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

[Atariboy]

I'm recalling this from memory so the details may be slightly off but the gist of it is accurate. Sometime after the PS4 release of SNK 40th had came out (which ended the initial Switch exclusivity) but before the somewhat final release of it on PC, it was discovered that the stuck analog stick issue that afflicted it on the Switch was also present on PS4.

The reincarnated Digital Eclipse was made aware that not only was this control issue still an issue on Switch but that is also was also happening on the PS4 port. Afterwards, one of their staff proceeded to ridicule the idea of fixing it since the Switch release was half a year old, ancient history, and that customers were entitled brats to expect perpetual software support. Heck, it had only just came out on PS4, a XB1 release was just weeks away, and PC was maybe a couple of months off. Yet it was "ancient history" in their book and thus rectifying the major control issue with the game wasn't worth their time for such an old release.

I'd like to think that they're improved since then. After some rough early releases like this and Mega Man Legacy Collection 1, I quite like some of their products that have came out since like Atari 50 for instance. But when broken aspects continue to stay broken in these newer releases (like the audio emulation in Atari 50 for the 5200/8-Bit computer titles, with Berzerk's audio in particular completely broken), I'm not so sure that they've progressed a whole lot since SNK 40th where supporting their releases with bug fixes is concerned.

[Sweatlord_STG]

I sent Hamster an email regarding disabling inverted controls in Air Combat 22 and they replied. Outstanding customer service!

Dear Philipp

This is the Hamster Support Center.
Thank you for your inquiry.

Thank you for your continued support of the "Arcade Archives" series.
The up/down inversion function is already implemented in "Arcade Archives AIR COMBAT 22."
Please see below for setup instructions.

1. Select "ORIGINAL MODE" from the title screen and start the game.
2. Open the [Options Menu], select [Button] from [Settings], and then open [Custom Button Settings].
3. In the [Advanced Settings] settings list in the upper right corner of the [Custom Button Settings] screen, set [Invert Y Axis] to [ON].
4. Start the game and check that the analog stick is up/down inverted.

If you want to invert using the directional keys, swap [Ascend] and [Descend] in [Custom Button Settings].

If you have any other questions or concerns, please let us know.
Thank you very much.


HAMSTER Corporation
4-10-1 SETAGAYA BUSINESS SQUARE TOWER 24F,
YOGA SETAGAYA-KU, TOKYO 158-0097 JAPAN
https://www.hamster.co.jp/en/

[RoboArmy]

I'm recalling this from memory so the details may be slightly off but the gist of it is accurate. Sometime after the PS4 release of SNK 40th had came out (which ended the initial Switch exclusivity) but before the somewhat final release of it on PC, it was discovered that the stuck analog stick issue that afflicted it on the Switch was also present on PS4.

The reincarnated Digital Eclipse was made aware that not only was this control issue still an issue on Switch but that is also was also happening on the PS4 port. Afterwards, one of their staff proceeded to ridicule the idea of fixing it since the Switch release was half a year old, ancient history, and that customers were entitled brats to expect perpetual software support. Heck, it had only just came out on PS4, a XB1 release was just weeks away, and PC was maybe a couple of months off. Yet it was "ancient history" in their book and thus rectifying the major control issue with the game wasn't worth their time for such an old release.

I bought this off Frank Cifaldi showing off all the research and preservation in the collection, and as far as I'm aware the only new material they brought to the table was a flyer scan for Tangram-Q (then considered lost, now emulated on *gasp* MAME!!!!), and the aforementioned broken loop lever dual stick method for games that used it, which was like the whole point of those games being there. Needless to say, I'm not one to give free back pats for supposed video game preservation when emulator packages get released anymore.

Chopper I is aight, nothing I'm excited for but I hope they bring more SNK.

[Sweatlord_STG]

need this asap

swag levels will be through the roof

get it from amazon

[velo]

What do they need to do to satisfy people, toss in Tekken and Starblade too?? (and hey, neither would even be shocking to see soon - might get one of those next week for all we know!)

Starblade would do it for me. I don't think there's been a true lull in quality, but there's been a lull in stuff that I personally happen to be interested in. Not THAT excited about the dozen or so other System 22 racing games that we're liable to see before they touch another 3D board for ACA 2.

But with SNK back could this mean we would see Prehistoric Isle in 1930 or even the return of ACA Neogeo?

