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

[professor ganson]

Cute em up Breakout looks adorable.

Do you have any link to share? I love cute-em-ups but couldn't find this game.

Here's the official trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXzBk1F ... FkZQ%3D%3D

and then some gameplay demonstrating how utterly chaotic 2P can get: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5laWc77T4PE

Very cute! This would've been amazing on the Nintento DS with the Taito paddle controller for Arkanoid.

[NightBeast]

Is Plump Pop a game that demands a spinner/paddle?

Maybe it's because I discovered the game on the Taito Memories series on Xbox, but I kinda prefer analog stick. On the Egret II Mini it is a LOT of fiddling to get the spinner to be properly sensitive. Not sure how well Hamster has addressed it.

Mouse feels great without any adjustments on Switch 2 (buckled down and paid full price since discount didn't kick in and Nintendo CS didn't help). Also played with VRR on a 144 Hz computer monitor.

Does it use a USB mouse or can it also use Switch 2 Joycon mouse mode?

[BrianC]

Maybe it's because I discovered the game on the Taito Memories series on Xbox, but I kinda prefer analog stick. On the Egret II Mini it is a LOT of fiddling to get the spinner to be properly sensitive. Not sure how well Hamster has addressed it.

Mouse feels great without any adjustments on Switch 2 (buckled down and paid full price since discount didn't kick in and Nintendo CS didn't help). Also played with VRR on a 144 Hz computer monitor.

Does it use a USB mouse or can it also use Switch 2 Joycon mouse mode?

Arcade Archives 2 supports both, but the Switch 1 version can only use USB mouse.

[Sturmvogel Prime]

Video System, often remembered for their Aero Fighters titles, they also made non-shmup games.

Gapporin/Pop N' Bounce is this week's ACA Neogeo title.
https://www.famitsu.com/article/202603/68422

I guess that could mean one step closer to Aero Fighters Special/Sonic Wings Limited.

[AGermanArtist]

I guess that could mean one step closer to Aero Fighters Special/Sonic Wings Limited.

Sort of...
https://www.famitsu.com/article/202603/68457

[BrianC]

Video System, often remembered for their Aero Fighters titles, they also made non-shmup games.

Gapporin/Pop N' Bounce is this week's ACA Neogeo title.
https://www.famitsu.com/article/202603/68422

Was not expecting a new ACA NeoGeo title. Looks like it could be a fun Arkanoid clone.

[Jeneki]

Console Archives Sonic Wings Special release video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2iABMmnKEY

Has Hamster Console Archives done a Saturn game yet? I'm assuming this is the PS1 version, not that it really matters in this case.

[Jucksalbe]

It uses PlayStation button icons, so it's definitely the PSX version.

[hamfighterx]

Was not expecting a new ACA NeoGeo title. Looks like it could be a fun Arkanoid clone.

Wow. Yeah, I wasn't expecting to see the ACA NeoGeo branding again either! It has been nearly 7 years since the last one, Samurai Shodown/Spirits V Special back on April 18, 2019.

But this would be the game to do it - Pop 'n Bounce was stealthily released in Vol.10 of the Switch PHYSICAL ACA Neo Geo compilations, in December 2025. That was the only game of the 100 released across the 10 physical volumes that was not previously released in the downloadable ACA Neo Geo series. So, like we've seen when the Taito Milestones collections featured games not yet released on Arcade Archives, Hamster has now gone back and released it as a downloadable.

This also makes yet another Neo Geo title available on the Switch. 122 total, from 109 ACA Neo Geo releases plus 13 other Neo Geo games that have come via non-Hamster releases: 7 on the Visco Collection, Breakers and Breakers Revenge got their own mini-compilation, Rage of the Dragons, SVC Chaos, Super Dodge Ball, and Windjammers are all available.

[hamfighterx]

It uses PlayStation button icons, so it's definitely the PSX version.

Anyone able to provide a PSX/Saturn version comparison? I still have my Saturn disc, but maybe the Playstation port offers something worthwhile?

[valziman]

Nintendo Switch Arcade archives sale!
https://www.dekudeals.com/games?filter[ ... discounted

Games you need:
- THUNDER FOX
- DEAD CONNECTION
- METAL BLACK
- GUN & FRONTIER
- Liquid Kids
--
Games that I don't know if you need or not
- ALPINE SKI
- The Fairyland Story
--
Games you don't need but maybe you'll have a great time anyway:
- VIOLENCE FIGHT
- FINAL BLOW
- Dinorex

[Jonpachi]

Was not expecting a new ACA NeoGeo title. Looks like it could be a fun Arkanoid clone.

