Capcom Arcade Stadium: An Arcade Lover's Dream

When Capcom Arcade Stadium was revealed in late 2020, I thought to myself "That looks neat. I'll probably pick it up." I love retro games and from the reveal trailer, I could see that some of my favorites like Final Fight were among the featured titles. When the game dropped a week ago, I did some digging to find out what other games were available for this collection. Capcom Arcade Stadium went from being a collection I wanted, to a collection I REALLY wanted.

THE GAMES

As of right now, there are a total of 32 games in Capcom Arcade Stadium, divided across three packs. Each pack will set you back $15 and there are 10 games in each pack. I hear you asking "Hey, Reg, where do the other two games come from?" Well, 1943 -The Battle of Midway- is a freebie. The spirit crushing Ghosts 'n Goblins was free until Feb 25th. If you don't want to spring for a whole pack, you can buy stand alone games for $2. You can also buy all three packs together for $40, which also gets you the additional two aforementioned games. 

In my opinion, Capcom Arcade Stadium is worth parting with $40 over. All three packs are bound to have at least a few games you're sure to love. Packs are nicely arranged via a set year of games and each one contains a variety of genres. The majority of the games also give you the option to play either the Japanese or English ROM.

Pack 1: Dawn of the Arcade ('84-'88)

The mid to late 1980s collect the first batch of games in Pack 1 of Capcom Arcade Stadium. These are definitely the early years but there are some titles that show what Capcom was shaping up to be. 

*VULGUS, PIRATE SHIP HIGEMARU, 1942, COMMANDO, SECTION Z, Tatakai no Banka (TROJAN), LEGENDARY WINGS, BIONIC COMMANDO, FORGOTTEN WORLDS, Ghouls 'n Ghosts.

Fun fact, VULGUS is Capcom's very first shooter, a genre which is plentiful in Capcom Arcade Stadium.

Pack 2: Arcade Revolution ('89-'92)

Pack 2 has a few games from 1989, before biding the the decade farewell and ushering in the early 1990s. This pack is a smorgasbord of beat 'em ups, SHMUPs and action platformers. Capcom really began to hit their stride here. 

*STRIDER, DYNASTY WARS, Final Fight, 1941 -Counter Attack-, Senjo no Okami II (MERCS), MEGA TWINS, CARRIER AIR WING, STREET FIGHTER II -The World Warrior- , CAPTAIN COMMANDO, VARTH - Operation Tunderstorm-

No, I didn't get my 1940 shooting games mixed up. 1941 really did release after 1942. I have no idea why Capcom chose to name these games the way they did. 

Pack 3: Arcade Evolution ('92-'01)

Hot dog, this pack is so dang awesome! We're talking what is arguably the pinnacle of arcade Capcom games with this one. I honestly didn't expect there to be any games from the early 2000s in Capcom Arcade Stadium, but I'm not complaining. All across this pack are some of the best fighting games ever, robots, SHMUPs, robots, brawlers, and more robots. 

*WARRIORS OF FATE, STREET FIGHTER II' -Hyper Fighting-, SUPER STREET FIGHTER II TURBO, Powered Gear -Strategic Variant Armor Equipment (Armored Warriors), CYBERBOTS -FULLMETAL MADNESS-, 19XX -The War Against Destiny-, Battle Circuit, Giga Wing, 1944 -The Loop Master-, Progear.

Progear never got any sort of home release until this collection. It was also developed by Cave in case you needed some kind of incentive to play it.

EXTRAS

Let's get the most glaring omission out of the way. If you're looking for interviews, arcade cabinet artwork, any type of behind the scenes material that Capcom's previous compilation releases are known for, get ready to become a new resident of Disappointment Valley. Unfortunately there is nothing to speak of in the way of bonus stuff, not even a music player. Perhaps Capcom could remedy this in a future update but as of now, Capcom Arcade Stadium is extraless. Some high res arcade flyers sure would have been swell. Profound sadness, but not the end of the world.

PRESENTATION

What Capcom Arcade Stadium lacks in extras it more than makes up for in presentation. Games are presented in a slick Japanese arcade hall with cabinets lined up next to each other. Each cabinet can be customized to your liking, including the size and color. These are some nice touches that go much further than I initially thought they would. I'm surprised at how much time I've spent fiddling around to give each game I play a unique look. Even more cabinet options can be unlocked as you play.

