Red Art Games has announced that Joe & Mac Retro Collection will launch digitally on October 29, bringing three classic Data East titles from the Super Nintendo era to modern platforms. The collection will also be released on Nintendo Switch 2 alongside the previously announced Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC versions.
Developed by Red Art Studios, the collection brings together Joe & Mac: Caveman Ninja, Congo’s Caper, and Joe & Mac: Lost in the Tropics. The three games were originally released on the Super Nintendo between 1991 and 1995 and are part of the Tatakae Genshijin franchise in Japan.
The first game, Joe & Mac: Caveman Ninja, is a run-and-gun platformer in which the titular cavemen battle through 12 levels using a variety of prehistoric weapons. The Western release was censored, but the collection includes the original Japanese version alongside the Western edition.
Congo’s Caper shifts the focus to Congo, a half-human, half-monkey character who sets out to rescue his girlfriend from a demon across 35 levels. Meanwhile, Joe & Mac: Lost in the Tropics adds light role-playing elements to the platforming formula, including relationship and family mechanics alongside its prehistoric action.
The collection isn’t simply a set of untouched retro releases. Red Art Studios has added several quality-of-life features, including save states and a rewind function that lets players reverse mistakes during gameplay. A customizable aspect ratio and optional CRT filter are also included for players looking to recreate the look of older displays.
A new Boss Rush Mode provides an additional challenge, while a Virtual Unboxing Experience lets players examine the original games’ boxes, manuals, and cartridges. The collection also includes an in-game music player featuring the soundtracks from all three games.
Multiplayer is supported in Joe & Mac: Caveman Ninja and Joe & Mac 2, with both games offering two-player co-op. Players can also switch between the Western and uncensored Japanese versions of each title.
Joe & Mac Retro Collection will launch digitally on October 29 for Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC via Steam. Physical Standard, Deluxe and Rock Editions for Nintendo Switch and PS5 are planned for early 2027, with the Deluxe Edition limited to 500 PEGI-rated copies per platform.
The Joe & Mac Retro Collection Rock Edition contains:
- Copy of the game
- Retro-inspired box
- Acrylic stand
- 3-badge set
- Sticker sheet
- Double-sided poster
- Instruction manual
- Sticker sheet (redartgames.com exclusive)
The Joe & Mac Retro Collection Deluxe Edition contains:
- Copy of the game with reversible cover
- Exclusive sleeve featuring alternate cover art
- Instruction manual
- Sticker sheet
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Would you be interested in playing Joe & Mac Retro Collection when it launches on October 29 on PC and consoles? Let us know in the comments section below.