I forgot all about ACA 2 Neo Geo. The King of Fighters '98 is apparently still the one and only game, and it dropped back in February.

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

Hamster skips over lightgun games... don't think they've done a single one. Unfortunate, but what can they do? Time Crisis is one of the most popular System 22 games , but it's probably not happening, and if it does, it won't be much fun.

[Sweatlord_STG]

Hamster skips over lightgun games... don't think they've done a single one. Unfortunate, but what can they do? Time Crisis is one of the most popular System 22 games , but it's probably not happening, and if it does, it won't be much fun.

If you want Time Crisis, soon there will be this, just in case you didn't know

Just played Aqua Jet and it's lotsa fun but again I'm surprised how easy Namco's racing games are compared to the ones by SEGA. Air Combat 22 is definitely not easy. But in Aqua Jet, there are only two modes by default (without using the code to unlock reverse or penguin mode), novice and expert, and I already got first place on both after my first few credits.

[Sturmvogel Prime]

The pattern's broken...just like an egg.

Technos Scrambled Egg is this week's and last title of the month.
https://www.famitsu.com/article/202508/50765

With the pattern thrown off the window, now we don't know what to expect on September.

[Marc]

Looks like the kind of oddity I'll enjoy, I'm in.

[Jucksalbe]

This looks incredibly chaotic. Could be fun.

[Sweatlord_STG]

The manuals of their releases are not online, are they? Like you can only read them if you buy the games right?

[PC Engine Fan X!]

The manuals of their releases are not online, are they? Like you can only read them if you buy the games right?

That's Hamster's method of doing things with their ACA1 & ACA2 releases since day one -- sometimes said digital game release will include the original JPN arcade paperworks such as the instruction card, instruction strip and/or POP for completeness as a bonus (not that they don't have to do so but it's nice to glance at them from a historical/archival preservation standpoint).

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The only minor gripe/issue is that Hamster doesn't include the USA region arcade paperworks whatsoever, especially with humorous Engrish text intact and all -- i.e. - Psikyo did produce English language arcade paperworks for both it's Gunbird and Gunbird 2 jamma arcade pcb conversion kits (which was a rarity at the time of their initial debuts in the American arcades).

The USA region Gunbird pcb has the "May 1995 Rev." stickers placed on various eproms indeed and was sold/distributed by the American arcade subsidiary/distributor, Jaleco USA, back in May of 1995 stateside (considering that Psikyo actually didn't have a proper established USA arcade subsidiary to sell/distribute it's arcade pcb kits to begin with). Even the full-sized Gunbird marquee has the Jaleco USA inscription printed on it (of course, this particular American Gunbird marquee exclusivity was never included with the original JPN region Gunbird pcb kits whatsoever).

What's silly is that American video game publisher, Agetech, for it's USA PSX release of Gunbird, they released it under a completely different game title moniker of "Mobile Light Force." Considering that American arcade gamers were already quite familiar with Gunbird in the arcades back in May of 1995, there really wasn't a need to do an completely unrecognizable name change in the first place -- to see a proper USA PSX game of "Gunbird" sold as originally intended, still would've sold on it's instantly recognizable arcade namesake pedigree/merits alone. You've gotta admit that Agetech's internal marketing team really screwed up "big time" with it's USA PSX release of Gunbird/Mobile Light Force (trying to "cash in" on the popularity of the hot "Charlie's Angels" movie IP at that current point in time). It is what it is. At least with Psikyo's JPN PSX port of Gunbird, it remains intact as it should be and rightfully so. So be it.
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PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[Sweatlord_STG]

The manuals of their releases are not online, are they? Like you can only read them if you buy the games right?

That's Hamster's method of doing things with their ACA1 & ACA2 releases since day one -- sometimes said digital game release will include the original JPN arcade paperworks such as the instruction card, instruction strip and/or POP for completeness as a bonus (not that they don't have to do so but it's nice to glance at them from a historical/archival preservation standpoint).

Yeah, I know, just wanted to double check. You never know And yes, I love all the extra stuff and information they put into those manuals. The manuals are part of the reason why I buy the games.

[AGermanArtist]

I especially liked the Shao-Lins Road one where they confirmed it's Yie Ar Kung Fu 2.

[SavagePencil]

ugh, Scrambled Egg just feels like overly-complicated Pengo. And the first stage takes like 2 minutes. A novelty for sure, but a frustrating one that prevents it from becoming a classic.