You'll be hard pressed to find an arcade compilation with a sicker user interface. Picking from the EN and JP ROMs, manuals and controls are just a simple button press away. A myriad of screen sizes and screen filters are yours to use. Want 4:3 or an arcade sized screen, curved edges, scan lines, or some weird mix; whatever you desire, you can make it happen. 

Games can be arranged by genre such is action, fighting, shooter or you can make a list of your personal favorites.

Being a big SHMUP fan, I'm happy to report that the screen can be rotated properly to support TATE mode, which I'm sure all you Switch owners are gonna love. I never knew how much I wanted to emulate the feel of being in an arcade and looking over at other arcade games while I play until I could make it happen. 

Even the joy (or agony) of plunking a quarter into the slot to add a credit for play is replicated along with each arcade game's coin jingle. As much as I love the free play setting of Capcom Beat 'em Up Bundle, I didn't realize what I was missing by having the ability to add credits be turned off.

REWIND

Rewinding has been a standard feature of these retro releases but I don't think anything has done it better than Capcom Arcade Stadium. Perhaps it is the difficulty nature of arcade games but being able to undo do a mistake or completely ignore some cheap garbage is simply the best. Dodging bullet patterns in games like Progear or 19XX is a tad less stressful when I known where the fire is coming from and just where it is gonna go. And for games like Ghosts 'n Goblins? Man, I feel like I am getting sweet, sweet revenge for all the crap that game put me through years ago. No longer do I have to be stuck with that sucky Torch until I can get the dagger. I think Rewinds may be the only way for me to play the G'nG games.

The rewind feature will be great for helping players that truly do wish to improve or perform perfect runs on some of these old games. 

COMPETITION

We have be encouraged to keep our distance from others during this ongoing pandemic but that certainly isn't gonna deter the competitive spirit. There's no online co-op play but you can compete players around the world for high scores and game completion times. The game is only a little over week old and already people have some pretty insane scores and times. I don't plan on cracking the top 30 anytime soon but this is a very welcome feature, nonetheless. 

There are also limited time challenges such as competing for a high score in a set amount of time or seeing how fast you can finish a game. Bear in mind that when taking on these particular challenges some features like Rewind are disabled. Level playing field and all that.

ARTWORK

The game doesn't have a physical release but I gotta gush a bit about the absolutely adorable artwork on Capcom Arcade Stadium. Tons of Capcom characters, both heroes and villains having a good time. Well, mostly everyone. There's lots of little details sprinkled throughout the above image. I didn't know until I was working post that Arthur was about to face off against a dragon that stole his burger. Poor guy can't even relax for a second. Perhaps that Red Armer on the left stole someone's pizza? Next to Arthur is the protagonist of COMMANDO, who either doesn't know how to play the game he's in front of, or he's had enough and decided to deal with the game how he deals with enemy soldiers. Cammy is a tad concerned. 

THEME SONGS

I gotta say, I'm impressed with the amount of effort Capcom has thrown into Capcom Arcade Stadium. The collection itself is super swanky and Cacpom had two theme songs ready to promote the game's launch. No doubt you've heard Brand New Day, the auto tune song that plays at the title screen. The jam everyone is talking about, however, has gotta be Teenage Blues, the track that plays during the Capcom Arcade Stadium's credits roll. This song sounds like it came right out of the '80s and for a brief time, I thought it did. I thought it was an old song Capcom used to go along with the game's YouTube video for launch day but it turns out the song is present day music, intentionally made to evoke rock from the decades gone by. The track is even up on Spotify, which is great since YouTube is taking forever to Auto-Generate the thing. Capcom could have just released the game with little to no fanfair but you can tell some serious TLC went into this. Teenage Blues is a bop. 

Let's Discuss: Nintendo Direct 2-17-2021

We have not had a full blown Nintendo Direct in quite some time. Totally understandable. 2020 was a real bummer to put it mildly. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic forced many of us to stay home and in many cases, work remotely. Game development has suffered heavily with a some 2020 releases being pushed to 2021. Nintendo Directs were also hit hard. Yesterday's presentation was the first one in this scale in well over a year. This led some people to speculate (incorrectly, I'd like to add) that Nintendo Directs were no more. And outta the blue, just days prior to the 17th, Nintendo announced that they would have a 50 minute long Nintendo Direct. When you throw that much time behind one of these babies, you've got a lot to show.