Wow. Yeah, I wasn't expecting to see the ACA NeoGeo branding again either! It has been nearly 7 years since the last one, Samurai Shodown/Spirits V Special back on April 18, 2019.

But this would be the game to do it - Pop 'n Bounce was stealthily released in Vol.10 of the Switch PHYSICAL ACA Neo Geo compilations, in December 2025. That was the only game of the 100 released across the 10 physical volumes that was not previously released in the downloadable ACA Neo Geo series. So, like we've seen when the Taito Milestones collections featured games not yet released on Arcade Archives, Hamster has now gone back and released it as a downloadable.

This also makes yet another Neo Geo title available on the Switch. 122 total, from 109 ACA Neo Geo releases plus 13 other Neo Geo games that have come via non-Hamster releases: 7 on the Visco Collection, Breakers and Breakers Revenge got their own mini-compilation, Rage of the Dragons, SVC Chaos, Super Dodge Ball, and Windjammers are all available.

There was ACA2 NEOGEO The King of Fighters ’98 that came out in Feb (just not for Switch)

[hamfighterx]

There was ACA2 NEOGEO The King of Fighters ’98 that came out in Feb (just not for Switch)

Fair enough. I guess I tend not to count the one ACA2 NEOGEO game, seeing as how it's also available in the normal ACA NEOGEO line. Interesting that they've only released one!

[PC Engine Fan X!]

On the USA region Nintendo Switch eShop portal today, 3/12/2026, Video System's Pop'n Bounce is finally officially listed and is a $7.99 usd purchase with an 82.0mb digital d/l. On the Switch 1 console setup, you're greeted with a screen saying that Pop'n Bounce can be played with a USB-based mouse if so desired (it's only made available to "Player One"). Online Leaderboard support for both "Hi Score Mode" Top 100 rankings and "Caravan Mode" Top 100 rankings are available at your disposal.

Here's the original arcade flyer for Pop'n Bounce presented in both Japanese and English: https://flyers.arcade-museum.com/videogames/show/5403

----------
Scanline filter option is available and if A2 setting is selected, be sure to increase the overall brightness to compensate for the lower overall brightness factor.
----------

Wow, Pop'n Bounce's high score ranking lists an impressive Top 100 slots complete with scores & high score initials saved via NVRAM for posterity/safekeeping purposes -- how cool is that?

If you watch the Pop'n Bounce demo run cycle, it shows an arcade rotary knob spinner being used (which in reality, would be a Seimitsu-based manufactured arcade spinner setup {with it's impressive multi-gearing mechanism but no weighted "fly-wheel" present for that unmistakable silky-smooth arcade spinner action going on during actual gaming sessions} on a real-life candy cab setup indeed -- of course, they're OOP and fetch some serious yen/$$$ on the secondary arcade hardware collector's market nowadays if you want one or a pair bad enough to "call your very own"). Nowadays, running Pop'n Bounce through Mame and using an USB-based arcade spinner setup with a 1000hz polling rate is your best bet -- can't get any better than that, folks.

Of course, the Switch's Joy-con's Left analog stick can be used in lieu of a USB-based mouse but it really isn't the same, control-wise -- but it is what it is at the "end of the day." From what I can recall there was a specialty Switch-based NeGcon adapter for such analog-based games but it's currently sold out.

----------
Managed to score 444,100 points on the Hi Score Mode with an overall #18 ranking using the default Joy-con's left analog stick setup today, 3/12/2026 -- quite a cute/kawaii Arkanoid-inspired game as it is. I've noticed that there will be times when the current ball is in play and it'll move too fast for the Joy-con's Left analog stick to catch it in the "nick of time" thus necessitating the need for a USB-based mouse controller with a docked Switch setup for better and enhanced gameplay, control-wise -- go figure.

After scourging up a USB-based PC mouse and hooking it up to a docked OLED Switch setup, it seems the mouse is a bit too sensitive, control-wise, but still playable nevertheless. Does Nintendo sell such an official 1st-party Switch 1-based mouse controller these days? If you grab the "Shot" power-up, the left mouse button fires a laser shot at the playing field -- how cool is that?

PC-based mouse button layout as follows:

Left mouse button activates launching of the ball in any given round + plus fires laser if the "Shot" power-up is grabbed + on the high score intial entry screen, hitting the left mouse button will select the desired high score initial. Easy as pie.

Middle mouse button -- inserts a credit.

Right mouse button -- starts a gaming session of Pop'n Bounce.

As it is, a specialty controller adapter to use a dedicated USB-based arcade spinner/rotary-knob controller setup would greatly benefit Hamster's ACA1 Switch port of Pop'n Bounce in this particular case/instance (as a PC-based mouse controller really doesn't cut it these days but it is what it is).

