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Capcom Arcade 2nd Stadium Launches In July

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Put Your Arcade Skills to the Test When Capcom Arcade 2nd Stadium Launches This July

Get ready to relive some of your favourite arcade memories when Capcom Arcade 2nd Stadium – chock-full with 32 classic Capcom games – releases worldwide on July 22, 2022 on Nintendo Switch™, PlayStation®4, Xbox One and Steam. Retro fans and arcade novices alike can experience (or re-experience!) arcade mainstays like STREET FIGHTER, SATURDAY NIGHT SLAM MASTERS, BLACK TIGER, MEGAMAN 2 – THE POWER FIGHTERS -, A.K.A. MAGIC SWORD and more. Friends and family can even get in on the action with local multiplayer available across a number of titles.

Similar to the original Capcom Arcade Stadium released last year, players can expect an abundance of customization and gameplay options in Capcom Arcade 2nd Stadium, including:

  • Online leaderboards: Climb the ladder and see how you stack up against other players.
  • Display settings: A variety of display settings (Normal, Arcade, Full Screen), screen filters, arcade cabinet designs and frames to personalize every gaming experience and maximize the feeling of playing at your own home arcade.
  • Gameplay options: Including adjustable Game Speed (from “Very Slow” to “Very Fast”) and Difficulty Level to increase accessibility – or to give yourself an added challenge.
  • Rewind: This Rewind feature is available across all Capcom Arcade 2nd Stadium games and allows players to jump back 10 seconds in time to save themselves (or a friend) from any unforeseen dangers. Whether you’re struggling to defeat a boss or want to practice a tricky segment of a game, the Rewind feature unlocks a whole new dimension of gameplay.
  • Invincibility mode: Play all the titles in the collection in an invincible state, available as free DLC!

All players start out with SONSON, the 2D side-scrolling platformer first released in 1984, for free. Players who pre-order or purchase Capcom Arcade 2nd Stadium before August 5, 2022 will receive the “Display Frames Set 1,” which gives players access to 32 title-specific display frames that open new customization options for their digital arcade cabinets. Additionally, players who pre-order or purchase Capcom Fighting Collection™ before September 30, 2022 will receive Three Wonders, which packs three arcade games into one, as a bonus game for Capcom Arcade 2nd Stadium.

With Capcom Arcade 2nd Stadium, players have the freedom to build up their own personalized collections by purchasing individual titles. For maximum nostalgia, players can choose to purchase the “Capcom Arcade 2nd Stadium Bundle 1” for access to all 32 titles.

Original Capcom Arcade Stadium players also receive bonus content in Capcom Arcade 2nd Stadium, including:

  • Capcom Arcade Stadium Music & Lights: Players who have save data from Capcom Arcade Stadium receive access to this new feature that allows you to change the colours and music for the menu screens.
  • Instruction Card Backgrounds: Anyone who purchased at least one title from Capcom Arcade Stadium will be able to set instructions and key art from  past titles as their background for the game.

Lastly, to celebrate Capcom’s 39th anniversary and the first year since the release of Capcom Arcade Stadium, we are making Street Fighter II – The World Warrior – available to download for free in Capcom Arcade Stadium through July 21, 2022.

The full game list for Capcom Arcade 2nd Stadium is below. Prepare yourself…it’s a long one!

  • 1943 Kai – Midway Kaisen –
  • A.K.A. BLOCK BLOCK
  • A.K.A. KNIGHTS OF THE ROUND
  • A.K.A. MAGIC SWORD
  • A.K.A. THE KING OF DRAGONS
  • A.K.A. VAMPIRE SAVIOR – The Lord Of Vampire –
  • BLACK TIGER
  • Capcom Sports Club
  • DARKSTALKERS – The Night Warriors –
  • ECO FIGHTERS
  • Gan Sumoku
  • Hissatsu Buraiken
  • HYPER DYNE SIDE ARMS
  • HYPER STREET FIGHTER II – The Anniversary Edition –
  • LAST DUEL
  • MEGAMAN 2 – THE POWER FIGHTERS –
  • MEGAMAN – THE POWER BATTLE –
  • NIGHT WARRIORS – Darkstalkers’ Revenge –
  • Pnickies
  • Rally 2011 LED STORM
  • SATURDAY NIGHT SLAM MASTERS
  • SAVAGE BEES
  • SONSON
  • STREET FIGHTER
  • STREET FIGHTER ALPHA 2
  • STREET FIGHTER ALPHA 3
  • Street Fighter Alpha – Warriors’ Dreams –
  • SUPER GEM FIGHTER – MINI MIX –
  • SUPER PUZZLE FIGHTER II TURBO
  • The Speed Rumbler
  • THREE WONDERS
  • Tiger Road

