SUNSOFT is Back! Retro Game Selection brings 3 Japan-only Famicom titles to modern platforms

Developer Red Art Games has worked with SUNSOFT, a legendary Japanese publisher, to bring three retro classics previously only released in Japan to the Western market and modern devices in SUNSOFT is Back! Retro Game Selection.

SUNSOFT is Back! Retro Game Selection is comprised of The Wing of Madoola, Firework Thrower Kantaro’s 53 Stations of the Tokaido, and Ripple Island, and is the result of a hugely successful crowdfunding campaign the publisher ran in 2023. The collection is set to launch on October 4, 2024, and you can pick up a physical copy for PS5 for your collection, as well as a digital version for PS5, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox Series X/S. The most important thing about this release is that it not only preserves these games for a new audience to enjoy but is also the first time they can be played with a full English translation.

Dive back into the 80s

You’ve likely never heard of the three games included on SUNSOFT is Back! Retro Game Selection, but you probably know some of the other games SUNSOFT has worked on, including Trip World for the original Game Boy and Final Fantasy Legend I, II, and III. Mercifully, the announcement of this release came with some info about each title included in it.

Firework Thrower Kantaro’s 53 Stations of the Tokaido (Action, 1986): You play as fireworks maker Kantaro. He’s discovered that some evil merchants are trying to use his creations as weapons, and you’ve got to head out and stop them from sullying his name.

The Wing of Madoola (Action, 1986): As the fierce warrior Lucia, you’ll battle the forces of the evil King Daltos in an effort to retire the powerful Wing of Madoola. This game was directed by Kenji Sada, who also worked on Blade Master, and features music from Naoki Kodaka, who worked on Super Fantasy Zone and Albert Odyssey.

Ripple Island (Adventure, 1988): Kyle is a young boy who dreams of a better life. That is, until he’s called upon by King Dotella to help battle Emperor Groaker, a villain who has been plaguing the land for too long. The game was directed by Atsushi Sakai, who also worked on Atlantis no Nazo, Ikki, and also features music by Naoki Kodaka.

Not only will all three games be available in English for the first time, but SUNSOFT is Back! Retro Game Selection includes some incredibly retro enthusiast-friendly quality-of-life features. My favorite might be the CRT filter, but there’s also a rewind button, multiple aspect ratios and borders, 3D models of all three cartridges, and a gallery of concept and promotional art.

Having this level of detail in a modern collection of games that were first released in the 80s is wild. I really love that you can try to relive the nostalgia of twirling the cartridge around and play with a filter that pulls you back to the days of the biggest monitors known to man. Experiencing previously Japan-only titles is, of course, the real treat here.