Imagine a game that took you straight back to your childhood in the blink of an eye. Now imagine having a new collection of 10 versions of 6 different games complete with widescreen versions, new filters, CRT borders, informative extras from edutainment champions Digital Eclipse, and a music player that takes you straight back to the 90s. Oh, and add in a remastered version of Toy Story 3 for good measure.
Atari and Digital Eclipse are back with two brand new releases - Toy Story: Retro Roundup!, and Toy Story 3 Complete Edition. If you're a fan of old-school platformers, then you'll be all over both of these releases, especially if, like me, you grew up with Toy Story glued to your Game Boy and A Bug's Life in your PS1.
It’s A Bug-Eat-Bug World Out There
Yes, I know the title is heavily Toy Story themed, but the fact that A Bug's Life is included in this Retro Roundup is absolute gold. It's one of my favourite games from my childhood, and it seems to be the same for pretty much everyone I speak to as well. My girlfriend actually whooped for joy when she saw it pop up on the Switch 2 earlier today and proceeded to tell me about the level she couldn't get past as a kid. I know what our weekend plans are now!
Before I go down a nostalgic rabbit hole with A Bug's Life, I better tell you which games are in the Retro Round-up.
- Toy Story (1995) - Genesis, SNES, Game Boy
- Toy Story 2 (1999)- GBC
- Toy Story 2: Buzz Lightyear to the Rescue! (1999)- PS1
- Buzz Lightyear of Star Command (2000) - PS1, GBC
- Toy Story Racer (2001) - PS1, GBC
- A Bug's Life (1998) - PS1, GBC
Ok, back to Flik's adventure, because while there was only ever one A Bug's Life movie and it's undoubtedly not as successful as the Toy Story franchise, the game was amazing. Traveller's Tales, who would go on to make Crash Bandicoot: The Wrath of Cortex, as well as the majority of titles in this collection, recreated Flik's world perfectly in this title, giving us a chance to see what it's like to be a tiny little ant on a monumental adventure. It got slated by reviewers, but I personally love it!
Let's talk about some of the features that you can access for each of the games, because you'll notice that there's a curved CRT in the picture up above. Like with the Analogue 3D and the M64, you can mess around with screen settings to have that CRT filter effect like you'll remember from your old consoles. There are two choices here: a small CRT or a larger Curved CRT. You can also play with no border and just have a square in the middle of the screen.
There's also the option to have widescreen gameplay, and to be honest, it looks pretty good! I thought that stretching CRT games that we were used to seeing on 4:3 displays would make my eyes hurt, and in some cases, like with the Toy Story Game Boy game below, it does. But Flik's adventures on Ant Island look amazing on my 42" TV in widescreen and clean mode. Changing between modes is as simple as pressing down the right analog stick and bringing up the menu, and you can rewind through all of the games if you missed a little bit or made a stupid mistake... something I did a lot on this next game.
One Of My Earliest Toy Story Games
I can't begin to tell you how amazing it was to see the start-up screen for this game again, complete with the DMG screen bezel and battery light that I grew up keeping powered with a seemingly never-ending supply of batteries from my parents' cupboard.
This game got me through so many holidays as a kid, but it was super tough. I can remember it being relentless, and when I started playing it again, I realised I was right. The SNES and Genesis versions of the game are easier to make out and see, but the Game Boy version is, understandably, much tougher to make out. Playing without a filter on does clear some bits up, however, but it's just not the same as that original Dot Matrix screen look, so I opted to keep mine on while playing.
One thing I will say is don't play this Game Boy version in widescreen unless you want the kind of headache that you get from a stint playing on the Virtual Boy. Stick to having the wallpaper from Andy's room and the DMG screen border for the best playing experience.
Toy Story 2: Buzz Lightyear To The Rescue
While I loved the first Toy Story game, it didn't have the capacity to be more than a side-scroller. We were in the age of the 16-bit console, 8-bit if we're going on the DMG/GBC, and the games were very linear and very much side-scrolling titles. The PS1 allowed us to go full 3D with the world of Toy Story for the first time, giving us an adventure where Buzz Lightyear took the lead.
I know having filters that make games look clean and hi-def is all well and good, but Buzz just looks wrong without those nostalgic little lines across his face. Still, as you can see from the image below, you can play with a clear screen or use the CRT filter to keep the game looking just as it did back in 1999 (I was 9, and Prince was partying).
An Ambitious Game Boy Racer & Its PS1 Counterpart
I'm not going to lie - this isn't the best racing game in the world. I know we can't expect much in terms of a racer on the Game Boy Color as I write this in 2026. It was fun back in the day, don't get me wrong, but I don't think there's going to be much chance of me putting a lot of hours into the GBC version of Toy Story Racer. I could say the same thing for the DMG version of Toy Story, except that I have a nostalgic link to it, so I imagine if you feel the same way about this game, you'll be heading straight for it with a big smile on your face.
If, however, you didn't spend much time with it but want to discover what a Toy Story racer might be like, then you'll get along with the home console version much better. Toy Story Racer for the PS1 actually has some great graphics, as well as the chance to play a racing game as an RC car, which I think is some cool inception - who's controlling RC?
