I'm so glad that Hamster's Arcade Archives are a thing.

[Skyknight]

Taito's Champion Wrestler is next up.

[Sturmvogel Prime]

Looks like the upcoming titles for the rest of September will be Namco releases.
https://twitter.com/HAMSTER_Corp/status ... 01/photo/2

[Dale]

Is there a list somewhere with every release from this series? PSN glitches, and won't load every Arcade Archives release on their store page. I had to search Trio The Punch specifically to get to download it.

[BIL]

Yep! The Wikipedia page is quite excellent for multi-platform + cross-regional coverage at a glance.

There's also Hamster's own site. (that's the JP PS4 list; others can be found at the homepage)

[Sima Tuna]

If you're on the eshop, typing "hamster" will provide every one of their releases too. As well as some bonus shovelware games about hamsters.

[jehu]

Looks like the upcoming titles for the rest of September will be Namco releases.
https://twitter.com/HAMSTER_Corp/status ... 01/photo/2

The exact titles are not announced yet, correct?

Fingers-crossed for Phelios

[Skyknight]

Grobda, Bravoman, Gee Bee (or leave that one for museums?), Finest Hour, Burning Force, F/A…

[Sturmvogel Prime]

My predictions for the month are NebulasRay, Pac-Mania and Burning Force.

By the way, Darius has been announced as an October release for Switch and PS4 (International release?).
If you're looking a standalone release rather than the Cozmic Collection port, you've might want to keep an eye on this one.
https://twitter.com/TAITO_Apps/status/1 ... 69/photo/1

[hamfighterx]

Appears that next week's release (9/15) is Rompers. Digging into some of the more obscure Namco stuff, OK!

The following two weeks are currently unknown, but October 6 is... DARIUS for Switch, and for PS4 outside of Japan (As Sturmvogel Prime just beat me to, we were writing that at the same time!)

Darius was one of the few remaining PS4 AA exclusives, from a Japan only release way back in 2016.

That only leaves three AA games on PS4 but not Switch:
1) Ark Area (UPL). Released on PS4 in Japan on Jan 19, 2017. I think this will show up some day on Switch, much like UPL's Mutant Night showed up on Switch in December 2021 (nearly 5 years after its February 2017 PS4 Japan release)

2) Wonder Boy (Westone). One of the earliest PS4 Arcade Archives releases, back in July 2014 in Japan (6th game in the series, which began with three games on May 15, 2014). Never released in other regions. Would not be surprising to me if Hamster no longer has a license for this one, particularly as it's a part of Inin's recent Wonder Boy Anniversary Collections.

3) Bubble Bobble (Taito). It got a PS4 AA release worldwide in 2016. We've seen a lot of Taito games that released on PS4 AA in 2015-2017 get Switch releases years later: Darius, Kiki Kaikai, The Ninja Warriors, Elevator Action, Front Line, The Legend of Kage. Therefore, it would not be that shocking to see Bubble Bobble also make an appearance on Switch before too long. However... Taito did release Bubble Bobble 4 Friends in 2019 (which features unlockable original arcade Bubble Bobble), with worldwide publishing by Inin, so I could also see it being possible that there's some sort of license issue there. That's actually what I had been assuming was the reason for not seeing Bubble Bobble or Darius (since that's also part of a more recently released Taito compilation) on Switch AA, but with Darius now showing up that provides some evidence against that theory!

FWIW, the only Switch AA releases that are not on PS4 are the 20 games by Nintendo. I expect those will remain Switch exclusive.

I actually like Pac & Pal. Heard it doesn't have much of a strong opinion ..

Re: Pac & Pal, I somehow avoided encountering that all these years until the recent re-releases on the new Pac-Man compilation and Arcade Archives. I like it, and I was really surprised to see that Pac Man Championship Edition (a great game!) seems to have taken some inspiration from the mechanics of Pac & Pal - the whole "eat one thing on one part of the map to trigger stuff in another part of the map" thing. While I haven't seen anyone else mention it, I find it very similar to how eating the fruit/bonus items in CE works to spawn a new piece of the maze on the other half of the screen, or eating all the pellets on one side makes a fruit pop up on the other part of the screen.

