The original version of Dig Dug, and more!
As if the lack of Namco arcade game support in the west wasn't bad enough already.
There's still no sign of more Namco games for Virtual Console Arcade outside Japan - We're still stuck with their initial three releases. Meanwhile, Japan has gotten over 20 arcade releases from Namco alone (That's about 2/3 of all the arcade games available in Japan), including classics like Splatterhouse, Rolling Thunder, Galaga '88 and Solvalou.
Prepare to have some more salt rubbed in your wounds. Of the initial list of arcade games Namco announced for release on VC, only 5 remain - So they've decided it's time to fill the list up a little by announcing 20 more arcade games.
This time around there's quite a few games the west has never seen before, but there's also plenty of games in there which would be nice to see elsewhere. The full list is as follows:
- Baraduke
- Baraduke 2: Bakutotso Kijutei
- Bosconian
- Bravoman
- Dig Dug
- Dig Dug II
- Face Off
- Galaga
- Galaxian
- Grobda
- Libble Rabble
- Marchen Maze
- New Rally X
- Ordyne
- Quester
- Rolling Thunder 2
- Rompers
- Tank Force
- Toy Pop
- Valkyrie no Densetsu
Which of these would you most like to play? Come on, Namco, release some more games outside Japan, please!
You can look over the full list of Namco arcade games available and coming soon for Japan on Namco's site here. You can also check out gameplay videos there by clicking on the links below the released games.
1. Turkey Brutus
20 Aug 2009, 19:05 BST
Namco W. Bush doesn't care about American people.
2. Tony
20 Aug 2009, 19:10 BST
Namco Obama does not care about the American people.
Anyway they can keep Galaxian. I never cared for that game. Anyway Japan bask in ourTecmo and Lucas Arts games.
3. Xkhaoz
20 Aug 2009, 19:14 BST
Man, I love Toy Pop and Bosconian. DANG IT!!!!!!!!!!!
4. VGP
20 Aug 2009, 19:21 BST
I want Dig Dug 2.
5. Cheezy
20 Aug 2009, 19:22 BST
Come on, Namco, wtf? I've been a loyal Namco fan for years, especially their arcade titles. And this is someone from AMERICA speaking. What's the problem?
6. metakirbyknight
20 Aug 2009, 19:35 BST
Why don't you just slice rip my heart out?, Namco. I think I'm gonna cry.
7. The Fox
20 Aug 2009, 19:40 BST
At least several of those are available on their many, many, many, many collections. I never knew that turd sandwich Baraduke got a sequel, though.
8. jhuhn
20 Aug 2009, 19:41 BST
Galaxian would be nice.....but no games from the Pac-Man series? We only saw Pac-Mania so far....but then again, some of those are in the Namco Arcade classics as retail games.
Too bad Pole Position II isn't among the games on the list either.
9. Angelic Lapras King
20 Aug 2009, 19:43 BST
Still no arcade port of Pacman? 0.o
God, NOA and NOE could have a year's worth of updates there! lol. XD
10. longtimegamer
20 Aug 2009, 19:43 BST
I'm still waiting for Splatterhouse or something better than we've gotten already (And that's not out on some compilation).
11. Turbo Genesis 64
20 Aug 2009, 19:46 BST
@Chicken Brutus
Namco W. Bush pulled some strings for the wealthiest 1% Americans to get the 20 games for free, for the rest of us, we get nothing.
12. warioswoods
20 Aug 2009, 19:52 BST
Wow, after looking at their Japanese list / screenshots linked here, I'm quite envious; our VC arcade doesn't even begin to compare.
13. Hardy83
20 Aug 2009, 19:54 BST
Are we surprised? DSiWare, WiiWare and VC are (at the rate we get games in NA and EU) years ahead of us!
14. Hyper Luigi
20 Aug 2009, 19:56 BST
Our VC Arcade service looks almost non-existent compared to the Japanese's. This is ridiculous.
15. Ratengo
20 Aug 2009, 19:56 BST
Whoooaa...! What a surprise announcement Namco made for VCA today.
According to Namco's site, these games will already come during 2009...! I don't really get it as there are only 18 Tuesdays left and 25 games to be released so Namco better have to speed up to 2 weekly releases instead of one as usual. Japan will then have at least 60 VCA titles in total at the end of the year while western regions... um, I'm sorry for those who made their investments into a wrong Wii region. Hehehehehe...!
16. Sean Aaron
20 Aug 2009, 19:59 BST
Oh joy! Some of my wildest dreams have been answered! I notice the Pac-Man games are absent, but I suspect that's only because they're going to feature in an uber collection for the 30th anniversary next year.
My instant buy list:
Baraduke (a.k.a. Alien Sector)
Baraduke 2 (a.k.a Bakutotsu Kijuutei)
Bosconian
Galaga
Grobda
Marchen Maze
New Rally X
Rolling Thunder 2 (The Mega Drive port is really good, but I'm a purist)
Rompers
Tank Force (superior sequel to Tank Battalion)
Toy Pop
I already have Dig Dug and Galaxian in Namco Museum Remix so I'm satisfied there. At last I'll be able to get shod of Namco Museum 50th Anniversary for the Gamecube -- though not before reviewing it here! I'm a bit disappointed Metro Cross and Warp & Warp aren't in there, but I guess Namco's got to save some stuff for the future!
Looks like they're releasing another title as well: Still shot says 1985, but I cannot find reference to a game with a kanji title like that in Namco's arcade lineup from 1985...
