A new Operation Wolf is coming to consoles and VR, 35 years after the original

Here’s a return we didn’t expect: 35-year-old arcade rail shooter Operation Wolf is back in action.

French publisher Microids has announced the imminent release of Operation Wolf Returns: First Mission, officially licensed by Taito and slated for console release this fall. It’s also coming to VR in 2023.

All we have on this new game for now is a handful of screenshots, below, which show off a cartooney new art style compared to the cult classic arcade shooter from the late 80s. I’m sure this one is going to prove divisive.

Operation Wolf Returns: First Mission, developed by French studio Virtuallyz Gaming, lets you play the campaign single-player or in two-player co-op locally as special agents trying to fight off a criminal organization led by General Viper. There is also a survival mode and a leaderboard.

I’m old enough to have played Operation Wolf in the arcades when it launched in 1987, and I remember being impressed with the visuals and the action. Here is a reminder:

Operation Wolf Returns: First Mission will launch in Fall 2022 on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X and S and PC. A VR version will launch on Meta Quest 2 in 2023.