Me after yesterday's direct:

Pyra/Mythra for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

I know some people like Alpharad were popping off because he's a huge fan of the Xenoblade games. I have yet to play any of them so the appeal of Pyra/Mythra is lost on me, but she/they could be a pretty fun character. I'm happy for Xenboblade Chronicles fans and the salt of the haters is making me laugh myself silly. The new Xenoblade Chronicles stage we'll be getting looks dope.

Hades Physical Release

Yes, yes, yes, YES!!! This game so deserves to get a physical release and it comes package with some sweet extras like an art book and a download code for the soundtrack. I've yet to complete Hades but have pumped hours into it. The world, the characters, the art style, the weapons the way it goes about rogue gameplay all combines to make it one of my favorite games of 2020. I have no problems double dipping for Hades. 

The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD

No doubt people wanted to see some news update on Breath of the Wild 2. I had a hunch we wouldn't get anything regarding that game with this Direct but we were told there would be information later this year. Take your time, Nintendo. Skyward Sword HD? I had heard about Skyward Sword being trademarked recently but I had assumed Skyward Sword would be part of some 3D Zelda Collection. That'll teach me to make assumptions based off past anniversary releases.

I bought the original Skyward Sword but never got around to playing it. This may have been due to the polarizing reception it received thanks to the game's motion controls. Well a lot has changed in 10 years and not only have the motion controls been improved but if you wish, you can play Skyward Sword HD with buttons. I hear the linearity of Skyward Sword was also criticized. I love none linear experiences but at the same time linear gameplay gets and undeserved bad rap. I caught a jingle in the game's trailer that I'm all too familiar with in Breath of the Wild. Turns out a number of things debuted in Skyward Sword that carried over to Breath of the Wild like the stamina meter, gliding and using materials to upgrade equipment. 

I'm debating just how I should play Skyward Sword HD. The button controls definitely sound like a welcome feature since motion only for sword fighting was the very reason for the game being so decisive. I feel like I have to at least give the motion controls a try. Sigh, time to invest in some new Joy-Cons. Those special Skyward Sword Joy-Cons look really nice.

Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity DLC

I finished Age of Calamity a few weeks ago and I'm still playing due to side quests and post game missions that opened up. I thought about all the DLC content the first Hyrule Warriors game got and hoped Age of Calamity would get added content. The Expansion Pass gives me even more reasons to hack and slash with Link and the gang. More time to wreck fools with Impa's clones and more time with the best water waifu of all time, Mipha. Just inject the DLC right into my veins. 

Famicom Detective Club Remakes

I thought it was great to see the original NES Fire Emblem game get translated and released on the Switch eShop (limited release is still bonkers). It made me wonder what other Nintendo games could see the same treatment. Rather than translate the NES games, we are getting full  blown remakes of both Famicom Detective Club games, The Missing Heir and The Girl Who Stands Behind. 

I never thought we would see these games. When the narrator said these were deep cuts, he was not whistling Dixie. The Famicom Detective Club titles are some super obscure Famicom Disk System titles. The first time I'd even heard a mention of them was a trophy I'd gotten in Super Smash Bros. Melee, Ayumi Tachibana. Adventure games have become quite plentiful on the Switch and perhaps the system's success has made Nintendo more willing to throw cash at releases such as these. I mean, just look at that above screen! These were originally 8-bit games and they dressed them up. The soundtracks are remade as well but we have the option to switch to the original 8-bit music. I not only want to throw money at this, I have to. 

More remakes like these Nintendo, PLEASE!!!

Mario Golf Super Rush

It has been almost 20 years since Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour on the GCN. There have been Mario Golf games since ToadStool Tour but Super Star Rush is the first entry in a long time to land on a console and it looks mad fun. Speed Golf is one of my favorite modes in the Mario Golf series and it looks crazier than ever here. If the game supports online play (and it runs smooth) we could be in for some insane multiplayer. Story modes are usually pretty goof in the Mario Golf handheld entries so I'm hoping that trend continues. 

