Taito’s classic vertical shooter ‘Scramble Formation’ is set to make its contemporary appearance on the Nintendo Switch and Playstation.
Old-school arcade fans will surely be quite excited to know that one of the most iconic vertical shooters is getting another shot in the spotlight.
It is absolutely wild to think that a game that is nearly 40 years old is getting a re-release on current generation hardware. And that’s really what our channel is all about!
After its release tomorrow, this would make a perfect addition to our best retro games on Nintendo Switch.
Scramble Formation
Scramble Formation is a Japanese arcade classic made by Taito that released in 1986. It later made its North American debut under the title “Tokio” (Tokyo).
You take control of a red prop plane and capture other planes to create your team formation to fight against invading alien forces.
As the name suggests, you are able to modify the formation of your plane group to fit the particular combat you are engaged in. This adds to the variety in game play in a genre that can start to feel repetitive.
What is particularly special about this classic vertical shooter is its faithful pixel depiction of Tokyo in 1986. The game takes place in many well known locals throughout the city, such as Shinjuku and Ginza.
I find the music of Scramble Formation quite unique as well. There is something both exciting and unsettling about it. And it really gives the whole game an iconic feel as you fly through the city.
Release Information
The new release of Scramble Formation will drop on the Nintendo Switch and PS4 tomorrow, November 30th.
Scramble Formation is a vertical shooter, which means that the path of your plane moves forward and it is also a portrait display format game.
So we have high hopes that the Nintendo Switch version of the game will allow for you to rotate your device to maximize the screen real estate.
Games on the Switch have done this before, so we’re quite confident this will be an option.
Sadly, the Playstation users won’t be able to take advantage of this feature. But if you’ve got a giant television, those pixels will look absolutely gorgeous.
With the original game being a shorter experience, it is tough to guess what kind of modern upgrades could be implemented. But the possibility of save-states and online leaderboards should be expected.
A dream come true would be the Super Mario Bros. 35 / F-Zero 99 battle royal treatment. But we might be asking too much here.
Let’s just be happy that such a cool arcade classic is getting another release. That’s a win for retro gaming.
