Christian Cawley is a writer and editor who covers consumer electronics, IT, and entertainment media. He has written for publications such as Computer Weekly, Linux Format, MakeUseOf.com, and Tech Radar.
He also produces podcasts, has a cigar box guitar, and of course, loves retro gaming.
iPhone and iPad owners can now play 24 classic games from Toaplan. But is the Amusement Arcade Toaplan collection worth the money?
While it might be a name that passed by 8-bit home computer owners, Toaplan was instrumental in the development of a massive collection of arcade games in the 80s and 90s. Console and computer owners (like me) might have known the name of the publisher (often TAITO) who issued the port but rarely the original developers.
Happily, this is something that has changed in the retro gaming era, with the big names finally getting the credit they deserve. Toaplan is now a more recognizable name, and alongside competitors like IREM and Jaleco, is the subject of regular collections.
Which brings use nicely to the Amusement Arcade Toaplan collection, which blends Toaplan classics with a customizable virtual arcade environment.
What do you get with the free version?
Amusement Arcade Toaplan is available free, and I’ve reviewed the version for iOS and iPadOS 13.7 or later (it is also available on Android, see below). This basic version gives you:
- 1 full game, 5 demos, and 24 purchasable titles
- Multiple regional versions and a manual per title
- Vertical/tate and horizontal/yoko display modes
- Multiple filters and effects (bloom, raster, etc)
- Options for difficulty, extra lives, continues etc
Meanwhile, the zones around the arcade machines can be customized. You can create your own virtual arcade, effectively, with upto three layouts and regions, which can be unlocked as you buy more games. You can even position cabinets, drink machines, sofas, and other arcade paraphernalia.
So, you simply load it up, select a game to play, and kick back as you enjoy the retro atmos. I tested it on an iPhone 15 (more on that below) and the environment definitely delivered the classic arcade feelz.
What’s in the full Amusement Arcade Toaplan collection?
But what about the games? It’s an eclectic mix, for sure, but are all of them deserving of their place in this collection? Well, it’s a difficult one to call. Testing on iPhone 15, I found the software control mechanism didn’t really work for me. That isn’t to say I didn’t appreciate the options. It’s a lot easier to insert coin and hit the 1-Player button with a pop-up menu on an iPhone that it is to try and remember the process on the latest collection on the Switch.
Meanwhile, the number of configurable settings in the options menu makes it easy to customize gameplay to your liking.
The collection ships with an unlocked Truxton, and five demos:
- Tiger Heli (1985)
- Flying Shark (1987)
- Wardner (1987)
- Snow Bros. (1990)
- Teki Paki (1991)
Full versions of these can be purchased, or you can go ahead and unlock the other titles. A word of warning, however. While the games can be unlocked for $4.99 (£3.99), only the games above, plus Batsugun, Dogyuun, Snow Bros. 2, Grind Stormer, Truxton II, Twin Cobra, Outzone, and Fixeight come into that category. If you want the full 24 game collection of titles, you need to make a single $95.90 purchase (£77.99).
To recap, here are the games you can unlock:
- Tiger Heli
- Guardian
- Alcon/Slap Fight
- Sky Shark/Flying Shark
- Pyros/Wardner
- Twin Cobra
- Rally Bike
- Hellfire
- Twin Hawk
- Horror Story
- Zero Wing
- Fire Shark
- Snow Bros.
- Outzone
- Vimana
- Teki-Paki
- Ghox
- Truxton II
- Fixeight
- Dogyuun
- Grind Stormer
- Knuckle Bash
- Batsugun
- Snow Bros. 2
Once unlocked, these titles are added as machines in the menu, a nice scrollable selection with a decent theme tune.
How do these games play on an iPhone?
You can switch the games between landscape and vertical/tate mode, which is useful for games like Tiger Heli. However, I prefer physical controls, which may be why I found Tiger Heli and Flying Shark particularly tricky.
Or perhaps I’m just out of practice.
I suspect an iPad suits the games better, however, what with the larger screensize. However, the collection is also available on macOS, which might just offer the ultimate gameplay experience for these titles.
Either way, there is little to fear. The in-depth collection of settings and tweaks, covering everything from gameplay and screen orientation to changing input device and how the games are presented (not to mention enabling trainer modes) makes the Amusement Arcade Toaplan a great collection.
However, I do have some concerns over the price for the full collection. While 24 titles is a lot, this feels like two or three Evercade collections, which would still set you back 50-75% of the price. It’s not an exact comparison, I know, but you might be worth biding your time for a discount.
Amusement Arcade Toaplan: Obviously, this is several different games, so the score is for the collection, rather than individual titles. It's a good bunch of games, and with the right controller, you can really get to grips with it. There's no need to buy every game TK, which means you get to curate your own portable arcade in your pocket. That makes Amusement Arcade Toaplan a good choice for retro gaming on the go. – Christian Cawley
Amusement Arcade Toaplan is out on iOS, iPadOS, and macOS and Google Play for Android now.
Affiliate Disclosure: Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you make a purchase through those links. This comes at no extra cost to you. Thank you for your support!
Christian Cawley is a writer and editor who covers consumer electronics, IT, and entertainment media. He has written for publications such as Computer Weekly, Linux Format, MakeUseOf.com, and Tech Radar.
He also produces podcasts, has a cigar box guitar, and of course, loves retro gaming.
