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).

----------
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.
----------

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.

[Sturmvogel Prime]

September starts with the Namco Bird.

Mach Breakers: Numan Athletics 2 is this week's release.
https://www.famitsu.com/article/202509/51357

[Sumez]

Whoo! I've been waiting for this one

[hamfighterx]

Mach Breakers is cool to see.

And it's the first time we've seen Namco NB-2 hardware on Arcade Archives. Know what else is on NB-2? Outfoxies. Hmmm...

[AGermanArtist]

Bit steep. £12 for the PS4 version.

[EmperorIng]

I kinda want to try the first Numan Athletics too, though I have to imagine that for casual console play, it's just a matter of setting autofire and then the 1cc is more or less assured, lol.

[velo]

Apparently Mach Breakers and Scrambled Egg have "Archive Archives 2" versions. I guess it's going to be a thing for every game going forward?

[hamfighterx]

Apparently Mach Breakers and Scrambled Egg have "Archive Archives 2" versions. I guess it's going to be a thing for every game going forward?

Doesn't seem like they're quite there for every game yet, but yeah seems like it's becoming a trend.

So far, since the Switch 2 launch they've done AA2 releases for all four Namco games (Ridge Racer, Air Combat 22, Aqua Jet, Mach Breakers), and then Scrambled Egg was the first non-Namco game. But the other 9 AA releases since the start of June have only been available as AA1. King of Fighters ‘98 is also available since February as the first and currently only ACA NeoGeo 2 release, but only on PS5 and Xbox Series S/X for now.

Little tip: if you ever want to buy an Arcade Archives 2 game on Switch 2, and you have any desire whatsoever to play on Switch 1... buy the S1 version first, then you can purchase the "upgrade" to the S2 version (separate game launcher) for only the difference in price between the AA1 and AA2 versions. Discount is already applied in the Nintendo eShop if you have the AA1 game on your account. Then you get both games for the price of just the Arcade Archives 2 version. If you do it in the other order and buy the Arcade Archives 2 version first, you do NOT get access to the AA1 version and won't be able to play it on a Switch 1 unless you re-buy the full-priced AA1 version. Learned that when I immediately bought AA2 Ridge Racer on Switch 2 on launch day, oops!

[BrianC]

Little tip: if you ever want to buy an Arcade Archives 2 game on Switch 2, and you have any desire whatsoever to play on Switch 1... buy the S1 version first, then you can purchase the "upgrade" to the S2 version (separate game launcher) for only the difference in price between the AA1 and AA2 versions. Discount is already applied in the Nintendo eShop if you have the AA1 game on your account. Then you get both games for the price of just the Arcade Archives 2 version. If you do it in the other order and buy the Arcade Archives 2 version first, you do NOT get access to the AA1 version and won't be able to play it on a Switch 1 unless you re-buy the full-priced AA1 version. Learned that when I immediately bought AA2 Ridge Racer on Switch 2 on launch day, oops!

Same deal with PS4/PS5. I also made the same mistake and bought the PS5 version of Ridge Racer right away. D'oh! Also, it seems some AA2 games were quietly updated for PS4 arcade stick support. When I first bought KoF '98, it didn't support PS4 sticks, but yesterday, I was able to use a GP2040-CE powered stick (and mayflash Magic-S Ultimate dongle plugged into the stick) with it and AA2 Mach Breakers.

[Fish in an Empty Sea]

I was clicking through Arcade Archives on YouTube and found that releases sometimes include original variations. In Namco's Assault included are Early and Later versions, but searching online yields no results of the original game ever receiving a revision like Bosconian does. I was wondering if players might know of or experienced the two versions and share what the differences are.

[Darkseed_5150]

Bought Chopper 1 just to see the V. 2 upgrades. Bought for PS4 for 7.99 plus PS5 update for 2.99 which is 1.00 more than the standalone PS5 version. I have my PS4 Pro at another place so it's worth the extra buck for me. Loving the game, the VRR, and yes, the rewind feature.

My only compliant is the lack of a non-blurred scanline option.

Hamster, gives us V.2 versions of X-Multiply and other games with oddball refresh rates ASAFP.

[OldSkoolShmuper]

What are we gonna get this week?

Please be Rave Racer.

[PC Engine Fan X!]

What are we gonna get this week?

Please be Rave Racer.

Yes, the visual upgrade & gameplay/game mechanics of Rave Racer compared to Ridge Racer are quite something to behold. It's just a matter of time when Hamster releases Rave Racer as it's never gotten a proper home game console port to this very day.

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[Sturmvogel Prime]

What are we gonna get this week?

Please be Rave Racer.

Sorry, no Rave Racer this time as Hamster reveals this week and sadly it's Konami crap: Video Hustler.
https://www.famitsu.com/article/202509/51999

Makes me wish we had a Namco game instead (or Raiden II), but looks like Hamster plays blind eyes and deaf ears on fan demands.

[AGermanArtist]

Another week closer to getting something decent from Konami.

[Jeneki]

Oh now I see, hustler as in billiards. My first thought after reading Video Hustler was a televangelist game.

[BrianC]

What are we gonna get this week?

Please be Rave Racer.

Sorry, no Rave Racer this time as Hamster reveals this week and sadly it's Konami crap: Video Hustler.
https://www.famitsu.com/article/202509/51999

Makes me wish we had a Namco game instead (or Raiden II), but looks like Hamster plays blind eyes and deaf ears on fan demands.

Video Hustler is what it's called in Japan? The JP MSX version is called Konami's Billards, which is named Video Hustler in Europe.