Review: Biomechanical Toy
- Giovanni Antunes Bonin
- 1 hour ago
- 3 min read
Relive a great arcade game, featuring plenty of action and incredible art.
Game
Biomechanical Toy is a game developed and ported by QUByte Interactive—and distributed by the same company in partnership with Pico Interactive and Bleem!—based on the original title developed by Zeus Software and distributed by Gaelco for arcades in 1995.
The game preserves the full gameplay experience of the original arcade version while adding a few highly welcome features tailored to the needs of modern players:
Rewind functionality, in case you make a mistake;
Save States, allowing you to save the game at any moment;
Screen filters, letting players enjoy a visual style closer to that of original CRT monitors;
A Jukebox and Gallery, where players can access the soundtrack and exclusive concept art.
The gameplay follows the classic side-scrolling shooter formula—reminiscent of Metal Slug—where the player advances through the level defeating enemies until facing a boss at the end (or sometimes midway through). Along the way, you can collect items to boost your score and rescue lost toys—kidnapped by the villain Scrubby—that can assist you during the level.
You can also find various types of ammo that can produce different (and more powerful) shot effects, as well as bombs—which are incredibly helpful when the screen is swarming with enemies or even during boss fights.
My Impressions
As previously mentioned, the game follows a style similar to titles like Metal Slug, where the objective is to blast away at enemies, rescue allies, acquire weapons and ammo, and reach the end of the level to face bosses. This alone makes the game a great choice for fans of the genre.
With a beautifully crafted visual style rich in color and detail, the game runs smoothly and without major issues; it also now features modern conveniences like rewind and save state—allowing us to save after each level rather than having to rush through the entire game in one sitting.
Since the gameplay is faithful to the arcade version—and having done some research on it—it loses nothing compared to the original game; it even offers infinite continues, which is great (after all, what old-school gamer hasn't struggled with running out of tokens or not being able to continue?).
Another interesting feature—one we see added to many ports of older games—is the use of custom screen filters. These allow players to experience an even stronger sense of nostalgia, given that these games were not designed for modern displays and suffer a significant drop in quality when viewed "as-is."
Conclusions
Like the various other games developed and ported by the company, Biomechanical Toy is a great title—long forgotten in arcades—that returns with this version, potentially finding new life among fans of arcade games and the genre. It is a great choice for anyone looking for a quick, casual gaming experience who wants to relive the nostalgia of the beloved arcade golden age. A highly recommended tip is to use an arcade-style controller while playing.
Achievements
Despite being scheduled for release later this month, the game already features a total of 14 achievements on Steam—all quite easy, with the majority unlockable simply by completing the levels.
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