It’s happening. The Cho Aniki Collection is coming to Steam on PC, bringing two of the most absurdly memorable shoot-em-ups ever created to a platform where they’ve never been officially available worldwide. Edia announced the PC release on November 3, 2025, confirming that these legendary 1992 and 1995 PC Engine exclusives – famous for their inexplicably muscular characters, bizarre aesthetic, and surprisingly solid gameplay – would finally break free from Japan-only digital releases and Nintendo exclusivity. For shoot-em-up fans who’ve never played these games, this is a historic moment. For those who remember them from the PC Engine era, this is vindication after decades of obscurity.
What Is Cho Aniki?
Cho Aniki, which literally translates to “Super Big Brother,” is a side-scrolling shoot-em-up released by Masaya Games in 1992 for the PC Engine Super CD-ROM² add-on. The game’s premise is absolutely unhinged: the Emperor of Planet Builder, who has won the Galactic Bodybuilding Contest for 10 consecutive years, is experiencing a protein shortage. Believing that “muscle is the greatest of virtues,” he begins invading neighboring planets and establishing protein mining facilities. The heroes of Heaven, Idaten and Benten, are sent to stop him and his army of muscle-obsessed builders.
The game’s genius isn’t just the absurd premise – it’s that the absurdity is completely sincere. The character designs are inexplicably muscular. The enemies are over-the-top bodybuilders. The aesthetic is completely earnest about its muscular obsession. There’s no winking at the camera, no self-aware parody. Cho Aniki commits fully to its vision, which is precisely why it became a cult classic.
The Sequel: Ai Cho Aniki
Three years later, in February 1995, Ai Cho Aniki arrived as the sequel. The game takes place two years after the original’s events. After the death of Emperor Roid (a gloriously on-the-nose pun), peace had returned to the galaxy. But now strange disturbances are happening in the Builder Star System again. Idaten went to investigate and disappeared. Benten sends two new heroes – Adon and Samson – to find Idaten and figure out what’s going on.
Ai Cho Aniki expands on the original’s foundation with more elaborate level design, new enemy types, and refined mechanics. It’s a proper sequel that respects what made the original special while adding enough new ideas to feel fresh. Both games are recognized as genuine classics of the shoot-em-up genre, despite their bizarre aesthetic.
Why These Games Disappeared
PC Engine exclusives from the 1990s didn’t age well in terms of availability. The PC Engine (known as TurboGrafx-16 in the West) was never massively successful outside Japan. The console had a smaller library than competitors, and many titles never left Japan. Cho Aniki and Ai Cho Aniki became legendary within niche communities, but inaccessible to casual players. For decades, the only way to play them was through emulation or importing original hardware and Japanese cartridges.
The games did appear on Project EGG for Windows in Japan-only releases, and eventually on the PC Engine Mini classic console. But the Nintendo Switch Collection released in December 2024 was the first time these games received widespread modern availability. Now the PC release expands that access even further.
The Steam Release: Full Details
The Cho Aniki Collection is coming to Steam for 6,800 yen (approximately $50 USD), with both English and Japanese language options. Neither a specific release date nor a launch window has been announced yet – it’s simply listed as “Coming Soon.” The collection includes both games with modern features like Sound Mode, Visual Mode, and Rewind functionality. The rewind feature is particularly important for shoot-em-ups, where one mistake can destroy a run and send you back to the beginning.
The collection also supports full English localization, which is critical for Western players. Previous Japanese releases required knowledge of Japanese or significant familiarity with what was happening on screen. English support opens the games to an entirely new audience who can understand the ridiculous plot and character names.
| Game | Original Release | Platform | Year | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cho Aniki | PC Engine | 1992 | Original game | Introduced the muscle-obsessed aesthetic |
| Ai Cho Aniki | PC Engine | 1995 | Sequel | Refined mechanics and expanded gameplay |
| Collection | Nintendo Switch | Dec 2024 | Modern port | First widespread modern availability |
| Collection | Steam (PC) | 2025 TBD | PC release | English/Japanese support, modern features |
Why Retro Games Matter Now
Cho Aniki’s journey from Japan-exclusive obscurity to worldwide modern availability represents something important about gaming in 2025: classic games are finally getting the preservation and localization they deserve. For decades, games were treated as disposable products. Once their shelf life ended, they disappeared into oblivion. Now, preservation efforts, emulation advocacy, and genuine corporate recognition of retro gaming’s value have created a situation where 30+ year-old games get modern ports with full localization.
This matters because Cho Aniki is genuinely good as a game, independent of its aesthetic. The shoot-em-up design is solid. The difficulty curve is fair. The visuals are creative. The game shouldn’t have been stuck in Japan-only purgatory just because it had an unconventional premise.
For Shoot-Em-Up Fans
The genre has experienced a genuine renaissance in recent years. Games like ULTRAKILL, Turbo Overkill, and even throwback titles have proven there’s massive appetite for tight, difficult gameplay experiences. Cho Aniki arrived before that renaissance, which means modern players discovering it through the Steam release will find a game that respects their skill and intelligence. It’s not a throwaway arcade game – it’s a thoughtfully designed experience.
The addition of Rewind functionality is particularly respectful to modern sensibilities. Classic shoot-em-ups could be brutally punishing. One mistake early in a level could cascade into a loss that forced you to restart from the beginning. The Rewind feature lets modern players experience the game’s design without forcing perfect play or excessive grinding.
FAQs
When is Cho Aniki Collection coming to PC?
A specific release date hasn’t been announced yet. The game is listed as “Coming Soon” on Steam with no launch window provided.
How much will it cost?
Cho Aniki Collection costs 6,800 yen (approximately $50 USD). Pricing may vary by region.
Will it support English?
Yes, the Steam release will support both English and Japanese language options, with full English localization for the first time in a worldwide release.
What’s included in the collection?
The collection includes two games: Cho Aniki (1992) and Ai Cho Aniki (1995), both originally released for PC Engine. It includes modern features like Sound Mode, Visual Mode, and Rewind functionality.
Are these the original games or remakes?
These are faithful ports of the original PC Engine versions. They’re not remakes or reimaginings – they’re the classic 1992 and 1995 games with modern quality-of-life features added.
Will there be physical PC releases?
As of the announcement, only a digital Steam release has been confirmed. Physical PC releases haven’t been mentioned.
Why did it take so long for PC release?
PC Engine exclusivity and licensing complexity made PC releases difficult for decades. Only with the Switch collection’s success and renewed interest in retro games has a PC release become viable.
Is this harder than modern shooters?
Cho Aniki was challenging for its era but is more forgiving than ultra-difficult modern shoot-em-ups. The Rewind feature makes it much more accessible than the original experience.
Conclusion
Cho Aniki Collection’s Steam release represents a victory for game preservation and international game availability. After 35 years of obscurity, these legendary PC Engine shoot-em-ups are finally coming to a platform where global audiences can legally, affordably, and accessibly experience them. The games have earned their cult status through genuinely solid design wrapped in an unforgettably bizarre aesthetic. For shoot-em-up fans who missed the PC Engine era, or retro gaming enthusiasts who’ve heard the legends but never played, this is your moment. Strap in, flex those muscles mentally, and prepare to defend the galaxy from protein-hungry bodybuilders. The Cho Aniki Collection is coming to Steam.