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

[SeafoamGaming]

The wait for Solvalou or any 3D Namco game continues…

[Arino]

The wait for Solvalou or any 3D Namco game continues…

Imagine ACA just ends as soon as they are done with everything 2D

[Daytime Waitress]

Why I oughtta...

Wanted to assume it plays as ropey as the copy-pasted onlookers that litter the background, but even the most cursory dig about has uncovered some wild gems:

- I'D BUY THAT FOR A DOLLAR game show format for the fighting tournament
- regular roster being defeated suddenly turns the game into a belt-scrollin' one-vs.-two DEATHMATCH a good five years before SFZ3's Dramatic Battle Mode
- two vs. two multiplayer is also a thing
- OST kinda slaps because it's by frequent Hosoe collaborator Aihara
- inconspicuous Chinese opera battle lady is voiced by Ranma/Rei Ayanami
- ninja that looks more like a middle-school Greco-Roman wrestler wields a kusarigama (not all that wild, but always welcome to see that weapon rep'd)

[Lemnear]

But they posted something about the rights to a Warashi game(s) some time ago on X. What happened to it?

[Sturmvogel Prime]

But they posted something about the rights to a Warashi game(s) some time ago on X. What happened to it?

Hamster acquiring Warashi and the rights of Shienryu.
I guess they were planning to release it on Arcade Archives, but as we can see, Namco got in their way.

[velo]

The wait for Solvalou or any 3D Namco game continues…

I'm guessing the regularly scheduled Namco drops won't be anything bigger than F/A or Numan Athletics, or they'd have released it back during Namco month in April. Marchen Maze should be along soon. Not sure whether or not Outfoxies qualifies as "bigger" than F/A.

[PC Engine Fan X!]

The wait for Solvalou or any 3D Namco game continues…

I'm guessing the regularly scheduled Namco drops won't be anything bigger than F/A or Numan Athletics, or they'd have released it back during Namco month in April. Marchen Maze should be along soon. Not sure whether or not Outfoxies qualifies as "bigger" than F/A.

Or even Namco's Xevious 3D/G stylized polygonal arcade stg from 1996.

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[BIL]

But they posted something about the rights to a Warashi game(s) some time ago on X. What happened to it?

Hamster acquiring Warashi and the rights of Shienryu.
I guess they were planning to release it on Arcade Archives, but as we can see, Namco got in their way.

Of all the ACA releases to pine after instead of playing what's already out, the one behind the historic minefield of STV emulation is perhaps the piniest of all.

SOLVENT ABUSE KILLS (■｀w´■)

You are pining, and currently SOL, but happily, Hamster remain un-buttfucked. Unlike City Connection, who are still walking funny years after Success Tribute! Methinks this is a project they won't approach until they're good and ready.

Keep a happy thought! They're probably working on it, like they were working on Tetris The Grand Master, which is also a bitch to emulate - or so I hear - and came out of nowhere, despite Namco being in the way. Or perhaps generating the necessary capital to fund such endeavours, if I might indulge in a little crazy talk.

[Arino]

I wonder why Taito Milestones 1 & 2 is only on the Switch. Both releases merely consist of the ACA releases of the respective games and therefore all of them are also on the PS4.

[Some-Mist]

Was at the arcade today and played valkyrie no densentsu for the first time, and I had an absolute blast. It took me awhile to figure out the legend of the valkyrie is the ACA port, right? Pretty stoked to give it another go

[pablumatic]

I wonder why Taito Milestones 1 & 2 is only on the Switch. Both releases merely consist of the ACA releases of the respective games and therefore all of them are also on the PS4.

I think its just how some Japanese developers make games only for the Switch at the moment given Nintendo's complete dominance in Japan.

Even though the individual ACA games are on PS4 there would still be some minor development time to build a menu for these games and Taito/ININ isn't going to bother with that other than for the Switch.

[SavagePencil]

Was at the arcade today and played valkyrie no densentsu for the first time, and I had an absolute blast. It took me awhile to figure out the legend of the valkyrie is the ACA port, right? Pretty stoked to give it another go

You want this one:

https://www.nintendo.com/us/store/produ ... 58Ryb26frb

NOT this one:

http://www.hamster.co.jp/american_hamst ... lkyrie.htm

[BIL]

Was at the arcade today and played valkyrie no densentsu for the first time, and I had an absolute blast. It took me awhile to figure out the legend of the valkyrie is the ACA port, right?

Yep! This is the one you want. Straight arcade port.

Strictly for clarity's sake - they look nothing alike, but have similar names - this one is a completely different game. Actually the character's debut, a 1986 Famicom title. Ended up in arcades via Nintendo's VS System, which is the version Hamster ported here.

EDIT: ninja'd

[Some-Mist]

Fantastic, thank you both

[Arino]

I wonder why Taito Milestones 1 & 2 is only on the Switch. Both releases merely consist of the ACA releases of the respective games and therefore all of them are also on the PS4.

I think its just how some Japanese developers make games only for the Switch at the moment given Nintendo's complete dominance in Japan.

