During BlizzConline, Blizzard announced a collection of classic games, the Blizzard Arcade Collection. The three games included are The Lost Vikings, Rock N Roll Racing and Blackthorne. According to Blizzard, these three titles have had tons of influence over the company's games in the last thirty years, which is why they've chosen to highlight them during the company's 30th anniversary.
There are two original console releases for each game included as part of the pack and brand new "Definitive Editions" for each game. These Definitive Editions include quality-of-life updates for each game along with new content and language options. There's also tons of bonus content like interviews and digital manuals included as well for each game. Here's a quick overview of the games included.
The Lost Vikings is a side-scrolling platformer where players can swap between three Vikings as they navigate through multiple levels themed around different points in time. Players have to manage each Viking separately, with all three present on the stage at once, though players can swap freely between the three. The Vikings, named Erik the Swift, Baleog the Fierce and Olaf the Stout, each have their own unique abilities that players must use to navigate each level.
The Definitive Edition of The Lost Vikings includes a reworked local multiplayer mode that supports up to three players and any content included in the various console releases, such as new levels and cutscenes. The Lost Vikings defined Blizzard's future focus on blending RPG mechanics with other genres and the early focus on character abilities and can be considered a predecessor to RTS titles such as Heroes of the Storm.
Rock N Roll Racing is a bit like an early Twisted Metal, mixing the racing genre with combat mechanics. One of Rock N Roll Racing's most memorable aspects is the rock and metal-heavy soundtrack that featured quite a few well-known bands such as Black Sabbath and Steppenwolf. The Blizzard Arcade Collection version of Rock N Roll Racing keeps a majority of the original soundtrack, with the Definitive Edtion even including CD-quality renditions of some of the songs.
Rock N Roll Racing is an underrated classic, with its intense gameplay held up by fast-paced races and satisfying destruction. When a player's car is destroyed, they're respawned at full health. The Blizzard Arcade Collection of Rock N Roll Racing marks the first re-release of the game with songs from the original soundtrack intact. It's a significant milestone for fans of the original game that's worth checking out.
There's a lot of parallels between Blizzard's current works and the cinematic platformer Blackthorne. Much like Overwatch and World of Warcraft, Blackthorne has a complex story full of twists and turns, something fairly revolutionary for the SNES era of games. The game's story deals with alien planets, ancient shamans, military drama and a battle between good and evil, all depicted through a series of platforming levels mixed in with gunfights.
Blackthorne's inclusion in the Blizzard Arcade Collection is perhaps one of the most important games when discussing Blizzard's current style. Wide-spanning stories about struggles between two powers of good and evil often appear in the stories of Blizzard's current projects. With the Blizzard Arcade Collection being released to celebrate Blizzard's thirty years of history, Blackthorne is an essential game for long-time fans to experience.
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