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

[velo]

Fuck yes!
Struggling with Mystic Warriors scrolling stages - there doesn't appear to be any animation indicating that a zako will fire, and the size of the sprites doesn't give much wiggle room. Particularly frustrating, as this is much more frantic than Sunset Riders from the off, is the lack of a lock button for firing direction.
Puzzled why this never saw a SNES port, wouldn't have taken much scaling back.

In the mines, I can't deal with the two artillery carts entering on the bottom left even after a bit of save state grinding. Too many bullets and won't die fast enough. Other than that, after getting the hang of it, I'm (somehow) finding the autoscrollers less frustrating than the horse stages in Sunset Riders. Despite all the dead time in SR's autoscrollers, there's one or two guys that tend to catch me off guard, and there's no health bar to cushion mistakes.

[BrianC]

The MD port's lack of an extended hitbox above rainbows while crushing them really changes the core gameplay entirely. It feels like a decent port, but I just couldn't play it!

MD port is not bad, but it could have been better. System 16 lists these as the specs for Rainbow Islands:
Main CPU : MC68000 @ 8MHz
Sound CPU : Z80 @ 4MHz
Sound Chip : YM2151

Sound chip is different, but hardware is very similar, even down to the CPU speed.

[Sturmvogel Prime]

The original? Not extra? I can't even bring myself to click.....

Looks like OG. I hope they either bundle Special, or do a separate release, at some point... just because I'd like to retire my MD copy along with the OG's PCE-CD port.

I guess Taito will probably do the same thing they did with Darius by including both the original and the extra versions.

BTW, since Taito will be closing January's releases looks like it's gonna be another "Namco-Suprise-Namco-Taito" pattern all over again.
I only hope this 2024 is the year for Raiden II.

[Bloodreign]

The MD port's lack of an extended hitbox above rainbows while crushing them really changes the core gameplay entirely. It feels like a decent port, but I just couldn't play it!

Not to mention the mechanics of MD RI Extra behave just like regular Rainbow Islands, which means no ability to manipulate the secret item in the hidden silver door bonus rooms (after getting the diamonds in order anyway, the last diamond picked up before entering the room determines what item is in the room), nor does the Big Book of Continues have any use as continues are still limited, even after getting it. Not to mention, some music tracks were cut. It's still a decent game to play, but loses a lot of the luster from the arcade version.

And Bil, you have been asking for RI, someone at Taito and M2 listened to you. I too have that PCE CD version, it was a go to of mine before I got the arcade version of RI and RI Extra on the Taito Memories compilations.

[Skyknight]

No, we probably still have a good number of Konami releases coming; the recent anomalous order may have been just to line Aero Fighters and Mystic Warriors up with Christmas. Especially considering the other games that use its hardware (Gaiapolis, Metamorphic Force, Monster Maulers, etc.).

[Sumez]

MD port is not bad, but it could have been better. System 16 lists these as the specs for Rainbow Islands:
Main CPU : MC68000 @ 8MHz
Sound CPU : Z80 @ 4MHz
Sound Chip : YM2151

Sound chip is different, but hardware is very similar, even down to the CPU speed.

I have no doubt the Megadrive should be able to port Rainbow Islands nearly 1:1 - the PC Engine almost did! But its issues aren't related to capabilities or performance Mechanics just work differently.

[MJR]

How accurate is the emulation on PS2 Taito Memories Joudan and Gekan? I just remembered that I got those as well.. Maybe it's time to start practising.

[BrianC]

MD port is not bad, but it could have been better. System 16 lists these as the specs for Rainbow Islands:
Main CPU : MC68000 @ 8MHz
Sound CPU : Z80 @ 4MHz
Sound Chip : YM2151

Sound chip is different, but hardware is very similar, even down to the CPU speed.

I have no doubt the Megadrive should be able to port Rainbow Islands nearly 1:1 - the PC Engine almost did! But its issues aren't related to capabilities or performance Mechanics just work differently.

That's kind of my point. There is no good reason for the mechanics to work differently. It has a bit of a rushed feel to it. Game acts more like vanilla RI in some ways, but the "vanilla" mode is halfhearted and lacks the good ending.

[Bloodreign]

How accurate is the emulation on PS2 Taito Memories Joudan and Gekan? I just remembered that I got those as well.. Maybe it's time to start practising.

I find it to be spot on, of course these games really aren't hard to emulate, outside of the hidden counters and all like Bubble Bobble has. I'm not good at RI or RI Extra, but I pretty much spent 4 and a half hours with it one day to get the true last boss beaten, but couldn't get the 99,999,990 score due to not hitting all the hidden rooms.

[hamfighterx]

BTW, since Taito will be closing January's releases looks like it's gonna be another "Namco-Suprise-Namco-Taito" pattern all over again.
I only hope this 2024 is the year for Raiden II.

No, we probably still have a good number of Konami releases coming; the recent anomalous order may have been just to line Aero Fighters and Mystic Warriors up with Christmas. Especially considering the other games that use its hardware (Gaiapolis, Metamorphic Force, Monster Maulers, etc.).

