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

[BrianC]

--Splatterhouse (not sure if this risks an M rating or not nowadays...)

Namco Museum for Switch has it and got away with a T rating.

[BIL]

Just downloaded a patch for Xexex on PS4 and Switch. PS4 patch notes just say bug fix, so I don't know what it does, but it's better now in some way.

Pretty routine for Hamster, lots of other ACAs have similar patches (sometimes many months or even years after release - now that's service ).

[velo]

I hope that means good namco games.

I expect good but unsurprising though: Pac Land followed by Metro Cross, Baraduke, etc. Good games for sure, but I want the Inspired.

You know, something like Valkyrie no Densetsu, Outfoxies, Fighter & Attacker, Splatterhouse... I think I will only be lucky and maybe get one "creative" game.

The more Splatterhouse the merrier, but I don't think Splatterhouse is a black sheep anynore... even Pacman 99 has a Wanpaku Graffiti background. iirc Namco also trademarked something like "Splatterhouse Revival" around the time they were doing the same for the most recent Mr. Driller, so I guess they are/were considering doing something with it?

Baraduke is high on my most-wanted list. Even though it's an iconic game it seems a little under-released.

[Brian]

Wish they would do Bosconian. Odd to leave it out all this time when it is included in so much already. Would really welcome the port for the high score mode.

[Jeneki]

mmm much potential Namco goodness.

Hi Score mode can be a double-edged sword. For example, thinking "sure maybe I'll learn a bit of Plus Alpha" immediately followed by "wtf why are there six people who can counter-stop this game?"

[dojo_b]

Can anyone comment on the ACA Neo Geo releases on PC? In terms of emulation/UI/features. Windows Store only, which does not ordinarily inspire confidence! But also, one learns not to ask why small JP devs do the things they do---not a diss, it would just be a research project to understand their situation---and Hamster has never disappointed me on PS4. (I was eyeing Strikers 1945 Plus this time.)

[Jeneki]

This week's game is cat approved.

[EmperorIng]

Well, Valkyrie it is. Finally, some good fuckin' games.

Might have to import this one, I doubt an English release will be forthcoming. There's at least one multiple choice question I remember, with the old witch/wizard at the start of Elekiman's castle. The big mammoth monster I think asks you something as well (I think it's which path you want to take). Anyone remember anything else?

[BrianC]

Valkilly!

Edit: Pac-Land has been slightly edited. Ms. Pac-Man's and Pac Baby's sprites have been altered. The female Pac-Man has a pink ponytail and the baby Pac is dressed in pink.

[CecilMcW00t]

Well, Valkyrie it is. Finally, some good fuckin' games.

Might have to import this one, I doubt an English release will be forthcoming. There's at least one multiple choice question I remember, with the old witch/wizard at the start of Elekiman's castle. The big mammoth monster I think asks you something as well (I think it's which path you want to take). Anyone remember anything else?

The Namco Museum Vol 5 port was fully localized to English. Maybe Namco has a custom ROM with the translation on it that they made available to Hamster for the NA Arcade Archives release.

[BrianC]

Hamster has released untranslated JP games in the past, as well. In some cases, like Karate Champ, even when the game has a US version.

[Jeneki]

Pac-Land has been slightly edited. Ms. Pac-Man's and Pac Baby's sprites have been altered. The female Pac-Man has a pink ponytail and the baby Pac is dressed in pink.

I had to look up some old videos to see what's up, made a quick comparison pic:

lol so random. Is there a story to this change or does someone just like pink?

[pablumatic]

Pac-Land has been slightly edited. Ms. Pac-Man's and Pac Baby's sprites have been altered. The female Pac-Man has a pink ponytail and the baby Pac is dressed in pink.

I had to look up some old videos to see what's up, made a quick comparison pic:

lol so random. Is there a story to this change or does someone just like pink?

This is due to the company AtGames buying the rights to Ms. Pac-Man. Bandai Namco apparently can't or won't use the character's likeness anymore now. The pink one is called Pac-Mom.

[Steven]

Just downloaded a patch for Xexex on PS4 and Switch. PS4 patch notes just say bug fix, so I don't know what it does, but it's better now in some way.

Pretty routine for Hamster, lots of other ACAs have similar patches (sometimes many months or even years after release - now that's service ).

Yeah, Hamster is great. New game every week without fail, great price, great emulation, actually fixing things when they do mess something up... humanity doesn't deserve Hamster (or M2). I just wish they'd have proper scaling options and PC releases, but I've yet to be dissatisfied with anything else. I wonder how long they are going to keep doing Arcade Archives, but I hope that they will get the license for and do R-Type Leo before the end.

[Jonpachi]

Pac-Land has been slightly edited. Ms. Pac-Man's and Pac Baby's sprites have been altered. The female Pac-Man has a pink ponytail and the baby Pac is dressed in pink.

I had to look up some old videos to see what's up, made a quick comparison pic:

lol so random. Is there a story to this change or does someone just like pink?

This is due to the company AtGames buying the rights to Ms. Pac-Man. Bandai Namco apparently can't or won't use the character's likeness anymore now. The pink one is called Pac-Mom.

LOL! I initially assumed this was some weird attempt at removing antiquated gender-coded clothing like the bow on the head.

[Lord British]

My problem with Hamster is I bought a bunch of NeoGeo games for the Xbox One, and after about a year of them playing just fine I could no longer play 2 player all of a sudden. Microsoft couldn't help me and Hamster never responded to my emails

[BrianC]

LOL! I initially assumed this was some weird attempt at removing antiquated gender-coded clothing like the bow on the head.