17. Kidpit
20 Aug 2009, 20:05 BST
Curses! if only Namco had release these games on collector discs for various consoles or even build these games into arcade stick controllers that could plug into one's TV and be able to play these games without a console.
...Oh wait, They did
18. Tony
20 Aug 2009, 20:44 BST
Where is Pole Position?
19. LinktotheFuture
20 Aug 2009, 21:13 BST
I am with the others who are wondering about Pacman? That should have been the first one released.
20. Pj
20 Aug 2009, 21:15 BST
20 games for VCA that's more than the availability on the European VC!! Still it's not bad news as it might mean that the future of VC is looking a tad safer. I'm interested to see Japan's forthcoming VC updates...
21. brooks83
20 Aug 2009, 21:27 BST
Namco Obama has promised quality, affordable VC titles for everyone, but is rationing the amount we receive at one time.
22. That Guy from Faxanadu
20 Aug 2009, 23:03 BST
Ordyne for Europe! We haven´t even got the Turbo Grafx version...
23. StarFox
20 Aug 2009, 23:06 BST
WHAT!!? How can Japan get twenty games in one update when North America has to suffer with one a week, with two straight weeks of nothing?
24. Drake
20 Aug 2009, 23:16 BST
Not one update - These will be gradually released during the rest of 2009.
25. Super Smash Bros. Fan1999
20 Aug 2009, 23:50 BST
This should be wake-up call for NOA to start supporting the Virtual Console Arcade better.
26. WarioFan63
20 Aug 2009, 23:53 BST
@23, Japan had a week of nothing last week. Not just VC but all around. No WiiWare or DSiWare either. And they've had a few weeks like that where nothing in any of those categories updated. We may have had a few No VC backs but at least we've never had a Nothing At All Week.
27. morphballer
21 Aug 2009, 00:03 BST
I always thought Rolling Thunder 2 was Genesis only...
28. morphballer
21 Aug 2009, 00:19 BST
@WarioFan: I consider a no VC week (at least the ones we've gotten) no different than a "nothing at all week".
29. bboy2970
21 Aug 2009, 00:31 BST
God forbid Nintendo actually supports the VCA in America......
30. Clinker
21 Aug 2009, 01:31 BST
Come on Namco! If you'd release these games on the western VCs, then we would never need another Namco Museum ever again!
Also, Does anyone else think that Ms. Pac-Man should have been put in the US/EU/AU launch of the Virtual Console Arcade? That game would be on the top 20 VC sales listings!
31. Atlantis1982
21 Aug 2009, 02:45 BST
Now Namco, stop buying more toys and start sharing the ones you already bought to the other kiddies so that we can play too.
32. Ricardo91
21 Aug 2009, 06:04 BST
@Morphballer. You're thinking Rolling Thunder 3.
Damn you, Namco! DAAAAAMMMMMNNN YOOOUUUUU!!!
33. Spencer
21 Aug 2009, 06:07 BST
Ausome The Original Dig Dug is one of My Favorite Arcade Games hopefully it will come to NA Soon
34. Spencer
21 Aug 2009, 06:10 BST
My Namco Arcade Game Wish list
Mrs Pac Man
Pac Man
Pole Position 2
Splatterhouse
Galaga
Dig Dug
35. Sean Aaron
21 Aug 2009, 07:32 BST
There are still a ton of Namco arcade games that aren't in either list; I expect they'll be able to publish just as many next year as they've already announced for this year if their intent is to get their entire 80s-90s catalogue out.
This would be a big reason to hold off on some other titles so that each release period features games of significance to maintain people's interest.
36. MarkyVigoroth
21 Aug 2009, 17:21 BST
Nintendo Obama promised reform in the Wii Shop, but taking a closer look in his bill reveals that he is essentially forcing the 3rd parties (like Hudson or SNK) to release ONLY the games that Nintendo Obama wants as well as make illegal for consumers to purchase old consoles/games or even demand (even if not for the killionth time) that Donkey Kart Smash Bound Island be released!
37. PhoenixSage
22 Aug 2009, 17:32 BST
I wanna see Valkyrie no Densetsu...Ever since SoulCalibur II (and that cutie Cassandra's third costume change) I've wanted to try it out. Not enough games starring valkyries out there, which is sad.
38. Ferret75
22 Aug 2009, 18:15 BST
Kind of funny how all these arcade games get announced as soon as I get a 360.
Ya, I got a 360 and I'm loving it. =D
But I like my Wii too.
Wii60 FTW.
39. carson
22 Aug 2009, 19:45 BST
Namco Obama wants Government Run VC Care.....what he doesnt realize is that we cant afford all those games.
I am also for Wii60
40. Ferret75
22 Aug 2009, 19:51 BST
Wii's Virtual Console and Wiiware, and 360's Live Arcade seem to go together well for me.
Virtual Console has the console-exclusive games, while Live Arcade has the best versions of the arcade games.
41. Clinker
23 Aug 2009, 00:51 BST
@ 37. PhoenixSage
Legend of the Valkerie (Valkyrie no Densetsu's English name) is on the Namco Museum Volume 5 for Playstation
42. Stevii's Father
24 Aug 2009, 02:52 BST
I want dig dug.
I want dig dug.
I want dig dug.
I want dig dug.
43. Tony
24 Aug 2009, 12:31 BST
New Rally X would be a nice choice for NA and EU. It's a pretty fun little game
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