Red Art Games brings Data East’s prehistoric 16-bit legacy back to modern hardware with Joe & Mac Retro Collection on Nintendo Switch. Bundling three Super Nintendo platformers—the original Joe & Mac: Caveman Ninja, the quirky spin-off Congo’s Caper, and the sequel Joe & Mac 2: Lost in the Tropics—this compilation offers an entertaining, if slightly uneven, trip back to the early 1990s.
Developer: Red Art Games
Publisher: Red Art Games
Release Date: 29 October 2026
Review code provided
The collection serves as a fascinating showcase of how Data East adapted arcade sensibilities into dedicated home console experiences. The original Joe & Mac remains a breezy, direct action-platformer defined by vibrant cartoon visuals, bulging dinosaur eyes, and frantic bone-throwing combat. However, it is the sequels where the package truly shines. Congo’s Caper departs from the formula with expansive level verticality, secret rooms, and a satisfying transformation mechanic when collecting rubies.
Meanwhile, Lost in the Tropics stands out as the crown jewel: it features an overworld map, village customization, snappy physics, and responsive club swings that feel right at home on the handheld screen.
On Nintendo Switch, emulation is handled crisply with near-zero input latency. To soften the blow of unforgiving 90s enemy spawns and sudden pit hazards, the developers have integrated essential modern quality-of-life features, including a quick rewind function, multiple save states, and authentic CRT display filters. Extras include digital scans of original game boxes and instruction manuals, alongside a dedicated Boss Rush mode for high-score chasers.
Where the package falls slightly flat is in its bare-bones archival scope. While local couch co-op is preserved for two-player prehistoric chaos, there is no online multiplayer support. Furthermore, the collection omits the arcade iterations of Caveman Ninja, focusing strictly on the SNES home releases.
Final Thoughts
Still, for nostalgic fans and retro enthusiasts looking for colorful, pick-up-and-play platformers, Joe & Mac Retro Collection delivers solid entertainment with welcome quality-of-life polish.