There really aren't enough Namco games remaining to fill too many multiple title months, so I expect Namco titles to be fewer and further between until Hamster moves on to some of the 90s arcade boards. Remains to be seen whether the polygon-based boards will even show up on Arcade Archives any time soon (perhaps Hamster has longer term plans to hold that stuff back and make a bit of a splash once we get a new Nintendo system?), but maybe 2024 will bring some Namco games from hardware like the NA-1/NA-2 (F/A Fighter & Attacker!) and NB-1/NB-2 (Outfoxies!!)

But yeah, I'd expect a decent dose of Taito and Konami, some more Jaleco titles, and whatever leftovers Hamster still has from the NMK, Nichibutsu, UPL, and Allumer catalogs. Hopeful for Raiden II/DX and maybe more Data East stuff (good versions of the delisted Johnny Turbo games would be cool).

[Sturmvogel Prime]

Nichibutsu's Mighty Guy is the first Arcade Archives title of this 2024.
https://www.gamer.ne.jp/news/202401030003/

[AGermanArtist]

Nichibutsu shoulder man punches mounted machinegun emplacement game that's better than Capcom's Avengers. Instant buy.

[Skyknight]

With the genuinely interesting Psycho Gun mechanic. Lots of points…while being a sitting duck, especially if you’re not careful with where you send the pulse.

[Marc]

Didn't think I'd ever heard of this one, but those screen shots defo bring back some memories of some holiday or other.

[retrokid64]

I love the Arcade Archive series so much. Lots of options, emulation that is on par with M2, online leaderboards, and even different ROM versions (depending on the game). MAME has nothing on ACA.

[hamfighterx]

OK, I'm excited to try Mighty Guy. And now also looking forward to an eventual release of Nichibutsu's Ninja Emaki!

[Skyknight]

What about Chouji Meikyuu Legion? What’s the consensus on it?

[Udderdude]

Nichibutsu's Mighty Guy is the first Arcade Archives title of this 2024.
https://www.gamer.ne.jp/news/202401030003/

Oh look, time for another episode of "Udderdude slept on another game until it appeared on Arcade Archives". This is turning into a running trend for me, lol. This does look pretty cool, though. Added bonus: I slept on Seicross too, for some stupid reason. Someone slap me already.

[Lord British]

Mystic Warriors ost best track

https://youtu.be/eYgHOoMV-gQ?si=8_DIQ7wiJcDanu_M

[AGermanArtist]

Mighty Guy doesn't seem to be available in the UK.

edit - bought it from the JPN store. Best config - Punch/Beam+Kick/Jump on Right trigger w/out rapid to use the Beam and Punch/Beam and Kick/Jump set to rapid on any of the face buttons.

[AGermanArtist]

Rainbow Islands ACA to include EXTRA version on the 25th, but apparently they're doing a Bombjack with it by replacing some of the music with tracks from the NES version

https://twitter.com/bubblun_jp/status/1 ... 61/photo/2

[Jeneki]

We need a Nichibutsu crossover with Mighty Guy and Crazy Climber. I want to flying kick those assholes throwing trash out their windows.

[PC Engine Fan X!]

It'd be ace if Hamster were to do an ACA Jaleco "Grand Prix Star" release/port for both PS4 & Switch. Playing on a linked-up two-player dedicated cabinet of the same name was quite cool and impressive for it's time in the American arcades back in the early 1990s (likewise with Sega's "F1 Exhaust Note" arcade Formula 1-based racer as well).

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[BareKnuckleRoo]

Can we get them to finally tackle Outrunners as well? A port that supports single-player without waiting for the timer to run out as well as split screen 2 player (or even 4 player!) would be rad.

[Marc]

Can we get them to finally tackle Outrunners as well? A port that supports single-player without waiting for the timer to run out as well as split screen 2 player (or even 4 player!) would be rad.

Don't, I want to cry everything this is mentioned.
I recently found out about the existence of Cool Riders and am desperate to try that as well.

[MJR]

Rainbow Islands ACA to include EXTRA version on the 25th, but apparently they're doing a Bombjack with it by replacing some of the music with tracks from the NES version

https://twitter.com/bubblun_jp/status/1 ... 61/photo/2

Hardly surprising, there was always a copyright issue with the original soundtrack from what I can recall. Anyway, great to have this!

[Sturmvogel Prime]

Rainbow Islands ACA to include EXTRA version on the 25th, but apparently they're doing a Bombjack with it by replacing some of the music with tracks from the NES version

https://twitter.com/bubblun_jp/status/1 ... 61/photo/2

Hardly surprising, there was always a copyright issue with the original soundtrack from what I can recall.

First time I heard about a copyright issue with Taito, can somebody explain me that?

[AGermanArtist]

I assume a Track and Field (Vangelis)/Bombjack (The Beatles) situation

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Over_the_Rainbow

[Marc]

I thought that song was PD now though? Weird.

[AGermanArtist]

Who owns the rights to the song Somewhere Over the Rainbow?

The song will still be in copyright because the writers died in the 1980s. The sheet music publishers for the song are the Hal Leonard Corporation, so you should contact them for further details if you are seeking permission to use /commercially record the song.

https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-48348401