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

[Sima Tuna]

What are the coolest Arcade Archives beat 'em ups? I'm guessing Zero Team and Vendetta?

Mutation Nation is probably the best beat em up on the Neo-Geo. It's not as good as Zero Team or Vendetta, but it is fun and worth playing. I know some people think Sengoku 2 or 3 are better, but I don't. Growl is pretty fun. Elephant smash!

But yes, if you asked me which are the best two beat em ups on ACA, I'd unquestionably say Zero Team and Vendetta. Hopefully we can someday get ACA Night Slashers, ACA Violent Storm and ACA Undercover Cops.

[BIL]

Volfied inc. https://twitter.com/famitsu/status/1763176311529632063

Nice. MD port was always great to have around, but the harsh SFX lets it down somewhat.

[Lemnear]

What are the coolest Arcade Archives beat 'em ups? I'm guessing Zero Team and Vendetta?

Vendetta impressed me...the level of violence it has, and the nonchalance with which it executes it is terrifying. One of my two preferred Beat-Em Up ever (Bil suggested it to me).

[Lemnear]

Volfied inc. https://twitter.com/famitsu/status/1763176311529632063

Wait...1989...NEOGEO? What i'm missing?

[PC Engine Fan X!]

Allumer returns to the Arcade Archives scene: War of Aero: Project MEIOU is this week's title.
https://www.gamer.ne.jp/news/202402280045/

Are these global releases or is it only on the japanese e-shop?

I bought it on the US PSN earlier today and it's on the US Nintendo website (didn't check eshop, but should be there too).

Yep, War of Aero: Project MEIOU is avaliable on the US region Switch eShop site for $7.99 usd. None of Allumer's arcade pcb conversion pcb kits were ever sold/distributed stateside (as Allumer didn't have a proper USA arcade licensee seller/distributor to begin with).

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[ryu]

Thanks! I found it on the EU store too. Threw in a credit to see how it plays. Never touched it before, but it seemed fun. And it sure is if the first few stages are anything to go by. Seems to be a good game!

[AGermanArtist]

Really enjoying it having never seen it in an arcade or emulated. I love how if you have level select enabled you can start at whatever level is playing in attract mode.

[BrianC]

Volfied inc. https://twitter.com/famitsu/status/1763176311529632063

Wait...1989...NEOGEO? What i'm missing?

It's not a NeoGeo game, Hamster lists both Arcade Archives and ACA NeoGeo when they announce games.

[AGermanArtist]

Seventh anniversary this week!
Speculations regarding this week's release?

GRADIUS 4 or Parodius Da!

[ryu]

Parodius Da! would be awesome. Boy do I regret selling my PSP Parodius collection.

[Skyknight]

Violent Storm would also fit the bill.

[BIL]

It's the tenth anniversary of ACA (including the PS4-exclusive years) in just a couple months, too! Debut release was Crazy Climber back on May 15th, 2014. (hence the CC startup jingle appearing in all their lineup retrospective videos)

Wouldn't complain if they did another major Konami release, ala Gradius III / XEXEX / Mystic Warriors for Christmas 2020/21/23.

OTOH, adding digital controls to Crazy Climber would be nice too.

[AGermanArtist]

You're right. I misread the fucking Tweet.

[hamfighterx]

What are the coolest Arcade Archives beat 'em ups? I'm guessing Zero Team and Vendetta?

Mutation Nation is probably the best beat em up on the Neo-Geo. It's not as good as Zero Team or Vendetta, but it is fun and worth playing. I know some people think Sengoku 2 or 3 are better, but I don't. Growl is pretty fun. Elephant smash!

But yes, if you asked me which are the best two beat em ups on ACA, I'd unquestionably say Zero Team and Vendetta. Hopefully we can someday get ACA Night Slashers, ACA Violent Storm and ACA Undercover Cops.

All that is probably my answer too.

For Neo Geo, I agree with Sengoku 3 being overrated (it's beautiful, but the stage design is just too tedious and long) so Mutation Nation is probably my pick too. That being said, I wouldn't ignore Robo Army, or my personal guilty pleasure Ninja Combat.

Another dark horse pick: Jaleco's 64th Street: A Detective Story. Sort of a basic Final Fight clone, but I like it.

[hamfighterx]

It's the tenth anniversary of ACA (including the PS4-exclusive years) in just a couple months, too! Debut release was Crazy Climber back on May 15th, 2014. (hence the CC startup jingle appearing in all their lineup retrospective videos)

According to Wikipedia, Ninja Kid and Rygar were also released on May 15th, 2014 for PS4. Interesting that they don't seem to get the same love.

But yeah, interesting timing. Volfied is actually going to be the 300th Arcade Archives (non-Neo Geo) release. 299th for Switch, which never got Wonder Boy. Not exactly a massive title to celebrate that milestone.

They also had 108 ACA Neo Geo games, which would make last month's release of Silkworm #400 if counting all ACA Neo Geo + Arcade Archives.

[BIL]

It's the tenth anniversary of ACA (including the PS4-exclusive years) in just a couple months, too! Debut release was Crazy Climber back on May 15th, 2014. (hence the CC startup jingle appearing in all their lineup retrospective videos)

According to Wikipedia, Ninja Kid and Rygar were also released on May 15th, 2014 for PS4. Interesting that they don't seem to get the same love.