Hmmm.....it'd seem very likely that you'd be able to use a dedicated USB-based arcade spinner/rotary knob controller (as it's just a dedicated 1-axis mouse controller as it is in reality) with the Switch ACA1 port of Pop'n Bounce via an empty USB port on the Switch 1's docking station -- I'll have look for it and see if it works or not. Sounds quite intriguing.
----------

Protip: If your current ball manages to hit and light up/spell out the entire "AttacK" word on the upper playing field portion, you'll get 3-balls in play + your paddle will become super wide for some crazy action.

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[AGermanArtist]

Polaris April 9th

https://www.famitsu.com/article/202603/68607

[PC Engine Fan X!]

Upon searching for my USB-based arcade spinner/rotary knob controller, it's a Tornado Spinner with usb 2.0 interface + a dedicated 4-pin interface to arcade pcbs for greater versatility. Upon hooking it up to the Nintendo Switch 1 dock and booting up the ACA1 port of Pop'n Bounce, it's no dice with the Tornado Spinner setup -- at least I tried though. The Tornado Spinner works 100% with Mame and Final Burn Neo emulation with it's weighted "fly-wheel" and full ball bearings installed for that unmistakable silky-smooth spinning action galore.

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[PC Engine Fan X!]

On the Switch ACA1 port of Pop'n Bounce, you can adjust the mouse sensitivity setting by going to settings screen and selecting Custom Button settings, then highlight Paddle Settings, then press down to reach the Mouse Sensitivity (which is at default setting at #4) -- by lowering it to #2, it becomes more manageable to use the mouse controller without having it moving too fast and still manage to keep your current ball in play. Easy as pie.

----------
It would've been nice if Hamster went into greater detail as how to exactly change the default mouse sensitivity issue from the get-go but decided that it'd be best left to the end-user to figure it out for themselves how to do so -- which is a bit cryptic/confusing/puzzling as it is.
----------

During the continue countdown screen prompts, by pressing the Left mouse button, you can advance the countdown timer quicker to zero if so desired -- how cool is that?

Imho, a dedicated Switch-based arcade spinner/rotary knob controller would be a better fit for such arcade-paddle based games such as Pop'n Bounce and the like.

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[BrianC]

So pop 'n bounce had a spinner setting via dipswitch? Flyer shows joystick controls.

[SavagePencil]

With the Egret II mini spinner and an adapter it’s playable but there are some headaches.

Since it doesn’t have L or R, you have to setup the inputs using a traditional pad as you can’t cycle to the buttons tab.

You can’t remap - or + in the game, which are the purple and blue buttons, so I did:

White (X): coin
Left Button (A): shoot
Right Button (B): start

It plays well enough.

[PC Engine Fan X!]

Yes, Pop'n Bounce has full support for such a dedicated arcade spinner/rotary knob controller via dipswitch settings -- meaning you could use the optional Seimitsu arcade spinners for both players 1 and 2 respectively (something very rarely seen/implemented with an Neo-Geo based MVS game to begin with in retrospect). Still quite awesome nevertheless.

Lastly, Hamster gives the end-user the ability to use a configuration to control the paddle with buttons A and B to move the paddle in either Left or Right directions + use button X as the launch/fire button -- thus giving us a third option to play it via a "stickless hitbox" type of setup if so inclined to do so. How cool is that?

----------
So therefore, we're given three control schemes to choose from:

1.) Use a Nintendo Joy-con's Left analog stick to control the paddle.

2.) Use a PC-based USB mouse and adjust the mouse sensitivity so that it's more manageable, control-wise.

3.) Use a Switch-based "Stickless Hitbox" setup with just using push buttons to move the paddle and launch/shoot as required/necessary. Button re-mapping is completely re-configurable via controller settings. Here's an 8BitDo based Switch hitbox on discount through Amazon's Woot retailer: https://electronics.woot.com/offers/8bi ... nt_wp_3_61
----------

Apparently, Hamster has gone "beyond the extra mile" to give the end-user enough flexibility to use the best control scheme that best fits their particular needs/usage -- this is something very rarely seen outside the scope of the Arkanoid-based type of category within the "Ball and Paddle" genre.

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[D]

Wait, what? df?

So what adapter is needed?
I have a ps4
Which other games on ps4 support the taito Egret mini's spinner?

[SavagePencil]

Wait, what? df?

So what adapter is needed?
I have a ps4
Which other games on ps4 support the taito Egret mini's spinner?

I’m using this for the Switch. Not sure if there’s a PS version available:

https://booth.pm/ja/items/4853119

[PC Engine Fan X!]

Wait, what? df?

So what adapter is needed?
I have a ps4
Which other games on ps4 support the taito Egret mini's spinner?

