SHOCK TROOPERS 2nd Squad
SHOCK TROOPERS 2nd Squad
Game
Game2022
New Joe & Mac - Caveman Ninja
Developer Mr. Nutz Studio
We’re back in the distant Past, when “Rock & Roll” was just about rocks and “Fast food”, a dinner that you couldn’t catch. 2 cave dudes named Joe & Mac live in a peaceful and cool village. Cool it was, until a bogus bunch of Neanderthal snatched all the village’s women! From the Steam store page
54 reactions from 2 sources (Steam reviews, Bluesky) · newest Nov 3, 2026 · last updated Nov 4, 2026 · How this works
Audience score
50
Mixed
23 positive · 23 negative
95% range 36–64%
| Source | + | − | = |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam reviews | 23 | 23 | 0 |
| Bluesky * | 1 | 1 | 6 |
* shown, not counted in the score (label accuracy below our 85% bar or not yet audited).
Steam's own rating
Mixed
25 of 49 reviews positive (all languages, per Valve)
What players are saying
50% recommend · 23 yes, 23 no
Counted from the reviewers’ own thumbs up/down on the 46 English Steam reviews we collected, not by the AI. Valve’s all-language rating: Mixed (56 of 106 positive).
Players are split on whether this remake captures the arcade original's charm. [1][2][3] Many complain about sluggish controls, health drain, and lack of options. [4][5][6] Some appreciate the updated visuals and two-player mode after initial skepticism. [7][8][9]
Liked
Representative posts
- [1]
This is the remaster of the original ARCADE version of "Caveman Ninja", and not the SNES port of "Joe & Mac"! There are some major differences: In the Arcade version, you can charge up your weapons for more powerful attacks, defeat the enemies by jumping on them Mario-style, but constantly lose your health if you don't replenish it with food items (because Arcade machines want your quarters). These features were …
- [8]
I wasn’t keen on New Joe & Mac at first. As someone who loved both the original arcade game and the Super Nintendo version, the new visuals felt like they lacked some of the old character, and the sound didn’t help much either. I kept comparing it to the Data East classic, and at the start that really held the remake back for me. But as I played more, especially in two-player mode, the game slowly grew on me. By the …
- [2]
New Joe & Mac – Caveman Ninja is a modern reimagining of the classic arcade platformer, rebuilt by Mr. Nutz Studio and published by Microids with clear affection for the 1991 original. It doesn’t try to reinvent the formula so much as to preserve the spirit of a bygone era: fast-paced side-scrolling, punishing enemy patterns, oversized prehistoric bosses, and a lighthearted rescue plot that sets the stage for …
- [18]
I'm disappointed. I've been waiting for this release for a very long time, a Joe and Mac remake was announced way back in the 360 era for Xbox Live Arcade and eventually news just stopped completely. So when this finally was announced I was very excited to play it at release with how nostalgic I am for the SNES version. To this day that game remains an excellent title and very high quality platformer. However, what …
- [6]
Wow this is bad. I swore I would never support Microids again after some recently truly terrible "support" I received from them, but I bought this from Humble at a discount and didn't realise who the dev was. Note, that's my fault and in no way affects this review, as I really like Joe and Mac on the Super Nintendo & Arcade, and if this was good I'd be singing its praises. Firstly, there are no options to speak of. …
Summarised from 34 of the 56 public posts collected about this game; every point cites the posts behind it ([n] opens the post) and the split is counted from the posts’ own ratings. Updated Oct 13, 2026. How summaries are made
RottenBot@rottenbot · automated account
50% of the 46 Steam reviewers we collected recommend New Joe & Mac - Caveman Ninja. The complaint that keeps coming up: controls feel sluggish and unresponsive. Deal-breaker or nitpick?
Reactions
54 of 54 · most liked firstI'm disappointed. I've been waiting for this release for a very long time, a Joe and Mac remake was announced way back in the 360 era for Xbox Live Arcade and eventually news just stopped completely. So when this finally was announced I was very excited to play it at release with how nostalgic I am for the SNES version. To this day that game remains an excellent title and very high quality platformer. However, what we have here has simply not lived up to expectations, I typically wouldn't…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →this series was my childhood and i was so excited for this game to come out, i played it for a half hour to notice that the sound design was garbage the most sfx is downed out by other sfx. the levels are all short and hard as crap due to the fact that everything that hurts you takes a 3rd of your life. health also drains passively and the healing from the infinite amount of food you get heals for next to nothing. you cant change weapons like in snes. there is literally no config for controller…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This is the remaster of the original ARCADE version of "Caveman Ninja", and not the SNES port of "Joe & Mac"! There are some major differences: In the Arcade version, you can charge up your weapons for more powerful attacks, defeat the enemies by jumping on them Mario-style, but constantly lose your health if you don't replenish it with food items (because Arcade machines want your quarters). These features were absent in the Super Nintendo home console port. I feel like the people who left…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →My friend got me the game as a Christmas present so we could relive our childhood playing retro-style games. We were excited to play this since we used to play the original Joe and Mac on SNES. After playing for less than half an hour, we could tell a lot of features were missing or poorly implemented for a remake of a game released almost 30 years ago. -- There is no native online capability for multiplayer (forced to use remote play). -- The audio balance is terrible between bgm and sfx. --…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Wow this is bad. I swore I would never support Microids again after some recently truly terrible "support" I received from them, but I bought this from Humble at a discount and didn't realise who the dev was. Note, that's my fault and in no way affects this review, as I really like Joe and Mac on the Super Nintendo & Arcade, and if this was good I'd be singing its praises. Firstly, there are no options to speak of. It is topping out at 720P or 1080P on a 1600P display. Incredible that this…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Awful remake. No proper screen resolution, no proper settings, hit detection is god awful, better stick to original games!