[BrianC]

Odd thing is that Mutant Night showed up in the PSN store, but not the website.

Edit: It's now showing up on the website. Also, ACA Neogeo Twinkle Star Sprites still isn't on US PSN, despite being on the US eShop for Switch.

[Fingolfin]

Question:

Is the hardware replication (ie boards & specialized gfx chips, etc)/software emulation of NebulasRay possible by AA @ this point w/ PS4 & Switch?

Would love to see it soon but also have to wonder if NebulasRay — and along the same lines w/ Seibu K Raiden II/DX — is something that Arcade Archives can emulate for the PS4 & Switch.

re: Raiden II/DX was thinking about the bendy/flexible purple and green plasma lasers and hyper detailed explosions and enemy and terrain impacts of both red and yellow bombs especially; all of these attack elements appear to be significantly more detailed and nuanced than original Raiden arcade.

*** Edits revisions for clarification

MAME has emulated NebulasRay & Raiden II/DX well for several/many years but gotta wonder if Hamster AA can get ‘em to run for PS4 & Switch.

Thanks for considering!

[Sturmvogel Prime]

I'm sure there is a possiblity to see this game emulated since they're able to emulate a hard encrypted game already (Seibu Kaihatsu's Zero Team) on the PS4/Switch.

[Fingolfin]

Cheers and thank you Sturmvogel Prime!
I really enjoy all of your reviews: equally informative and entertaining. Glad to know I can count on you to tell it like it is — for good or bad when it comes to shooting games published or in some cases republished today.

Hadn’t previously considered encryption aspects of AA titles brought to us from the past.

Was more broadly/generally thinking along the lines of “What are the likely upper limits of Arcade Archives emulation for PS4 & Switch? What is Hamster capable of achieving (assuming rights are acquired) in their emulation of arcade games on PS4 & Switch?”

[Skyknight]

The Namco quartet starts with 1989’s Rompers.

[BIL]

Was more broadly/generally thinking along the lines of “What are the likely upper limits of Arcade Archives emulation for PS4 & Switch? What is Hamster capable of achieving (assuming rights are acquired) in their emulation of arcade games on PS4 & Switch?”

Assuming they ever make the jump to current-gen hardware, I think that's when we'll see some really choice (meaning mid-90s) stuff.

This goes to a lesser extent for M2, as well, though their release schedule is obviously much more amenable to heavy-duty emulations like G-Darius HD and the upcoming Ray'z trilogy.

Would be quite something to see week-on-week Taito F3, Konami GX and Seibu SPI releases, but I think it's best kept a far-off dream for now. They still have stacks of essential Taito, Konami, IREM and other boards to cover - I'd be happier seeing them get Metal Black, Parodius Da! and Dragon Breed up over the next couple years, before moving on.

[Fingolfin]

Thanks BIL!

Been thinking there has to be @ least some correlation between what Hamster & M2 can achieve emulation-wise on PS4 & Switch.

Would figure M2 to be capable of a bit more advanced stuff as they have already achieved w/ Garegga 2016, Dangun Feveron, Ketsui Deathtiny & ESP Ra.De. Psi (though only the last there has been done for Switch) but hardware limitations of PS4 & Switch would seem to have to be a factor at some point as has been discussed by M2 Shottriggers developers re: limitations of PS4 and Armed Police Batrider in the past.

Have been playing some Metal Black lately (in emulation) and have started to check out your ST.

Would be great to see Metal Black, Parodious Da! and Dragon Breed.

I know we’re of like mind re: Taito, Konami & Irem stuff thru early 90’s which should hopefully all be possible for Hamster. Would be great to see Mr. Heli, Cosmic Cop, Air Duel, Fire Barrel and some Parodious et al. I’m still hopeful for Taito Space Dungeon which should be well within emulation capabilities of AA as a 1981 maze twin stick shooter.