I’m using this for the Switch. Not sure if there’s a PS version available:

https://booth.pm/ja/items/4853119

If you read the description further down the line, it does say that it's compatible with the PS3 & PS4 consoles through the use of an "Brook Wingman XE" convertor and on the Xbox consoles with the "Brook Wingman XB" convertor. Still good to learn/know with this particular nugget of information.

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[hamfighterx]

Wait, what? df?

So what adapter is needed?
I have a ps4
Which other games on ps4 support the taito Egret mini's spinner?

I’m using this for the Switch. Not sure if there’s a PS version available:

https://booth.pm/ja/items/4853119

By the way, for anyone else who wants this Switch adapter - add yourself to the waiting/notification list. I had been eyeing it, with Far East Pinball's Booth shop saying out of stock for a while. Then in December, I saw it was available and foolishly waited until the next morning and it was out of stock again before I could order. But I added myself to the list and what do you know, popped up as available again in not too long and I bought one in January (shipped to US via forwarding by Buyee). I'm guessing the owner might make more if there is registered demand, so do use the stock notification sign-up

SavagePencil - might have been you who I originally saw posting about this, so thank you!

[hamfighterx]

Anyone able to provide a PSX/Saturn version comparison? I still have my Saturn disc, but maybe the Playstation port offers something worthwhile?

Highlighting this question again... anyone have a comparison between Sonic Wings Special Saturn and PSX versions? As in, any good reason for someone who already has the Saturn version to drop $12 on the Console Archives release of the PSX version?

I think I used to know more about this years ago, and something in the back of my mind tells me the Saturn version is the one people thought was best (probably why that's the one I have). Didn't see a clear answer on a quick search though.

[Jonpachi]

Anyone able to provide a PSX/Saturn version comparison? I still have my Saturn disc, but maybe the Playstation port offers something worthwhile?

Highlighting this question again... anyone have a comparison between Sonic Wings Special Saturn and PSX versions? As in, any good reason for someone who already has the Saturn version to drop $12 on the Console Archives release of the PSX version?

I think I used to know more about this years ago, and something in the back of my mind tells me the Saturn version is the one people thought was best (probably why that's the one I have). Didn't see a clear answer on a quick search though.

The Japanese versions on Saturn and PSX are the same, but apparently there's a PAL version of the PSX version that removed all the dialogue and endings. This AA version is presumably the Japanese version. I think it's worth $12 to have on the Switch personally, but you can safely skip.

[it290]

Haven't managed any true rocket starts yet, but it seems to pay to hold the revs between 7-8000 anyway and get at least a few of the slipstream lights on. You'll boost away at about 100km/h and notice you're a lot closer to the rival car than usual (which helps with making sure they aren't in your way at the worst possible time).

Do rocket starts even exist in this game? The Ridge Racer wiki claims that Type 4 was the first game with the feature. I've been experimenting and it does seem like I can sometimes catch up with the AI car (in time trial mode) more quickly when revving, but I'm not sure if it's a placebo effect—my car doesn't seem to get off the line any quicker and even if I'm revving the car, the revs go back down to 0 once the race actually starts anyway. And how are you getting the slipstream lights to turn on? For me the rival car boosts away way too quickly for that to even be a factor.

edit - Ahh, I see what you mean now! Too bad it's so damned hard to hold the throttle consistently on the PS5 controller — I'm actually having an easier time using digital controls and just tapping to get it going.

[SavagePencil]

Haven't managed any true rocket starts yet, but it seems to pay to hold the revs between 7-8000 anyway and get at least a few of the slipstream lights on. You'll boost away at about 100km/h and notice you're a lot closer to the rival car than usual (which helps with making sure they aren't in your way at the worst possible time).

Do rocket starts even exist in this game? The Ridge Racer wiki claims that Type 4 was the first game with the feature. I've been experimenting and it does seem like I can sometimes catch up with the AI car (in time trial mode) more quickly when revving, but I'm not sure if it's a placebo effect—my car doesn't seem to get off the line any quicker and even if I'm revving the car, the revs go back down to 0 once the race actually starts anyway. And how are you getting the slipstream lights to turn on? For me the rival car boosts away way too quickly for that to even be a factor.

edit - Ahh, I see what you mean now! Too bad it's so damned hard to hold the throttle consistently on the PS5 controller — I'm actually having an easier time using digital controls and just tapping to get it going.

I had assumed your revs went to zero because the game puts the vehicle into first gear and that means you really have to punch the gas IMMEDIATELY with going into gear to compensate.

[Sturmvogel Prime]

Konami's Devastators is six Constructicons in one, I mean, this week's Arcade Archives release.
https://www.famitsu.com/article/202603/69094

[Jeneki]

You know what to do