This is a Piko Collection 3 review (Home Console Cartridge #29), played and tested on Evercade. Team 17 Collection is available now for $19.99 / € 19,99.
Piko Interactive
Piko Interactive is an American publisher based out of San Antonio, Texas. The company was founded by Eli Galindo in 2013 with the purpose of reviving physical and digital releases of older titles and making them available on their original systems and, in some cases, newer platforms. They have previously partnered with Blaze Evercade on four releases, and the Galeco Arcade lineup was also released through Piko Interactive. This latest release marks their fifth entry in an extensive lineup of intellectual properties owned by the company.
What is in this Cartridge?
Ten games were included in the 29th Home Console Cartridge and 41st Overall Cartridge for the Blaze Evercade. The lineup comprises the following titles: 40 Winks, Radikal Bikers, Sword of Sodan, Zero Tolerance, Super Bubble Pop, Motor City Patrol, Stanley: The Search for Dr. Livingston, Metal Mech: Man and Machine, Legend of Wukong, and Punch King. These games were originally released, or planned for release, on the Sony PlayStation 1, Game Boy Color, Sega Mega Drive/Genesis, Game Boy Advance, and the Nintendo Entertainment System.
Historical line-up
Over the course of these ten games spanning five different consoles, we have some that stand out for various reasons. First, we start off with the cult favorite, 40 Winks.
40 Winks
In this game, you play as either Ruff or Tumble, attempting to save the Dreamworlds’ Winks from an evil group of Hoodwinks. Along the way, you collect items to stay healthy, unlock new worlds, and become stronger in your quest to save the Winks. Despite the lack of analog controls in the Evercade console, the game’s controls are surprisingly not bad. While it may take a bit of patience, especially early on, you can get used to them and have a great gaming experience.
Zero Tolerance (Megadrive/Genesis)
Zero Tolerance is significant for the North American Sega Genesis, as it was the only officially released first-person shooter for a system that spanned nine years (from 1989 to 1998). Technopop released this gem in 1994, where you play as one of five members of the Zero Tolerance squad on a mission to eliminate the extraterrestrial threat and erase evidence of the infection that wiped out the Planet Defense Corps.
The game boasts an astonishing forty levels to traverse, and progressing to the next level requires taking out every single enemy, which is much easier said than done. In its original release on the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis, an accessory was available for free in 1994, allowing players to connect two Mega Drives/Genesis together and enjoy local multiplayer—a first for this generation of home consoles.
A fun fact is that only two other first-person shooters were ever released physically worldwide on the Mega Drive/Genesis. One of them is Bloodshot, which was released in 1994 as a European exclusive, and the other is Duke Nukem 3D, an unofficial release for the Brazilian Mega Drive in 1998.
Legend of Wukong (Megadrive/Genesis)
Legend of Wukong earned its legendary status long before any Westerner ever got to see this game. Originally released in 1996, this RPG was based on the classic Chinese book known as “Journey to the West,” but with twists to make the game feasible. You play as Wukong, a thirteen-year-old who was playing around in Dr. Tang’s Lab and became surprised when his secret time machine actually worked. Wukong steps into it and is transported back in time to the Tang Dynasty, where he needs to figure out how to get back to modern-day China.
In 2008, this Taiwanese exclusive Mega Drive game became just the second game to be released for the system after the 1998 discontinuation of all software for the console worldwide. This title is truly wonderful and has been English-translated for all Role-Playing fanatics to experience.
Stanley: The Search for Dr. Livingston (NES)
Stanley: The Search for Dr. Livingston was a late release for the Nintendo Entertainment System in North America, being released in October 1992. You play the role of Henry Morton Stanley (1841-1904), a reporter who is exploring the last uncharted jungles in Africa, ends up diverting his tasks to help explore and save his professor, Dr. Livingston who ends up being captured by local tribesmen. Stanley in this game needs to collect weapons, supplies, and search for clues in the Congo to save his beloved professor in a classic the for NES.
Super Bubble Pop (GBA)
Super Bubble Pop offers an interesting twist on the classic Bust-A-Move formula. Instead of shooting bubbles or balloons upwards, you move from top to bottom to collect all the Level Stars in each stage. The game features several characters, each with their own unique skill sets, making it a lot of fun to experiment and find the one that suits your style best. This version on the cartridge is for the Game Boy Advance and was released in January 2002.
This puzzle game is quite enjoyable and can be a great way to pass the time when you have around half an hour to spare.
