One game that's been on my radar for the last while (thanks to the folks at Giant Bomb and their dedicated community) is Windjammers. This retro future sports game from the Neo Geo arcade system has that intangible element that makes it a competitive gamer's dream, and the gameplay still holds up after all these years. In a time when local co-op games are back in style (and with competitive gaming still being a major force), there could never be a better time to bring back a retro classic like Windjammers.
 

Released back in 1994 for the Neo Geo arcade system, Windjammers (or as it was known in Japan, Flying Power Disc) has gameplay that feels well tuned and accessible, much like the similarly popular Super Spike V'Ball or Super Dodge Ball. But, like those other games, there's an incredible amount of depth within once you start experimenting with strategies, characters and arenas.

The concept is simple: you're basically playing pong in the future. The main difference is that these “paddles” (players) are able to catch the disc and throw it back wherever and however they choose. This means that you'll see all sorts of crazy curve shots, power shots, special shots and lob shots to mix up the action. Some of the characters are faster with less power; some have signature or heavy shots but move like a tank. Learning how to manipulate the stick and put some zip on your shots took some dedicated effort to learn, but it would allow you to excel against tough opponents.
 

The neat thing about Windjammers, too, was that its arenas were also characters, in a sense, featuring different scoring zones, layouts and obstacles. Like Pong, your goal was to get the disc behind the other player to score. However, behind them were different scoring zones, so you might be able to lure them away from a 5-point area and get an easy 3-point score. Then again, you could also lob the ball to land it on the playing court, which was worth two points — another valid strategy. There were all sorts of games within games with Windjammers, and it still holds up to this day (if you can find a way to play it).

All of this cool gameplay was backed up by some great retro visuals, sound effects, voice samples and jammin' music. It was one of those retro games that had “heft,” meaning that the presentational package created a sense of weight and movement that other contemporary games lacked. This feel is a crucial element that would be required if this classic were to ever make its triumphant return.
 

Why It Should Come Back

As said before, the time has never been more appropriate for games like Windjammers to have their day in the sun. Competitive gaming has taken on many forms at this point, and local co-op games and leaderboard competition have been buoyed by the likes of Towerfall, Samurai Gun, Trials and Geometry Wars. I feel Windjammers could plug into this space easily.

For starters, it has the perfect setup for both local and online multiplayer. Since it's only two players, that makes it much easier to manage in an offline setting, requiring only two controllers and lending itself to elimination tournaments and passing the controller around. Online play would also make a lot of sense, as two players would be relatively doable in terms of net code, and the possibilities for character customization, leaderboards and downloadable “ghosts” would be perfectly suited to what Windjammers brings to the table. Then again, none of this is to say they couldn't try and get four players on the field as well.

Modern controllers and hardware would also be a boon to the movement and feel of a game like Windjammers, as you'd have a blazing-fast framerate, slick animations and a proper input to device to separate a couple of the shots onto different buttons. New controllers would also allow for people to re-map their controls or even have novelty stuff like the match official speaking out of the speaker on the Dualshock 4. I also just feel that the gameplay loop would be perfect for modern audiences, as there is mastery but also simplicity, and you can get in and out of games with great speed. People love it when they can just restart a game and go again (Trials and Geometry Wars come to mind), and Windjammers could fill that space.

The Windjammers visual and audio aesthetic could easily be translated into the modern era as well, with bright colors (neon?), exaggerated characters, retro tunes and fluid animations. It's that perfect game from the retro era that would seem fresh and nostalgic at the same time if they managed all of these changes, tweaks and updates in the right way.
 

Will It Come Back?

I mentioned Giant Bomb at the start of this piece, and they have done yeoman's work in trying to get Windjammers back into the public consciousness. You've got to believe that a couple of studios are at least considering bringing a game like this back, but it would have to be done in the right way (taking into account licensing deals, rights, development, return on investment, etc). Unfortunately, Windjammers was already on the Wii Virtual Console, but the game was delisted back in December of last year. Currently the only way to play the game is through expensive Neo Geo arcade hardware or “murky” emulation.

The world deserves better. The world deserves Windjammers HD.