NOTE: Press Release & Images supplied by Capcom Europe



Review: Remote Life

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The first horizontal (or side scrolling for the retro crowd) shoot’em up that took the world by storm was Irem’s R-Type. There was also Konami’s Salamander (aka: Life Force) too, followed by the Thunder Force series on the Sega Mega Drive / Genesis. These titles have become iconic in the shmup genre, so it is our privilege to announce that there is a new contender to be added to this illustrious list, Remote Life.

Just looking at the screenshots we have in this review, you’ll agree that Remote Life looks darn amazing. Coupled with the gorgeous visuals is a great soundtrack and sound effects, but most importantly, the action is top notch! With a myriad of weapons to pick up and cycle through, your ship can arm itself to the teeth to take care of enemies (and other obstructions) standing in your way. The game mechanic and control system is intuitive with modern controllers (moving, shooting, cycling weapons etc), making Remote Life an absolute blast (pun fully intended!) and fun shmup to play on your given system.

To think that this fabulous shooter was created by a single developer (Next Game Level), totally boggles the mind. It has a AAA look and feel, without the price, which is a massive win for us gamers. The inspiration of Remote Life may be old schools shoot’em ups, but it stands on its own, with its own unique shooter features.

Remote Life successfully merges the classic shoot’em up formula with its own new and unique improvements to differentiate itself from the crowd. One very cool feature is the 360 degree shooting, which is unusual for this genre, expanding the combat mechanic, while the presence of support machines such as allied automatic turrets or temporary drones, and even usable vehicles that drastically change how combat plays out, are welcome additions that modernise the shooter gameplay. The variety is another positive, with differing types of enemies – with new ones revealed in each level, and many unique and visually amazing mid and end-level bosses – each with their own attack patterns to keep you on your toes.

As mentioned, the weaponry is varied with new weapons introduced at each level, each requiring the player to pick up them up. The twist in the weaponry is the limited ammo, so you will have to be wise in what weapon to use on any given level. There are 16 missions which are quite varied, with some feeling more “open world” than others, so there is a ton of content to test your shoot’em up mettle!

If you have any interest in shooters/shoot’em ups, then we can’t recommend Remote Life enough – it is a visual, aural, brutal and fun extravaganza! This is one of the best shmups we have played in a long long while!

Details:

  • Game: Remote Life
  • Developer: Next Game Level
  • Publisher: Ratalaika Games
  • Release Date: May 27, 2022
  • Platform(s): PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S & Nintendo Switch
  • Price: $18.99 / €17.99 / £14.99



Disclaimer: The Xbox Series X|S review code for Remote Life was provided by PR Hound.

Galacticon – Nintendo Switch Review

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Galacticon is exactly the type of game our Nintendo Switch has been screaming out for! There is something familiar and comforting about Galacticon, its look, feel and sounds hark back to our arcade days from the 80s.

Upon starting Galacticon, you are reminded that it is inspired by a couple of iconic Williams titles, Defender and Joust – not a bad way to start. Where you constantly scroll at breakneck speeds in Defender while attacking enemies and rescuing some poor souls, Galacticon implements this mechanic in mostly a single screen, making the game a tad easier to play. We aren’t saying Galacticon isn’t challenging, far from it – but at least you don’t contend with the constant sideways scrolling and getting hit by an enemy that you can’t see.

The graphics, sound, control and gameplay could’ve easily been ripped out from the early 80’s arcades, they are that cool and add to the overall experience of this title. Did we mention how amazing the raster scanline patterns look? Your eyes will love you for it. This game oozes nostalgia for those with an 8-bit retro heart, but modern players aren’t left out in the cold, as they too get a romping great game that is fun to play and looks and sounds darn awesome.

