowing players to amass a total of 10,000 Gamerscore points within Rare Replay.

ZX Spectrum classic Jetpac

The collection encompasses 30 games, accompanied by unlockable films detailing the development of these classic Rare titles. The ZX Spectrum offerings include Jetpac, Atic Atac, Lunar Jetman, Sabre Wulf, Underwurlde, Knight Lore and Gunfright. These titles possess historical significance, serving as a reminder of the advancements achieved in contemporary gaming. While some, such as Lunar Jetman and Underwurlde, may not stand the test of time, others, like Atic Atac (a dungeon crawler) and Knight Lore (an isometric adventure), represent charming, albeit primitive, forerunners in their respective genres.

The experience improves with the inclusion of NES classics: Slalom, R.C. Pro-Am, Battletoads (NES), Cobra Triangle, Snake Rattle N Roll, Digger T. Rock, Solar Jetman and R.C. Pro-Am II. Slalom, R.C. Pro-Am (especially II), Battletoads, and Cobra Triangle played a significant role in many gamers’ childhoods. Snake Rattle N Roll and Digger T. Rock, however, have not aged gracefully, suffering from awkward controls, placing them at the lower end of the collection. Conversely, Battletoads, a competitor to Double Dragon, remains nearly as enjoyable today as it was in 1991 (both games were also featured in a crossover release in the US).

NES classic Cobra Triangle

As an added bonus, Battletoads Arcade is included, representing the superior arcade iteration of the franchise. In our estimation, this stands as one of the collection’s strongest offerings and provides an enjoyable revisit (Fun fact: A SNES version was in development but never completed).

Battletoads Arcade is one of the collection’s best games

Moving onto the Nintendo 64 era, the compilation features titles such as Killer Instinct Gold, Blast Corps, Banjo-Kazooie, Jet Force Gemini, Perfect Dark, Banjo-Tooie and Conker’s Bad Fur Day. The strengths of Rare’s development prowess become apparent here, showcasing more contemporary and ambitious game design. Killer Instinct Gold has aged noticeably, presenting itself as a somewhat comical imitation of Mortal Kombat (with “photorealistic” characters) but lacking its darkly humorous violence. While Blast Corps may have been overlooked by some during the N64 era, it is a genuinely engaging “clear-the-path-for-explosives” title. Banjo-Kazooie remains a remarkably charming platform adventure that solidified Rare’s reputation, thanks to its distinctive British humor. Jet Force Gemini, however, was not a standout then and remains less compelling now, suffering from somewhat clumsy third-person shooting mechanics. Conversely, Perfect Dark serves as a compelling reminder of the game’s status as a top-tier FPS title of its time (and its remarkably smooth performance on Xbox One). Banjo-Tooie offers a similar experience with enhanced technology, while Conker’s Bad Fur Day, starring the perpetually hungover, foul-mouthed squirrel, delivers humor unlike any other (albeit unsuitable for children) but suffers from somewhat imprecise controls in the emulated N64 version. The inclusion of the groundbreaking GoldenEye 007 would have been welcomed, but licensing complications, inherent to the Bond franchise, likely prevented its inclusion. The Xbox version of Conker (Live & Reloaded), with its improved visuals and refined controls, would have been a preferable addition as well. The absence of the Diddy Kong and Donkey Kong Country games from the N64 lineup may be disappointing, but considering that Nintendo owns these trademarks, their licensing on another platform remains unlikely.

Banjo-Kazooie

The collection concludes with Grabbed by the Ghoulies, Perfect Dark Zero, Kameo: Elements of Power, Viva Piñata, Jetpac Refueled, Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts and Viva Piñata: Trouble in Paradise, all Xbox 360 titles with Grabbed by The Ghoulies, originally released on the Xbox, included. Interestingly, Grabbed by the Ghoulies proves to be a highlight of this category, performing remarkably well in emulation, suggesting a degree of polish beyond its original release. Perfect Dark Zero, Kameo, the Pinata games, and Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts are executed via the Xbox 360 backward compatibility feature, installing as standalone games within the collection. While this feature is appreciated, it results in the Rare Replay package consuming nearly 50 GB of storage space. Perfect Dark Zero offers a passable FPS experience but fails to reach the quality of Perfect Dark on the N64, exhibiting a slower frame rate and lacking some of the original’s intensity. Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts presents a compelling concept and stands as the visually most appealing Banjo title, but its slower pace and less-than-optimal utilization of the Xbox One’s processing power detract from the experience. While the concept of constructing and racing vehicles holds appeal, the inconsistent frame rate impacts enjoyment. Kameo remains a strong platformer, reminiscent of Rare’s take on Zelda in 3D. Viva Pinata, geared towards players who enjoy building and maintaining virtual gardens, did not capture our attention upon its initial release, and unfortunately, fails to do so now. Jetpac Refueled delivers a competent remake of Rare’s inaugural title, providing an engaging arcade experience for short bursts of play.

Grabbed by The Ghoulies was better than we remembered it

Overall, this is an exceptionally well-curated compilation of classic games that will resonate with many and offer a nostalgic experience. While some titles may have aged less gracefully than others, others offer surprising value upon revisiting, such as Grabbed by The Ghoulies. Rare and Xbox One have demonstrated impressive engineering in their emulation efforts, subtly outperforming Nintendo by offering six Nintendo classics not currently available on the Wii U. Considering its price point of approximately 300 SEK, the collection is undeniably affordable, effectively costing around 10 SEK per game.

There is very little to criticize regarding Rare Replay, a collection poised to provide hours of entertainment for both retro enthusiasts and contemporary gamers (offering a historical perspective to those who believe that older games were superior). However, the absence of certain titles is notable, raising the question of whether Rare and Microsoft intend to release them as future add-ons. Nevertheless, this stands as a desirable collection of classic games, well-worth adding to any game library, potentially justifying the sale of older retro hardware, streamlining the process of reliving cherished Rare memories. And no, we do not miss Kinect Sports.