Modern games based on the perceived technical limitations of vintage systems are not uncommon. However, it takes a certain kind of courage – maybe even a tiny little bit of madness – to not only emulate the look and feel of yesteryear’s classics, but to produce games for systems long past their prime. While such endeavours do happen in the indie- and homebrew-sector, it’s unheard of for bigger companies to dabble in this sort of development. Nintendo, Square Enix or SNK might happily re-release their back catalogues in various physical or digital formats, it’s unlikely they would ever go back to their old devkits.
Aleste CollectionDeveloper: M2/CompilePublisher: M2Availability: Out now in Japan on PS4 and Switch
Enter M2, a fascinating publisher and developer located in Tennodai near Tokyo, mostly known for producing conversions of classic games to modern hardware. M2 always goes the extra mile in order to deliver a product that not only immaculately represents the original games, but also improves them in many regards – always optionally of course. M2 is the kind of company to take the plunge into the technical depths of vintage hardware, as it has shown in the past: For one of its earlier Sega Ages projects, Fantasy Zone for PlayStation 2, the team programmed a port of the Master-System-exclusive Fantasy Zone 2 for Segas System 16 arcade-board; for the Namcot Collection in summer 2020, they helped produce impressive NES-conversions of Gaplus and Pac-Man Championship Editions.
These projects now feel like a dress rehearsal for M2’s magnum opus: GG Aleste 3, an all-new entry into the venerable Aleste-series for the Sega Game Gear. Yes. That Game Gear. The dim-screened, battery-guzzling handheld that fruitlessly took on Nintendo’s Game Boy in the early 90s but surprised with a neat library of games. GG Aleste 3 is part of the Aleste Collection that came out in Japan last December for Switch and PS4 and is not yet slated for a western release. The collection consists of fantastic ports of Aleste on Master System, released as Power Strike in the west, its PAL-exclusive sequel Power Strike 2 and the two Game Gear episodes GG Aleste and GG Aleste 2, the latter of which was also renamed to Power Strike 2 in the west, just to make things extra-complicated.
While the original games have aged graciously and are fun by themselves, it’s the new GG Aleste 3 that’s quickly captured players’ attention. And rightly so, as GG Aleste 3 is a marvel – both technically and mechanically. Instead of including a little bonus-game, a small, experienced team created a full-blown sequel. Seven stages filled with countless enemies, giant bosses, beautiful pixel-graphics and a wonderfully balanced difficulty-curve make GG Aleste 3 one of the best shooting games in recent memory. With the Game Gear’s 160×144 resolution, GG Aleste 3’s look brings to mind modern indie-games on platforms like Pico-8, but it also sports a degree of polish like the best offerings of the 90s.