Blizzard fans across the world have tuned into Friday’s BlizzConline presentation expecting some major announcements. Yet surprisinglyBlizzard’s first BlizzConline reveal was somewhat understated. It wasn’t forDiablo 4orWorld of Warcraft. It was for theBlizzard Arcade Collection, a bundle of three of Blizzard’s earliest classic game releases. Blizzard fans now have the opportunity to revisit the studio’s history withThe Lost Vikings,Rock N Roll Racing, andBlackthorne.
The Lost Vikings, originally released in 1992, is a puzzle platformer in which players swap between three vikings, each with their own key power.Rock N Roll Racingis an isometric racing and vehicular combat game. Lastly,Blackthorneis a 2D cinematic platformer set in a heavy metal sci-fi setting. In these three original Blizzard games, fans will be able to see many of the ideas that would grow to becomeStarCraftandDiabloin a matter of years, but they’re each uniquely interesting on their own.
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If the re-release of these three classic games wasn’t enough on its own, Blizzard has also gone out of its way to create definitive editions of each title. This includes functionality like the ability to rewind the action as needed, remap buttons as necessary, instant save functionality (except forRock N Roll Racing), and a new Watch Mode that lets players jump into an automated playthrough. Of course, players can instead decide to play the original retro versions of each game instead, too.
One question fans may be asking is why Blizzard stopped at just three games. There are other Blizzard classic games, too, likeRPM Racing,The Death and Return of Superman, andJustice League Task Force. The reason why the latter two aren’t being remade should be obvious, as they’re both licensed games. As forRPM Racing, publisher Interplay went bankrupt in 1998, so the license is likely adrift as well. These games may be lost to time.
The bundle itself will be available across multiple platforms for a low price. $20 will be the recommended pricing for theBlizzard Arcade Collectionwhether it’s on PC, PS4, Switch, or Xbox One. The game will, of course, also be available on PS5 and Xbox Series X viabackward compatibility. One notable detail for PC gamer, however, is that the Blizzard Arcade Collection will be available strictly through The Celebration Collection bundle, rather than on its own.
For those curious about The Celebration Collection bundle on PC, it’s basically a smorgasbord of goodies from the spectrum of currently-available Blizzard titles. It comes in three different tiers, ranging in price from $19.99 to $59.99. The Blizzard Arcade Collection is included in all three, along withHearthstonepacks,Overwatchloot boxes, aDiablo 3pet and portrait, aWorld of Warcraftpet, and more. Upgrades include a rareWorld of Warcraftmount,Overwatchskin, goldenOverwatchloot boxes, and other exciting things.
Blizzard Arcade Collectionis available now on PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One.
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