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

[Marc]

A commentator on the Eurogamer Switch 2 stream mentioned seeing ACA Ridge Racer snuck in there....

[BEAMLORD]

A commentator on the Eurogamer Switch 2 stream mentioned seeing ACA Ridge Racer snuck in there....

Could be onto something...

https://venturebeat.com/game-developmen ... -switch-2/

Seems ACA2 Ridge Racer is confirmed.

[hamfighterx]

It's confirmed as a system launch title, from the NA stream sizzle reel. See 1:40 of this trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rv0f8mYemL4

And note the "Arcade Archives 2 RIDGE RACER". The 2 probably signifying online functionality on par with the ACA Neo Geo 2 releases? And maybe some branding to match the Switch "2".

And yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeahhh! I was right that Hamster would be there with something more special on launch day with the Switch 2 3D Namco, bay-beeee!

I have a small question for all of you: What are your Arcade Archives predictions for 2025?

My big one is that we're gonna get something great to coincide with Switch 2 launch. A new platform like Taito F3? Namco 3D stuff (could you imagine Switch 2 launching with Tekken and Ridge Racer?).

[Marc]

MUST come to PS5 as well......
Who am I kidding, I'll own Switch 2 as soon as I can get one.

[Lord British]

And note the "Arcade Archives 2 RIDGE RACER". The 2 probably signifying online functionality on par with the ACA Neo Geo 2 releases? And maybe some branding to match the Switch "2".

Uggh, it better not be Nintendo exclusive

[hamfighterx]

Eh, doubt it will be Nintendo exclusive. But maybe this does mean PS5 only for Sony systems, and no PS4 version (like the ACA Neogeo 2 line).

[Lord British]

Eh, doubt it will be Nintendo exclusive. But maybe this does mean PS5 only for Sony systems, and no PS4 version (like the ACA Neogeo 2 line).

Probably yes

[BIL]

Uh I mean NAWW NOT THE MANKO BURB

Spoiler

Nah fuck that.

Roll on ACA StarBlade! I knew I was keeping this PS5 around for something. Hamster/M2 Adaptor: The Next Generation and that's fine by me tbh

[mirkvid]

Super excited for Ridge Racer, hopefully Rave follows not too long after. Looks like it suports some racing controllers as well.

https://www.arcadearchives.com/en/ridgeracer/

[Bassa-Bassa]

And note the "Arcade Archives 2 RIDGE RACER". The 2 probably signifying online functionality on par with the ACA Neo Geo 2 releases?

Network and Time Attack modes are confirmed, but Ridge Racer is a one player-only game so it just gets the latter.

And maybe some branding to match the Switch "2".

Not really. The NG releases are actually "Arcade Archives 2: Neo Geo".

We have to wonder though if the first Arcade Archives is also coming to Switch 2 and PS5 or if the they're thinking of putting an end to it soon.

[Lemnear]

Super excited for Ridge Racer, hopefully Rave follows not too long after. Looks like it suports some racing controllers as well.

https://www.arcadearchives.com/en/ridgeracer/

wait is ACA2 Switch 2 exclusive?

[BIL]

FAAACK yeah. Google translated from JP ACA2 Ridge Racer trailer:

In addition, VRR is now supported, and the behavior can be reproduced closer to the original arcade game than ever before.

Finally, VRR. ;w;

---

I totally forgot about Air Combat 22 Would love to see that alongside StarBlade. I bet there's dozens of others I'm forgetting tbh.

---

I wonder if this might open up some G.NET goodies. Psyvariar MU + Revision, Night Raid, Chaos Heat and R.C. De Go! come to mind... Takumi's possibly a stretch, but crazier things have happened on ACA. Total daydream, but Shikigami no Shiro would be amazing too, if Alfa were so inclined.

Hyper NeoGeo 64 seems logical too, although I really dunno much about its catalogue outside of Buriki One and the various Garou/SamSho entries. I seem to recall there being a notedly badass rallying game (or two?) on that platform.

