Hamster Corporation has been pumping out enhanced arcade releases since the Nintendo Switch arrived on the scene in 2017, but it might finally be time for it to take the next big step in retro preservation.
According to a story over on Gematsu, the Japanese company filed a trademark for "Console Archives" in English and Japanese earlier this month on October 6th. While it's probably best not to get too excited, it seems like there's a real possibility it could be planning to re-release older console titles.
Hamster began its Arcade Archives service on Switch on 3rd March 2017 and as of December last year had had over "200 consecutive weeks of delivery". You can see all of Hamster's current Switch eShop releases this year over on its official website, or view our Nintendo Life Arcade Archives guide.
The latest addition to the Arcade Archives collection most recently was Bandai Namco's Rally-X last week. While we wait for any developments, tell us in the comments what classic games you would like to see Hamster revive on the Nintendo Switch.
[source gematsu.com]
Comments 47
Everything. They should port everything.
Starting with Little Nemo: The Dream Master.
…or maybe something a bit less obscure.
Great game though.
Hamster's releases are the closest we're gonna get to a proper VC on Switch, so I'm all for them to expand into more stuff. As much stuff as possible please!
You know I’m gonna say chase hq 1 and 2 . What’s the hold up why are we waiting xxxxxx
That would be neat.
Granted, no movie, TV Show or Comicbook tie ins, there are a ton of compilations out there, and stuff like Nintendo Switch Online covers a lot of stuff, but they could bring over a ton on Playstation Systems (And XBox if they ever decide to bring Arcade Archives there.). I see this as good for say, the stuff that never appears on compilations.
Like the two people above me have said, please give Hamster anything it wants. It takes proper care of everything it gets, and like EarthboundBenjy said, it's the closest thing to Virtual Console.
This is only good news.
You can colour me intrigued.
Hamster's releases are handled with the utmost care. Arcade perfect, with a wealth of dip switch options and visual filters. (Plus the lovely addition of online leaderboards!)
Whatever they decide to release, I'm on board with it ❤
@Angelic_Lapras_King No licensed games would be a real bummer for something like this. I always disliked how the Nintendo VCs only ever had once licensed game, and not even a good one (NES TMNT on Wii)
I’m still waiting for Arcade Archives A.P.B.
@Noid Yeah, but then you get into a TMNT, Xmen and Simpsons Arcade situation where not long after release, they get delisted, which I'm sure Hamster want these games up for as long as possible. Even for straight ports like these, it's not worth Konami's time and money to pay and negotiate the license between them, Hamster, whoever owns those the IP and right to make games from that IP and divide up the profits among them.
And that's just one example.
This could be huge news! No matter if they release popular classics, hidden gems, or obscure oddities, those games will be preserved and playable on modern platforms like with their arcade releases, which is a huge win no matter how you slice it.
The reality of the situation is 80’s and early 90’s games. Most likely nothing past 1993.
Namco Ridge Racer
Namco Time Crisis
Konami Jackal
Konami Super Contra
Taito Rastan Saga
Taito Cadash
Midway Super Offroad
Midway Super Sprint
This is good news. I accept their terms, whatever they are.
NINJA APPROVED
Intriguing news! I’m sure they will resurrect some obscure old PC Engine, PS1, and Saturn games, lost to the sands of time.
I would love to see PS1 Pepsiman or the Clayman (Neverhood) games, among others. I’ll look forward to more on this topic.
Honestly the sky's the limit. So many games between the cracks of copyright/etc that need new life. Are we taking Atari, NES, 3DO, etc??
Keep em coming hamster.
They already have a situation going with Konami so maybe they’ve worked out something for PC Engine/TG-16 releases. Would love to get PCE CD games on Switch.
Maybe Sega’s SG 1000 and Master System libraries? Would be cool.
Man, if Hamster starts doing console games it’s a good chance their lineup could be better than what Nintendo is offering with their subscription. Maybe
Bro that would be cool as hell. Having even more games getting rereleased from consoles would definitely help Hamster in the long run since (in my opinion) the ACA series hasn't really had a big notable entry since In The Hunt was released under it
Should be PlayStation 1 games.
@shonenjump86 If you can call $8 an NES game better.
Let them handle releases like:
Faxanadu
Clash At Demonhead
The Adventures of Willy Beamish
Bionic Commando
Still a lot of great arcade games to bring over. The whole Midway/Williams library.
