A real arcade on the Nintendo Switch

Con Capcom Arcade Stadium, The historic Osaka House celebrates its arcade classics, Describes the most important era for the evolution of the video game. The company, along with other Japanese software companies, has created titles that design the aesthetics of the eighties and nineties, and some playful standards are still valid today. But what does it mean to defend arcades? It should not be forgotten that those smoking places are managed by a very different dynamic from what is beyond nostalgia and then becomes the standard of home entertainment. Arcade games revolve around the concept of “coin”, i.e. coin, token: you’re paid for each game, you’re always started, difficulty was measured upwards, because the ideal duration of a game session is 5 minutes. Otherwise how did the premises managers make money?

For this reason, it is important to understand, interpret, and narrate at a historical moment when Roma and its role models significantly approach all the topics of the time. The best classics of video games have the same value over time as the literature, but it is an undeniable fact that they are far removed from today’s rhythms and sensibilities. This is a discourse, we must begin to be vigilant, because millions of players are currently born after the completion of the last arcades in gaming. If the video game culture is to grow, we must take it into account Collections like Capcom Arcade Stadium are above all else, And not just those in their forties, but those who have seen the classics in question are coming out.

A (almost) flawless set

The first step is the selection process. Retrocomming, like classical music, has an infinite number of works that tend to distract the new generation. You will always end up going to regular games, the most popular, a bit like you will always end up listening to Beethoven’s ninth or box tokota and fugue. On this front, Capcom Arcade Stadium does an excellent job.

The collection is available in three volumes dedicated to three precise periods of arcade history. The first set, “Arcade Dawn“, Linked to the period between 1984 and 1988: the bold, almost pioneering years in which the video game was finding its rules. With 10 titles, milestones such as Coles’ Ghosts and Commando, Less well-known other things like Pirate Ship Hickemaru And aesthetic poems such as Legendary Wings and Tatagai No Banga (Trojan). It’s a sinless choice for those who want to enjoy the video game Madeline and get an idea. zeitgeist, I.e., the cultural sense of the time. The second set, “Arcade Revolution“, Describes the period between 1989 and 1992. Perhaps Capcom’s had the greatest impact globally. At the time it refers to all the pillars of time.

The third group, “Arcade evolution“, Goes from 1992 to 2001 and tells the latest evolution of arcades, With two updated versions of Street Fighter II And fantastic shooting like Giga Wing and Proger. The length of time spent exploring Arcade Evolution is not the best after the second episode of Street Fighter, but even here we can not complain. By trying all these thirty games, one can get a clear idea of ​​why Capcom was a fundamental force in the arcade world.

Emulation and presentation

Works are presented with a launcher inspired by arcades, Browse one row boxes (Japanese style). The rendering is interesting, but there is one major shortcoming: information. Capcom says Arcade Stadium is a game for 1 or 2 players, not to mention the release date.

Sure, you can see it on the title screens, but it’s a disappointing choice. How to tell a story without giving reference points to bring a story to perspective? So it is not surprising that only simple, well-translated but ultimately superfluous manuals are available for individual games. Where are the artworks? Flyers? Historical references? None of this, it’s a real shame. Nothing is mentioned about the represented sites (CBS-1, CBS-2 and CBS-3), which misses the opportunity to describe an important meeting point between the current reality of home consoles and the evolution of arcades.

This is a wasted opportunity, At all ends, as well as the wind blowing. Let me explain why: These days, there has been a lot of discussion online about a choice made at Capcom Arcade Stadium. The Honda position on the Street Fighter II, in the original hall, includes the famous Japanese military flag, the Kyokujitsu-ki. In the CAS edition, the sun was avoided for issues of political and historical sensibility that were not necessary for the Western people. Kyokujitsu-ki in Southeast Asia is considered a symbol of Japanese imperialism and is associated with some of the greatest atrocities of the 20th century, especially in China and Korea, two markets where Capcom is interested in establishing itself today.

I understand the reasons for choosing Capcom, there is nothing against me personally, even the versions. “Traditional“Street Fighter II is available everywhere, on almost every platform, but I see the symbol of the aforementioned vain opportunity in the chapter.

If there had been historical information at the Capcom Arcade Stadium, this choice might have been told, contextualizing it, and spreading the culture a little. He would have preserved it while carrying a classic present at the same time. The case is obvious, but the lack of history is an insult to all the best masterpieces in the collection. Without a good teacher to tell you about them, the classic burden of literature would appear; Without context and story, Capcom’s classic may seem difficult and timeless.

This is a shame because everything works beautifully. The interface is excellent, the emulation is good and there are no delay issues. In addition to the classic functionality for filters and scanlines, there is also the ability to slow down or speed up playback, storage and games. There is a valid online dimension with ranking and challenges, and an interface that allows the screen to be held vertically, is very practical in portable mode on the switch, and is suitable for all snipers in the early eighties (even here, it is not explained what TATE mode is). So Capcom Arcade Stadium offers an incredible classic selection, packing them in a standard container, but don’t forget to put a label on them. The beauty of the games does not change, but there is a bitter taste.