Just based on ACA2 KOF '98 remaining that line's sole entry for a few weeks now, it wouldn't surprise me if ACA continues alongside ACA2. Weekly PS4/NSW releases with the occasional ACA2 for PS5/NSW. I gotta say though, I'd double dip on choppier stuff (read: IREM M72) for VRR support in a heartbeat, if there was some kinda mass migration.

wait is ACA2 Switch 2 exclusive?

Nobody knows yet, it seems. Seems a safe bet they'll be on PS5 as well, at least until Hamster says otherwise.

[BEAMLORD]

We have to wonder though if the first Arcade Archives is also coming to NS2 and PS5 or if the they're thinking of putting an end it soon.

Now, that's a horrifying thought. Although, Arcade Archives is already available on PS5. Still, sends a shiver down my spine to think of this wonderful catalogue being consigned to older generation consoles only. Hopefully for Switch 2 users, the ACA(1) games are made available for download as per current PS4/5 availability for titles.

[Lemnear]

wait is ACA2 Switch 2 exclusive?

Nobody knows yet, it seems. Seems a safe bet they'll be on PS5 as well, at least until Hamster says otherwise.

in the trailers and on the website they just say "Switch 2"...

[BIL]

wait is ACA2 Switch 2 exclusive?

Nobody knows yet, it seems. Seems a safe bet they'll be on PS5 as well, at least until Hamster says otherwise.

in the trailers and on the website they just say "Switch 2"...

True, but Hamster have some history of staggering releases between Sony and Nintendo hardware. ACA:NG Blazing Star, a very high-profile STG, was Switch-exclusive for quite a while, if memory serves.

Basically I'm not worried until told otherwise. (tbh, as long as Switch 2 isn't dogged by input latency, I wouldn't mind picking one up. Especially if it's got BC, as several M2 works - Sega AGES Shinobi / Gain Ground / Virtua Racing, Valken Declassified - never made the jump. But if ACA2 is on PS5 I'll happily stay put for now)

Hamster are also pretty shrewd. It may be they got a spot in that lucrative Switch 2 trailer on the condition they delay the Sony announcement, or something.

I think it'll all work out bud.

[hamfighterx]

Now, that's a horrifying thought. Although, Arcade Archives is already available on PS5. Still, sends a shiver down my spine to think of this wonderful catalogue being consigned to older generation consoles only. Hopefully for Switch 2 users, the ACA(1) games are made available for download as per current PS4/5 availability for titles.

It's already confirmed that Switch 1 downloaded games are playable on Switch 2. And in fact, on a short list of games with compatibility issues on Switch 2 there are a handful of Arcade Archives and ACA Neo Geo titles listed - so that seems to confirm that other Arcade Archives titles should work fine. https://www.ign.com/articles/heres-ever ... o-switch-2

Same as PS5 supporting the entire PS4 Arcade Archives library. I don't think there's anything to worry about here.

Now, for NEW releases of Arcade Archives 2 or ACA Neo Geo 2, those seem likely to only release on Switch 2, PS5, and maybe Xbox Series (which does get the ACA Neo Geo 2 titles, as they did the original ACA Neo Geo line).

EDIT: For those who don't want to click and see the whole list, here are the AA games on it:

Has boot/startup issues (i.e., probably means doesn't run unless/until Hamster patches the games):
Aca Neogeo Art of Fighting 2
Aca Neogeo Samurai Shodown II
Aca Neogeo the King of Fighters '95
Aca Neogeo the King of Fighters '96
Arcade Archives Burger Time
Arcade Archives Crime City
Arcade Archives Dig Dug
Arcade Archives Gradius III
Arcade Archives New Rally-x
Arcade Archives Pac-land
Arcade Archives Xevious

Launches, but has some issues:
Arcade Archives Ordyne
Arcade Archives Phelios
Arcade Archives Tetris the Absolute the Grand Master 2 Plus
Arcade Archives Tetris the Grand Master

[BIL]

It's been forever since I tried out Vol. 4's Plus port, and I hadn't even 1CCd OG Assault back then, so I might not have appreciated any difference. While its topdown Time Attack sibling Metal Hawk is an easy NoMiss, OG Assault is quite brutal to merely survive, with later stages demanding strict routing to beat the timer. I'm curious to see if Plus is a smoother ride at all.

