Back in the late 80s and early 90s, we saw some of the best platformers and early shooting games. Gaming was at its earliest during this time but still, some of the video games released during this time made such an impact on the industry that they are loved by fans until this day. Turrican by Factor 5 is one of such franchises that dates back to the early 1990s which offered the best of its time to players. Gaming was shifting from arcades to home entertainment systems and Turrican was one of the earliest adopters of this concept. However, now this nostalgic series has made its return to modern consoles thanks to ININ Games and Factor 5. This is our review of Turrican Flashback on Nintendo Switch in which we revisit this iconic platforming shooter.
Turrican Flashback is not one game. It is a collection of four of the best titles in the franchise that adds some modern touch to each of the games and brings them to modern consoles. The four titles included in the collection are Turrican, Turrican II, Mega Turrican, and Super Turrican. Each game while still retains its classic and iconic visuals, soundtrack, and gameplay, you will still find plenty of modern touches here and there that really make it easier to play these games now as compared to their original releases back in the early 90s. The Nintendo Switch version runs without any issues whether graphical or technical.
Starting the game takes you to the game selection screen and upon selecting a game of your choice, you are presented with another game menu. I really like how each game in the collection has its own proper menu before jumping into the game itself. This menu allows you to start the game, save the game state and even load previously saved game states. Each game in the collection also comes with its own cheats that range from various functions such as giving you unlimited specials, lives, or making you invincible. The menu really gives a modern and fresh look to the game.
Once you jump in the game, you have the familiar game intros and the actual in-game menu from where you can start the game. You can access the main menu anytime by pressing the ‘-‘ key which can be used to save your game state, load a previous one, restart the entire game or check how to enter cheats in the game at any time of the game. If you are a newcomer to the franchise, then chances are that you will need to enter some cheats initially because the game is not that easy to play and the somewhat dated gameplay does not make it that easier to play. While different added features such as a rewind option make it a lot easier, if you decided to skip these modern features and go for the classic gameplay, the game is not that forgiving.
The gameplay of Turrican Flashback is exactly the same with a few minor tweaks here and there. The rewind feature is handy if you make a mistake. Other than that, the maps are there for your exploration with different secrets hiding here and there. However, the game has a time limit, so you have to keep an eye out for that as well. The levels combine platforming pretty well with shooting, but the view feels a little too zoomed-in. Most of the enemies move really quickly and with low visibility around you, you have to be extremely quick on your feet. You also have the wheel mode and plenty of super attacks at your disposal as well for survival.
With each progressive title in the franchise, you can also feel the natural improvement all around the formula as well. Newer titles feature crispier gameplay, tighter platformer, bigger bosses, deadlier weapons, and multiple additional features such as the grappling hook in Mega Turrican to keep the franchise fresh. This means that every time to complete an older game and move towards a newer title, you have plenty of things to look forward to. Add in a couple of cheats to make gameplay interesting but your score is not counted if you use cheats in the game. If you are not a high score hunter, this should not bother you at all.
Later titles also come with many development updates as well for example, Super Turrican’s music is presented in Dolby Surround which was a major achievement back in 1993 when the game was released on Super NES. The very first Turrican was released on the Commodore Amiga in 1990 and since its release, every next release was better and bigger. Factor 5 improved the titles in nearly every aspect while sticking true to the franchise’s core. The grappling hook in the Mega Turrican was also one of the best additions to the game because it opened a new way to explore the universe of Turrican. ININ Games and Factor 5 have ensured that every last bit of these nostalgic platformer-shooters returns to modern consoles in their best way possible with additional features.
Final Verdict:
Turrican Flashback brings four of the best titles in the franchise back to life on the Nintendo Switch console. While for me, Mega Turrican is still the best game out of the bunch but if you are a fan of the original franchise, this collection is going to be a treat for you. However, when in direct comparison with other modern platforming shooters, Turrican’s gameplay certainly feels old and dated. I do not think that this comparison is even fair at this point but when you have better alternatives available in the market, Turrican Flashback becomes a tough decision to go for. While it certainly comes packed with tons of nostalgia and for retro lovers, this is an absolute treat but if you prefer modern platformers, the gameplay might not be up-to-par for you. Still, if you want to give it a shot, the game is now available on Nintendo Switch and PS4. For retro collectors, this is a must-have title to add to your collection.
Final Score: 8.0/10