PS How’s your eye? Did you get your retina re-attached yet?
Hoping your back to ocular health soon if not yet!

[BurlyHeart]

What are some quality lesser-known shmups in Hamster's collection?

[Atariboy]

The more powerful the hardware, the more complex it is to successfully emulate.

I think that more than anything is what restricts them somewhat from newer games rather than any hardware limitations with the baseline PS4 and Nintendo Switch.

[Sima Tuna]

What are some quality lesser-known shmups in Hamster's collection?

Keep in mind that any shmup I recommend may not necessarily be "hidden" according to the standards of shmup neckbeards on a specific shmup forum.

XEXEX and X-Multiply
Omega Fighter Special
Cybattler

Cybattler in particular is really fucking amazing and should be played by everyone.

[BrianC]

Gemini Wing is also on AA.

I was thinking Dragon Breed is already on AA, but no that's Saint Dragon.

[BurlyHeart]

What are some quality lesser-known shmups in Hamster's collection?

Keep in mind that any shmup I recommend may not necessarily be "hidden" according to the standards of shmup neckbeards on a specific shmup forum.

LOL I should've put that caveat in myself. I was talking about your Raidens, Gradius, R-Type's of this world.

XEXEX and X-Multiply
Omega Fighter Special
Cybattler

Cybattler in particular is really fucking amazing and should be played by everyone.

Excellent, thank you for this. I will check it out!

Gemini Wing is also on AA.

A game that tormented me as a kid. Nice recommendation, thanks. Maybe it is time to get revenge. I will also buy Green Beret for this very reason.

[BIL]

PS How’s your eye?

Much better, thanks. Still can't get quite as hardcore as I'd like, but I should be back to 100% by year's end.

Seconding CYBATTLER, it's amazing. Plays almost like Shock Troopers in trad vert STG format, with its strafing and slashing. 8-way fire versus 8-way attack! Loaded with badass setpieces too, like any good mecha action game. Strafing battle trains on the moon one stage, smuggling an obscenely powerful laser cannon through an asteroid field the next (and unloading it square into the boss's face, if you can keep it in one piece).



Just badass.

Also seconding:

XEXEX: Essential. Golden-age Konami firing on all cylinders. Intriguingly IREM-inflected hori, with its charmingly organic "Flint" AI buddy and monster charge shots. A much, much friendlier difficulty curve than contemporary Konami horis - namely the dread duo of Gradius III and Parodius Da - makes it a far more universal recommend.

X-MULTIPLY: Possibly IREM's overall best arcade STG, not for sheer intensity - many others beat it handily - but balance. While every bit as fiendishly terrain-based as its more famous stablemates, there's an instantly-attractive degree of improvisational wriggle room (almost literally, via the pricelessly tactile, bullet-cancelling Hentai Tentacle Action ), making it an ideal entry point for novices and adepts alike, with its customary second loop.

Not as visually lovely as its iconic counterparts, imo, being a little garish. However, the diabolical premise, and Masahiko Ishida's pulsing creep-rock OST, give it an unforgettable cosmic bodyhorror aesthetic, rivally any STG or videogame period.

OMEGA FIGHTER SPECIAL: A preternatural blast of 90s finesse, bolted to a ruggedly immediate 80s chassis. Hardcore chainsaw autofire on default! ESPGaluda-styled bullet time! Shikigami no Shiro-prefiguring Buzz scoring! All with a startlingly fresh-to-this-day premise. You've seen Huge Battleship Stages. This is a HUGE BATTLESHIP GAME. Demolish the planet-killing behemoth piece by titanic piece, before it can glass our star "EARTH!"

The ACA release includes the original Omega Fighter, plus the essential Omega Fighter Special, which cranks up the item distribution to encourage ballsier scoreplay. It also bundles in a third revision - a deceptively worthwhile developer mode, which, while technically much easier than either finished release (the 10x Buzz bonus is awarded regardless of range), is by that same token a potentially blistering ride for score chasers, opening up an entirely new dimension of Yagawa-styled tactical suicide madness.