Ah jeeze! Per ever-reliable ohfivepro, seems Assault Plus's SUPEREASY/Rehearsal mode is for noobs, while SUPERHARD/WAR is geared for vets of the first game. Time to strap in.

[Bassa-Bassa]

Sorry to be the guy once again, but I can totally see Hamster treating the PS5 like they did with the Xbox with the first Arcade Archives - releasing the Neo Geo games on it because they'll always sell in the West, but aiming the rest at Japan first and foremost, and therefore caring only about the systems which sell software there. I'm sure they even would not mind skipping the PS4 Arcade Archives releases these days, if it weren't a bit antithetical.

[Atariboy]

Looks like it suports some racing controllers as well.

No

"DX version featuring support for an H-shifter and clutch" refers to the Ridge Racer DX cabinet, with that rom version included here to select.

I'm pretty confident that the Switch 2 won't get any fancy racing gear anytime soon.

[beer gas canister]

Looks like it suports some racing controllers as well.

No

"DX version featuring support for an H-shifter and clutch" refers to the Ridge Racer DX cabinet, with that rom version included here to select.

I'm pretty confident that the Switch 2 won't get any fancy racing gear anytime soon.

Thanks for clarifying this, I've been pondering it all day. So excited to see Ridge Racer on the list.

[BIL]

Today's upcoming Arcade Archiver: ASAPURASU SPECIAL might reveal something. Many have tried to know the mind of Ham-chan over the years and, well, the track record hasn't been great.



(fond memories of this guy on GAF ca.2022 going "DEY MUS BE SELLIN FIVE COPIES OF SUCH UNPOPULAR GAMES AS THUNDERDARGON 2, BANKRUPTY SOON" )

As to the here and now, MEIN GOTT IN HIMMEL (｀w´メ) Assault Plus is an outright For Maniacs Edition. At least in its SUPER ASSAULT mode! MEIN HEAD ASPLÖDEN at Stage 1's REAL WAR casually busting out the rare VTOL menace ジェネレーター / GENERATOR, with a horde of ranked-up zako in tow. Do I shoot the fucker down, or haul ass to the target, hmm.

Haven't tried EASY ASSAULT aka SIMULATION MODO. While ostensibly for punters who want to enjoy the rad arcade/sim action without getting PWNED off the machine in short order, it might be cool, too! Especially for CARAVAN MODO. You shouldn't write off things called BEGINNER or TRAINING or EASY, at least in arcade games. Don't take it personally / overly literally! Raiden DX and Macross II's are great. Admittedly I have never once played Alien Soldier's SUPEREASY, but that's not a mode or course, it's a crummy difficulty toggle! SUPERHARD, more like SUPERDEFAULT (I was once shocked to hear of certain tweaky differences, like... more destructible bullets or some shit? it's been a while)

The select screen giving little "Scenario 2" and "Scenario 3" tags to EASY ASSAULT and SUPER ASSAULT, respectively, confirm this is very much NEU GAME for diehards, though not really a sequel in the broader sense. Could've called it JET or SPECIAL or TURBO a few years later. :3 Happily, its TRVE+HONEST followup ACA METAL HAWK is well in the bag, there.

[Jonpachi]

Are we thinking this will support dual analog to emulate the original cab? I've been playing nothing but Under Defeat: New Order so it would be a nice roll-off to keep that same muscle memory going.

[BIL]

Assault and Assault Plus? Yep! The treads correspond to each analogue stick, just like in Assault/Plus on PS1 Namco Museum Vol 4. Very comfy, imo! They're also mapped to the dpad and face buttons by default.

There's also a Preference Option to divide the Left Tread and Right Tread across a pair of controllers; similar to ACA Libble Rabble's. I guess that's for rigging up a couple of arcade sticks, or more ambitiously, modding together a beauty like this.

