Capcom Arcade Stadium (PlayStation 4)
Official GBAtemp Review
Product Information:
- Release Date (NA): May 25, 2021
- Release Date (EU): May 25, 2021
- Release Date (JP): May 25, 2021
- Publisher: Capcom
- Developer: Capcom
- Genres: Arcade, Compilation
- Also For: Computer, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One
Game Features:
When the home console revolution took place, and people didn't feel compelled to leave their homes to visit their local Arcade halls the world changed forever. No longer could you go to a place filled with neon lights and CRT screens for fun and excitement. No longer could you fritter away your earnings one coin at a time in a vain attempt to beat the newest game as quickly as you could. No longer did you have that public play experience, the pressure of people looking over your shoulder, and the exhilaration of waiting your turn to take on the longest winning stranger on your favourite cab. Arcades are now a relic of a time that no longer truly exists, especially in the wake of the latest pandemic. Though niche entrepreneurs try to recreate this vibe with events and custom-built places filled with salvaged machines and obscure hardware, sadly, it's just not the same as having lived through it originally.
Capcom Arcade Stadium is an officially licensed, fully endorsed arcade simulation/experience that you can enjoy in your own living room. With actual hardware, including marquees and artwork, lovingly recreated virtually, you can view a selection of cabinets at your fingertips, and easily browse for your favourite games. With over thirty titles currently available through three add-on packs, Capcom Arcade Stadium covers several decades and a handful of the most popular genres (Action, Shooter, and Fighting) in one svelt package. Starting out with pack one, "Dawn of the Arcade '84-'88", packs in 10 games that lit up the arcades in the early days, these include "Vulgus", "Pirate Ship Higemaru", "1942", "Commando", "Section Z", "Tatakai No Banka", "Legendary Wings", "Bionic Commando", "Forgotten Worlds", and the incredibly phenomenal: "Ghouls ' n Ghosts". Pack two "Arcade Revolution ’89-’92" brings us titles more titles such as: "Strider", "Dynasty Wars", "Final Fight", "1941 - Counter Attack", "Senjo no Okami 2", "Mega Twins", "Carrier Air Wing", "Street Fighter 2 - The World Warrior", "Captain Commando", and "Varth", while Pack 3 "Arcade Evolution '92-'01" gives us more intricate titles such as: "Warriors of Fate", "Street Fighter 2 Hyper Fighting", "Super Street Fighter 2 Turbo", "Powered Gear", "Cyberbots", "19XX - The War against Destiny", "Battle Circuit", "Giga Wing", "1944 - The Loop Master", and "Progear". There are also two additionals: 1943 and Ghosts 'n Goblins which are currently free on the digital storefronts that bolster the collection to 32 games for the princely sum of £35.97.
Personally, Pack 3 is my era for arcade gaming, so this is the pack I definitely gravitated towards. Games such as "Street Fighter 2" and "Ghouls 'n Ghosts" definitely played a part in my formative years on my trusty SNES via ports, however, it was "Super Street Fighter 2 Turbo" that really knocked my socks off and improved on my favourite games of all time, dethroning it forever and easily becoming my all-time favourite. There really is something for everyone, however, there is a distinct lack of puzzlers. Given the era covered I was hoping for something like '89s Buster Bros (AKA Pang) but there is probably no chance of this due to whatever licensing crossovers there may be between Capcom and whomever currently owns any rights. I did also wonder about the superb puzzle game Super Gem Fighter Mini Mix, which was a '97 spin-off, cult hit, for arcades and home consoles, and of course '97s iteration of Street Fighter: Street Fighter 3: New Generation. Hopefully, we might see additional packs come our way in future that features these individual titles, and perhaps we will see later selections from '02-'06 or '07-'10 and beyond!
Capcom Arcade Stadium also brings modern emulation ideals to this totally legal package. The moment I fired it up I immediately made comparisons in my head with front end emulators such as Hyperspin or LaunchBox which allows you to browse games based on box art rather than using an entire cabinet aesthetic. It feels like the most legit way to play these games now and it looks utterly incredible. Beyond this, there are some nifty features that let you customise one or all of the titles at your disposal. As an example, I opted to check out the scanline/CRT filters and found a pleasing array of curved screen effects paired with lines and variance in colour saturation so that you can replicate the look and feel you want from your arcade. You could always opt to remove all filters and stretch out to 16:9 if you didn't want to retain the original 4:3 aspect ratio too. You also have access to rewind and pause functions built into the titles so you can tackle the games any way you wish, and even simply do over any sections you mess up! You can also hit the shoulder buttons during any game to alter the speed, so if you feel it's all too slow, you can speed it up and play it in turbo. Conversely, if you feel it's all moving too fast, slow it down to half speed, and beat it at your own leisure. You can also select the number of lives you start with to make beating those titles harder or you can purchase the Invincibility DLC for an additional £0.79 if you really want to be a dirty stinking cheater!
Each game I tried out had an exquisite resolution, frame rate and true-to-original sound effects. I didn't notice any emulation issues such as slowdown or crackling of sound though I know the RE engine is at play and so emulation probably isn't 100% arcade perfect in all games across all ROM variants. The experience you get with Capcom Arcade Stadium is second to none when playing on your current-gen consoles. I was fortunate enough to play it via my PS5 and the loading times were next to nothing and the framerates remained silky smooth throughout
You may have noticed a couple of out of region games there too, and this is where Capcom Arcade Stadium really excels in its strengths. Whilst flicking through the cabinets, and with just a tap of the controller touchpad, the region of the arcade machine changes and you're able to swap through the various regional releases of the title at hand. This means that if you're browsing in your native regional selection, some games may appear different, such as Street Fighter 2 Hyper Fighting, but hitting that button swaps it to the Japanese version of the ROM "Street Fighter 2 Turbo Hyper Fighting", or Super Street Fighter 2 Turbo - The Ultimate Championship" Becomes Super Street Fighter 2 X - The Grand Master Challenge.
In addition to being able to experience the alternative regional versions of almost every title, you have a series of options to select that offer playing a standard game or partaking in score/special challenges depending on what's available each week via Capcom themselves. For example, one week a certain game may have a special challenge available that pits you against getting a certain score, defeating the title under a specific time-frame, or simply smashing online opponents for bragging rights. Along with a selection of (currently only) bronze trophies, one of which requires 100 hours of play to unlock whilst others pop just for trying out the various in-game features like pause and rewind, there is also a selection of "Triumps" to pursue across all titles to really test if you are a true achievement hunter! Enjoying the games in general also earns you kudos, or CASPO, which is accrued by playing games, beating games, and hammering games repeatedly to best your own performance. These features combined, rather impressively, give the game far more replayability than I initially assumed as I am extremely competitive and want to outdo myself each time I play!
Overall Capcom Arcade Stadium is a killer selection of 32 of the finest Shooting, Action and Fighting games from '84-'01, however if you aren't into these genres exclusively then Capcom Arcade Stadium is not for you in the first place. Weighing in at just over £1 per game, you could argue that there is a lot of bang for your buck in this title when you factor into it that you get the regional variations of rooms all bundled into one, and a vast array of QOL and comfort features that allow you to customise your own little arcade for your very own. Personally I adore this delivery method and hope that additional packs will soon give us just that little more variety that it feels like it is lacking, but otherwise this is a solid purchase and an incredibly enjoyable way to relive your youth from the comfort of your own home!
Verdict
- 32 games and heaps of visual and gameplay options
- Challenge modes and timed online competitions are ace
- Incredibly well laid out interfaces for everything
- Just three genres to choose from; needs more variety
- No making of/concept art or thing
