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

[BrianC]

I like that they went back to some of the earlier Konami releases. I enjoyed Strategy X and Super Basketball quite a bit.

[Sweatlord_STG]

I can't wait for Wednesday! I wonder if we will get another 3D/ACA2 game!



OLD PEOPLE FTW!!!!!

[Sturmvogel Prime]

I don't know, but judging by all the Pac-Man stuff, I'll assume we could be getting 1996's Pac-Man Arrangement, but with BNEI's random choices it's just a guess.

[Firehawke]

Wouldn't mind seeing Galaga Arrange again. That was pretty fun.

[BrianC]

I can't wait for Wednesday! I wonder if we will get another 3D/ACA2 game!



OLD PEOPLE FTW!!!!!

Is this a recent photo? Despite the Pac-Man stuff, the racing wheel makes me think it might be a racing game, unless this pic was for the ridge racer release that came out a few weeks ago.

[Sweatlord_STG]

I didn't mean to cause any confusion. The screenshot is from the stream after the release of Ridge Racer iirc, so that would be early June. The Pac-Man stuff is probably just there because it's iconic for Namco? Idk!

I just thought it was a funny scene because all of those games that I like most are like 30-40 years old by now so the people who worked on them are not exactly young, which made me think "old people ftw" as I said ;p

[D]

I didn't mean to cause any confusion. The screenshot is from the stream after the release of Ridge Racer iirc, so that would be early June. The Pac-Man stuff is probably just there because it's iconic for Namco? Idk!

I just thought it was a funny scene because all of those games that I like most are like 30-40 years old by now so the people who worked on them are not exactly young, which made me think "old people ftw" as I said ;p

That "old people ftw" made me smirk and it warmed my heart. Nice picture!

That guy on the right was actually flown in from a caridean cruise (that had delays) by helicopter.
When he entered the room he was still holding a glass of whiskey and would not let go.
He was heard mumbling: "They would not even let me finish my drink"
Also, in the picture, the guys on the bar stools in the back are the Sound Team (for Pac Man).

[None of which is actually true]

[OldSkoolShmuper]

I can't wait for Wednesday! I wonder if we will get another 3D/ACA2 game!

I hope we get RAVE RACER.

[Sweatlord_STG]

I can't wait for Wednesday! I wonder if we will get another 3D/ACA2 game!

I hope we get RAVE RACER.

We will probably know in about seven hours

[Sturmvogel Prime]

"The Summer Bird" cometh.

Looks like a month without Namco is impossible for Hamster.
This time, Namco makes a leap into 1996 with the Super System 22 title Aqua Jet, and yes, it will be on XBOX as an Arcade Archives 2 title.
https://www.famitsu.com/article/202508/49650

Maybe we could have either Air Combat or Rave Racer on the following months.

So, this pattern goes like this: "Jaleco > Namco > ? > Taito" My guess is that next week will be Konami. So don't expect a Seibu Kaihatsu title since the "surprise" was Jaleco's D-Day.

[Sweatlord_STG]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v0dH408H8kU

Awesome! I can't wait for the complaints now here on this thread Looks like we are indeed getting one ACA2 game per month. And they are all by Namco Well technically it's still ACA1 if you get them on last gen but Imma call them ACA2 games. Good times!!! I just hope my PS4 Pro will last many decades.

[Bar81]

That's a 1996 arcade game? Water physics are trash compared to Wave Race 64.

[Jonpachi]

That's a 1996 arcade game? Water physics are trash compared to Wave Race 64.

Wave Race blew everyone away with its water physics when it released. WAY ahead of its time, and still some of the most "fun" water in games, even if the sim has been outclassed by modern tech.

[hamfighterx]

So, this pattern goes like this: "Jaleco > Namco > ? > Taito" My guess is that next week will be Konami. So don't expect a Seibu Kaihatsu title since the "surprise" was Jaleco's D-Day.

They aren't consistent in order, but so far in 2025 they have been consistent by what gets released each calendar month.

