Fighting Force Collection Review (Switch) — I Loved It Then. Not So Much Now.

Fighting Force Collection Review (Switch) — The Originals Still Hit Harder

The second I booted up Fighting Force Collection, I felt old in the best and worst way. Best because it instantly snapped me back to the originals. Worst because it reminded me that some memories are powerful exactly because they’re stuck in their own time. In this Fighting Force Collection review, I’ll share how these feelings translate to revisiting the games today.

I’m not really a “remakes and re-releases” guy. I’d rather see studios take the money, the talent, and the risk… and build something new. And when a re-release tries to “bring back the feeling,” it usually doesn’t work on me. The feeling was me, then — not just the game. If you want a deeper take on remake culture, here’s a related one: Ubisoft stops development on Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Remake.

Reviewed on Nintendo Switch.Score: 6/10

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What you’re actually getting

This is a straight-up bundle of two PlayStation-era brawlers: Fighting Force (1997) and Fighting Force 2 (1999). The collection wraps them in modern conveniences — things like save states and rewind — and that part is honestly the best argument for it.

If you’ve ever tried to revisit old games through messy setups, old hardware, or half-broken workarounds, then yes: having an official, clean way to boot these up and play co-op on a modern system is real value.

A tense platforming moment mid-stage, complete with the classic HUD.

How it feels in 2026

Here’s the thing: it feels exactly like the originals. And that’s both the point and the problem.

It’s janky. It’s arcadey. It’s very “pick up a pipe, smash three guys, keep moving.” The camera and movement have that late-90s roughness that your brain used to forgive because everything felt new at the time. Now? You notice it immediately. Not because it’s unplayable — it’s not — but because modern games trained us to expect better feedback, cleaner hit response, and smoother flow.

And no, it didn’t age like wine for me. I loved it then. I respect it now. But “cool then” doesn’t automatically translate to “cool now.”

Classic beat-’em-up chaos indoors, with multiple enemies on-screen.

Co-op is still the fun part

If this collection has a saving grace, it’s local co-op. Two players, one screen, and that simple shared chaos is still enjoyable. When you stop expecting modern polish and just accept it as an old-school brawler, it works.

That’s where the whole thing clicks: short sessions, laugh at the nonsense, push through a few levels, then move on. It’s not a “sink your weekend into it” game. It’s a “remember this?” game.

The emulator question (and why this feels like a multi-game box)

I’m going to say the quiet part out loud: for a lot of players — especially younger players in places where old hardware and classic libraries aren’t realistically accessible — retro gaming often shows up through emulation boxes and “hundreds of games” consoles. And this collection, in spirit, feels like that.

The big difference is legitimacy and convenience. This is official, stable, and quick to run on a real platform with quality-of-life tools. If you care about preservation and legal access, that matters. But if you’re purely chasing that original feeling? A re-release can’t rebuild your memories. It can only replay the code.

A street brawl moment featuring the game’s chunky PS1-era look and feel.

Fighting Force Collection

Release: 23 Jan, 2026

Genre: Action, Beat ’em up

Developer / Publisher: Implicit Conversions / Limited Run Games

Platforms: Nintendo eShop, Steam, PlayStation Store

So… did this need to exist?

For me, this is where I land: I’m not mad it exists. I’m just not convinced it needed to be “a thing” in 2026.

As preservation? Fine. Nostalgia trip? Also fine — if you’re the kind of player nostalgia actually works on. But as a “must-play” modern release? Not even close.

What I liked

• Faithful feel — it really does play like the originals (for better and worse).
• Local co-op still delivers that simple, chaotic fun.
• Modern quality-of-life tools make an old game easier to live with.

What held it back

• It’s janky in ways you feel instantly in 2026.
• Nostalgia isn’t an upgrade — the memory hits harder than the gameplay.
• Not “better” than the original — it’s the original, just easier to access.

Verdict

If you grew up with Fighting Force and want an official way to replay it with a friend, this collection does the job. If you’re hoping it’ll feel fresh, modern, or “improved” in a way that changes your opinion? It won’t.

For me, it’s a clean time capsule. And sometimes that’s enough. I just wish the industry was as eager to fund new memories as it is to resell old ones.

Related Reading

• Ubisoft stops development on Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Remake
• Anima: Gate of Memories Remaster — First Impressions
• Suikoden I & II HD Remaster Review

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