Even though the individual ACA games are on PS4 there would still be some minor development time to build a menu for these games and Taito/ININ isn't going to bother with that other than for the Switch.

I mean yes there is a menu to select the games from but once you have launched a game it is exactly like the ACA version with the white font, transparent background, and everything

[Sturmvogel Prime]

Here's the screenshots of Arcade Archives: The Ninja Kids.
https://www.famitsu.com/article/202408/14945

With Taito's release, we can assume Namco will be releasing the last title of this month (Hope its NebulasRay).

[Daytime Waitress]

Here's the screenshots of Arcade Archives: The Ninja Kids.
https://www.famitsu.com/article/202408/14945

Any time someone tells you that video games aren't art, that, as a medium, they are incapable of truly expressing pathos, please direct that person to this screenshot of "werewolf assaults ninja muppets in a burger joint".

[Arino]

Is this game a lot of fun? I have never played it!!!!

[BIL]

Is this game a lot of fun? I have never played it!!!!

I'd never played it either over the years, was always curious. A couple stages in, seems great. Where Runark/Growl hews towards the mechanically exacting Technos, this feels pleasingly streamlined ala Final Fight. Mechanically smooth and inventive, and aesthetically, simply outstanding... I like how they got around ninja ultraviolence via the puppet concept; whole lotta bisectin' going on.

Handling specifically reminds me of Seibu's brilliant Zero Team; comfy PPPs, with some nice air options. (selectable jump heights, and strafing mobility while airborne) The i-framed lethal forward dash is super cool. Balanced appropriately by a vulnerable cooldown; scythes through zako like BRADE OF NINJA. You get a vertical equivalent too, seems you need it as well.

Unironically killer BGM too. Goddamn, smooth... could easily shoulder a SRS MODE shinobi affair, has a striking contrapuntance here.

My only caveat is you might want to play with an arcade stick, if possible. ala Strider 2, I find myself doubletapping quite a bit in mad joie de vivre; I like putting my whole wrist into it.

Manual, thorough as per Ham-chan's wont, had an adorable minor translation error ("MILLOR POWER") followed by a thought-provoking rendition; never seen "Kusarigama" written as "Kusari & Kama" (chain and sickle, I believe?) Makes sense!

Faaack, was this the third Taito release I was looking forward to after Thunder Fox and Dead Connection? I can't even recall. Delighted at any rate. TF is certified killer (TRUST ME ) and I've high hopes for DC, which is at the very least super cool. EDIT: Nope! Warrior Blade was my third incoming wanty-want-want. I'll be pleased as punch if it plays as smoothly as Ninja Kids.

Here's the screenshots of Arcade Archives: The Ninja Kids.
https://www.famitsu.com/article/202408/14945

Any time someone tells you that video games aren't art, that, as a medium, they are incapable of truly expressing pathos, please direct that person to this screenshot of "werewolf assaults ninja muppets in a burger joint".

Such a fine line between unbridled daemoniac bloodlust with a brutal side of shinobi edge, and good-natured toybox play. My only regret is "The Last Apostle Puppet Show" already belongs to another game; but by God and Jebus, this more than deserves the enigmatically haunted mantle! Glorious not-quite-mad cap.

[Arino]

Is this game a lot of fun? I have never played it!!!!

I'd never played it either over the years, was always curious. A couple stages in, seems great. Where Runark/Growl hews towards the mechanically exacting Technos style, this feels streamlined ala Final Fight. Mechanically smooth and inventive, and aesthetically, simply outstanding... I like how they got around ninja ultraviolence via the puppet concept; whole lotta bisectin' going on.

Handling specifically reminds me of Seibu's brilliant Zero Team; comfy PPPs, with some nice air options. (selectable jump heights, and strafing mobility while airborne) The i-framed lethal forward dash is super cool. Balanced appropriately by a vulnerable cooldown; scythes through zako like BRADE OF NINJA. You get a vertical equivalent too, seems you need it as well.

Unironically killer BGM too. Goddamn, smooth... could easily shoulder a SRS MODE shinobi affair, has a striking contrapuntance here.

My only caveat is you might want to play with an arcade stick, if possible. ala Strider 2, I find myself doubletapping quite a bit in mad joie de vivre; I like putting my whole wrist into it.

Manual, thorough as per Ham-chan's wont, had an adorable minor translation error ("MILLOR POWER") followed by a thought-provoking rendition; never seen "Kusarigama" written as "Kusari & Kama" (chain and sickle, I believe?) Makes sense!

Faaack, was this the third Taito release I was looking forward to after Thunder Fox and Dead Connection? I can't even recall. Delighted at any rate. TF is certified killer (TRUST ME ) and I've high hopes for DC, which is at the very least super cool. EDIT: Nope! Warrior Blade was my third incoming wanty-want-want. I'll be pleased as punch if it plays as smoothly as Ninja Kids.