All this said, Special alone would guarantee a place here. A killer outing for perennial loveable oddballs UPL.

EDIT: Basically, Sima Tuna's whole list is gold.

THUNDER DRAGON 2: Beloved around these parts, but only occasionally cracks the Top 25. On the off chance you've not played it, this is a diamond. Foot-to-the-floor oldschool killathon with impeccable handling, two superbly-contrasting ships, and seamless waveshredding scoreplay ala Recca/Dangun. Blow away the current wave for more waves, gets addictive fast. Also a genius riff on the classic "bomb capacity" bonus, paired with Yagawa-aggressive BOMBA action, encouraging the player to surf along on judicious walls of screen-flattening fury. Very Useful Thread!

GUN FRONTIER: Not for everyone, with its notably slow ship, but those who click with this unmistakable proto-Garegga tend to click hard. The ACA release benefits hugely from Hamster's consultations with arcade veterans, having the ideal autofire rates selectable by default. Got quite a bit of love here on its recent release, along with a little opprobrium over said slow ship. All good and correct, imho. Very Useful Post!

YOUJYUDEN (aka Heroic Episode) IREM's cool Xevious-X-Commando vert. Starts off in ground-based Commando mode, before taking wing for a pleasingly simple, tight Xeviousesque, the stages alternating thus. Feels slightly older than it really is (1986), but lovably so; depending on player taste, may well be worth a look for its cute chibi-mythical aesthetic, much warmer than IREM's soon-to-come classically xenoindustrial STG output.



Three hard (but quality!) nuts:

HACHAMECHA FIGHTER: Unlike fellow NMK standout Thunder Dragon 2, this one's a much less universal recommend. Inimitably cute but genuinely hard as goddamn nails. Deceptively lovable in spite of the punishing difficulty, with charmingly immediate Gradius-influenced shooting.

NO REFUGE ^_~

Spoiler

TRIGON: 1990's other first-rate Toaplan copycat. ^_~ Balls-hard and really only recommendable to hard-bitten Toaheads, specifically fans of Hishouzame & SameSame. That allowed, Konami turned in a well-observed and authentically harrowing tribute performance (with minor wrist-slaps for the occasional yellow-on-yellow bullet visibility issue). Killer tunes, unusual and devastating bombs.

GUNNAIL: Despite combining the above two's dev (NMK) and subgenre (Toaplanesque), this isn't all that hard a game, imo... but the subgenre being what it is, it can slap down newbies pretty hard. Will be loved by those who know what they're getting into, by the same token. Very Useful Site! (ta trap)

And a couple of personal favourites. First up is... holy cow, I'm struggling to remember its name, it's that seldom-mentioned around these parts.

...god damn.

Aha! Pistol Daimyou no Bouken. (foot of post) A cleverly-made oddball... may be worth taking for a quick spin in MAME, first. As with Gun Frontier, its ACA autofire options are specifically-tailored to its odd charge-shot system, making it perhaps more enjoyable than it'd be without them.

st5.3 = The FIRELEO and MUJAHID Show

Spoiler

^ those are "charge shots," believe it or not... the ACA autofire frequencies probably make it a different game, but an excellent one imo, so I'm not complaining.

I quickly fell in love with its huge sprites and deceptively well-judged balance... it throws out a ton of enemies and flak, ripe for collective annihilation via the interestingly lobbed charge shot. Like any good easier STG, it'll keep you moving and shooting despite its relatively mild difficulty.



A-JAX: Where TRIGON is straight Sharkesque, this is more of a midpoint between Xevious's ground-bombing and Toaplan's trademark riveting sniper game. I'd have no issue recommending it in the same company as Konami's later effort... if not for the decidedly love/hate 3D stages. A-JAX was a close contemporary of Super Contra (AC), and just like its alt. stages, they'll make or break it for you.

An admittedly badass scene of Playable Boxart, but not really what I'm here for, hon!