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →𝕀 𝕨𝕒𝕤 𝕝𝕚𝕜𝕖 𝕁𝕠𝕖 & 𝕄𝕒𝕔 𝕣𝕖𝕞𝕒𝕜𝕖? 𝕋𝕒𝕜𝕖 𝕞𝕪 𝕞𝕠𝕟𝕖𝕪... 𝕋𝕙𝕖𝕟 𝕀 𝕨𝕒𝕤 𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕝𝕝𝕪 𝕕𝕚𝕤𝕒𝕡𝕡𝕠𝕚𝕟𝕥𝕖𝕕! This game, back on the old SNES, was never a masterpiece; critics swatted it away even in its own era. But to eight-year-old me, it was a treasure. I got it as a birthday gift, and from that moment on I played it endlessly, until every pixel lived in my memory (it still does to this day). I knew every hidden corner, every cheeky secret, every dinosaur that…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Didn't know this existed until i saw it on a bundle. Was a favorite of mine back in the arcade days. Initially put off by the new graphics, but still got the game. Didn't take long to get passed the new graphics and enjoy the game. Still fun. Forgot how short the levels were. Definitely worth getting on a sale for some nice nostalgia.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →[last update 2023-01-06] A new update fixed some problems! Thank you so much for addressing them, changing review to positive. - Screen can be windowed / fullscreen (QOL for streamers/multi monitor gamers) - Game has a difficulty selection so you can play around or challenge your timing (well done! This also indirectly makes the control issues a non-issue since a casual gamer can now fiddle with their experience.) - Control mappings can be changed in game (QOL for accessibility / gamers that…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Only two words come to mind when playing this... Absolutely... and unnecessary. Like seriously... I dunno what the dev's were even thinking with this... animation looks like it was made with flash... garbage looking... music is bleh... mellow and sounds like elevator music in the background... you can barely even hear it over the obnoxious noises this game makes. This version is also based on the arcade version of the game (terrible) the SNES port is literally the best version of the game,…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This is a big maybe. Don't bother if you are not already a fan of Joe & Mac. Even so, if you are expecting a remake of the SNES version, you'll be disappointed. This is a remake of the Arcade version, so in that sense it is closer to the Genesis version as you can charge shot your weapon and jump on the enemies like Mario. Sadly, in the Arcade you also have to replenish your health constantly by consuming food a la Adventure Island. This work in that series because Master Higgins is a fast…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Good Afternoon! Just went for a nice walk through the snow. Currently stopped, but we will get some more (a little bit). Just picked up New Joe & Mac Caveman Ninja - T-Rex Edition. Remembered the SNES version, so very curious Have a great day! #WednesdayVibes #CavemanNinja
positive · AI labelView post →Joe and Mac are the biggest pimps of the Prehistoric Era. They live in a primitive hut with a bunch of scantily dressed cave babes!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →At this point I think it would have been better to just sell the original game, instead of doing such a bad remake.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I enjoyed it, I would of liked the option to swap to the classic games but what can you do. Very easy to 100%.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Joe and Mac was a beloved Super NES game which was originally a port of the Arcade Game. Those games were pretty fun, mindless hoppin' and boppin' solo or with a friend and was a great time. I was really excited to find this existed and was hoping more of the same. Boy, Was I wrong. First off the graphics. They are beautiful! bright colors and wonderful animation. However, that's the only positive I can give. The game play feels broken to me. Like level 2A. you jump up a tree, just like the…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →It's an alright game for what it is. I payed I think $2 for it and it was fun to relive a Joe & Mac adventure.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Cool graphics, but half as fun as the original. The gameplay is just weird and doesn't feel right. You need to adapt to it, not otherwise. And that makes the game excessively hard and not fun to play.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →complete trash The controls feel off and the weapons are barely useful now. Art direction feels cheap and lazy. The worst part they made the levels 1/3rd the length of the originals which were already very small levels to begin with.