Also, we get Waluigi in fedora. Day one purchase, baby.

Splatoon 3

I can't convey my excitement for this in words so I'm gonna let Kermit take over for a bit.

I. LOVE. Splatoon. Like, really. I FREAKING LOVE this series. My love for Splatoon isn't just limited to the games. I've got Splatoon plushies, art books for the first two titles, manga, a backpack. I am all about some Splatoon merch. I did not think Splatoon 3 would be a thing this soon. Yeah, the game isn't coming until 2022, but the player base on Splatoon 2 is still massive. The game provides an immense amount of fun and Nintendo could have easily saved Splatoon 3 for the whatever the successor is for the Switch. But nope, they pulled the trigger for Splatoon 3 and I (and millions of you) are alllll for it.

It looks like the story mode of Splatoon 3 will take place in a wasteland. We have Team Chaos to think for that. The desolate world of Splatoon 3 is all thanks to Team Order losing the Splatfest. Sure it looks real depressing but we get a little buddy this time and more hair options and is that a bow and arrow? And we can choose are starting point on the map? Man, that is SO cool. I'm getting jazzed just thinking of all the awesome new music Splatoon 3 will have. That remix of Splat Attack was a banger.

Who will our new idol waifus be? That's the million dollar question.

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The first Nintendo Direct in over 500 days and Nintendo came out swinging. Ya did good Nintendo. Ya did dang good.

Ghosts 'n Goblins Resurrection: Or How I'm Thinking of Hurting Myself

Ghosts 'n Goblins Resurrection is set to release on February 25th. Fans who have been frothing for another game in Capcom's long running brutal platformer have at last had their patience rewarded. When I say "brutal" I don't think I'm doing the description justice. Ghost 'n Goblins games were Dark Souls before there was Dark Souls. And for as punishing as a game I know it is going to be, I've got it on my Wish List on the eShop, fully intending to pick it up.

I do not consider myself a masochist. There are some games I will flat out avoid playing if the difficulty is designed to cut me open and throw buckets of salt onto my wounds. But I have history with the Ghosts 'n Goblins games. Mind you, it isn't what I would call good history but I'm no stranger to this series. I've played Ghosts 'n Goblins, Ghouls 'n Ghosts and Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts. And when I say "play" I really mean struggle. 

Yes, struggle is probably a better word to use. Because until you obtain the masterful skills required to succeed at the games in the main Ghosts 'n Goblins franchise (the Gargoyle's Quest/Demon's Crest titles are miles easier without question), pain and suffering is what awaits you. Imagine being punched in the face by Mahamud Ali, George Foreman and Mike Tyson, all in their prime, without box gloves on. As agonizing as that is, there are players that get up after taking such hits, crawl back to the trio of boxers that put them on the ground and ask if they can have more. Those G 'n G players? Those are the truly dedicated masochistic players. Me, I've pretty much gotten used to the cold floor's embrace. 

Playing Ghosts, Ghouls or Super Ghouls to me at least, feels like I'm cutting myself. I know full well these games are going to frustrate me and whenever I make the vain attempt, I get myself into a universe of hurt The farthest I've gotten in any of these games is the third stage in Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts and that was after countless tries. Maybe if I keep at it, I could come close to finishing one of them, but I just don't have the patience or desire to destroy me sanity.

So why am I planning to pick up Ghosts 'n Goblins Resurrection? I know the following these games have and I feel like throwing out support. The art style of this re-imagined game looks quite nice. Yeah, I am awful at these games but even I have to admit it is nice to see the franchise make a return. I'll probably play for a little while, die a bunch on the first level, eventually make it to the second level, die even more there and call it quits. What can I say, I'm weird like that.

Super Mario World Music Gets Restored

One SNES soundtrack everyone is familiar with is Super Mario World. Koji Kondo, genius that he is, managed to come up with soundtrack that is catchy and oh-so Mario. And he did this by rearranging a single theme over and over. Sure, Super Mario World's music is an arrangement of the same theme again and again, but when it reinvents the theme on such spectacular levels, you really can't complain. 

And yet, for as grand as Super Mario World's music is, like the bulk of SNES soundtracks, the audio we heard from the game was not how it originally sounded. You see, the majority of music on SNES games was compressed to fit onto a SNES cartridge. Dataminers uncovered the samples used for Super Mario World's music. They reconstructed the soundtrack using the uncompressed audio. 

