The third game in the Taito Milestones trilogy is out now on Nintendo Switch, complete with ten arcade classics from the 1980s and 90s.
While the first two collections were a little hit and miss, Taito Milestones 3 is a far more consistent package.
You’ve got absolute bangers like Rastan Saga (the inspiration for the excellent Volgarr the Viking), atmospheric adventure games like Cadash, as well as all-time classics like Bubble Bobble and Rainbow Islands.
However, there are three games, in particular, that make Taito Milestones 3 a must-buy for retro gaming fans.
1. Dead Connection
Dead Connection is the sort of game you’d see on a hidden gems video from someone like MetalJesusRocks (I’m pretty sure that’s where I first heard about it, in fact).
It’s not something you see in many collections or best-of lists, despite featuring top-tier gameplay that’s kind of similar to Wild Guns.
Instead of taking place in the Wild West, however, Dead Connection sees players battle mobsters in 1950s America.
The game’s epic shootouts take place in locations such as restaurants, scrapyards and hotel lobbies, all of which are teeming with bad guys.
Better yet, the environments are highly destructible, giving players new and inventive ways to dish out punishment to the seemingly never-ending supply of gangsters.
2. Runark (Growl)
Most beat-em-ups take place in decaying urban cities full of graffiti covered walls, denim clad biker gangs and baseball bat-wielding street punks. This is not the case with Runark, however.
This wonderfully bizarre beat-em-up pits rangers (including one who bears more than a striking resemblance to Indiana Jones) against an eclectic mix of animal poachers.
The satisfying hand-to-hand combat is complemented by an absolute feast of high-powered weaponry, including rocket launchers, machine guns, swords, grenades and exploding barrels. Even the animals will occasionally help you.
The icing on the cake is Batman-style visual effects when things go boom (or SHRBOOM).
And did I mention that you get to beat up animal poachers?
3. Warrior Blade
Until recently I didn’t know there was a third game in the Rastan Saga series, or that it was available as part of Taito Milestones 3 in the form of Warrior Blade.
Indeed, Warrior Blade doesn’t just ditch the Rastan Saga name, but also the side-scrolling platforming gameplay. Instead, you’ve got a fantasy beat-em-up that’s not too dissimilar to Golden Axe.
Like Golden Axe Revenge of Death Adder, the game also features branching paths, letting you choose which order you tackle the lizard men, swamp monsters and corrupt knights.
Perhaps Taito had a few Darius twin screen displays knocking about, because Warrior Blade features a similar ultra-wide aspect ratio that actually works pretty well on the Nintendo Switch.
It also makes up for the dreadful Rastan Saga sequel, ensuring the series ends on a high.