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The devs screwed up when they decided to base this game on the arcade version. Call me casual, but this is way too hard. It’s 202X, why is my health slowly draining? Why is there a checkpoint based death system? Why are there no cheats? What should have been a chill nostalgia trip to play with my nephew is instead a needlessly difficult sweat fest that I don’t see reason to subject myself through. What were they thinking!? Maybe for legal reasons they had to stick with the arcade? Shrug..…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This game is truly horrid in every sense of the word. Awful physics, awful responsivness, awful graphis. Just a truly, truly terrible game all around. This game would have no attention to it whatsoever if it wasn't for its blatant butchering of the Joe & Mac name. If you're a fan of the original, do yourself a HUGE favor and play that instead of this D-tier rendition of it. Not worth the time or money to experience the sad, dreadful downfall of this nostalgic classic. For shame.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I wasn’t keen on New Joe & Mac at first. As someone who loved both the original arcade game and the Super Nintendo version, the new visuals felt like they lacked some of the old character, and the sound didn’t help much either. I kept comparing it to the Data East classic, and at the start that really held the remake back for me. But as I played more, especially in two-player mode, the game slowly grew on me. By the time we reached the final stage, I was genuinely enjoying it. Once you look…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Grew up playing this on the snes and gameboy. Loved it as kid. My issue with this remake is the floaty controls make it very difficult. The art style is fine but kind of feels like a flash game with very floaty controls. I got it on sale so I can’t complain too much it’s ok but the original is much more enjoyable to play. But I do recommend if you can get it on sale but if you played the original and have access to it I recommend playing that over this.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I can excuse the graphics. I can excuse the weird gameplay choices like the constantly draining health. However I cannot excuse the controls , they are inconsistent at best but often just completely broken. I just can't get grasp on these controls no matter how much I want to like this game. I paid less than 2 dollars and honestly it's not worth that
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The only good thing I can say about this game is that it looks alright, sort of?. The graphics reminds me of a those terrible mobile video game ads you see every now on youtube shorts but you seem to laugh by the effort to make it look bad. New Joe & Mac Caveman Ninja kinda looks like that, but anyway Getting back on topic with this game. Play the original Caveman Ninja Arcade game, then come play this and you will see how half assed this remake really is. The worst of it all is basically the…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →New Joe & Mac Caveman Ninja T-Rex Edition and Garfield Lasagna Party Nintendo Switch titles are back in stock at VGP! $29.99 / 21.99 USD each 👉 tinyurl.com/4c38smyz - Enjoy Free Shipping when you spend $75 / 53 US
neutral · AI labelView post →Firstly - this game looks great. The cartoony art style,clean lines and lush colours all look a treat in 4k. The music and sound effects complete the visual aesthetic well. Performance is good too with nice menus and smooth gameplay. As to the gameplay well, I don't really enjoy it. All the weapons which are projectile based have a very short reach - except for one which goes all the way across the screen. The lack of range is an imposed gimp on the player to increase the difficulty which I…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →PS5 emulator updates have 6 games "fully playable at 60 FPS," and Demon's Souls isn't far behind • Dreaming Sarah • Void Terrarium • New Joe & Mac: Caveman Ninja • Tetris Forever • Hoa • Tomb Raider IV–VI Remastered via: GamesRadar gamesradar.com/games/ps5-em... MVG: youtube.com/watch?v=20IS...
neutral · AI labelView post →you might as well have just re-released the snes version instead of putting out this shovelware. plays and looks like total garbage. can't recommend.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →New Joe & Mac – Caveman Ninja is a modern reimagining of the classic arcade platformer, rebuilt by Mr. Nutz Studio and published by Microids with clear affection for the 1991 original. It doesn’t try to reinvent the formula so much as to preserve the spirit of a bygone era: fast-paced side-scrolling, punishing enemy patterns, oversized prehistoric bosses, and a lighthearted rescue plot that sets the stage for nonstop action. At its core, the game revolves around two cavemen—Joe and Mac—on a…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The correct answer is Warcraft III - Reforged. My personal answer is New Joe & Mac Caveman Ninja (especially for it's tragic history - RIP Golgoth...)