Spoiler

I find them pretty inoffensive, and easy (they're no white-knuckle arse-clenching AfterBurner II). Thankfully, they're also heavily outnumbered (in both quantity and screen-time) by the topdown STG stages, which are uniformly excellent.

Ahh yeah. IT'S THE GREAT DEATH FROM ABOVE 1988 CHARLIE BROWN

Spoiler

A tough nut, as to be expected of its developer and timeframe, with the additional caveat of minor genre-bending; but one good - and obscure - enough that I'd feel bad leaving it out here.

[Sturmvogel Prime]

Hamster has confirmed the next Namco title: The Return of Ishtar.
https://twitter.com/Shino4know/status/1 ... 44/photo/1

[jehu]

I've scoured the Arcade Archives releases for games I might have missed, and somehow I've always managed to overlook Heroic Episode.

Glad you turned me on to it, looks like a cool under-discussed Irem gem.

[BurlyHeart]

goodness

Wow amazing post BIL, thank you so much. I will do my due diligence and research all the games mentioned. Cybattler is looking like a must though.

Cheers again to all, I genuinely appreciate it.

[Redfox]

In regards to the upper limits of ACA emulation on current systems, I would hope and sincerely believe that Konami GX is on the table for the likes of Salamander 2. I don't see them doing anything with Titan STV hardware or anything like that (including G-NET or anything on the PS side, anything with significant 3D is prob a no go). I could be wrong (hope I am) but I think the max limit is going to be something around like Taito F3 or maybe someting like Sonic Wings or Air Gallet, mid 90's 2D and that's it. I don't see them ever doing anything Cave or Raizing level, I just can't imagine them doing that somehow. I keep imagining taxing 32bit 2D and 3D arcade games being beyond their scope, but again I hope I'm premature. There's no way in hell they'd ever get Hornet hardware going (Fukkatsu, that's like impossible).

[Udderdude]

Rompers is one of those obscure games that's actually really fun .. but feels like it could easily be an early/mid 80's game, not a late 80's one.

BTW, available now. lol

[BurlyHeart]

With some birthday money, I bought the following titles:

• Burning Fight
• Crime Fighters 2
• Cyber Battler
• Elevator Action
• Gemini Wing
• Green Beret
• Metal Slug 3
• Metal Slug X
• Sengoku Denshou 2001
• Sunset Riders

That should keep me busy for a while. Still have enough for 2 more games, so I'll have a further think on that. Really wanted Rage of the Dragons (i.e. the totally not Double Dragon fighting game). I thought it was released? Spent ages looking for it on the Japanese store, only to find out (upon googling) that it will be released by a non-Hamster company in the future. Was it ever scheduled to be released by Hamster or just my imagination? Oddly I found some achievement lists for XBox for a Hamster port.

Also, beware buying Japan PSN cards at PlayAsia. 10,000 yen cost me about $70 while it's near $90 on PlayAsia.

[velo]

Rompers is one of those obscure games that's actually really fun .. but feels like it could easily be an early/mid 80's game, not a late 80's one.

BTW, available now. lol

Kind of a maze game made way after their heyday and it's pretty fun from my limited experience. wikipedia says "was designed by Akira Usukura (who had designed Splatterhouse the previous year)" which is interesting in itself.

[Koa Zo]

Assault coming up soon on September 29!
Not only is this awesome in and of itself, this gives us a little more hope we might see Metal Hawk! (which I've never played)

As for Assault, I'm wondering how well the control will mesh with the standard pads. Frenetic dual 4-way tank-grip action doesn't translate well to dual analog thumb sticks - at least for me.
Namco Museum Volume 4 on PS1 could be enjoyed with Sony's behemoth SCPH-1110 Analog Joystick - albeit not 4-way, but proper grip, triggers, and swing angle to get frisky with your dodging, rolling and wheelie-bomb-cancel techniques.
It would be pretty rad to make a dual 4-way tank-stick set-up for this Hamster release.