Some of my earliest memories with film were of Toy Story and Toy Story 2. So naturally, I grew up alongside those games as they were released on various platforms. I played most of them when they came out (yes, I’m that old) and actually still have most of these original copies in my collection today.
While we’ve actually been able to play some of these games in some capacity before this bundle, be it the PlayStation’s Toy Story 2: Buzz Lightyear to the Rescue or Toy Story 3, of which the Xbox 360 version is playable on an Xbox One or Xbox Series X via backwards compatibility, they’ve never been released in one convenient and cohesive package such as this.
For the most part, there’s plenty of fun to be had here. The package is presented in two parts, one being Retro Roundup! with all the older titles, and the second being the more modern Toy Story 3: Complete Edition. We’re essentially going to tackle each portion here, discussing the upgrades and advantages as we go.
Toy Story: Retro Roundup!
This section covers 5 games from the Toy Story franchise and, strangely enough, one from A Bug’s Life. That being said, there are also various playable versions of each from different platforms, taking the total count to 11 playable titles.
We’ll touch on each game here, briefly summarising what has held up and what has aged poorly.
Toy Story (Genesis, SNES, Game Boy)
While the Genesis (or Mega Drive here in Australia) and SNES versions of Toy Story feel quite similar, I believe they’ve actually held up quite well. It’s basically just an old-school, traditional side-scrolling platformer at its core, and the game does its best to take you through the film’s main story beats. The visual charm is present throughout, and I personally have fond memories of the SNES version.
I actually had the Game Boy version of Toy Story growing up, and to be honest, I never really loved it. Compared to the Genesis and SNES versions, platforming feels rather clunky, and the levels feel stripped down and much more linear as a result.
Toy Story 2 (Game Boy Colour)
Toy Story 2 on the Game Boy Colour is definitely a better experience compared to Toy Story’s Game Boy outing, but that was admittedly quite a low bar to begin with. You only play as Buzz here, and the gameplay is much faster and the controls more responsive.
While most levels are also quite linear and straightforward, the game has a tendency to either stick to the film’s scenes quite closely, or deviate wildly from them.
Toy Story 2: Buzz Lightyear to the Rescue (PlayStation)
This is the Toy Story game I had the most fun with growing up, and in many respects, the best game in the bundle. You’ll also play as Buzz here, but it’s the ability to explore Andy’s house, inside and out, along with other locations from the film across 15 levels, that is quite impressive.
Along the way, you’ll also take on various bosses and complete objectives for tokens, which allow you to move onto the next level, making it one of the more replayable titles on this list.
Buzz Lightyear of Star Command (PlayStation, Game Boy Colour)
The PlayStation version of Buzz Lightyear of Star Command was another title that I grew up playing, and still own today. It’s a decent game, based on Buzz Lightyear’s time in Star Command, which has nothing to do with the main Toy Story films. The animated show is actually quite fun, though.
There’s much more of a focus on action as opposed to platforming here, and the game even takes a few opportunities to get you piloting various vehicles throughout each level, adding plenty of variety as you blast enemies away. It genuinely surprised me, and I feel it holds up quite well.
The Game Boy Colour version of this is another story altogether. I could see what it was going for, in replicating the pace and action of its PlayStation counterpart, but it ultimately feels stiff and repetitive.
Toy Story Racer (PlayStation, Game Boy Colour)
Toy Story Racer might come close as the best game on this list. Vehicles handle well, there’s an extensive roster on offer, and the various tracks based on existing locations from the films feel authentic and detailed. It’s a relatively traditional racing game, but it’s certainly one of the more engaging titles within this genre. I love Crash Team Racing, but this is up there for me.
The Game Boy Colour version is once again a swing and a miss. The third-person 3D perspective is admirable, but it’s full of empty backgrounds and character models with barely any discernible features. This probably would have benefited from being a top-down racing game, but it’s one I probably spent the least amount of time with, as I don’t think it was ever meant to be blown up on your TV.
A Bug’s Life (PlayStation, Game Boy Colour)
A Bug’s Life on the original PlayStation, as random an addition as that feels here, is actually solid. It’s another game I still own, and I’m really impressed with just how vibrant and colourful it is. It’s still quite a traditional platformer for the era, but it does try its best to incorporate both stealth and puzzle-solving, and I admire its variety.
I think there’s a bit of a trend going on here with the Game Boy Colour versions here, as this is also bland and forgettable. It’s not even that bad, but it’s not doing anything you haven’t seen before.
Extras
I must commend, however, the commitment to both presentation and choice. For one, each game can be accompanied by various borders, like an old CRT television, along with multiple aspect ratios and even scan lines for a more authentic look. Each game obviously looks a little cleaner thanks to some upscaled resolutions, and there’s even a cool rewind feature in case you want to give a level or particular moment another try.
Finally, there’s some really cool behind-the-scenes footage, including interviews with the Head of Story at Pixar, Jason Katz, voice actor Jim Hanks (who is also the brother of Tom Hanks and voices Woody in most games), along with the VP and GM of Disney and Pixar Games, Luigi Priore and the founder of TT Games, John Burton. It’s put together really well, and it’s an insightful look into what actually goes into making these games alongside each film.
Toy Story 3: Complete Edition
The second portion of this package is 2010’s Toy Story 3, this time branded as the Complete Edition, which includes the PS3 exclusive Zurg content, along with four cosmetic theme packs to use in the Toy Box mode, along with 60 FPS gameplay and upscaled resolutions.
The best part about Toy Story 3 was its variety and the ability to (at least on the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions) play through the main story missions as Buzz, Woody or Jessie, based on the film, or take to the Toy Box, where you would essentially manage a town, build new structures, and populate the Wild West town hub with new and customisable inhabitants and complete a string of objectives along the way.
The story mode is pretty fun too, and in addition to your basic platforming and light puzzle-solving, it does its best to throw in a few memorable set pieces along the way. The introductory train sequence is a real standout, but each character has their time to shine, and I’m willing to bet that most younger audiences will love it.
There’s plenty of variety on offer, and thanks to 4K resolution on both PS5 and Xbox Series X and 1080p resolution on the Switch and Switch 2, it still looks like a game that came out only recently. It’s definitely the same game that came out in 2010 on the PS3 and Xbox 360 at its core, but there are still a few reasons to give this one a go in 2026 and beyond.
Final Thoughts
While most of those handheld ports from Retro Roundup! feel disappointing by today’s standards, there are a handful of titles here, including the more modern and polished Toy Story 3: Complete Edition, that are still worth checking out.
Top it all off with some neat and authentic presentation options, solid 60 FPS gameplay and some interesting behind-the-scenes footage, and you’ve got yourself a decent amount of fun.
THREE AND A HALF STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
Highlights: A few of these older titles are still very fun to play; Toy Story 3: Complete Edition has aged wonderfully; Slick resolution upgrades and solid performance across the board; Behind-the-scenes footage is a real treat for fans
Lowlights: Most handheld versions of each game have not aged well at all
Developer: Digital Eclipse
Publisher: Atari
Platforms: PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, Windows PC
Available: Now
Review conducted on Nintendo Switch 2 with a code provided by the publisher.
Featured header image also provided by the publisher.