negative · AI labelView post →Small 2d platformer and really short experience its a middle one nothing really great here but also not bad: Pros: + ok soundtrack + boss designs are great + exteded mode is a great welcome here to make the levels longer + boss rush if you enjoy the bosses + extended mode feels much better than the classic mode better divides on enemies Cons: - way to short for its price wait for a 90% sale (its only 15-20 mins long and the long version 30-45 mins) - the throwing and jumping physics is not my…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →It would be acceptable if not for the fact that if you pick up the wrong weapon, which is very likely because there are so many things flying across the screen at once, you are basically unable to finish certain parts and have to sacrifice a life to continue. The original Joe and Mac game wasn't quite Super Mario, but it was a playable platformer. This one is trying to be more "exciting" by just throwing enemies all over the map and forcing you to take damage to proceed. Each level takes like…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →They didn't change anything gameplay wise... And while it's a new look, they animated it quite poorly. When the limbs move, they rotate. I'd still get it though. Actual Value: $20
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →New Joe & Mac is a decent remake that lacks some of the original arcade game's charm. Note that many of the negative Steam reviews are complaining about the hunger mechanic that was present in the arcade game; these players don't realize that the remake isn't based on the Super NES game. Also, while the game launched without extra modes and difficulty selections, it has since been updated with those features. There are two main modes: Arcade and Extended, which has longer, remixed levels.…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Starting with I love Caveman Ninja. I remember playing this as a kid at a roast beef stand where my parents would take me. I'd sink quarters in this with out regard. so with that in mind, after 5 min.... This works on steam deck with no issues! It is true to the original, with a short stage and a cool looking boss. First & second stage (all I've seen so far) are duplicates of their original counter parts. Second boss has some new fighting styles to learn. Personally I love the new take on…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →It is a shxt. You guys shuold learn how to make a game.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I really wish I could recommend this game to everyone. But, this just feels like a massive misdirection. The original game had an appealing anime art style, with dinosaurs that, while still exaggerated, were realistic in anatomy & proportion, which gave the game a unique identity. This game instead has a generic western cartoon style, with exaggerated character designs, and lanky, bulky, or generic creature designs. I feel like this game requires a mod to get the art style closer to the…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →First time playing on my PS4 Pro, trying out a new game #CavemanNinja #PlayStation4 #BilzkeNextLevel -[Bilzke Next Level]- Trying out New Joe & Mac Caveman Ninja www.twitch.tv/bilzke
neutral · AI labelView post →Around 20:00 (8PM) I'm going to stream New Joe & Mac Caveman Ninja (as winner of the poll). #StreamSky #PreparingStream
neutral · AI labelView post →Half hour has passed and New Joe & Mac Caveman Ninja is leading the polls. #Poll #GameToStream
neutral · AI labelView post →difficult but not too much fun for chill gaming
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →https://youtu.be/BuRpJ0pGC6s Limited weapon range makes even the basic encounters more annoying than fun.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Two cavemen bachelors go on a quest to find plus ones for their cousin's wedding. But in order to find the right one they'll need to deal with the ladies' adopted monster parents. Can Joe and Mac overcome the odds and find true love in the Jurassic period? Find out in "Joe and Mac Need Wedding Dates".
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I got this game despite the bad reviews. I'm glad I did. It works perfectly on the Steam Deck and is a ton of fun. I got it on a bundle on Fanatical. If you are hesitant to buy this game I suggest getting it. Especially if you have a Steam Deck.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Really fun. Reminds me of the classic Data East titles. The game's art style is really beautiful. It makes everything on the screen pop. Classic side scrolling game play, alternative routes for multiple playthroughs, the game easy to beat, but hard to complete. I hope a sequel eventually comes out. I would buy it right away.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A Great Arcade Classic That Deserves More Appreciation New Joe & Mac: Caveman Ninja is a fantastic revival of a classic arcade game that deserves far more appreciation than it receives on Steam. One of the biggest reasons I believe this game is unfairly perceived is that many gamers don’t seem to realize it is based on the original arcade version of Joe & Mac, rather than the Super Nintendo version. These are different experiences, and comparing this remake directly to the SNES game without…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Many times I felt the controls were unresponsive. What a letdown. Play the original SNES classics (including Congo's Caper) instead of this.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This is how a remake should be done - true to the original, quality of life features and beautiful!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I remember playing the SNES game and it was fun, this was the lowest sales and I took advantage of it thinking it was going to be the same Toki. Well, after finishing I said to myself... "That's it? That's the whole game?" It was short, too short in my opinion. Achieving all achievements was a no brainer, it was too easy along the game. Enemies are nothing but a bullet sponge. Beating it harder difficulty isn't rewarding, unless you're a masochist. Toki was a better re-imagining of a retro…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Happy Thanksgiving to all that celebrate it. Today will only feature one video and it's New Joe & Mac - Caveman Ninja on Steam. #joeandmac #cavemanninja #arcade #videogame #gaming
neutral · AI labelView post →Not so easy... xD
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This is a very good lovingly made remake, but unless you DISABLE frame limiting on the PC/Steam Deck there will be a perceivable input lag.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →i love this game and play it frequently on Mame. It seems substantially graphically enhamced on PC and Much harder. Sp far working fine on my Steam Deck , but Im stick on the 1st boss . Difficulty is muh higher on PC. Recommended if u like side scrollers and Dinosaurs
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
Posts are quoted from public profiles with links to the original. Want yours removed? Contact us.