The characters are easily recognisable in this version with levels that are much more fun to immerse yourself in. All of the modes from the original have made it onto the Retro Roundup, with players racing, completing objectives, and more. It's definitely one I could see my friends and I spending a lot of hours playing over the coming months.
One Of The Strangest Racers Ever Made
If you've never played Buzz Lightyear of Star Command before, it's an odd one. But I'm glad Atari and Digital Eclipse put this game in the compendium, because it's such a uniquely strange game that once you start playing, you kind of get into the format and can't put it down.
Essentially, as you can see from the video above, you have to race a bad guy to the end of the course. It's a foot race, but you can get special hoverboards and use your jetpack too. You'll need to shoot down enemies in the way at the same time. So it's a weird hybrid/shooter game starring Buzz Lightyear and the characters from the cartoon series.
If I hadn't loved the cartoon series as much, I don't think I would have been as interested in this game. Still, having the chance to go back to it now and experiencing it as an adult was actually pretty cool, and I'm glad it's been included. I think out of all of the game on here, this could be the one that intrigues you the most. It's got a look and a feel of Gex: Enter the Gecko, but with Buzz at the helm and some futuristic firepower.
Digital Eclipse Give Us A Lesson In Nostalgia With New Toy History Mode
It wouldn't be a Digital Eclipse game without some edutainment factors now, would it? They're the masters of teaching us about the game series we're playing, and as there's a whole load of information about all of the Toy Story movies and Pixar in general, it stands to reason that Digital Eclipse would put in a section where we can nerd out on facts about the films, see original artwork, posters, and more.
Concept art is something I always like to immerse myself in. As a writer, I like to see how other creatives envisioned their worlds and creations from the initial idea stage through to completion. Seeing sketches for scenes in Toy Story and A Bugs Life is fascinating to a nerd like me, and seeing the promotional materials that were used in the run-up to the films releasing in the 90s is a huge blast from the past.
And a Retro Roundup wouldn't be complete with some tunes, would it? The game has a mix of songs from the films for players to put on in the background while they're washing up, cleaning, or kicking back after all the jobs they've done. Honestly, we never knew how hard Andy's mum worked when we watched that first Toy Story film - I want less time being an adult and more time playing Toy Story!
How much will you use the music player? In all honesty, probably not a lot, but it's a nice reference feature to get you in a nostalgic mood. It was never going to be the main reason you bought this game (Spotify exists, after all), but it's one of those customary things you expect from a collection like this, so I'm glad it's got it's been featured.
Toy Story 3 Complete Edition Remastered
Although technically not part of the Roundup and a separate release, Atari and Digital Eclipse have also joined forces to bring a remaster of Toy Story 3 out at the same time as the Retro Roundup. Toy Story 3 Complete Edition brings the PS3 game kicking and screaming into our modern world of 4K gaming, and I've got to tell you - it looks incredible.
I think everyone who grew up in the 90s has a soft spot for Toy Story. The game released on PS3 back in 2010, and although I was 20, I still bought it. You don't outgrow Toy Story, and I think gamers who were kids in the 90 will always love the simpler gameplay from titles like these. I mean, throwing balls at aliens and chasing Ham in his aircraft arent overtly difficult compared to the likes of God of War or Breath of the Wild, but they're incredibly addictive.
The graphics of the remaster run at 4k with 60fps; everything just runs super smoothly, and while the original game looked impressive back in 2010, everything is just sharper and with more definition. The backgrounds of the screenshot above are spectacular, even down to the grain of the wood on the planks at the top of the train. And for anyone who hasn't ever played the game, yes - you can ride Bullseye.
The game sticks close to the general plot of the film, though there's obviously some creative license been used to make it more playable as a game. And the controls on the Switch 2 were superb - I've got no complaints here whatsoever! The game looks brilliant in handheld mode and while docked, meaning you can take it on a plane and enjoy some old-school Toy Story action or just kick back with a cup of Sunny D and some Hula Hoops like you might have done when watching Toy Story as a kid. (I've checked - you can still buy Sunny D).
Is It Worth Spending $50 On?
100%. Toy Story Retro Roundup! is well worth the money, not just for the amount of games that you get with it but for the sheer amount of knowledge that Digital Eclipse have crammed into it too. Not to mention a completely remastered version of Toy Story 3 included as an extra.
For a 90s kid like me, Toy Story is a huge part of my life. I had the duvet, I had the lunch box; it was around me everywhere growing up. And Toy Story isn't just for us; there are new generations getting into the films with every new release, parents sharing their own memories with their kids as they go back and watch the earlier movies together.
Will younger players like this game? I think if their parents have got them into retro gaming, then yes. They'll definitely love the Toy Story 3 remaster, but it might be a push to get them interested in Toy Story for the DMG. That just means that there's something for everyone of all age groups in this collection, just like how the films appeal to everyone no matter their age. All in all, I reckon this will be on a lot of people's Christmas lists this year, and they won't be disappointed when they open it up!