Oh yeah, damn. I totally overlooked that on Hamster's official list, I'm so used to the usual weekly interval.

Speaking of which, it's interesting to look back at the slower pace of those earlier years. They've really carved out a unique niche for themselves, over the decade. A fine example of "low frills" and "high quality" being complementary aims, not conflicting ones.

I wonder if CC was their pilot development title, or something along those lines. Not sure if they had the rights to Nichibutsu's catalogue all the way back then, but maybe that's relevant, too.

Regardless, Rygar will always be the flagship early ACA title to me, second I picked up after Saigo no Nindou. ACA Saigo, along with Sumez vouching for ACA Bubble Bobble, being where I finally gave the fabled "someone besides M2" a chance. Glad I did, although now, it's "someone besides M2 and Hamster" that eludes me. (was pretty hyped to realise I could finally take up trap's recommendation of Ninja-kun II, as well! that was the third)

[Jonpachi]

I feel like LiveWire have come up the tier list quickly, with solid re-ports of Xbox 360 titles (Cave stuff and RS) to Switch. If they keep expanding their reach to new platforms, they could secure 3rd place in my eyes.

I'm keeping an eye on Cosmo Machia too, as their Shikigami II port was the best console version yet, and I'm hoping for the same with TriggerHeart.

I mean who else? City Connection?

[Steven]

Bitwave is so close to being top-tier, which is part of why I'm so frustrated with their releases. I think they can get there, too.

[Mattman124]

I have a question regarding the input lag of some Namco games on ACA. I have the Namco Museum collection for Switch, and for some of the games I'm noticing some input lag, like in Rolling Thunder. Is the input lag in the ACA Switxh version of the games in the collection better?

[Lemnear]

Mmh which one is better for..."Arcades" ???

Spoiler

[Marc]

They're both pretty decent, I prefer the d-pad on the fight pad though.

[Sturmvogel Prime]

Allumer returns to the Arcade Archives scene: War of Aero: Project MEIOU is this week's title.
https://www.gamer.ne.jp/news/202402280045/

Looks pretty..Is "worth"?

If you like Image Fight and IREM-esque difficulty, I think it's worthy.

[Lemnear]

They're both pretty decent, I prefer the d-pad on the fight pad though.

Ty.. because there's no version (or available adapter) for the M30 8BitDo on Playstation, so the options are these 2 or a Razer Raion, but is discontinued.

Allumer returns to the Arcade Archives scene: War of Aero: Project MEIOU is this week's title.
https://www.gamer.ne.jp/news/202402280045/

Looks pretty..Is "worth"?

If you like Image Fight and IREM-esque difficulty, I think it's worthy.

It doesn't seems "so difficult" judging by the gameplay not as much as Image Fight at least.

Let's support Hamster

[AGermanArtist]

Oh, it's pretty difficult. I tried Aero and Image Fight back to back yesterday and was only helped by the fact I was already familiar with Image Fight.

[velo]

What are the coolest Arcade Archives beat 'em ups? I'm guessing Zero Team and Vendetta?

Those are easily the top 2. I don't think anybody mentioned Renegade, but it's aged with surprising grace.

I have a question regarding the input lag of some Namco games on ACA. I have the Namco Museum collection for Switch, and for some of the games I'm noticing some input lag, like in Rolling Thunder. Is the input lag in the ACA Switxh version of the games in the collection better?

I don't know firsthand but it's a pretty safe bet.

[hamfighterx]

I feel like LiveWire have come up the tier list quickly, with solid re-ports of Xbox 360 titles (Cave stuff and RS) to Switch. If they keep expanding their reach to new platforms, they could secure 3rd place in my eyes.

I can't consider LiveWire a real contender when they only released a small handful of shooters, and they don't seem to have much of a plan to continue that.

They did the three Cave 360 to Switch ports back in 2021 (Mushi, Espgaluda 2, and DDP DFK), then Radiant Silvergun for Switch in September 2022 (which was ported to Steam a bit more than a year later), and nothing since that unless you count the physical versions of those from Limited Run. Currently they're working on their Steam early access rogue-lite twin stick shooter looking game, 9th Sentinel Sisters, with no indication whatsoever that they're seeking to return to STG ports. It's a shame they didn't get to Mushi Futari, Saidaioujou, Pink Sweets, and MMPork back when they did the other Cave 360 ports.

[AGermanArtist]

Maybe problems with City Connection?

[hamfighterx]

Feels to me more like Live Wire is just a small company and is focusing on other things. They have something like two dozen employees, and they're also busy with non-shooter projects.

After the handful of 2021 Cave releases, they were working on Harvestella (published by Square Enix) and their currently Early Access PC game. And presumably the recently announced sequel to Ender Lilies, their earlier Metroidvania. I wouldn't be surprised in the least if they are simply prioritizing using their limited resources to do new stuff that isn't porting old shooters.

[AGermanArtist]

I'd actually be OK if City Connection took the rest, if they did Ibara Kuro at some stage. They fucked right up with those early Saturn games, but Deathsmiles/2 and Akai Katani are actually alright.

[DestroyTheCore]

I'm just waiting for LiveWire to bring Futari's 360 port to PC at this point...