With the exception of the specially announced May "Namco month" (which featured three Namco games this year, along with Punk Shot from Konami and Ryukyu from Success), every calendar month in 2025 has been the same: one Namco title, one Konami title, one Taito title, then something from another company in any remaining weeks. If there are 4 weeks in a month that means one extra game from someone other than the "Big 3", if 5 weeks in a month we get two of those (as we did this year in January and July).

For most of 2023-24 they seemed to be on a slightly different schedule of doing 4 consecutive releases with a Namco, Taito, Konami, and "other" game in some order (not always the same order).

So yeah, for the rest of August, we should be getting a Konami game and a Taito game in some order, for the August 21st and 28th releases.

[BrianC]

I may have played Aqua Jet once or twice, but I have definitely seen it a few times. I don't remember much about it, aside from the large cabinet and special controller. I definitely didn't forget Hydro Thunder (which came out after this game) or Wave Race 64, though.

[Sweatlord_STG]

Do the ACA releases have runahead?

[BrianC]

Do the ACA releases have runahead?

I'm not sure, I know some like War of Aero have an oddly worded option to make the game perform better or something.

Any impressions of AquaJet? I vaguely remember it being like a jet ski Ridge Racer, but I don't remember being wowed by it and part of the draw was the controller. Part of me wants to see Prop Cycle, but part of the fun of that game is the cycle itself.

[Klatrymadon]

I love it so far, although on a pad it has the same 'issue' as RR — really twitchy, jerky movement. It's a lot of fun, though, and there's a fair bit of nuance to the jetski's movement that I haven't quite figured out yet, including raising and lowering the steering column in a certain way to create little bunny hops on the expert course. For the most part, nothing beats just steering well and having a good racing line, but I'd love to play Aqua Jet on the dedicated cab just to see if the lines this version encourages are even possible...

[Sweatlord_STG]

Do the ACA releases have runahead?

I'm not sure, I know some like War of Aero have an oddly worded option to make the game perform better or something.

Haha yes, quite a few of their games have this option. I always turn it on, but I never know what it actually means.

I love it so far, although on a pad it has the same 'issue' as RR — really twitchy, jerky movement. It's a lot of fun, though, and there's a fair bit of nuance to the jetski's movement that I haven't quite figured out yet, including raising and lowering the steering column in a certain way to create little bunny hops on the expert course. For the most part, nothing beats just steering well and having a good racing line, but I'd love to play Aqua Jet on the dedicated cab just to see if the lines this version encourages are even possible...

I didn't find Ridge Racer twitchy or anything at all. I was looking forward to that release for months and then got gold on all four modes within a day or two. It was a little disappointing. The racing games by SEGA are a lot harder.

[Klatrymadon]

Oh, it's far from unplayable (in fact it's probably easier to get faster times), but the camera movement is a lot more smooth and gradual than this when using a wheel.

[Sweatlord_STG]

That's a 1996 arcade game? Water physics are trash compared to Wave Race 64.

Pointless comparison in my opinion. Aqua Jet is simply another game that just so happens to have the same setting (watercraft) as Wave Race 64, as extreme sports and uncommon motor sports were a popular theme for video games during the mid/late 90s throughout the early/mid 2000s. It doesn't really matter whether its water physics were on the same level as those of a similar game.

The following isn't tied perfectly into this topic, and yet it reminded me of something else, namely that if I like something, I just want more of the same. And it doesn't have to be different. But even with such an old genre as STGs I have noticed that apparently companies always tended to think every game needed a new gimmick to differentiate itself from other products. Nintendo seems to be the king of this, as they always refused "to make the same game twice", regardless of how much people always want another 2D Super Mario Bros. game, or a new F-Zero.

Oh, it's far from unplayable (in fact it's probably easier to get faster times), but the camera movement is a lot more smooth and gradual than this when using a wheel.

Oh, true! Yeah that's a shame.

Oh no! I just wanted to play Air Combat 22 on PS4 for the first time. It seems like there is no option that allows you not to have inverted controls. I want down to be down, up to be up. Is there really no option? It's just something I prefer and got used to but I know many old games didn't feature an option to change it. I guess I'll get used to it.

