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

[hamfighterx]

Totally agree, Rastan definitely qualifies as a pretty big release to me too.

Feels like a major Taito counter-offensive to the lower key Namco month. Wonder if we'll get one of Konami's big guns next week, leading into the anniversary Namco game.

[Arino]

I thought the big Namco game would be today lol so that's in two weeks?

Will definitely buy Rastan later today

[Jeneki]

Holy shit yes Rastan! Big ol KRA-KOW!

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

[BIL]

Spoiler

Figured they'd make us wait until Q1 next year ala TNZS + RI

[jehu]

There we go - missed those grand old spewing towers.

Looking forward to this one, too. I haven't played Rastan since before I had a little romance with the Rastan-like Volgarr the Viking in the beginning of the 2010s. Over a decade since then, goddam.

[Arino]

There we go - missed those grand old spewing towers.

Looking forward to this one, too. I haven't played Rastan since before I had a little romance with the Rastan-like Volgarr the Viking in the beginning of the 2010s. Over a decade since then, goddam.

That game was so fucking awesome! I liked it so much I did a perfect no death run of the game.

[Marc]

There we go - missed those grand old spewing towers.

Looking forward to this one, too. I haven't played Rastan since before I had a little romance with the Rastan-like Volgarr the Viking in the beginning of the 2010s. Over a decade since then, goddam.

Always meant to go back to that, great game.

[Jeneki]

Yeah Volgarr was great. Quite a bit to learn, with 3 different endings and alternate stages depending how you play it.

[Sumez]

What? Rastan wasn't on ACA already? I'm shocked.

[Jeneki]

Perhaps thinking of Rygar instead of Rastan?

[BIL]

At this point I was resigned to them somehow doing Rastan 2 first.

Oof, I guess R2 is greenlit. But then that also means Warrior Blade! Every cloud, etc etc. ;3

Granted, my cloud budget is already feelin' it with JJ Squawkers very likely locked away behind Dragon Unit.

[Sumez]

Perhaps thinking of Rygar instead of Rastan?

I knew Rygar was there. Rastan is just such an ubiquitous game, ported a hundred times before, I felt like it would have been a part of the first dump of the most obvious Taito titles

[BIL]

Hamster pricktease hand strong

[Arino]

Honestly I also thought Rastan had already been there on ACA

[jehu]

This is some Berenstain Bears type shit.

Hamster's new business model past 10 years is gonna occasionally integrate pulling an old title from the store, gaslighting everyone into thinking it never was, and then reselling it to the gaijin idiots again.

oh no hamburger-san, you must be thinking of rygar, yes that's rygar not rastan - one of our earlier ones, 2015, what a different era that was! it's true! easy mistake, ha ha! what one can forget in 10 years! remarkable really! ha ha! easy mistake!

[BIL]

A killing to be made in the casual quarter, with Rygar commanding TOP 3 POSITION on Burgerland side!

"No way Tojo, I know my Rygar!"
"O reary?" 3:
"Yeah he's this buff dude, you know, jumps and hits lizardmen and shit"
"Actuary that Rastan" 3:
"No, Rastan's the guy in the red briefs and cowboy boots!"
"Buriefu?!" >83
"Yeah, Rygar's the red halter top and tights guy!"
"This aru sounding kind of gay burger-san" >w>
"Wha - no, I'm just sayin-"
"Perhaps you more CHO ANIKI type guy! ;3 ;3 ;3"
"Fuck never mind. Don't tell my wife you pricktease fuck. You got Mat Mania?"

[velo]

Thanks...well I'm glad I didn't buy that!

In general, I wish people were more clear when talking about Switch-only games here; not everyone owns a Switch.

It's easy to forget what's exclusive... not many things are anymore. The Namco NES collection storefront info doesn't make it glaringly clear that it's not the arcade versions, so I can understand some buyers being disappointed. They're worth it for the exclusives and demakes nevertheless.

Honestly I also thought Rastan had already been there on ACA

I've tried to buy it before, and was very confused when it didn't pop up in the search...

[Skyknight]

So now we know BIL's score for Rastan 1 is four Toll Hammers...

I never did understand why Hamster would have prioritized Cadash over Rastan one or two years ago, though. The latter certainly struck me as the foundation of the former.

[hamfighterx]

Yeah Volgarr was great. Quite a bit to learn, with 3 different endings and alternate stages depending how you play it.

Volgarr kicks ass. I live near the guys who made that, and I think I played Kirby's Air Ride with one of them at a friend's place back in like 2006 (the friend demolished everyone because he worked as a tester for Nintendo on that game lol). The two guys who formed Crazy Viking Studios were also key members of the team who did the 3DS Shinobi reboot (also great), and learning that connection makes things make so much sense.

And yeah, like others, I had to do a double take to think "wait a minute, was Rastan already on Arcade Archives?"

I'm gonna have a brutal festival this weekend with Rastan, Cadash, Rygar, Astyanax... And now I'm probably gonna have to throw Volgarr into the mix!

[Sima Tuna]

Volgarr is the real Rastan 2.

[BIL]

I'm gonna have a brutal festival this weekend with Rastan, Cadash, Rygar, Astyanax...