Here's the screenshots of Arcade Archives: The Ninja Kids.
https://www.famitsu.com/article/202408/14945

Any time someone tells you that video games aren't art, that, as a medium, they are incapable of truly expressing pathos, please direct that person to this screenshot of "werewolf assaults ninja muppets in a burger joint".

Such a fine line between unbridled daemoniac bloodlust with a brutal side of shinobi edge, and good-natured toybox play. My only regret is "The Last Apostle Puppet Show" already belongs to another game; but by God and Jebus, this more than deserves the enigmatically haunted mantle! Glorious not-quite-mad cap.

"strafing mobility while airborne" do you mean air dash?

Zero Team is <3 it was my first ACA game, or one of the first ones I bought.

[BIL]

"strafing mobility while airborne" do you mean air dash?

Nah, meant to say you can move up and down the Z-axis during a jump; so you can jump off your lane, or jump onto the enemy's lane, rather than being locked in until your jump ends, as it is in Double Dragon or Final Fight.

Apologies, brain shutting down. Trying to hack together a nice GIF, just ain't had the time lately.

Spoiler

I know it's quality when I'm being barraged by new avatar temptations!

Zero Team is <3 it was my first ACA game, or one if the first ones I bought.

One of the most unreservedly recommendable beaters ever!

[Daytime Waitress]

Additional PSA for anyone searching for this week's game on youtube: please remember to append "arcade", "1cc", "taito" or "hammy ham hams" to your query, or your entire first page will be blasted with the kind of liquid diarrhea that only modern youtube can produce.

Dunno about the last apostle, but for sure God stays in heaven because he, too, lives in fear of what he's created here on streaming platforms.

[Arino]

Additional PSA for anyone searching for this week's game on youtube: please remember to append "arcade", "1cc", "taito" or "hammy ham hams" to your query, or your entire first page will be blasted with the kind of liquid diarrhea that only modern youtube can produce.

Dunno about the last apostle, but for sure God stays in heaven because he, too, lives in fear of what he's created here on streaming platforms.

[BIL]

THE VIOLENCE HAS INTENSIFIED

Don't worry Burger Boy + Burger Ma'am, I'm the good guy I swear (｀w´メ) (◎w◎;) (◎w◎;)

Super smooth, super stylish! Actually, I can't recall another beater of this vintage with quite such a striking crowd sweep/evader... I'm sure there's something, but it's sleekly new-feeling nonetheless.

[hamfighterx]

Zero Team is <3 it was my first ACA game, or one if the first ones I bought.

I've been playing a lot of Zero Team recently, really is a great one. I'm in a Discord group where we've been talking beat-em-ups this week, and Zero Team was my #1 recommendation from the Arcade Archives series for people who had probably never heard of it but might want to check out a great genre entry (I also suggested Growl for people who wanted some crazy in their Beaters). There was way too much discussion of the Scott Pilgrim game, and many people who thought that was "great", so I'm tryin' to bring enlightenment to the masses here!

I don't know if they are ready for the excellent stuff in our Beat 'em Up topic without their heads exploding, but I did read through a lot of the old posts in that in the past couple days... such good stuff, the knowledge from people like BIL and Sima Tuna in there (among many others, but those two really stuck out) is just first f'ing rate. Fantastic resource.


As for Ninja Kids, I had my floors redone a couple years back and just so happened to get the Egret II Mini then, and this game is on there. So I sat down in the middle of my completely empty living room on the new floor with the new mini and played through the entire game for the first time in my life, absolutely enthralled. That's probably always gonna be my memory of this one, and I should have played it sooner! I think my only prior experience with it had been briefly messing around with it on the PS2 Taito Memories II Jokan collection.

[Arino]

https://www.famitsu.com/article/202408/15114

anything on these will also come out via ACA later, right?

[Marc]

Since when was Mr Do! a Taito thing? Not complaining if it makes an ACA release more likely mind.

[Lemnear]

What are the games that will NEVER arrive as ACA? (I mean not 3D)

[Jeneki]

What are the games that will NEVER arrive as ACA? (I mean not 3D)

I think it's mostly related to permissions. If nobody knows who owns a property (or the owner just doesn't license them out), it's not getting released by anyone ever. See Kaneko .

Also remember ACA likes to release one game per week. Perhaps as time goes on this will change, but for now there's a time constraint on how long it will take to get something working.

[Lemnear]

What are the games that will NEVER arrive as ACA? (I mean not 3D)

I think it's mostly related to permissions. If nobody knows who owns a property (or the owner just doesn't license them out), it's not getting released by anyone ever. See Kaneko .

Also remember ACA likes to release one game per week. Perhaps as time goes on this will change, but for now there's a time constraint on how long it will take to get something working.

I was thinking back to a past discussion here about the rights to things like Dooyong, Kaneko or even Gazelle and i was wondering...how the fuck is it possible that no one knows who owns the rights?
That is, we are not talking about amateur products... they were companies (large or small).

Then it almost seems like they do it on purpose to postpone things like Parodius (all of them), Nebulas Ray or R-Type Leo for as long as possible... after all they have already done porting for Konami, Namco and Irem...