A multi-arcade pixel art game from Swedish developer Hi-Bit Studios is currently available for purchase right now on the Nintendo Switch for only $9.99. The game combines a variety of different classic genres that were popular at arcade hangouts during the late 1980s, including beat-’em-ups, shoot-’em-ups, platformers, and precision racers.

The launch trailer for the game is nothing short of enticing, as it gives you small snippets of each of the aforementioned genres under the span of two minutes, while also highlighting that the sum of the game is more than just its individual parts.

You can check out the dreamy launch trailer for 198X below to see what I mean.

There are a handful of games within a game, including an awesome hand-drawn beat-’em-up that looks better than most other beat-’em-ups out there. The animations are crisp and the color palette is absolutely on point. If a proper Japanese company was making Streets of Rage 4 and being paid handsomely for it, one might imagine it would look the way the beat-’em-up segment does in 198X.

The other SHMUP segment looks pretty decent, too, along with the Shinobi replica that id bound to get some Sega fans feeling the burn of nostalgia emanating throughout their loins.

On top of all of that, the game is about a kid’s coming of age throughout the arcade scene, finding out about these games by vising an arcade. Gamers will experience each one as the kid.

The concept of the game seems really cool, and the pixel art is absolutely on point. Hi-Bit Studios is working at next level quality with 198X.

It doesn’t just look like a retro throwback to the 16-bit era, it looks like the next evolution of it, if 32-bit gaming had focused more on sprite work instead of going 3D.

My only apprehension is on the game’s story surrounding the kid. I sure hope it’s not one of those games that decides to lob in some kind of Liberal Progressive agenda while gamers are just trying to enjoy these retro titles. Otherwise it would be a serious detraction to everything else the game features.

From the outset, 198X looks like a proper indie game worth supporting. So far I haven’t seen anything that would indicate otherwise.

If you want to give 198X a try on the Nintendo Switch you can do so by picking up a digital copy from the Nintendo eShop for $9.99.