Get ready for a nostalgia bomb! One of Digital Eclipse's most underrated retro collections, The Disney Afternoon Collection, might finally be making its way to Nintendo Switch... and potentially even the rumored Switch 2! But why has it taken so long, and is it still worth getting excited about? Let's dive in.
Ollie Reynolds, writing for Nintendo Life, reports that the Entertainment Software Ratings Board (ESRB) has officially rated The Disney Afternoon Collection for both the Nintendo Switch and its speculated successor. Digital Eclipse, known for their meticulous and lovingly crafted retro compilations (they've truly raised the bar!), initially released this gem back in 2017 for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. The burning question is: what took them so long to bring it to the Nintendo ecosystem?
And this is the part most people miss... The rating is specifically attached to Atari, which, as you probably know, owns Digital Eclipse as a subsidiary. This detail might hint at some behind-the-scenes maneuvering or perhaps just a change in priorities. Whatever the reason, the important thing is that it appears to be happening.
So, what exactly is included in The Disney Afternoon Collection? Prepare for a serious dose of 8-bit goodness! You'll get six classic NES titles:
- DuckTales: Scramble for Scrooge McDuck's fortune in this platforming masterpiece!
- Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers: Team up (or go solo!) to solve crimes and save the day with these adorable chipmunks.
- TaleSpin: Take to the skies as Baloo the bear in this side-scrolling shooter. (Fun fact: many consider this game to be criminally underrated!)
- Darkwing Duck: "Let's get dangerous!" Become the terror that flaps in the night in this action-packed adventure.
- DuckTales 2: An even more challenging and rare sequel to the original DuckTales. This one is a real treat for retro enthusiasts.
- Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers 2: Another fantastic sequel that improves upon the original in several ways. Many argue that it's the superior game. But here's where it gets controversial... Which Rescue Rangers game is actually better? Let us know in the comments!
Our colleagues over at Push Square (another arm of the same company as Nintendo Life) gave the collection a solid 8/10 when it first launched. They praised the "second-to-none" accuracy of the emulations and highlighted the inclusion of rewind features (a lifesaver for those tricky NES sections!) and art galleries, calling it an "essential purchase" for fans of the era. The rewind feature alone makes these notoriously difficult games far more accessible to a modern audience. It's a fantastic quality-of-life improvement.
But here's a question for you: In an age of Nintendo Switch Online and individual retro releases, does a compilation like The Disney Afternoon Collection still hold the same appeal? Is it worth purchasing these games again, even with the added features? Or would you rather see these classics released individually on the eShop? What are your thoughts? Would you be excited to finally see The Disney Afternoon Collection on Switch and Switch 2? Let us know your opinions in the comments below!
