Irem Collection Vol. 3 Launches Three Enhanced Retro Shoot ’em Ups on Xbox

Okay, so imagine this — Irem’s got this wild three-pack of shoot ’em games, and it’s like your favorite arcade tried to blend retro joy with modern pizzazz. I don’t know why, but this made me think of how much I loved Saturday mornings as a kid. Anyway…

So, ININ, Tozai Games, and Irem — they’re like this dynamic trio serving up a slice of the 80s-90s golden era. The collection? It’s got Mr. Heli, Mystic Riders, and Dragon Breed. Mr. Heli’s all about multi-directional madness — flying around, dodging here, shooting there. 1987 might’ve been a year before my time, but hey, this was a “cute ’em up” for the ages. And Mystic Riders? Seriously, broomsticks and boomerangs — sounds as if Harry Potter decided to play tough in ’92.

Now, Dragon Breed flings you into this fantasy skin of R-Type. Dragons spitting fire — yeah, I didn’t think that’d become a thing, but it really works. Once a hidden gem, now loud and proud.

Old-school arcade games had this vibe of gulping your quarters like they had a vendetta against your wallet. Same here — they’re tough cookies, no lie. But these new digital versions? They’ve got tweaks, like making the controls super comfy with remaps. You can be the hotshot or the new kid — choices for days!

And lemme say, video game designers — they deserve some kind of awards, right? They’ve tossed in options if things get too rough. More lives, adjustable difficulty — it’s like they’re holding your hand (not that you’d want that all the time). Autofire even! My thumb’s thankful, seriously. Long bouts of rapid shooting and I’m done.

They’ve also added stuff like quick save/load — rewind, even! It’s like having a time machine for those boss ambushes. Can anyone say epic?

And don’t get me started on visuals. The display filters—they’re like glasses for the game. Go classic with CRT effects or paint the world new. Authentic or fresh, see what clicks!

For the competitive spirits, there’s leaderboards — global, no less. Race to the top or just better yourself each time. The thrill of climbing that ladder or hitting new bests is like no other.

So if you’ve got an Xbox One or Series X|S, maybe getting Irem Collection Volume 3 should be on your bucket list. Oh, and Volumes 1 and 2, too—don’t sleep on those! Hidden arcade treasures are what they call these, and I guess I see why now.

Now, off you go!