Capcom Arcade Stadium
These old games are coining it in
Before Returnal sent us into a spiral bemoaning its level of difficulty we had Ghouls ’N Ghosts, a game that broke many joysticks and had us asking whether hard games are fun. Debates are cyclical.
We can now experience the fun of dying relentlessly in the classic platformer all over again, but with the advantage of limitless continues, adjustable difficulties, and a rewind feature. These features are bolstered by play options that go beyond simple scanlines to replicate the view you’d get playing on a cabinet, as well as the inclusion of online play, score tables, and a rewards system for unlockable goodies.
It would be easy to leave these 32 Capcom classics untouched (and they can be played as intended), but the additional options ensure games designed to suck coins from your pockets in a sweaty gaming arcade play in a balanced way on PS4.
This is the impressive aspect of Capcom Arcade Stadium: that it manages to repackage games released as far back as 1984 and make them relevant again. The base game comes prepackaged with vertical shooter 1943 – The Battle For Midway, a series with a loose grasp of historical accuracy. Later games in the series can be downloaded here too, and each game is more spectacular in turn.
PACK ’EM IN
So what are the games? Three packs are available at launch, loosely themed around arcade eras – Dawn Of The Arcade (1984–1988), Arcade Revolution (1989–1992), and Arcade Evolution (1992–2001). Each has its star inclusions and novelties; the previously mentioned Ghouls ’N Ghosts sits alongside Strider and Bionic Commando – all greats that still demand to be played today. The camp musclemen-defeat-the-gods of Forgotten Worlds remains a treat, while shooter Progear – the newest game here (2001) – has a uniquely engaging anime steampunk aesthetic and bullet hell aggression.
Where the platform stumbles is in a reliance on reproducing games already available in other collections at the expense of rarer Capcom titles – how many times do you want own Street Fighter II and Final Fight?
This is a minor point, as ultimately its the excellent emulation platform itself that shines. And you’ll finally finish Ghouls ’N Ghosts. An interesting selection of games that can feel over-familiar are saved by an excellent emulation platform that manages to make these old hits playable again.