We love a good shmup here at Nintendo Life towers and the Switch is home to some of the finest examples of the genre known to mankind. We've seen some big names like Ikaruga, R-Type Dimensions EX and SEGA AGES Thunder Force IV make the jump over to the Switch over the years, but now 1993 Shenandoah is throwing its hat into the ring. So what is this mysterious shmup all about?
1993 Shenandoah is Krister Karlsson’s legacy to the gaming world; a project that began in 1992 but one that is launching on Nintendo Switch today, just a little bit later than anticipated at the time.
As the title suggests, 1993 was the year that 1993 Shenandoah was supposed to be released, but teenage drama split the youthful team apart and the game never saw the light of day until some 20 years later. Fast forward to 2015, and Krister gathered a motley crew of less youthful people to convert the original game to a more modern game engine – but still only using the original graphics, sound, and effects from the Amiga production.
Despite its roots as a game developed for the Amiga, 1993 Shenandoah can be played by 4 players simultaneously – something we could only have dreamed of back in the days when games were sold on a floppy disc, social media wasn’t invented and people used phones for actually speaking to each other.
Let us know if you plan to check out 1993 Shenandoah when it blasts on to Switch later today.
Comments (26)
Not gonna buy, but it’s cool how companies are bringing back old games now.
That is a neat story. It doesn't look GREAT but 4 player is definitely a huge plus.
"After 27 Years, Amiga Shmup 1993 Shenandoah Finally Launches On Switch"
I remember 20 years ago counting the days waiting for it to release on Switch!
Not exactly desperate for shoot-em-ups right now, but it's an interesting story behind this, nice that it finally got a proper release. I always find it kind of odd though when they choose to include the year in the title of a video game like this.
@TheFullAndy yes, they need to space the title so it reads 'finally launches....on Switch!'
@Lordplops
Nah, made me chuckle when I read it!
Looks great absolutely love the Amiga still have mine.
Apidya and Agony from Amiga would be great.
Apidya HD remake is not possible as not even KAIKO knows who have the rights anymore. Apidya rights were sold like 5+ times.
Ah, the amiga days... i was just reading about Apidya.. the greatest (wasp) horizontal shmup in history...
And now convert Sensbile world of soccer!!
converting old Amiga games, are we?
I would like to order ports for: All Terrain Racing, Super Skidmarks, Ruff'n'Tumble, Virocop, Arabian Nights, and Superfrog!
@Ventilator there's a very Apidya-esque looking game on the eshop. I think it's called Bee-kyr or something along those lines.
Bring back multiplayer Gravity Power!!
I heard Factor 5 may have something Turrican-related to show off at Gamescom, and you know very well I'm hyped for it
Source: https://www.4players.de/4players.php/spielinfonews/Allgemein/4888/2190821/Spielkultur-30_Jahre_Turrican_Ankuendigung_von_Factor_5_zur_gamescom_geplant.html
English translation: https://pastebin.com/xTy6GneA
I read the headline as if people had been waiting for it to be released specifically on Switch for some reason. Probably would take me 27 years to get started on a game so they are way ahead of me.
@Bucket Thanks. It looks similar, but the music were like 50% of the game in Apidya.
@Ventilator fair enough. I only ever had a demo, so am not overly familiar with it.
Much nostalgia for Amiga. Remember those groundbreaking Cinemaware games 'Defender of the Crown' & Sinbad? Arcade perfect version of Marble Madness? Played 'Kick-off' (by Anco) so much it broke my joystick! There was also a platformer called 'Giana Sisters' but think that was never officially released...
@Ventilator
Apidya actually is a decent looking game. Too bad it is locked in an all too familiar well of rights jumble. We have many of the same issues with our earlier stuff as partners go under than resurface with new owners who have no clue if they have IP rights any longer.
@Zidentia Yes, it is a good looking game. I have heard about the rights situation of Apidya earlier, and it's sad that "noone" knows who have the rights now.
Would have been great with a remaster with the CD Soundtrack from Huelsbeck. I guess you are working for Kaiko?
Duke Nukem Forever is nothing against this.
One Amiga game (it got ported to just about everything later) I'd love to see remade with new graphics, better gameplay, but still essentially the same game.... Shadow of the Beast.
When I was in high school, I played it on my friend's Amiga and my brain almost melted because I had never seen a game that looked so cool. I eventually did buy it when it was released for the Atari Lynx (surprisingly good for an early handheld), but I'd love to see it get remade with graphics on par with Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night.
@TheFox Shadow of the Beast is already remade and is PS4 exclusive.
I own it on PS4, but the game is unstable and crashes now and then.
@Ventilator I'll have to check that out. I have a PS4, but I didn't know they had a Shadow of the Beast remake. I looked up a few videos on the YouTubes and I'm relieved it still looks like Shadow of the Beast. I was worried it might be a repeat of when somebody took Altered Beast and turned it into an unholy abomination on the PS2. Apart from the crashes, do you like it?
@TheFox It's hard to like a game that crashes like every 5-15 mins.
I gave it up as Sony never fixed it.
I bought shadow of the beast on ps4 on release never had any problems with it, played to completion. Good thing is after you complete it, it unlocks the original Amiga version:)
Despite what the article says simultaneous four player gaming would have been possible on the Amiga. An adapter allowed four joysticks to be connected at the same time. Games like Dyna Blaster allowed five players at the same time, with four on joystick and one on keyboard.
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