[AGermanArtist]

[Sweatlord_STG]

I just played Air Combat 22 for the first time, that was so awesome!!!

Being as flexible as I am, I already got used the controls quicker than I anticipated

This is just so awesome, I can't believe we're getting a game like this every month now!

I just 1CCed the first two of the four modes and it was fine, but the third one is more difficult. I run out of missiles AND time quickly, while it seems difficult to kill enemies with the vulcan. Is there anybody here who has cleared it who can give some advice?

[Sturmvogel Prime]

Another unexpected surprise: SNK is back on the Arcade Archives.
Koukuu Kihei Monogatari (The Legend of Air Cavalry) better known here as Chopper I is this week's title.
https://www.famitsu.com/article/202508/50213

Next week's probably Taito. But with SNK back could this mean we would see Prehistoric Isle in 1930 or even the return of ACA Neogeo?

[Sweatlord_STG]

Another unexpected surprise: SNK is back on the Arcade Archives.
Koukuu Kihei Monogatari (The Legend of Air Cavalry) better known here as Chopper I is this week's title.
https://www.famitsu.com/article/202508/50213

Next week's probably Taito. But with SNK back could this mean we would see Prehistoric Isle in 1930 or even the return of ACA Neogeo?

Ha, I'd say I want Beast Busters 1&2 but there's no point really without a gun. Or mouse at least.

I'm happy about this release and I'll definitely buy it.

[Jeneki]

Excellent. Chopper I was in the SNK 40th Collection, but unfortunately had far higher input latency than other games in that set. I've been looking forward to replacing that version of the game with something better.

Old SNK was hilarious. It starts out with standard helicopters and tanks like you'd expect, and then suddenly catapults tossing rocks at you, and dudes throwing nets. Must have had some staff from Sky Adventure working on this game.

[Sweatlord_STG]

Excellent. Chopper I was in the SNK 40th Collection, but unfortunately had far higher input latency than other games in that set. I've been looking forward to replacing that version of the game with something better.

Me too, that collection was super disappointing. I hope Irem will come back too. I'd much prefer getting their games from Hamster.

[Sima Tuna]

Excellent. Chopper I was in the SNK 40th Collection, but unfortunately had far higher input latency than other games in that set. I've been looking forward to replacing that version of the game with something better.

Old SNK was hilarious. It starts out with standard helicopters and tanks like you'd expect, and then suddenly catapults tossing rocks at you, and dudes throwing nets. Must have had some staff from Sky Adventure working on this game.

That SNK 40th collection was not very good imo. I know BIL had much to say about how janky the controls were. SNK stopped patching it at some point so you're SOL on them fixing anything now.

I wouldn't mind hamster republishing those 40th collection games on their own ACA label. It's more expensive to do things that way (for me) but the product is better.

Unfortunately, many of the best SNK games on that collection used a rotary controller that's not possible to emulate on modern consoles. No idea what Hamster does in those situations other than the default twin stick setup. Which is fine, but certainly imperfect and creates a different experience.

[hamfighterx]

Me too, that collection was super disappointing. I hope Irem will come back too. I'd much prefer getting their games from Hamster.

I'm a little afraid that having this discussion is gonna give BIL an aneurysm by triggering bad memories of Digital Eclipse's terrible implementation of LS-30 rotating stick controls in that collection. One of my favorite examples of Digital Eclipse being awful when I have to defend my position, but they give us so many possibilities (Street Fighter 30th also pisses me off, or the lag-fest of the TMNT Cowabunga Collection, or even rickety emulation in their Atari stuff).

But OK, SNK returns to Arcade Archives??? I'll take it.

Seems Hamster is throwing out the usual monthly schedule, with the first three releases this month including Jaleco (D-Day) AND SNK, along with Namco's Aqua Jet. Guess we'll see what they end up releasing on the 28th. Taito, Konami, or something unexpected!

[BrianC]

That SNK 40th collection was not very good imo. I know BIL had much to say about how janky the controls were. SNK stopped patching it at some point so you're SOL on them fixing anything now.

They didn't even bother fixing most of the bugs when it was ported to other platforms from the Switch.