The mix of blast and rescue (with a sprinkle of puzzle) gameplay action is a welcome distraction for our Switch. Galacticon will have you flying back to it over and over, either to beat your previous score or get yourself onto the world high score table, this is one fun way to spend quality time on your Nintendo Switch! Highly recommended!

Release Date: May 22, 2022 (Nintendo Switch & Steam)
Developer: Radin Games
Publisher: Flynn’s Arcade / Pikii
Price: €4.99/$4.99/£4.99 (20% off in the first week of release)



FIFA Football Stays the Same

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By: D.C. Cutler, U.S.A.

Some video game franchises are so iconic, like the changing seasons, there will always be a new one. FIFA Soccer, or FIFA Football, depending on what country you’re in, is one of those franchises; but lately it feels like the popular game has become complacent and somewhat stale.

EA Sport’s FIFA Soccer 2006 is one of my favorite sports games. When it was released almost two decades ago; I couldn’t wait to get out of class and play a match, before I would work on my homework. On the weekends, I would play FIFA so much that I would lose track of time and realize it was suddenly Sunday. I found it difficult to put down my controller and turn off the addictive game.

The glorious EA Sports FIFA 2006!

FIFA 2006 doesn’t seem that much different than FIFA ’22. There haven’t been many radical changes to the franchise in years. Perhaps that’s why FIFA is the bestselling sports franchise, generating more than $20 billion in sales over the last twenty years. FIFA is such a popular game because gamers who love the franchise don’t particularly like big changes to the familiar gameplay and graphics. In all fairness, EA Sports’ Madden hasn’t changed that much in the last decade either.

The last EA Sports FIFA will be the ’23 edition

I like watching the PS4 Tournament Open Series. I get more enjoyment watching FIFA tournaments online than I do other EA Sports games on the market. Madden tournaments are fun to watch on television, but they’re on all the time. FIFA tournaments are less frequent, which makes them more entertaining and pleasurable when I happen to find one.

FIFA ’28 (or EA FC by then) will likely look a lot like FIFA ’22. The sports franchise is a gaming institution that’ll still be going strong decades from now. The players will change, but the game modes and graphics will not change dramatically.

It was recently announced that FIFA and EA Sports will end their successful partnership. The game will not change because of the breakup, most of the world’s popular clubs and players will still be playable because of separate licensing deals.

image source: clutchpoints



Get Hyped For PAX East 2022!

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Alanah Pearce to Deliver PAX East 2022 Storytime Keynote; Full Exhibitor List, Schedule Revealed
Fully Vaxxed, Masked Game Industry Reunion Kicks Off April 21, 2022

PAX East 2022 welcomes renowned video game writer, producer, content creator, voice actor, and charity streamer Alanah Pearce, who will give the Storytime keynote address as the East Coast’s most attended gaming event. Hundreds of publishers, developers, and other exhibitors will come together Thursday, April 21 through Sunday, April 24, 2022 at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center for the first time in two years.

Proof of COVID-19 vaccination is required of all attendees, exhibitors, staff, and guests at PAX East 2022, and face coverings are mandated at all times. Additional health and safety information is available on the official website.

PAX East guest-of-honour Alanah Pearce has informed and entertained millions across international radio, internet, and television, plus games like Gears 5 and Cyberpunk 2077. Her industry knowledge has elevated IGN and Rooster Teeth while drawing huge audiences to YouTube and Twitch as Charalanahzard. A champion of accessibility, equality, and diversity in games, Pearce created the Video Game Accessibility Awards in 2020 and joined a AAA studio as a video game writer that same year. She will welcome gamers home to PAX East with the Storytime keynote address from the Main Theatre (and streamed live on Twitch) on Thursday, April 21 at 10:30 AM Eastern.



Following the keynote, explore a massive show floor replete with hundreds of beloved developers, AAA and indie publishers, and hands-on demos of hotly anticipated titles. See the latest from 505 Games, renowned publisher of Death Stranding, Control, Ghostrunner, and the Eiyuden Chronicle series. Experience new announcements or first-ever playable debuts for games like Devolver Digital’s Trek to Yomi and Demon Throttle, Swordship from Thunderful Games, Cuisineer from BattleBrew Productions, The Last Worker from Wired Productions, WrestleQuest from Skybound Games, RAWMEN from tinyBuild, and many, many more.