Funny thing is that the original clothing is actually more gender neutral. Especially the boots.

Edit: A bit late, but the Midway Pac-Land has Ms. "Pepper" Pac-Man wearing pink and Baby Pac-Man wearing blue, both much closer to the cartoon designs.

[OmegaFlareX]

This is due to the company AtGames buying the rights to Ms. Pac-Man. Bandai Namco apparently can't or won't use the character's likeness anymore now. The pink one is called Pac-Mom.

Pac-Mom! Ha, I love it! At first I read that AtGames bought the rights to the entire Pac-Man series and was like "wait a minute". Then I remembered that MPM is a western-made romhack.

[Sengoku Strider]

Baraduke is high on my most-wanted list. Even though it's an iconic game it seems a little under-released.

Are we sure iconic is the word here? In 30+ years of gaming, this is the entirety of any reference I've ever even seen to it:



In looking at its Wikipedia entry, it appears to have tanked in arcades:

In Japan, Game Machine listed Baraduke on their September 1, 1985 issue as being the fifteenth most-successful table arcade unit of the month.

[BrianC]

Baraduke is high on my most-wanted list. Even though it's an iconic game it seems a little under-released.

Are we sure iconic is the word here? In 30+ years of gaming, this is the entirety of any reference I've ever even seen to it:



In looking at its Wikipedia entry, it appears to have tanked in arcades:

In Japan, Game Machine listed Baraduke on their September 1, 1985 issue as being the fifteenth most-successful table arcade unit of the month.

Not sure about Iconic, but it was also referenced in the Mr. Driller series. The main character of Baraduke, Masuyo "Kissy" Tobi, is the ex-wife of Dig Dug in that series.

Actually, edits aren't a new thing for Pac-Land. While it's Namco made, it was based off the cartoon, with the Midway version (the original?) retaining all the cartoon designs and the JP version changing some of the designs (poor chomp chomp went bye bye), but keeping the cartoon ghost designs and theme song. Funny how those didn't get edited since WB probably retains the rights to those designs. They released two official on demand DVD-R sets.

[velo]

In looking at its Wikipedia entry, it appears to have tanked in arcades:

In Japan, Game Machine listed Baraduke on their September 1, 1985 issue as being the fifteenth most-successful table arcade unit of the month.

oof, ok, maybe not so iconic. It does have two sort-of interesting bits of trivia connected to it: one being the Mr. Driller thing, the other being that it did Metroid's female-in-a-powersuit idea first. Regardless, I like the game.

[Sengoku Strider]

oof, ok, maybe not so iconic. It does have two sort-of interesting bits of trivia connected to it: one being the Mr. Driller thing, the other being that it did Metroid's female-in-a-powersuit idea first. Regardless, I like the game.

That's fine, it just jumped out at me because I always loved Ridge Racer, but some of those back catalogue references on the cars were beyond esoteric. (Like, I totally knew what Xevious was, but who knew the ship was called Solvalou?)

Baraduke was definitely way up there in the obscurity factor for me.

[Rastan78]

Well there was also a high-tech for the time rail shooter called Solvalou. I knew about that at the time from stumbling on a magazine with an article about the cab. Never saw one in person though.

If PC Engine Fan X could pop in with a detailed anecdote about seeing the cab at a 1991 gaming expo my day will be complete.

[BrianC]

That's fine, it just jumped out at me because I always loved Ridge Racer, but some of those back catalogue references on the cars were beyond esoteric. (Like, I totally knew what Xevious was, but who knew the ship was called Solvalou?)

I didn't learn it from there, but, oddly enough, it's mentioned in the Atari 7800 Xevious manual.

edit: NES manual too, though it localizes Grobda as Globder.

[velo]

That's fine, it just jumped out at me because I always loved Ridge Racer, but some of those back catalogue references on the cars were beyond esoteric. (Like, I totally knew what Xevious was, but who knew the ship was called Solvalou?)

I'd have caught that reference (maybe) because Xevious declares how many SOLVALOUs you have left at the start of every life. It's a weird name for a ship and it's weird the devs wanted everybody to know about it, so it stuck with me.

[CRP]

Is Valkyrie jp text only ?

[EmperorIng]

Yes, it is only the straight arcade rom with Japanese.

That being said:

There's at least one multiple choice question I remember, with the old witch/wizard at the start of Elekiman's castle. The big mammoth monster I think asks you something as well (I think it's which path you want to take). Anyone remember anything else?

Anyone have an easy answer to get past the first of these? I am sure it's the same answer each time iirc.

[Sengoku Strider]

Yes, it is only the straight arcade rom with Japanese.

That being said:

There's at least one multiple choice question I remember, with the old witch/wizard at the start of Elekiman's castle. The big mammoth monster I think asks you something as well (I think it's which path you want to take). Anyone remember anything else?

Anyone have an easy answer to get past the first of these? I am sure it's the same answer each time iirc.

If you can post a screenshot I can certainly take a crack at it.

[Steven]

How does the arcade version compare to the PC Engine version? I do have the PC Engine mini and the PC Engine version is on there, and I think I have it on my SSDS3 as well, but I'm always open to giving Hamster my cash.

[velo]

Gaplus is next. Another big one. Actually gets me a little psyched about what super-obscure game is coming the week after.