198X Reviews
As a child of the 70s and 80s who spent an enormous amount of time in the arcades there’s no doubt 198X was made for me...
Short as it was, I enjoyed 198X immensely. It does exactly what it sets out to do — provide a nostalgic '80s story with retro-inspired minigames — with an incredible level of polish. With the retro style, the remembered nostalgia, and the actual memories, it was a bittersweet experience from beginning to end. I'll be keeping an eye out for part two, as I want to experience the rest of Kid's story. After all, it reminded me so much of my own story, and those of so many other geeks of a certain age.
198X on the Switch better resonate personally with an old school gamer because so many of us were first introduced to gaming by Nintendo.
While by no means a bad game, 198X is a bit like ordering a pie and finding out it has no filling.
A mawkish attempt to glorify the 80s that features some gorgeous visuals and music but offers no real insight into the era's culture or games.
While 198X isn’t going to blow you away with its story, it will make you nostalgic for the arcades of old. The pixelated art style, the impressive soundtrack by Yuzo Koshiro that sounds like it was ripped from an episode of Stranger Things, and the incredibly short play time of right around 2 hours was a package that feels deserving of its $9.99 price tag, and even more so if it includes the yet to be dated Part 2. My biggest gripe is that you can’t select to play the 5 games individually from the main menu after rolling the credits.
198X is a true love letter to the old arcade genre : through a retro trip of five different mini games, Hi-Bit's celebration only manages to copy and paste tiny bits of classic ones. Thanks to a clich' narration, 198X does nothing but tell how good the past used to be, and how much the present suck. If you still possess the original, there is not much need to play this wanabee experience.
Review in French | Read full review
198X is a love letter to classic arcade, amusement arcades and confused adolescence in its transition to adult life. Hi-Bit Studios uses the nostalgia for we can feel identified with Kid, a teenager who discovers arcade games, which help him somehow face the real-life step. We expect 5 levels based on 5 different classic genres with impeccable audiovisual quality. The only issue is how short the game it is, arround one hour, because it leaves us wanting more.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
The game does leave you wanting more but ultimately promises more of Kid and their soul-searching adventure through video games in the future. If you’re looking for a quick jog down memory lane filled with nostalgia and a strong emotional core, then 198X will not disappoint.
198X does a fantastic job of breathing some life into genres of old, paying homage in a respectable, loving way while achieving an identity all of its own. For me there was no weak link in the gameplay and the storytelling moments kept me engaged and looking forward to the next bit of exposition. Hi-Bit Studios' 198X is a short experience but one I'm glad I've had. Here's hoping for future instalments to build upon this solid foundation.