These partners join a staggering lineup of new and previously announced, like Gearbox Software, Larian Studios, Focus Home Interactive, Koch Media, XSEED, Intel, AMD, Apogee Entertainment, Ysbryd Games, Humble Games, and so many more. See Games Done Quick break records in-person, watch esports’ youngest and brightest play Valorant for $7,500 in collegiate scholarships, witness popular content creators throw down in Fall Guys, and catch all-star panels with industry personalities like WWE Superstar Xavier Woods AKA Austin Creed and Jirard “The Completionist” Khalil. The full exhibitor list and event schedule for PAX East 2022 are available now.

Follow the action straight to the Main Stage, where 1047 Games and PAX Arena are proud to present the $10k Almost Pro Splitgate Open. Watch some of the world’s best compete in the free-to-play, fast-paced arena shooter with player-controlled portals and multi-dimensional combat. Host Alex Corea and casters SUP3RSON1k, RomeDMV, CoachBitey, and aEvilCat will call the matches throughout the weekend, culminating in a Sunday Grand Final that fans eager to hear what’s next for Splitgate won’t want to miss.

“Even in the darkest times of the last few years, we found each other in Discord, and bonded in rounds of Splitgate or on simulated tabletops,” said Jerry Holkins, co-founder of Penny Arcade and PAX. “But PAX East has returned, just as was foretold.  To our friends, new and old: Welcome home.”

Saturday badges for PAX East 2022 are nearly sold out. Four-day badges are now on sale for $235, while individual Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday badges go for $62 each. For travel info, event schedules, FAQs, and more, check out the PAX East website, and follow PAX on Twitter, Facebook, Twitch, YouTube, and Instagram.

image source: PAX

Press Release supplied by ReedPop



Taito Milestones – Nintendo Switch Review

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ININ Games has been quite prolific of late in teaming up with iconic arcade brand, TAITO – they keep giving us a jolt of nostalgia with their TAITO classics remastered for a new generation of systems (and gamers) to enjoy. Taito Milestones is the latest output of this collaboration, bringing a compilation of 80s classic Taito arcade games to the masses.

This special retro compilation may not be for everyone, but for those gamers of a certain age that played these arcade games ‘back in the day’, these games represent a new way of playing them on their contemporary consoles. Let’s get straight to the point, this Taito Milestones compilation is for those that seek a hit nostalgia, which is always welcome. For those that have no nostalgic pull to any of the games in Milestones, don’t be fooled by the simple graphics, as these games were designed to pull the player in and extract as many coins from their pockets.

There are 10 classic Taito arcade games which you may have heard of or even better, played them in the 80s! For western gamers, there may be a few titles that you may have not gotten to play as they were either exclusive to Japan or not widely available to play in arcade centres. There are the obvious classic titles like Elevator Action, Qix, Alpine Ski and The Ninja Warriors. That doesn’t mean that the other six titles are unheard of or not playable, they were just lesser known by western audiences back in the 1980s. We love platform and shooter/shoot’em up games, so Space Seeker, The FairyLand Story and Halley’s Comet are welcome additions – we have to say, we loved Halley’s Comet as it is a super fast paced vertical shmup with great enemies and power-ups. The emulation for all ten titles is absolutely spot on, so there is nothing to be concerned about on that front – just play and enjoy!

If you are a retro fan and don’t already own some of these games on the Switch, and want to dive into a nostalgic gaming experience by playing ten classic Taito arcade games, then Taito Milestones is for you. There is definitely something in this collection for every retro gamer. Is it worth the A$58 (digital) – only if you don’t already have some of these.

The physical edition (starting at €39.99/A$58.00) and the digital download version of TAITO MILESTONES for Nintendo Switch launches on April 15th, 2022.

