I’m about to get personal for a minute, but I promise it is relevant. Decades ago, my family moved to a tiny village in Ontario — it was in the middle of nowhere, it covered less than a square kilometre of land and the population was only a few hundred. With nothing else to do after school, I would lock myself into our home office and play puzzle game Chip’s Challenge for countless hours. The game was difficult for me. Sometimes t made me downright mad. But I kept returning and I loved every second. It got me through some very lonely times.
Chip’s Challenge was originally released for Atari Lynx before being ported to other consoles and PC. About a year ago, The Epyx Collection: Handheld was released for Nintendo Switch… but no Chip’s Challenge. (What a shame.) That’s why I’m so excited that the retro compilation is coming to Xbox with the title added in: I can finally play Chip’s Challenge on a contemporary console! The game and six others that launched for Atari Lynx will be coming to Xbox for the first time when The Epyx Collection: Handheld releases next week.
Aside from Chip’s Challenge, the other six games included in the PC/Xbox version of The Epyx Collection: Handheld are the same as those in the Nintendo Switch version of the game: Blue Lightning, California Games, Electrocop, Gates of Zendocon, Todd’s Adventures in Slime World, and Zarlor Mercenary. All games are releasing for Xbox for the first time. Here is a summary of each of the seven titles in the PC/Xbox version of the compilation:
- Blue Lightning places you in the cockpit of an advanced fighter jet engaging in high-stakes aerial combat.
- California Games puts you through a series of extreme sports challenges, including surfing, skateboarding, BMX biking, and more; consider it a fun, nostalgic trip to 1980s beach culture.
- Chip’s Challenge has you help Chip impress Melinda the Marvel by beating over 140 of her difficult, brain-twisting grid-based puzzles; this compilation includes the original 1989 Atari Lynx version, three classic ports, and two new Sega Mega Drive and SNES ports.
- ElectroCop places you in the role of a cybernetic police officer trying to restore order in a world of futuristic law enforcement; navigate environments, battle criminals, and confront a nefarious mastermind.
- Gates of Zendocon is an intergalactic journey through perilous alien worlds where you face off against deadly enemies controlled by the sinister Zendocon empire; it features engaging gameplay involving navigation, battles, and bosses.
- Todd’s Adventures in Slime World follows Todd, an explorer navigating the dangerous depths of an alien landscape known as Slime World, filled with dead traps and monsters; in this platforming adventure game, solve puzzles and fight slime creatures to get to the truth behind the mysterious world.
- Zarlor Mercenary is about a skilled intergalactic mercenary who must defend the galaxy from alien invaders using an arsenal of weapons and a customizable spacecraft; the arcade-style shooter promises fast-paced action, strategic gameplay, and intense boss battles.
The Epyx Collection: Handheld for PC and Xbox includes contemporary features including display filters, suspend points, live rewind, and an improved UI. 3D-rendered original box art and game cartridges can be viewed alongside each game’s fully remastered manual.
Developed by Imagine Software and published by Pixel Games UK, The Epyx Collection: Handheld will be released for PC via Microsoft and Xbox Series on April 9.
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