System 3 has announced plans to release Archer Maclean’s DropZone 40th Anniversary on digital stores next month. Curiously, it’s skipping Xbox One and PS4 and gunning for PC, PS5, Xbox Series and Switch only. The refreshed HD visuals must pack a clout.
The late Archer Maclean first released Dropzone in 1984 where it quickly became known as one of the best Defender-style games around. It has seen several re-releases over the years, although not for some time – the last were on GBA and PSone, released as budget games.
This re-release has been developed by Hashcode Digital, using the original’s source code. It’ll be possible to switch between HD and original graphics at a push of a button, with the new visuals retaining the style of the 1984 classic.
While it’s great to see a classic make a comeback, we’re not sure how Archer would feel about it being referred to as ‘DropZone’ rather than ‘Dropzone’. The game’s description simply reading as “Shoot stuff and don’t die” doesn’t sit well with us either, not exactly highlighting why Dropzone has been celebrated for forty years. Further, Time Extension also notes that the game’s cover art appears to be AI generated.
There’s no word on pricing just yet. Your best bet is to keep an eye on the Steam page.