Digital Eclipse isn’t the only developer with a knack for masterfully restoring retro games, but its extra efforts to preserve the history surrounding them are special. Following several high-profile releases, including Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection and Rayman: 30th Anniversary Edition, it’s now released (in collaboration with the renowned publisher Atari) Toy Story: Retro Roundup! + Toy Story 3 Complete Edition.
This isn’t the first time Digital Eclipse has tackled old Disney games. Only a few years ago, it had worked on restoring The Lion King, Aladdin, and The Jungle Book, presenting several different versions of the classics with modern improvements and tools to play through and tinker with them seamlessly. They were the sort of curated and carefully treated re-release that we’d like to see more often from large publishers, and with Atari betting big on retro gaming, it’s not a surprise to see more Disney collections coming out.
How do Toy Story: Retro Roundup! and Toy Story 3 Complete Edition hold up and perform on Nintendo Switch 2 specifically? We checked them out and came away very satisfied, but don’t expect many surprises.
Toy Story: Retro Roundup! Switch 2 Impressions
Toy Story: Retro Roundup! is a rather simple collection. Digital Eclipse picked and restored six games, with one of them infiltrating this Toy Story-themed party, probably because it fit the project’s overall scope and budget. With many other classic Disney games deserving of similar treatment, I wouldn’t be surprised to see more collections from the developer, but getting an extra one out as soon as possible is a nice bonus. The list goes as follows:
- Toy Story (1995)
- Toy Story 2: Buzz Lightyear to the Rescue! (1999)
- Toy Story 2 (1999)
- Buzz Lightyear of Star Command (2000)
- Toy Story Racer (2001)
- A Bug’s Life (1998)
Those who know Digital Eclipse won’t be surprised by the fact several versions of each game (where possible) are included, meaning Toy Story 2 (for example) is a completely different game on PS1 and Game Boy Color. Movie tie-ins used to work like that, and a major strength of Digital Eclipse’s preservation efforts is that you get as many of those versions as possible, each with unique enhancements, save states, and the ability to even load in with cheat codes.
Many times, we’re eager to check out some of these retro collections, only to find out the games themselves haven’t aged very well, but that’s not the case here. I’ve always had a soft spot for most of Disney’s classic games, and many of them still hold up. In this specific case, I’d even say all of the games included are at least enjoyable, with some of them packing some really advanced design ideas and visual elements when compared to contemporaries. A Bug’s Life is a particular favourite, and it’s also a quality 3D action-adventure platformer which doesn’t stick out.
With access to CRT filters, several aspect ratios, cheats, save states that can help with the games’ difficulty curves, and plenty of video extras and documentaries that expand on how they were brought to life, this Toy Story: Retro Roundup! feels like the ultimate way to revisit these classics, and I can only hope other PS1-era Disney games (like Tarzan or Hercules) can get the same treatment sooner rather than later.
On the performance side of things, they obviously run flawlessly on modern hardware, and Nintendo Switch 2 is no exception. There’s, however, the concern of input lag or graphical oddities with these retro re-releases at times (emulated or not), but I experienced zero anomalies during my time with the various games. Of course, upscaling filters will be exposing visual inconsistencies since these games were built with much much lower resolutions in mind, but you can always go back to the original, untouched visuals.
Toy Story 3 Complete Edition Switch 2 Impressions
Toy Story 3 gets a deeper refresh, which is why Atari and Digital Eclipse separated it from the rest (even if a discounted bundle is available). What we have here (and this applies to all platforms) is very much a remaster of the PS3 and Xbox 360 version of the game, albeit a traditional one which doesn’t alter its original graphics, which are just upscaled, touched-up, and forced to run at 60 FPS.
The game itself remains incredibly fun after all these years, to the point I was shocked by how much it feels like recent 3D platformers. The genre actually hasn’t seen much of an evolution since the early 2010s if you look outside of Nintendo’s first-party releases, and Toy Story 3’s comeback proves that. This was also one of the last Disney movie tie-ins with wide multiplatform releases, so there’s an extra charm to it. It’s the sort of rare IP-based game that now comes across as both old and modern at the same time, which made it a genuine delight to revisit.
Docked (left) or handheld (right), Nintendo Switch 2 players are getting the exact same experience: Toy Story 3 runs at 1080p and 60 FPS consistently versus the 30 FPS and lower res. targets of the first Switch. It’s not quite as sharp as the PC and bigger console versions, but the simple and very colourful art style helps it look dashing on both Switch 2’s own screen and my TV. No graphical options whatsoever to play with. It simply looks and runs well.
For veterans, the bigger reason to go back to Toy Story 3 is the inclusion of content that was previously restricted to “certain versions of the game”, meaning this release has all it originally offered under a single roof. For example, you can now play as the Emperor Zurg in the sandbox-like Toy Box Mode and use more decoration packs. The adventure and Toy Box support seamless local co-op as well, so Toy Story 3 Complete Edition is a perfect choice for casual gaming time with a family member or friend. Just a delight, if you ask me.
Toy Story: Retro Roundup! & Toy Story 3 Complete Edition are out now on PC (Steam), PS4/5, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch 1/2 for $29,99 and $24,99 respectively, with a full bundle priced at $39,58 also available. Some platforms have physical releases too.
A review code was provided by the publisher.