Japanese publisher Hamster has revealed that it will be bringing UPL Co., Ltd's likeable '80s coin-op hit Atomic Robo-Kid to the Nintendo Switch as part of its Arcade Archives series. The game hits the Japanese eShop tomorrow with a price tag of just ¥823.
If you'll forgive us for getting all misty-eyed for a moment, Atomic Robo-Kid is one of those '80s arcade titles that developed a cult following at launch, got a couple of decent home ports and was then promptly forgotten about by the general public, a crime for which mankind should feel suitably ashamed about.
Even at the time of release, it perhaps wasn't taken seriously enough; UK magazine C&VG famously called the lead character 'Dusty Bin with lasers" (a comparison made with the robo-like mascot of the British game show 3–2–1, which ran from 1978 until 1988 - the same year that Atomic Robo-Kid was released, coincidentally).
If you were fortunate enough to have played the game in the arcades or at home (the Mega Drive / Genesis and PC Engine ports are both excellent) then you'll know this is a simple yet strangely appealing scrolling shooter which allows you to fly in 8 directions and acquire all kinds of lethal weaponry. The music is rather nice, too.
Hopefully this will make its way to the west, but even if it doesn't, those of you with Japanese eShop accounts are encouraged to pick it up, even if it's just to keep us quiet.
[source japanesenintendo.com]
Comments 25
Haven't HAMSTER been really good at near day-and-date worldwide releases for ACA titles, or is that just the memory banks acting up again?
@tudsworth They are. And I'll have to study this game, because I didn't know it. I look forward to them releasing Donkey Kong Jr. and both Puzzle Bobbles, all already announced but without a confirmed date!
Who?
@Moroboshi876 I keep forgetting we're getting both Puzzle Bobbles on Switch and every time somebody reminds me I feel like a kid again.
Looks like a souped up Henry hoover!
So that's what happened to Dusty Bin after 3-2-1 got cancelled! He became sentient and tried to kill Ted Rogers!
Waaaaaay back in 1991 I splurged on a Sega Genesis (MD) and after beating Sonic, still didn't have much money left to buy another game. After scraping together a few bucks I decided to try out one of the few 'bargain bin' games of the day, Atomic Robo-Kid. So many amazing memories! So happy I'll get to play this again. You rock, Hamster!
@tudsworth The problem is they were on the bottom of a list of soon to be released games, then were moved to the top of another list and they've skipped them in order to release other games first. I don't know why.
Enjoyed this a lot on the C64, along with St. Dragon.
they really digging deep now.
Looking at some screenshots, it looks heavily reminiscent of R-Type. I'm intrigued!
Played the PC Engine and Mega Drive versions of this, the PC Engine version being much better than the MD version in my opinion. Look forward to trying the original arcade version.
I had never heard of this, I'll have to load it up on my MAME machine.
@Agramonte my kind of deep.
I had this on the Megadrive and I'll have it again on Switch.Nice one!
Never heard of it.
Probably will buy it. Pc engine version isn’t bad
Glad to see Hamster AA releases beyond the endless Neo Geo stuff, but where is Gradius/Gradius 2/Salamander/Thunder Cross on the Switch?
@Jimgamer8 Ye, I'm waiting for the Konami and Taito stuff myself.
Good shooter! A bit tough! Still have my mint Genesis copy!! 😃
@GrailUK Taito especially!!! I feel like Konami doesn’t want to be bothered with their back catalogue the dummys!
These are one of those mascot from the past that probably should just stay in the past unless their modern reborn is decent.
Wow, totally forgot about this. Had it on the Megadrive.
Yeah think I may buy, I remember it being pretty good.
Look at that S N O O T
I've never heard of this before, but i picked it up anyway and it turned out to be fun. Recommended!
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