After hearing Super Mario World' music countless times, it is refreshing to hear it an it's uncompressed glory. Much as I adore the SNES music of Super Mario World, some of my favorite themes sound even better uncompressed, like Forest of Illusion, Athletic, Fortress, and of course, Vanilla Dome.  

Super Mario World Restored OST is still a work in progress as of this writing but what's available (22 tracks) will have you yearning for more. I cannot wait to hear the ending and Staff Roll Theme uncompressed as well as the fight with Bowser. Thanks to The Brickster for being the fellow to host this uncompressed music on YouTube.

Let's Discuss: SaGa Frontier Remastered

There is no denying that Square Enix's cash cow franchises are the FINAL FANTASY and DRAGON QUEST games. While those games do bring in the big bucks, this hasn't stopped the company from giving some their other IPs some time in the sun. In 2019, Collection of Mana (the first three titles in the Mana series) was localized to audiences outside of Japan. December of 2020 saw the release of Collection of SaGa: FINAL FANTASY LEGEND, which housed the first three SaGa titles, originally released outside of Japan under the monikers of FINAL FANTASY LEGEND. Over the years Square Enix has been giving the SaGa series more recognition outside of the Land of the Rising Sun despite the niche fanbase the series has. With that in mind, Square Enix's announcement for SaGa Frontier Remastered shouldn't be too surprising and yet, I found myself in disbelief as I watched the trailer.

I played SaGa Frontier around the time it was originally released. The game had quite the appeal with seven different characters to choose from each with his/her own story. There were also no random encounters as enemies appear on the field, but like EarthBound, many enemies make a B line for you whenever they can. Fights can also be quite difficult since enemies grow in strength right along side you. Like FINAL FANTASY II, your characters don't gain levels but their stats increase depending on the actions you take in battles. Characters that swing swords around more frequently will become more proficient with blades. Defend to get better defense and so on. Your party can also learn new skills on the fly in battle, which makes experimenting essential, especially if you want to learn some of the more devastating attacks. Your HP is recovered after every battle but that doesn't mean you should pass on staying at inns. In SaGa Frontier you have LP, or Life Points. If a character's LP ever hits zero, they won't be able to take part in battles and having one less battle ready characters is something you really don't want in this game.

For 1998, SaGa Frontier had some very nice sprite based visuals and this remaster does a marvelous job of touching them up for a 2021 audience. I wish a similar level of care went into the sprites of the mobile ports of the FINAL FANTASY games. The backgrounds have also been cleaned up a bit, though some still look like they contain a bit of grain, though that could just be from some of the screens I've looked at.

SaGa Frontier was originally going to have a cast of eight playable characters but one was cut for time. This remaster brings back that cut character, Fuse, who appeared in some of the character's stories. So not only are gamers getting a remaster but the cut content of the original is now being restored along with other quality of life improvements. SaGa Frontier Remastered doesn't seem like a quick and dirty cash grab. 

Judging from the trailer, the music sounds very much like the score I heard in the original game, which is just fine in all honesty. Kenji Ito's score in SaGa Frontier sounds identical to his work on all three Romancing SaGa games on the SNES, only SaGa Frontier had the power of CD quality audio backing it. This game has so many good battle themes, town and dungeon themes. Baccarat is still one of the best jazz bangers in any RPG. 

Do I have some concerns? Well, after the way FINAL FANTASY Crystal Chronicles Remastered was handled, I'm hoping SaGa Frontier Remastered doesn't end up sharing a similar fate. I guess we'll have to wait until the summer to see how the game pans out. It is also worth noting that while I enjoyed SaGa Frontier, it may not appeal to everyone. Any unprepared party can be whipped out by normal enemies. You can save anywhere but it is possible to save in the wrong spot and completely doom a character run because you've come up against a fight you just can't win. This is very much an RPG for the hardcore player. 

I gotta say, it is nice to see Square Enix giving some games outside of the FINAL FANTASY series remastered love, even if the results are sometimes less than stellar. If we could get some remasters of say, Einhander or Brave Fencer Musashi, I would be a very happy gamer. 

All screens from Square Enix