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

[Klatrymadon]

Two trackball games in a row. Wonder if they're trying to get them all done...

(I'm interested in getting a USB trackball now, but the prices vary enormously and I've no idea how big or important the differences in quality will be...)

[BIL]

m a n k o ®

Owned

Spoiler

Cheers manko birb, see u same time next monf

Two trackball games in a row. Wonder if they're trying to get them all done...

(I'm interested in getting a USB trackball now, but the prices vary enormously and I've no idea how big or important the differences in quality will be...)

Seems like the year of alt. controls, between these and all the paddle stuff. tbh I preferred 2023 and 2024, whose theme appeared to be the motherfuckin unforgettable fire Part I & Part II. 2025 and 2026 had at least one diamond no-hoper apiece in Macross II and Rave Racer, can't complain too much ofc.

WTB a Loop Lever year, that's clearly when Search N Rescue and Gondomania will show up.

EDIT: I really shoulda done a 2025 roundup, I'm getting buttfucked Full Dad stylie atm unfortunately. Besides the aforementioned miracle of Macross II, Juno First and Front Line 2 are yet more killer caravan, Battlantis finally showed its fearsome mug, and there was another raft of STG-adjacent gems in Thunder Fox, Tokyo Wars, Roc n' Rope, OutFoxies, and longtime curio want Dead Connection. Scion, Stinger, Chopper 1 and D-Day all look rad, too. I've just not had time to play much the last year or so.

[Steven]

Hey cool, Console Archives is getting The Conveni. I have this game (Saturn version AKA better version) and it's pretty cool. I had a lot of difficulty playing this because of all of the finance vocabulary that I didn't know at the time and probably still don't know, but it's a great game provided you can read Japanese financial words.

[Jonpachi]

Hey cool, Console Archives is getting The Conveni. I have this game (Saturn version AKA better version) and it's pretty cool. I had a lot of difficulty playing this because of all of the finance vocabulary that I didn't know at the time and probably still don't know, but it's a great game provided you can read Japanese financial words.

It is translated at all? I guess not, as I'm not see any localized screens online. Such a weird choice for as few titles as we have in this line so far.

[Atariboy]

While I'm sure the western market is a big slice of their business, Hamster's focus always has been on the Japanese market. So I personally don't find it too surprising when something pops up that isn't likely to sell much to the west. I'd personally like to see a balance with more regular offerings that appeal to this side of the Pacific.

It also bugs me that they've always ignored western developed arcade classics. But at the same time I'm not sure that the two big IP holders for America's in-house arcade heritage would play ball in that department (Atari SA and Warner Brothers Interactive). But surely there's some odds and ends like the Exidy and Cinematronics libraries even if Atari SA wanted everything to stay in-house for the PC/Console side and Warner Brothers Interactive wanted too much money (Some of the figures I've seen such as what Antstream Arcade was paying per game for a couple of years were insane for things like Cyberball 2072; Little wonder they didn't renew the deal).

[Steven]

Hey cool, Console Archives is getting The Conveni. I have this game (Saturn version AKA better version) and it's pretty cool. I had a lot of difficulty playing this because of all of the finance vocabulary that I didn't know at the time and probably still don't know, but it's a great game provided you can read Japanese financial words.

It is translated at all? I guess not, as I'm not see any localized screens online. Such a weird choice for as few titles as we have in this line so far.

Not sure, but probably not. Too bad, because I think very few non-Japanese people know this game exists, which is a shame because it's a cool game. It has a few sequels, none of which I have played yet, so I imagine it's pretty well-known in Japan.

[SavagePencil]

Looks proper shit. Inspired Monkey Ball, perhaps?

You wouldn’t know fun if it hit ya in the face!

Stupid? Yes, but looks grand, especially for younger players. Very excited to give this a go with a trakball. Now, does it support multiplayer…?

EDIT: if we’re going odd controls, I wanna put my Official Hamster request in for Midnight Resistance.

[Skyknight]

Still waiting for Gaiapolis and Raiden II, myself. (Yes, I’m aware they don’t have non-standard controls.)