Joe & Mac Retro Collection Launches on PS5, Switch, Xbox Series, and PC: 3 SNES Classics, Boss Rush Mode, and Price
Grab your wooden clubs and stock up on prehistoric meat: Joe & Mac Retro Collection is officially out today digitally across PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam. Developed internally by Red Art Studios and published by Red Art Games, this new compilation brings together all three 16-bit Data East Super Nintendo platformers in a single package for the first time, complete with their uncensored Japanese Super Famicom counterparts and a brand-new challenge mode.
Three Super Nintendo and Super Famicom Classics United for $19.99
Priced at $19.99 / €19.99 digitally (with a temporary 10% launch discount bringing it down to $17.99 on Steam), the collection unites the entire 16-bit trilogy originally released during the early 1990s. Players can freely switch between the Western North American releases and the original Japanese Super Famicom versions, which preserve animations and visual details that were altered for international audiences back in the day. This latest revival of 16-bit console history arrives right alongside the news of 29 classic NES and Super Nintendo Capcom games recently rated in South Korea, proving how strong demand remains for 1990s platformers and action titles.
- Joe & Mac: Caveman Ninja (Tatakae Genshijin): The 16-bit Super Nintendo adaptation of the 1991 arcade hit that kicked off the franchise. Green- and blue-haired cavemen Joe and Mac battle through dense jungles, icy caverns, volcanic wastelands, and even the inside of a giant dinosaur's stomach before facing a towering fossilized skeleton boss to rescue their village's kidnapped women from a rival Neanderthal gang.
- Congo's Caper (Tatakae Genshijin 2: Rookie no Bōken): Originally released in 1992 in Japan and 1993 in North America, this fast-paced spin-off shifts the spotlight to Congo, a half-monkey, half-human youth who transforms into a glowing golden super-caveman after collecting three red rubies across ocean depths, forests, and trap-filled caves.
- Joe & Mac 2: Lost in the Tropics (Tatakae Genshijin 3: Shuyaku wa Yappari Joe & Mac): Launched in 1994 (and known as Joe & Mac 3: Lost in the Tropics in Europe), this tropical sequel blends classic side-scrolling combat with light RPG elements. Starting from a customizable Tiki Village, the duo sets out to recover a stolen royal crown from Gork and gather the seven legendary Rainbow Stones.
Exclusive Boss Rush Mode, Rewind, Save States, and Local Co-Op
To make 1990s platforming hazards far more approachable on modern hardware, Red Art Studios equipped the compilation with a full suite of quality-of-life upgrades. Players can use an instant Rewind feature to undo a mistimed jump, create Save States at any point during a stage, toggle CRT scanline filters for an authentic cathode-ray look, and choose from several custom screen borders.
The standout addition for veteran players is the brand-new Boss Rush mode built specifically for this collection. It pits you against every boss from all three games back-to-back in a timed gauntlet where rewind shortcuts are disabled to keep the stopwatch honest. Classic two-player couch co-op on a single screen is also fully intact for Caveman Ninja and Lost in the Tropics, complete with separate health bars and frantic scrambles to grab healing meat drops before your partner does. An interactive museum gallery with cleaned-up regional manuals, original box art, and a music player rounds out the package.
Physical Standard, Deluxe, and Rock Editions on PS5 and Switch
For physical media collectors who have also been eyeing recent retro preservation announcements like Taito Milestones 5 and its 10 arcade classics on Nintendo Switch, Red Art Games is offering three boxed editions of Joe & Mac Retro Collection for PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch (scheduled to ship in early 2027):
- Standard Edition (€39.99): Includes the physical game disc or cartridge, a reversible cover sheet, and a printed manual.
- Deluxe Edition (€39.99, Red Art Games Store Exclusive): Adds a retro-styled cardboard slipcase, an illustrated booklet, and a sticker sheet.
- Rock Collector's Edition (€69.99): Packs the physical game, booklet, double-sided poster, prehistoric badge set, acrylic standee, and sticker sheet inside a collector's box.
My Perspective
What I appreciate most about Joe & Mac Retro Collection is that it finally gives the two 16-bit follow-ups the spotlight they deserve alongside the original arcade-inspired hit. Both Congo's Caper and especially Lost in the Tropics showcase expressive sprite work and playful stage gimmicks that still hold up remarkably well on the Super Nintendo. Being able to swap between the Western releases and the uncensored Japanese Tatakae Genshijin ROMs while testing my reflexes in a dedicated Boss Rush mode for under $20 makes this a genuinely well-crafted retro bundle for a couch co-op night.
Based on the outskirts of New York City, Chaya 'Chayane' spent five years studying software engineering in Montreal before returning to her home state. A Full-Stack developer and Deep Learning AI architecture researcher, she explores neural networks and algorithmic optimization while engineering data pipelines for Retrocharting and Gamescharting alongside Grimtag. A gamer for over 20 years and an avid collector of Nintendo history and The Legend of Zelda, she explored World of Warcraft's Azeroth before bringing her deep technical background to video game analysis.