QIX (1981)

Space Seeker (1981)

Alpine Ski (1982)

Front Line (1982)

Wild Western (1982)

Chack’n Pop (1983)

Elevator Action (1983)

The FairyLand Story (1985)

Halley’s Comet (1986)

The Ninja Warriors (1987)
image source: ININ Games



Disclaimer: The Nintendo Switch review code for Taito Milestones was provided by PR Hound.

Slipstream: Retro Arcade Racer Review – Nintendo Switch

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With the Australian F1 GP being on this weekend, we’ve been playing Slipstream non-stop on our Switch for this last week, and we must say, this is the closest we’ll get to a modern OutRun, especially OutRun 2006/Coast 2 Coast (with a mix of F-Zero & Sonic The Hedgehog), with amazing drifting, slipstreaming and speed mechanics, complimented with a cool time rewind feature and a thumping synth pop soundtrack.

Slipstream has been a labour of love for Brazilian solo developer, Sandro Luiz de Paula (ansdor) since 2015. The love and attention to detail really stands out. Sandro’s Slipstream has pulled us right into one of our favourite arcade racer periods of the 80s and early 90s with gorgeous 2D sprite scaling and colourful pixel art graphics. This all amounts to an authentic retro experience on modern consoles with smooth and constant 60fps gameplay.

The entire package of Slipstream, from its graphics (with Pixelated, CRT and NTSC filters), speed and racing mechanics, awesome soundtracks to its six game modes, all combine to draw you into racing across a variety of twenty exotic locations from all around the world, including cities, deserts, forests, mountains and beaches. With a plethora of other retro inspired racers out there, Slipstream stands out with its speed, drifting, rewinding and slipstreaming mechanics, which add depth to the driving gameplay, resulting in a strategic, challenging and fun experience – what more could you ask for?! Oh yeah, it gets better, grab a few friends or family members and have yourself a local 4-player split-screen race.

The six game modes add longevity and variety for solo players, with different challenges. If you are time poor and need a quick fix of racing, then the single race or time trial modes are for you. If you have a bit more time on your hands, then the other modes (Grand Tour – just like in OutRun, Cannonball, Grand Prix and Battle Royale) provide ample challenges to test your racing skills. There are also some secrets to discover, which we won’t spoil for you here. Just like the arcade racers from yesteryear, Slipstream’s difficulty is dialled up, but luckily you don’t have to pump coins to continue enjoying the racing!

For under US$10/A$15, you get bang for your buck here, with an abundance of modes and amazing content. This all amounts to transporting gamers back three or so decades, when racing games were pure fun. The nostalgia that Slipstream induces is strong, so if you ever played and enjoyed racing games in the 80s and early 90s, then we highly recommend you add Slipstream to your games library!



Disclaimer: Nintendo Switch review code for Slipstream was provided by BlitWorks.

No Excellent Planet of the Apes Video Game

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By: D.C. Cutler, U.S.A.

The “Planet of the Apes” films are up there with my absolute favourite movie franchise. The Matt Reeves films are masterpieces. Reeves has this little movie out in theatres called “The Batman.” You may have heard of it.

The first “Planet of the Apes” film, released in 1968, starring Charlton Heston, is easily one of the top five, greatest science fiction films ever made. The movies makeup, created by the legendary artist John Chambers, is still revolutionary. And the 1968 film has one of the greatest endings in film history. The final shot and line by Heston is still chilling.

image source: Steam

When it comes to video games, unlike the exceptional films, there is only one moderately entertaining “Planet of the Apes” game, and it’s The Imaginati Studios’ “Planet of the Apes: Last Frontier.” Released on Playstation 4 in 2017, “Last Frontier” had amazing graphics and single and multiplayer interactive action. The game was released quietly and disappeared with little fanfare. “Planet of the Apes,” the 2001 action-adventure video game, was the first game in the franchise. It was released as a tie-in to the 2001 film, directed by Tim Burton. The game was as mediocre as the over produced film.

It feels like the “Planet of the Apes” property is being underused now. It’s a large world for games, television shows, and films. Disney now owns the successful franchise, and Disney has so much on their plate now with Star Wars and Marvel. However, they’re big enough to focus on a “Planet of the Apes” project and balance all the other entertainment plates they have spinning; and I left out Pixar.

