It’s hard to get over that feeling of nostalgia, especially when it comes to a video game. It’s undeniably a beautiful tribute to the past, but not many young gamers will relish the chance to play the same game their parents played when they were young. Moreover, many of these parents will already have turned the page and left the past behind.
On the other hand, most people already know the power of nostalgia, remembering the times in the arcades, the hot summer days with colorful pixels and synth sounds. So, taking advantage of the fact that Stranger Things (based on the 80s) is the series of the summer, this is a good time to release another arcade collection.
It’s not the first time Capcom has launched a collection of this nature. The first volume in particular, Capcom Arcade Stadium, came out last year and there’s nothing wrong with such an ambitious collection of famous arcade games. This time it’s a very diverse bag of 32 games that focus on action and combat, from games like 1943 KAI to Street Fighter. The games run without any issues and I can easily switch between the different colored arcade boxes that also have a slot. In addition, the machine can be adjusted as desired: do I prefer to play Mega Man in an orange version and not in the original blue and with a scanline filter? No problem. I can even change the difficulty, speed and game mode. Of course, these settings vary by title, but you can almost always customize your gaming experience. Some are only available in Japanese, but that won’t be a problem for you since there are no dialogue quests here. In short, it’s an impressive collection of arcade games that will not disappoint anyone.
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However, when I think about it, this year I’ve completed games that offer interactive adventures with stunning graphics and environments, like Elden Ring and Horizon Forbidden West, and it’s making a difference. And we can’t compare oranges to apples, but things get complicated when you have to decide where to put your money. Do I want to spend hundreds of hours in a new open world game or will I just relive my childhood for a few minutes? Am I really ready to dive into another glorified emulation, or would I rather watch the games evolve? Anyone who has been blinded by the homesickness of the past knows exactly how memory and reality can differ. Movies that are fondly remembered age incredibly poorly, and once-great gadgets are now ending up straight in the trash.
These games, which were simpler and with questionable gameplay, bored me quickly. I toss a coin, get beat up and walk away. The good old days when everything was roguelike, with three lives, aren’t missed, but at the same time, that’s exactly what it is: they’re missed. Since I have infinite lives, it doesn’t matter here if I keep dying; Just insert another digital currency and move on, which is a double edged sword for me. Challenge used to be everything. So all my friends and I splurged on arcade games that were almost impossible until we got the last $5 coin out. Now, not only can I insert as many coins as I want, but I can also slow down and even use the “rewind” feature, and if I should fail, I can just restart before I lose. It’s not an obligation, but the mere fact of knowing the possibility exists takes a bit of the adrenaline.
I’m not going to review each of the 32 games, but I’ve tried them all and can say that the ones that made the best impression on me were the lesser known titles. It might have something to do with the fact that I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve played Street Fighter and Mega Man in my life and it’s always so much more fun to rediscover new beat ’em ups like Black Tiger or Magic Sword or to find and Knights of the Round Table (to name but a few from this glorious genre). LED Storm is also a welcome addition. Rarely has it felt closer to the ’80s than in a Knightrider-style arcade racer. But not everything is pink. Capcom also managed to pick up some pretty bad titles, like Block Block, a lousy copy of the great Breakout. Or a sports game that must always be present in such a collection; This time it comes in the form of Capcom Sports Club., a sad tale with football, basketball and tennis games almost impossible to play due to the catastrophically rigid controls, something that definitely has no place in sports where precision is often the Key to the game is .success.
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There is no online support, which is totally understandable given the nature of the games, although it could have added a new dimension to the games. Through the old-fashioned leaderboards, you can see how many times you’ve played a particular game, how many times you’ve beaten it, and your high score records, as well as your friends’ stats. But it has no comparative value, beating the colleague who believed in it in real life. Many of the titles also feature local multiplayer for two to four players.
There is room for plenty of entertainment in a list of 32 games. The only question is how much fun is there? Capcom Arcade 2nd Stadium does a great job of recreating the arcade feel, but it’s just that feel. You can’t go back in time and be 12 years old again. Nostalgia undoubtedly has a place in culture and we shouldn’t forget that past, but remembering it is not enough. I don’t have to play all my old favorite games to remember them because they will always be with me. However, it’s an endearing collection of games that comes in a very nice retro package.
List of titles included:
- 1943 Kai
- Lock Lock
- The King of Dragons
- Knights of the Round
- Magic Sword
- Vampire Savior: The Vampire Lord
- avenger
- Black Tiger
- Capcom Sports Club
- Chariot: Adventures Through The Sky
- Darkstalkers: The Night Warriors
- eco fighter
- Exed Exes
- Hyper Street Fighter II: The Anniversary Edition
- Last duel
- Mega Man: The Power Struggle
- Mega Man 2: The Power Fighters
- Night Warriors: Darkstalkers’ Revenge
- trifles
- Rally 2011: LED STORM
- Saturday Night Slam Masters
- Side arms: Hyper Dyne
- street fighter
- Street Fighter Alpha: Warrior’s Dreams
- Street Fighter Alpha 2
- Street Fighter Alpha 3
- Super Gem Fighter Mini Mix
- Superpuzzle Fighter II Turbo
- The Speed Rumbler
- tiger road
