[Review] Capcom Arcade Stadium

[SougarLord]

Game Information:

Initial release date: 18/02/2021  

Software Developer: Capcom

Publisher: Capcom

Platform: Nintendo Switch

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Even if you harbor a deep and sincere love for classic games, it can sometimes be difficult to muster up a great deal of enthusiasm when a new compilation of retro games arrives. Over time, perhaps we've been spoiled by the abundance of past mainstream access in the form of video games. Iconic teams like Sega and Capcom have shared collections of their most beloved games time and time again, and now we find ourselves in the age of micro-consoles and series like Hamster's Arcade Archives. For all those reasons, accessing retro games feels increasingly familiar.

 

For some, that familiarity has even generated contempt. There are those who feel that they are being asked to buy the same games over and over again for different formats. That's a valid perspective, but the counterpoint is that each new compilation from the likes of Capcom possibly brings important and influential works to a new generation of gamers.

 

 

Which brings us to the recently released Capcom Arcade Stadium. It certainly contains some surprisingly familiar titles, some of which are already available on Switch via compendia such as Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection and Capcom Beat 'em Up Bundle, but it does a lot more than simply repackage a variety of commonly included games. . , thanks to a variety of viewing options, scoring guides, and more. It is also quite distinct in its approach, showing a relative bias towards shooters, who vastly outnumber the purebred fighting games available. But before we get to that, it's worth clearing up the various ways Capcom's latest compendium is available, because it's easy to get confused here.

 

You can download Capcom Arcade Stadium, or at least its interface, completely free. That gives you a game, in the form of the classic 1943 shooter. At the time of writing, you can also add Ghosts' n Goblins at no cost, for a limited time. Beyond that, a generous assortment of 30 additional games is available. The full game will cost you £ 29.99 / $ 39.99, or you can buy them as three packs of 10 games, priced at £ 11.99 each. This trio of packages groups titles by era, the first focuses on those released between 1984 and 1988, the second brings together arcade classics from 1989 to 1992, and the last covers from 1992 to 2001.

 

 

Now, a compilation of retro games is ultimately judged by the spread of the games, the precision of their making, and the extras that modernize the package. The first point is very subjective. If you find four of your all-time favorites contained within, does that mean the one conclusion you consider stinky detracts from the entire package for you? That said, offering so many greats, it's hard to refute the core quality of Capcom Home Arcade. There's a host of fantastic games included, from arcade history titans to curious gems to a never-before-released masterpiece. Surprisingly, it includes Cave's extraordinary shooter, Progear; Its only other outing since its 2001 release on CPS2 arcade hardware is on the rather expensive Capcom Home Arcade.

 

As mentioned above, the fighting games that are so important to both Capcom's history and the arcade culture itself are surprisingly low in number. There are only four included, three of which are Street Fighter II variants. Otherwise, it leaves the CyberBots, a visually luxurious (albeit mechanically average) mechanical fighter.

There's also a host of scrolling beat 'em ups to keep afloat the lack of traditional fighters, such as Final Fight, Captain Commando, Powered Gear, Battle Circuit, Dynasty Wars, and their spin-off Warriors of Fate; it's all worth your time. However, while the selection of beat 'em ups is impressive, it is perhaps a genre that will appeal to a smaller group of arcade devotees (plus, if you own the aforementioned Beat' em Up package, you will already have access to to these games).

 

 

There are also several classic platform games that have aged quite well; particularly Ghosts n 'Goblins, Ghouls n' Ghosts and the brilliant Bionic Commando. The less famous maze game Pirate Ship Higemaru marks another delightful inclusion. One of Capcom's early jobs, it softly whispers what would eventually come with Bomberman. The curious and charming platformer Mega Twins also deserves an honorable mention for bringing something a little less familiar to the lineup.

 

The selection of shooters, meanwhile, is pretty amazing. Cave's horizontal bullet hell Progear is without a doubt the highlight, delivering tremendous depth, exquisite visuals, and enough replay value to fill dozens of hours or more. Add the likes of Giga Wing, 1944: The Loop Master (another console first, aside from Capcom Home Arcade), Varth, 19XX: The War Against Destin and (previously only ported to GameTap), Carrier Airwing, and rarities like Legendary Wings and Section Z, and there are more than enough reasons to invest, even forgetting about the other genres.

 

However, if you have access to a lot of those titles, you are probably more concerned with the additional features. Fortunately, Capcom has a lot in place; Online leaderboards, special limited-time challenge modes, and new abilities like rewinding games on the fly or changing your speed bring plenty of new. There are also a large number of display options that should cover a variety of preferences. Whether you insist on scan lines, more contemporary smoothing, or even an arcade cabinet frame with other games simmering in your peripheral vision, Capcom Arcade Stadium has you covered. There are also a variety of rotation options, which means that the dispersion of the included vertical games is compatible with Flip Grip.

 

 

In terms of performance authenticity, for the vast majority of gamers, Capcom Arcade Stadium will be absolutely ideal. However, ultimately, it is a collection of ROMs served by emulation. Consistent with that, players around the world seem to have inconsistent experiences. We did find some flickering and frame drop on occasion in some of the older games, and we spotted input lag in Giga Wing that felt slightly limiting. But Progear, for example, works very well, even compared to arcade hardware (what we did, we have a Progear arcade cabinet on hand). However, if you are a serious dedicated arcade stickler, prepare for slight inconsistencies with some of the gaming results.

 

Perhaps most urgently, many of these titles were created to be played with a stick, the nose on a large tube screen, and as such some do not ideally translate to the portable mode of the Switch and its analog joystick. Playing some of the shooters at a higher level, trying to boost the score, and milking the game systems was sometimes very difficult on a small screen and less than ideal controls. Throw those same games out to a full-size screen with an arcade device and they're suddenly a lot more manageable. Meanwhile, many of the fighters and beat 'em ups are much easier to transport.

 

 

Finally, Capcom Arcade Stadium certainly deserves credit for the game manuals which provide very comprehensive descriptions of many of the more arcane gameplay or scoring elements of the included titles. It would have been nice to see more historical documentation of the included games; maybe brochure scans and development history, things that came with bundles like SNK 40th Anniversary and the aforementioned Street Fighter collection. Likewise, there are so many different option messages and screens to deny that it can be easy to get lost in that menu salad, but that's a minor complaint.

 

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