One developer that didn't slow down this year was the retro revival specialist Hamster. Although 2020 was tough for everyone within the video game industry, it was somehow able to stick to its schedule and continue pumping out weekly releases.
This brings us to Hamster's final release of the year. What is it, you ask? Shanghai III - a puzzle game originally released by Sunsoft in 1993. Here's a bit more about it, courtesy of Hamster's website:
Shanghai III' is a puzzle game that was released from SUNSOFT in 1993. Players pick from an assortment of mahjong tile patterns such as Dragon, Tiger, etc. The object is to clear all of the tiles from the screen by matching them in pairs. The game runs on a timer, so players have to move fast to clear the entire screen.
*This game uses the Japanese ROM for the main part of the game. The options menu and manual are available in Japanese, English, French, German, Italian, and Spanish.
This one (as usual) will be priced at $7.99 or your regional equivalent. We've also got some screenshots:
Hamster has now had more than "200 consecutive weeks of delivery" and originally started distribution on the Nintendo Switch on 3rd March 2017. You can see all of Hamster's Switch eShop releases this year over on its official website, or view our Nintendo Life Arcade Archives guide.
Will you be adding this game to your Switch Home Menu? How many of Hamster's releases have you purchased in 2020 and what would you like to see from it in 2021? Let us know in the comments.
[source hamster.co.jp]
Comments 29
Seems like a decent mahjong game but it's a shame that they still haven't released Raiden despite it being announced a long time ago, seems like that game is never going to get released at this rate.
Let’s go Mystic Warriors 2021!
We had Shanghai II (I believe) on PC as part of an Activision "vault" compilation release in the late 90s that also included Pitfall: The Mayan Adventure, Earthworm Jim, and Return to Zork.
Not sure if there's any connection between this Shanghai and the one I grew up with though.
Hopefully, 2021 will bring some more Taito classics (Rainbow Islands, New Zealand Story, Operation Wolf, Chase HQ, SCI.....), and also Arcade Archives get access to Midway’s Catalogue (Ivan Stewart’s Off-road, Rampage, APB, Paperboy, Defender, Gauntlet ................)
@Gerald one can only hope.
I personally want Kung-Fu Master from Irem / Data East!
The first game I had for my NES was Tiles of Fate, which is a pretty decent mahjong game. Not because I chose it, but because the cartridge came with the console. I spent a lot of time playing it and had a lot of fun. Every now and then I find myself humming its tunes LOL.
Since then I've been into mahjong games.
It's a nice year end run by Hamster. I got Gradius III last week and I'm gonna get this one too. These guys deserve all praise for the work they've been doing
My arcade stick remains in my amazon cart waiting for Raiden. In the most depressing year my personal most depressing delay.
Can we please get some more Konami shooters games like Jackal or Super Contra or some the hack slash classic game from Taito Rastan?
After seeing the Sega Astro City Mini lineup, I'm thinking Japan loves their puzzle games. But here in the states, we want to hit or shoot things while walking or flying in one direction. The sheer number of unreleased classics they've let to approach is baffling for the US market, which I imagine is similar to Europe's
@Fraba Rastan! Good call, dude. I'd also dig Cadash
I think I've got enough Shanghai already with Shanghai II for the Famicom (was worth the couple bucks it costs for the Sunsoft jams alone) and IV (The Great Wall) for the Super Famicom.
I look forward to it despite my hatred for the ACA icon design. But this looks just like too much of a good time for me to pass on it because of that.
Especially considering that one of the games with the most playtime on my Switch is Mario Picross.
@JayJ The other edge of the sword there is, as soon as it does release (if it ever does), all the hardcore shoot-em-up fanatics will complain about how the Switch has too much lag for shoot-em-ups to be playable on.
@Gerald Joust, Robotron 2084, Hydro Thunder, San Francisco Rush, Satans Hollow, Smash TV, Tapper, wizard Of Wor, Gorf, Marble Madness, Total Carnage, xenophobe, Xybots, and many others!! Would love to see it happen but Hamster will have to knock on Warner Bros door for permission. Would be awesome though!
@Gerald Operation Wolf with Joy-Con support 🤞🏻
@AllieKitsune Just tell them to play the games in handheld mode. There, problem solved.
I want my Version with Eggs.
Knuckle Joe
Ring King
The Main Event
Flying Shark
Tiger Heli
Kung Fu Master
Rainbow Islands
New Zealand Story
Pheonix
Mr Do
Everything by Midway / Atari lol.
Hehe. I only hope that they keep going for the next 3 years
Shanghai is fantastic on the Atari Lynx so will certainly be picking this up.
This one wasn't previously announced, yet it was already available for PS4 for years. So... Bubble Bobble? Wonder Boy? When?
@Fandabidozi that would be good, also make use of HD Rumble. The arcade had excellent Rumble feedback
@joey302 there certainly is a long list of Midway / Atari games that would be excellent for Arcade Archives
@idork99 not played Kung Fu Master on the Arcade, but played that lots on the Amstrad. It was not a compilation ‘They Sold a Million 3’
Would most definitely purchase that if it became available
@Gerald would be great if Hamster can do a deal but sometimes I feel as if Hamster is not interested in securing American made arcade games for their line up. Again would be awesome because Warner bros isn’t doing anything with that classic IP. 😌
I just played it for two hours. It's good. A bit stressfully though.
I'd be perfectly happy with a premium aca line. For instance in canada the games are 9.99. But I'd happily pay 14.99 for games with ip such as turtles or NBA jam. There has to be a way to get those games onto the switch.
@sixrings I agree or maybe 29.99 for a premium 2 pack arcade turtles with arcade turtles in time or arcade nba jam with nba jam tournament edition?
@Gerald I would also love to see a arcade championship sprint with arcade off road
LOL. LooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooL
@Fraba I'd be ok with mini compilations. What about robocop?
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