Metal Mech: Man and Machine (NES)
Originally developed in 1990 by Sculptured Software, Metal Mech: Man and Machine can best be described as a Blaster Master clone with some Robocop characteristics. In the game, you assume the role of Tony Martin, a hero commissioned to commandeer a Metal Mech that closely resembles the ED-209, the enemy mech from the original RoboCop movie and subsequent video game. Your mission is to take out the stronghold of a group of half-alien, half-mech invaders that have invaded Earth in the year 2025.
Metal Mech: Man and Machine shares another feature with Blaster Master, requiring you to explore both on foot and in the mech to gather keys and make progress in the game. This Japanese classic, known as Psybuster in that region of the world, provides an exciting adventure as you fight to reclaim Earth.
Radikal Bikers (GBC)
This game was originally released in 1999 for the PlayStation 1 in the PAL territories as an exclusive. However, it was also supposed to have a Game Boy Color release, which was eventually canceled and never saw the light of day until Piko claimed the rights to it and released it for the Blaze Evercade for the first time.
In Radikal Bikers, you play as a pizza delivery biker who possesses great skills with their moped on a race track setup. Your objective is to make a few laps and deliver the pizza within the limited time provided. Failing to do so will result in losing the game. A pro tip for playing this game is to take corners early and keep them tight to stay ahead of the timer or your fellow rivals in Race Mode.
This previously unreleased title is actually quite well done and deserves recognition after being considered canceled for a quarter of a century.
Motor City Patrol (NES)
Motor City Patrol was a 1992 game released originally by Source Research and Development, and released by Matchbox, the same company that brought millions of boys and girls those miniature cars that rivals Hot Wheels and Micro Machines in the 1980s and 1990s. In this North American NES exclusive, you are a police officer that has to eliminate crime by patrolling the streets of Motor City while chasing down Speeders with your police siren to make an arrest and block the path of Robbers (Red Vans), and Public Enemies/Fugitives (Blue Cars) until they surrender. Between missions you can upgrade your car to make it better and make arrests easier, but whatever you do, do not fire your weapon on any innocent drivers or its an automatic game over for you, no matter where you are in the game.
Punch King (GBA)
Punch King was released on the Game Boy Advance in 2002, developed by Full Fat and published by Acclaim Entertainment. Regrettably, this game stands out as the weakest in the lineup. In Punch King, you assume the role of Tiger Armstrong, a boxer aiming to climb up the rankings and become the “Punch King.” Your trainer, Joe, provides advice on how to take on the twelve opponents you need to defeat to claim the championship.
The game features an Arcade Mode, as described earlier, along with a Versus Mode where you can face your favorite opponent in an exhibition match, and a Survival Mode to see how many fights you can win in a row. Graphically, it’s decent for a 2002 release, but the gameplay feels janky and off-center, failing to do justice to boxing games, especially when compared to the well-known “Punch-Out” type storylines.
Overall, Punch King is a title you might want to try out only if you’re curious, as it falls short in delivering a satisfying boxing gaming experience.
Sword of Sodan
In Sword of Sodan, you can play as one of two twin siblings, Brodan or Shardan. Your objective is to fight your way to Castle Craggamoor and defeat the necromancer known as Zoras, who overthrew your father, the ruler Lordan. Your character wields the legendary Sword of Sodan, a powerful weapon known for its ability to cut through enemies. To be successful, you must learn how the sword works in combination with spells and magical effects, which you can experiment with by using the potions you gather during your journeys.
This beat’em up game holds a special place in my heart as it was the very first Sega Genesis/Mega Drive game I personally played on the system in 1990. It introduced me to the world of sixteen-bit gaming, and I was enthralled by it for the next eight years.
Sword of Sodan is a timeless classic that continues to captivate players from all corners of the world, making it a remarkable game cherished by enthusiasts both in the West and the East.
Piko, supplier of relevant and obscure games
It’s evident that the third installment of the Piko Interactive Collection is the best of the trilogy thus far. The game selection offers something for most gamers to enjoy and love. The inclusion of historical titles like Zero Tolerance, Legend of Wukong, and 40 Winks makes this collection a must-have, especially considering the reasonable $19.99 MSRP.
As a fan, you are eagerly looking forward to the possibility of Piko Interactive releasing a fourth installment for the Blaze Evercade or a third Galeco Arcade set. Experiencing the arcade version of Radikal Biker is something you hope for in the future.
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Piko Interactive's commitment to supporting Blaze in releasing physical products for its library, alongside their own releases, is commendable. The Evercade platform is just tailor-made for Piko's releases. With this collection, they now have a total of forty-three individual home console titles and twelve additional Galeco Collection titles. Their efforts in bringing back forgotten intellectual properties from the past demonstrate that they are at the forefront of releasing great content and acquiring obscure and historically interesting IPs.