Super Rad (◎w◎;) X68000 custom

As with Metal Hawk and SNK's Ikari, et al, there's also the option of simplified "Type B" controls, basically Commando-style. Very well-done, if memory serves... I think you hold a button to roll the tank, or launch mortars. Though I prefer learning the arcade method... there's usually some kinda tradeoff, like losing the ability to adjust aim while remaining stationary, in Ikari. Then again who knows.

[OldSkoolShmuper]

Ridge Racer coming to a new generation of Arcade Archives is fantastic news.

This widely opens the door for getting Rave Racer, the third and best arcade game in the Ridge Racer series.

Rave Racer was never fully ported to consoles, even though its tracks were included in the PSP Ridge Racer games.

[Sumez]

[Lemnear]

Sorry to be the guy once again, but I can totally see Hamster treating the PS5 like they did with the Xbox with the first Arcade Archives - releasing the Neo Geo games on it because they'll always sell in the West, but aiming the rest at Japan first and foremost, and therefore caring only about the systems which sell software there. I'm sure they even would not mind skipping the PS4 Arcade Archives releases these days, if it weren't a bit antithetical.

Yeh...
For those who call themselves "arcade archivists," making content exclusive is the exact opposite of historical preservation.
but since lately EVERYONE is making wicked choices...I think it's very plausible

[BIL]

Oho, now I see. ala Raiden Project and R-Types, ASAPURA isn't the title of a game, but a compilation. EASY ASSAULT and SUPER ASSAULT are fairly subtle arrangements of the original, but distinct enough to earn their New Scenario dogtags. They seem to differ on enemy placements, primarily, though I'm sure there's more to spot. Former's quite breezy, though it will still demand certain fundamentals. Latter is bitterly hard, expressly for those who know every trick in the book and then some. In cold analytical terms, it feels like this was Namco's attempt to keep bystanders on their expensive cab while giving the diehards something to chew on. (and ideally get killed by )

Caravan Mode really puts them into sharp relief. I only had time for one, so Super it was. I wish I'd played Easy instead. My favourite Caravan games - see the last three weeks' Juno First, Front Line 2, and Seibu SPI spectacular Senkyu - retain their form, merely emphasising speed and dexterity. Super's Caravan reminded me of how knife-edge Assault's player/enemy balance is. And how much of Metal Hawk's relative ease is down to basic amenity, like its wider shot and intuitive evasive movement. Assault's enemies might seem a little dozy and innocuous at first, but that's because it really doesn't take much to overwhelm your chonky, needle-lasering tank; particularly with the deliberately narrow FOV. That cute pink zako tank you blew past a bit earlier will be on your flank at the worst moment! The Ground Campaign Of Metal Hawk is no roadside picnic.

Thus Assault is built on steady methodical ingress, and the combined load of Super's nails-hard balance and an external timer felt a bit overkill; like I was having to rush into normally-defused clusterfucks the tank simply isn't built for. Very likely a skill issue on my part; I was sweating to break 100k while Clob nailed 160k. Just feels like a departure from the game's usual character, unlike Easy's Caravan, which I subsequently learned is one of those goodies that can be cleared in the 5min limit.

OG Assault is probably still my favourite of the three, just thinking back to how much time I put on 1CCing it a few years back. By that same token though, I'm glad its ACA port is finally on par with stalwart Namco Museum Volume 4's.

[mirkvid]

Looks like it suports some racing controllers as well.

No

"DX version featuring support for an H-shifter and clutch" refers to the Ridge Racer DX cabinet, with that rom version included here to select.

I'm pretty confident that the Switch 2 won't get any fancy racing gear anytime soon.

Makes sense, I was looking at it through a ps4 gamer's lense. Hopefully it makes it to that platform as well!

[Klatrymadon]

I can live without a proper racing wheel setup, but gimme the neGcon 2.

[Sturmvogel Prime]

You know who to call when you have ghosts.
But who you gonna call when you have gangs on the 'hood?

Konami's Gangbusters (Crazy Cop in Japan) is this week's title.
https://www.famitsu.com/article/202504/39257

So, we have another "Namco > Surprise > Surprise > Taito" pattern again. Who will be next week? Video System, Warashi, Seibu Kaihatsu? I have no idea right now.