Irem Collection Volume 1

IREM is off to a great start with this five volume collection. If they continue in this fashion, we might be in for some really great classic games for the modern consoles. While the games included aren’t ground breaking or super flashy, they will bring the fun factor as well as that classic shooter frustration that makes you want to keep trying no matter how many times you die. Definitely a good collection.

Overall, this is a great collection of both important and genuinely great Irem shmups. The inclusion of Image Fight II is also great, as that was previously only available on the WiiU. However, both the original Image Fight and X-Multiply make this collection worth picking up for anyone that is a serious fan of shmups.

While the number of games in this collection pales next to many other Switch compilations, shmup fans up for a challenge probably won’t want to sleep on this one. Irem Collection Volume 1 offers some entertaining fun that will put your skills to the test. How about some love for Irem’s In The Hunt next?

Irem Collection Vol. 1 includes three classic shoot'em ups for hardcore gamers, now with online leaderboards and global rankings. No other major efforts detected.

Irem Collection Volume 1 has a couple of excellent games and one rarity on offer, and the quality of those games is its biggest strength. Slight emulation issues, a wide array of bugs, and a bare-bones approach to presenting the games all work against the high-quality feel that ININ seems to want this series to have. Unless you’re very interested in the home ports of Image Fight and its highly lackluster sequel, you’re far better off buying the Arcade Archives releases of Image Fight and X Multiply, a choice that will save you some money to boot.

While its presentation is in some cases downright lacking, the Irem Collection Volume 1’s essentials are at least in order, delivering three great games, several port variations, and enough adjustable options to satisfy. That said, both Image Fights are utter taskmasters that require a hardened disposition, and that limits their broader appeal. X Multiply makes up for this by being a lot more accessible, with a visually superb aesthetic, but also feels like the odd one out because of it. We can’t help but feel an Irem Collection combining eight to ten titles would have been something worth shouting about, but with further volumes in the pipeline, this does feel like yet another exercise in squeezing a niche consumer base over several releases. Despite our appreciation of the games on board, it's hard to get too excited.

Irem Collection Vol. 1 contains a trio of tough, but satisfying shooters that deserve remembrance. But with numerous problems with the emulation and a complete lack of historical context, the games here deserve far better.