I have a pitch for a “Planet of the Apes” film: It takes place shortly after the event of “War of the Planet of the Apes.” After a large aerial dogfight in the Pacific Ocean, a veteran APE soldier is stranded on a remote island atoll. He soon discovers a MAN, a crusty fighter pilot who has crashed his plane. Not communicating verbally, the two enemies initially provoke each other and refuse to cooperate. But when they begin to face famine, dehydration, and exhaustion, they are forced to put aside their differences and depend on one another for survival.

I want another “Planet of the Apes” film. And hopefully it can produce a great video game. The world created by author Pierre Boulle is a fascinating, rich one.



Indiana Jones: The Pinball Adventure – Review

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Zen Studios teased us late last year with their Indiana Jones: The Pinball Adventure game for their Pinball FX3 platform and we have been eagerly awaiting the release ever since!

Well, the day has come where we can now play the famous and popular 1993 Williams Indy pinball title right on our Nintendo Switch and Xbox Series S! We loved playing the Mark Ritchie designed IJ:TPA pinball machine back in the day at our local arcade centre, with many many coins being pumped into it – it was very addictive. Luckily for us, this version doesn’t require coins to play it, but you will need Pinball FX3 (which is free!).

The Indy trailer that Zen Studios teased us with late last year!

source: Zen Studios

Indiana Jones: The Pinball Adventure is the 100th table to Pinball FX3 and the first Williams recreation to Pinball FX and the newest classic to Williams Pinball mobile too. Zen Studios have recreated many other popular Williams titles, and we are here to tell you that this latest one is just as awesome, fun, addictive and faithful to the classic pinball machine.

The real pinball machine that this game is based on was released in 1993 as part of Williams/Midway’s “SuperPin” line of widebody games. It was also the very first pinball machine to use Williams’ DCS sound system (Digital Compression System). The Indy machine has a plethora of playfield features to keep you flipping, like pop bumpers, slingshots, active pinballs, standup targets, kick-out holes, ramps, 3-bank drop targets, captive ball and three video modes. The cooler features and toys are the player-controlled tilting upper playfield and the rotating idol head which releases the balls into play. Of course no pinball machine game is complete without multiballs! This one has plenty, with a 3-ball regular multiball, a quick 2-ball multiball, a “Well of Souls” 6-ball multiball and an “Eternal Life” wizard mode (6-ball).

Nothing beats playing Indiana Jones on our PinSwitch cabinet!

All of this grabs and immerses the player in Indy’s adventures and gets the heart racing. As soon as we started playing the game on our Switch, our heart was racing and we couldn’t wipe off the smile from our face – it was that awesome!

As far as getting the physics right, this is as close as you’ll get to playing the real pinball machine in the digital world. Zen has painstakingly and lovingly put together a brilliant recreation, remaining faithful to a timeless classic Williams pin. But that is not all, Zen have also injected a new way to play the machine with extra 3D effects in the ‘Enhanced’ version that includes side wall art, ball trailer effects, particle effects and a whip-wielding Indiana Jones. Playing this title was non-stop fun, from playing it on our 55″ TV, in handheld mode to playing it on our custom PinSwitch cabinet – it’s a whole lotta flippin action!

There’s a lot to live up to when a huge franchise is taken on, and we can confidently say, the Holy Grail of Pinball finally arrives in a first digital recreation. If you are into pinball games, then this is a must have!

Title: Indiana Jones: The Pinball Adventure (Pinball FX3)
Available: March 10, 2022
Platforms: PlayStation, Xbox, Switch & PC (Steam)



Disclaimer: Nintendo Switch review code for Indiana Jones: The Pinball Adventure was provided by Sandbox Strategies.

Melbourne International Games Week & PAX Aus Are Back!

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After 2 years of virtual events, 2022 is shaping up to have two massive events back in-person!

The Melbourne International Games Week (MIGW-22) (Oct 1 – 9) and PAX Aus 2022 (Oct 7 – 9) events are back! Save the dates, book in your annual leave, get a sitter and get ready to be back catching up with likeminded peeps at these (industry and public) events.

We are mindful that it has been a while since these events were held in person, so there may be some anxiety, but please be easy on yourself and only attend if you are sure and feel comfortable in mixing in large crowds, especially after these last couple of years.