When you line 'em up like that I think I have a barbarian fetish I've got 1LCs in the latter three, albeit as Ninja in Cadash (Fighter has it rough in that game - it's because he wouldn't take off his shirt!). Will have to quit faffing about and get back to it with Rastan.

(I'm sorry Mr. Gandalf, the Cheese Shoppe is next door) (Ah yes, quite right!)

^ Fighter sleeping off too much MEDICINAL HERB while Wizard and Priest hunt down snacks

Having barely ever played this before (but of course having seen and heard lots), the momentum element on running was pleasantly surprising. Not my cup of tea, usually - but it's very binary-feeling, a snap to gauge when making runups over obstacles. The treacherous footing is definitely the main threat; as long as you can figure out how to get Ahnuld steaming forward, and your zoning is good, anything you land in range of is toast. It's a good balance for the savage lander aesthetic; all the brawn in the world won't help, if you get a mansized rock spear up yer arse! Love how brutally powerful the weapons feel; most things die in one shot, and if they don't, they'll wish they had. Credit-fed up to Round 5 before calling it a night for now, all very sensible.

[SavagePencil]

Rastan is a harsh mistress and the RNG makes it even harsher. The Master System version is always a pleasure, but pales in terms of graphical audacity.

[Skyknight]

I've got 1LCs in the latter three, albeit as Ninja in Cadash

Wanted: How characters not the Priest were supposed to deal with the st.5 roper-occupied stepping stones late in there.

[BIL]

I've got 1LCs in the latter three, albeit as Ninja in Cadash

Wanted: How characters not the Priest were supposed to deal with the st.5 roper-occupied stepping stones late in there.

I've seen some absolutely mad Mage strats for there, and elsewhere. As for Ninja, Damage Boost-ryuu is all I know. Guessing Fighter's similar, he and Ninja having better durability, but OFC limited magicks. Vanguard's probably the guy to ask on Cadash.

The balance kinda goes off the rails near the end; I guess since the player will have quite the Bump Budget, by then. I never figured out a safe way through the swinging mace traps a bit before that, but you can just barrel through 'em and be fine.

[Arino]

This is some Berenstain Bears type shit.

Hamster's new business model past 10 years is gonna occasionally integrate pulling an old title from the store, gaslighting everyone into thinking it never was, and then reselling it to the gaijin idiots again.

oh no hamburger-san, you must be thinking of rygar, yes that's rygar not rastan - one of our earlier ones, 2015, what a different era that was! it's true! easy mistake, ha ha! what one can forget in 10 years! remarkable really! ha ha! easy mistake!

LOL

[cfx]

Thanks...well I'm glad I didn't buy that!

In general, I wish people were more clear when talking about Switch-only games here; not everyone owns a Switch.

It's easy to forget what's exclusive... not many things are anymore. The Namco NES collection storefront info doesn't make it glaringly clear that it's not the arcade versions, so I can understand some buyers being disappointed. They're worth it for the exclusives and demakes nevertheless.

I never owned a NES or Famicom, so I really have little idea of everything released on it. I think it's perfectly reasonable to assume a game with the word arcade in its title would be the actual arcade versions of games.

[BrianC]

Thanks...well I'm glad I didn't buy that!

In general, I wish people were more clear when talking about Switch-only games here; not everyone owns a Switch.

It's easy to forget what's exclusive... not many things are anymore. The Namco NES collection storefront info doesn't make it glaringly clear that it's not the arcade versions, so I can understand some buyers being disappointed. They're worth it for the exclusives and demakes nevertheless.

I never owned a NES or Famicom, so I really have little idea of everything released on it. I think it's perfectly reasonable to assume a game with the word arcade in its title would be the actual arcade versions of games.

"Namco Museum Archives", the collections with the NES games, don't have "Arcade" in the title. The JP version on Switch is Namcot Collection, Namcot was Namco's home division. The Namco Museum Arcade PAC that was mentioned in an earlier post, is a Switch exclusive with the Switch Namco Musuem (all arcade games) and Pac-Man Championship Edition 2 Plus (not an arcade game).

[Marc]

Weirdly, despite always having had fond memories of the Speccy and C64 versions; and enjoying the odd credit or two I’ve played over the years, after actually sitting down with it properly, I’m not 100% sold on Rastan. It’s the lack of any sort of collisions whatsoever – it feels very Euro in that regard, actually reminds me a lot of Turrican in that respect. I get that with a heavier than usual emphasis on platforming, knockbacks would probably have made it frustrating as hell, but currently it just feels….. off to me.

[MJR]

Rastan is wonky and definitely feels cheap at times. But the arcade version is immensely more playable than C64 version, where they managed to make the first rope section almost completely impossible to beat.

I don't know why I love Rastan so much.

[Lord British]

Rastan is wonky and definitely feels cheap at times. But the arcade version is immensely more playable than C64 version, where they managed to make the first rope section almost completely impossible to beat.

I don't know why I love Rastan so much.

Yeah there's no collision detection it seems.

I have a strong nostalgic connection with it. I first played it at a campground and then later at a beach. Maybe being on vacation both times made the experience more memorable i dunno. I remember thinking how cool getting the flaming sword was. My family couldn't afford to go Disneyworld, but I got to stay in hotels a couple times a year, and the excitement I had was always what the arcade games there might be.