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.
Some of the most fun I’ve had with a game controller over the past 12 months was playing Iron Meat, a 16-bit run-and-gun on current platforms. Well, the latest Iron Meat update has been issued, and includes some new game modes.
In addition, the update — which hits Steam first, then consoles later — features some new weapons.
Iron Meat was first released in October 2024, and this is the second major update from developer Retroware.
New game modes in Iron Meat update
First and foremost, a look at the new game modes. Arcade Mode adds some continue plays, although probably not enough for you to make it to the end. The Boss Rush gives you the chance to tackle each boss in turn, and Mutation Mode lets you customize the gaming experience.
The game modes are described officially as follows:
- Arcade: Play through Iron Meat with a limited number of continues!
- Boss Rush: Take on every boss in Iron Meat, one after another, and pick out the weapons you want to use before every fight!
- Mutation: Customize your experience with a set of 10 unique “Mutator” settings!
As I’ve been stuck on stage 3 for months, I’m hoping Arcade Mode can help me make some progress. This game is fun, but it’s also tough.
Iron Meat’s new weapons
New game modes are one thing, but what if you just want new ways to defeat enemies? They’ve only gone and given you a flamethrower!
There’s something about fire that seems appropriate to dealing with alien mutations, isn’t there? Also added is a Particle Gun, which is apparently also known as “The Bacon Gun.”
- The “F” (Flamethrower) is a unique, close-range weapon that dishes out a stream of multiple fireballs. These fireballs will trail along as the player aims in different directions.
- The “P” (Particle Gun) A weapon that fires dozens upon hundreds of concentrated particle projectiles. According to top secret intelligence, it has been known by a few agents colloquially as “The Bacon Gun.”
Retroware added a new enemy
As if all of that wasn’t enough, the game has been cursed with a brand-new enemy. Wall-crawing zombies, which can be seen in the trailer above, are a new regular enemy to look out for. I don’t know about you, but the flamethrower sounds ideal for dealing with thos efetid sacks of flesh.
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You can play the Iron Meat update on Steam now, ahead of a full rollout across PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Switch, Xbox Series, and Xbox One. I’ll be looking out for the update on Nintendo Switch…
Learn more and grab localized store links at ironmeat.com.
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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.
