Disney/Pixar Toy Story: Retro Roundup! Review

I’ve looked at the remaster of the 2010 Toy Story 3 game, so I thought I’d give Disney/Pixar Toy Story: Retro Roundup! a go as well. This title feels more dated with its rougher textures and familiar artwork. Furthermore, there is a sense of authenticity thanks to the clunky controls, sharp colours, and simple ideas.

Atari has pieced together this collaboration of 90s and early 2000s games. It is a single-player and local multiplayer title that incorporates 6 unique titles and 11 different versions combined. It’ll appeal to retro lovers and those who wish to experience a bygone era. If you only play modern games, this will not be the title for you.

Disney/Pixar Toy Story: Retro Roundup! has 6 different stories.

The Disney/Pixar Toy Story: Retro Roundup! delivers 6 different stories from 11 platforms. There are Toy Story, Toy Story 2, Toy Story 2: Buzz Lightyear to the Rescue, Buzz Lightyear of Star Command, Toy Story Racer, and A Bug’s Life. Each stays comfortably close to their relative storylines, protagonists, and ideas. Accordingly, fans will adore the vibes.

Each of the games remains faithful to the original gameplay, and if you’ve tackled one before, you can test your memory as you look for collectables, explore levels, or race around each track. This was ideal if you want a dash of retro gameplay. However, they haven’t all aged particularly well, and I found my mind wandering as I switched between each game.

This was a shame as I enjoy the franchise and wanted to get stuck in. Sadly, the core mechanics don’t entirely work with modern audiences, and I feel many people will turn their noses up.

Improvements.

Disney/Pixar Toy Story: Retro Roundup! incorporates some modern improvements to help gamers overcome any learning curves. There is a rewind feature to remove the fear of failure. This felt too much like cheating for my liking, so I rarely used it. However, it was nice to have if you struggle with a particular annoying platform element.

The save states option is ideal if you need to play and dash. Waiting for the original save points can be frustrating. Therefore, the manual save is a great way to improve accessibility and versatility.

The Rex Cheat codes offer a true insight into old-school gaming. This took me back to my Sega days when cheating was acceptable. The RCCs let you select unlimited lives, become invincible, unlock content, and reduce the difficulty. Although some gamers will avoid this like the plague, it was nice to see how it worked.

Disney/Pixar Toy Story: Retro Roundup! keeps things old-school.

Atari do a great job of enhancing dated titles. Disney/Pixar Toy Story: Retro Roundup! allows you to place visual filters to create a vintage CRT experience. This was odd but phenomenal. Alongside this, it has kept the blocky visuals and simple colour palette. The audio rinses each franchise vibe. There are familiar tracks alongside some high-energy and interesting moments.

As the eras move from the 90s to the new millennium, the controls become tighter and easier to handle. I was glad of this, as the blocky nature of the 90s games was uncomfortable. Luckily, the cheats help to alleviate some of the frustrations I expected to experience. Replay value focuses on your love of old-school gaming and the Toy Story or A Bug’s Life franchises. Unfortunately, it is a little limited, and I’ve probably played better examples of each genre.

Disney/Pixar Toy Story: Retro Roundup! is fun, but it didn’t blow me away.

Unless you absolutely love this franchise or you enjoy one specific title, this may not be the game for you. Disney/Pixar Toy Story: Retro Roundup! has some nice improvements, and it is fun in small doses, but I can take it or leave it. Accordingly, I’m on the fence, but I recommend grabbing a copy from the Xbox Store!