Capcom Arcade stadium analysis. Welcome to the past

If you were born in the 70s or 80s of the last century or if you are a fan of retro video games, you are in luck. Capcom, from the hand of Koch Media invite you to travel back in time and enjoy some of the games that marked an era with Capcom Arcade Stadium. Today in the Xbox zone, we invite you to accompany us in the past without using Delorean.

A journey into nostalgia

Normally we bring you the analysis of a game or a set of games. In this case, we’re not just talking about a set of games, we’re talking about an entire experience.. Capcom it does not content itself with bringing us a compilation of classic games, but rather wants to take us back to the last century and transmit to us the sensations of accessing arcades or arcades which have practically disappeared today.

And it is that for many of the more veteran players, these games are part of a common life experience. Even, for some of you, a certain game in this huge collection may even bring back memories of a certain place where said arcade was located and some experience from your childhood or teenage years. This is something that is reinforced with the frames of the games in the form of arcade furniture, which we will cover later. Even the detail of how to introduce a coin to get credit / play and start playing. Everything is designed to take us to this golden age and make us enjoy it today.

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Three pieces of history

In this compilation we can find some of the classics of the brand throughout its history. They can be classified into:

• Dawn of the Arcade (1984 to 1988): Vulgus, Pirate Ship Higemaru, 1942, Commando, Section Z, Tatakai no Banka, Legendary Wings, Bionic Commando, Forgotten Worlds y Ghouls’ n Ghosts.
• The arcade revolution (1989 to 1992): Strider, Dynasty Wars, Final Fight, 1941: Counter Attack, Senjo no Okami II, Mega Twins, Carrier Air Wing, Street Fighter II: The World Warrior, Captain Commando y Varth: Operation Thunderstorm.
• The evolution of the arcade (1992 to 2001): Warriors of Fate, Street Fighter II ‘: Hyper Fighting, Super Street Fighter II Turbo, Powered Gear: Strategic Variant Armor Equipment, Cyberbots: Fullmetal Madness, 19XX: The War Against Destiny, Battle Circuit, Giga Wing, 1944: The Loop Master Yes Progéer.

These packs can be purchased with the base game, buy individual packs and even buy individual games (how are 1943 Yes Ghost goblins). A good idea if some times do not arouse a particular interest in us. In addition, we have other types of payment supplements, such as invulnerability or special frames for some games such as Street Fighter II O Ghouls and ghosts, which will delight the most nostalgic.

As we can see, all kinds of arcade are present: combat (1 against 1 and beat’em up), platforms, shooters. We have a wide variety of classics, although we have mostly shooters and fights.

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Capcom compilations and their forgotten ones

Capcom If there’s anything she’s famous for lately, it’s her game builds. On Xbox 360, we had the Capcom Arcade Cabinet. A few months ago an exclusive beat’em up compilation was released: Capcom Beat’em up Bundle. We’ve even remastered editions of some of his classics: Double impact final fight.

The nostalgic tone of the arcade lounge, along with the multiple settings and front-to-back filters, are what gives Capcom Arcade Stadium its differentiation with the rest.

We can blame him why some games are repeated in all compilations and even have individual editions, like the mythical Final fight. And then there is the other extreme, the meeting some absent already typical. Some of the two most requested by fans are Alien vs. predator, Cadillac and dinosaurs O The punisher. Why are some games never included in this type of compilation? The answer is simple, licenses. For example in Alien vs. predator the license is Fox Yes Capcom you can’t change it as you like. In the case of Cadillac and dinosaurs the question is all the more complex since the game is taken from a comic book, and in fact it has been many years since Capcom lost the license. This license is now lost in an ocean of bureaucracy. The punisher belonged to wonder, now within the group Disney, they therefore have their license, the price of which will have skyrocketed.

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Anyway, Capcom has confirmed that more games will be released in the future. We aspire to recover the aforementioned absentees or others such as King of Dragons, Knights of the Round, Darkstalkers

and other mythical recreational activities.

The challenges: the online component of the Capcom arcade stadium

One of the big bets of this game is to provide us with challenges that will test our skill and mastery of the games. In different games we can find random events in different games called “challenges”. These can be of three types: punctuated, time trial and special. In the first two, we set minimum times or score that we need to achieve as we overcome the match. This This will allow us to measure ourselves against other players from the rest of the planet and see how qualified we are to enter a ranking.

The special challenge will test us even more. And here the challenge gets complicated with things like a reverse screen, single life, and other tough challenges ahead of us to demonstrate our mastery of the game.

Challenges are a very interesting option and this brings a certain multiplayer aspect to the game, which unfortunately is missing. Yes, that’s right, we all miss being able to play a match in one of the street fighter with a friend from another part of the country or outside, or cleaning the streets of Metro City at Final fight with our family member. But to be realistic, including multiplayer servers in at least half of them, would mean a huge server expenditure on the part of Capcom.

A multitude of graphic options

Without a doubt, the the emulation of these games is perfect, to the point that the problems present in the games have been maintained. Slowdowns due to excessive screen elements, imprecise controls and the like, have not been touched to keep the essence of the original.

The most notable graphic point is the possibility of using up to nine different types of filters. Guarded pixels, different smoothing, filters that emulate the cathode ray tube of arcade machines … a huge deck of possibilities to enjoy the games as you wish. Added to this is the possibility of incorporating different types of camera like maintaining the original ratio, 4: 3, full screen … and even a view as if we were in front of an arcade machine

. By combining this with the aforementioned filters, we can emulate the games some of us have played in arcades. A real wonder which, although impractical, is a nod to the nostalgia that will appeal to many.

The frames that come to choose so as not to leave the remaining screen in black, are also conspicuous and we have the option to customize them and expand them even more, if we get the DLC in the store. The logo of Capcom or game are some of those that we can choose by default, being able to acquire images from each game.

The main negative point of this aspect is the modification of certain graphic elements compared to the original without knowing very well why. The most striking that we have discovered is the one at the foot of the Honda special at Street Fighter II. It was devastated in its left half by the disappearance in the background mural of the flag that was a symbol of Japanese expansionism during World War II.

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Capcom Arcade Stadium conclusions

This game, which was analyzed using code provided by Koch Media, is a real treat. We cannot fail to recommend to anyone who enjoyed some of these almost relics at a vital time, that you get this great compilation of games.

The multitude of graphic filters, the possibility of moving forward and backward, the attractive graphic environment in which it is located… these are small details that make this game more than just a compilation. Although ordered we would like some extras like sketches or even a documentary, we have to admit that we have a quality product with a nostalgic touch, making it a must-have for collectors.

In addition, being able to acquire the game “in parts” makes it a little more affordable for all budgets. If you are nostalgic or simply fond of the history of the video game world, we can not fail to recommend the acquisition of this title.