Toaplan Arcade Collections Revive SHMUP Classics: Modern Tweaks, Split Volumes, and Some Smart

As a longtime arcade rat, this one jumped right out at me: Toaplan’s legendary shooters, the DNA of so many bullet hells and SHMUPs, are finally landing on all major consoles this August-complete with modern features, and (crucially) split into two volumes. There’s a lot to unpack here, both for retro purists and for anyone who’s only ever seen a Truxton meme.

Toaplan Arcade Collections: Retro Royalty with Real Upgrades

Classic Toaplan shooters arrive with modern features-rewind, save states, online leaderboards-and local co-op support for several titles.
Two separate volumes mean you’ll need both to get the full library, but the choice lets newcomers jump in without committing to everything.
Physical editions come with thoughtful bonuses: sleeve for both volumes (Vol. 1), and an art book of arcade instruction cards (Vol. 2).
Quality-of-life upgrades aim to make these brutally hard games playable for mortals—smaller hitboxes, adjustable difficulty, and more.

Feature	Specification
Publisher	TATSUJIN
Release Date	August 14, 2025
Genres	Arcade, Shoot ’em up, Retro
Platforms	Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X\|S

Batsugun in-game screenshot: screen filled with enemy fire and vibrant explosions — *Batsugun, one of Toaplan’s genre-defining shooters, finally returns—with new accessibility options for today’s players.*

Let’s get the basics out of the way: On August 14, 2025, both Toaplan Arcade Shoot ’em up Collection Vol. 1 & 2 drop on Switch, PS4, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S. Each collection rounds up eight Toaplan shooters, spanning the mid-’80s to early-’90s, and gives them a proper polish. If you’ve spent years hunting rare PCB boards or dodgy emulators to play Batsugun, Truxton, or Zero Wing, this is honestly the most accessible these games have ever been.

Zero Wing in-game screenshot showing classic boss fight — *Zero Wing’s infamous “All your base” meme legacy aside—this is a genuinely great SHMUP finally getting its due in the West.*

The real story here is how much effort’s gone into making these games playable and enjoyable for a modern audience. I’m skeptical anytime a retro collection boasts “enhancements,” but TATSUJIN and Bitwave Games seem to get it. There’s rewind (a godsend for anyone who’s ever eaten a cheap death), quick saves with six slots per game, online leaderboards, and even achievement/trophy support. The custom dip switches let you tweak everything from region to difficulty and autofire—something only the most devoted arcade fans could do until now.

Out Zone gameplay: two-player co-op and colorful pixel explosions — *Local co-op is back for favorites like Out Zone—finally, suffering together is officially supported.*

But not everything is pure nostalgia. Accessibility tweaks—like smaller hitboxes, variable player durability, and the option to slow down gameplay—are a smart move. Let’s be honest: These games were hard. Brutally so. Giving newer players the chance to experience them without constant game overs isn’t just thoughtful, it’s essential if you want arcade history to matter to anyone under 40.

Fire Shark gameplay: swarms of enemies and retro visuals — *Fire Shark: The kind of screen-clearing chaos that made Toaplan a household name for shooter fans.*

One possible headache? The split into two volumes. If you want both Batsugun and Zero Wing, you’re buying both. But with each at eight games, it’s not bad value, and it gives casual fans a way in without ponying up for every obscure title. The physical bonuses are actually cool for collectors—Vol. 1’s sleeve to house both volumes (a neat bit of forward planning), and Vol. 2’s arcade-style instruction card gallery book (love a good scan of weird old cabinet art).

This isn’t just a quick cash-in nostalgia trip. With Bitwave’s recent track record of respectful retro ports and TATSUJIN’s hands-on legacy, there’s reason to believe the emulation and features will actually do these games justice. If you grew up on M2’s ShotTriggers or the ACA NeoGeo releases, this is on par with what modern SHMUP heads expect—and, with the assist modes, maybe even more accessible.

For die-hard fans, getting these titles on modern hardware—especially with online leaderboards and co-op—scratches a decades-old itch. For newcomers, these collections are a crash course in why Toaplan’s design DNA still echoes in everything from Cave to Housemarque. And for me? It’s a rare retro bundle that actually tries to honor the past without making it a museum piece.

TL;DR: The Toaplan Arcade Collections finally do justice to some of the best (and most unforgiving) shooters ever made, with the right mix of modern tweaks, accessibility, and genuine respect for the source. Whether you’re a leaderboard grinder or just want to see what made 80s arcades tick, this is the real deal—not just for nostalgia, but for playability in 2025.

Source: TATSUJIN via GamesPress