I really hope Nintendo collaborates with this as well. They've already collaborated with Arcade Archives to bring Nintendo arcade games to the Switch, so this could be an opportunity to bring classic Nintendo console games (like Super Mario Bros., The Legend of Zelda, Metroid, ...) to the Switch so that we won't need a Nintendo Switch Online membership to play them, but only a specific selection so that Nintendo can keep getting Online subscribers. Either way, I'm really excited to see what this is going to be like!
Oh my god. I am very excited.
It would be great if they focused on console games which re-release had meaning and was helpful, like Japan-only extremely expensive Saturn titles, but please don't stop bringing us arcade titles, especially big ones such as Undercover Cops or Chase HQ, some examples of feasable games still to be ported.
Xain'd Sleena, Chelnov, Rastan, New Zealand Story, Kung Fu Master
I love Hamster, but the price is way too high for digital copies of games.
Even at full price, the Namco Arcade Collection is less than $3 per game.
Sounds great! In addition to the plethora of good NES and SNES games missing (Capcom, Konami/Hudson, Sunsoft, Square/Enix, Taito, Tecmo), there are several other consoles that really need some love (Master System, PC Engine, Saturn, Jaguar, 3DO, N64, PSX etc.)
Intriguing but will most llikely just be dated NES games. ☹️
If they bring all the NES/Famicom games that Compile made I'd be very pleased. One of the Parodius games from Famicom, SFC, PS1, or Saturn would also be extremely welcome. Saturn Bomberman would be a dream come true. Oh, and how about regular old console games such as Earthbound, Chrono Trigger, Final Fantasy Vl, Einhander, R-Type Delta, Tobal 2, and Super Famicom Wars (Satellaview games would be gaming history preservation heaven)?
@JDCII No no no, obscure is good. Better known titles will get released eventually anyways. I want my obscure titles. Nemo was awesome.
They must have released every single arcade game ever by now so they probably have to move on to console games!
Whatever it is, I'm game. I've been building up my Arcade Archives collection, though sometimes the price is a problem.
@Tandy255
Namco are porting their own titles, that have been ported to death. Hamster are securing licences to titles that have never been made available on home systems before, so I think their prices are pretty reasonable.
Fantastic. Retro games on the Switch are one of my favorite things. Can’t wait to see what they bring out.
@SpringDivorce I love the service. I have bought a handful of my favorite arcade games too. It is the first time we could purchase (directly) arcade Donkey Kong.
However, I prefer bulk collections. And preferably physical copies.
What happens with the next console generation? Will our digital purchases transfer? Or will we have to re-buy them again?
I did buy the Namco pack digitally, but during a 50% sale, bringing it down to less than $1.50 per game.
Most of the games are too expensive to buy digitally at individual, premium prices.
Some of the Taito games recently went on sale for half off, but many that I am watching have never gone on sale.
How about discounts for those of us with multiple purchases already?
@Tandy255 if they don’t port our purchases this generation then I am giving up and pirating. I’m very anti piracy but it’s ridiculous how many times I end up buying the same game.
It could be very exciting news, but I'll keep my expectations tempered. To date Hamster's releases, while prolific, have stuck mainly to simpler Arcade coin-ops from the 80s through early 90s. As easy as it is to think, "Whoa, we might finally get Saturn and Dreamcast games!!!", it's actually more likely that these titles will come from the likes of Atari, Intellivision, Colecovision, Amiga, Commodore 64, etc.. Still some absolute gems in there for those of us who remember them from back in the day, but maybe not what many younger gamers would find attractive.
Who knows, maybe Nintendo themselves will even jump on the bandwagon and add E.T. The Extraterrestrial from the Atari 2600 to Switch online...for a modest $10 upgrade, of course (while this is a joke, you know there are people who would actually throw their money at it given recent events).
At any rate, que sera, sera.
My wish list, bearing in mind licensing restrictions:
Psycho Fox (Master System)
Goemon 64 (N64)
Castlevania 64 (N64)
San Francisco Rush (N64)
Any PSX RPGs not controlled by Square Enix
Anything from the Saturn or 3DO (bizarro world consoles which I never played)
PC-Engine RPGs (vaporwave pixel art FTW)
@ROBLOGNICK I once read on this site that Hamster claims they have access to over 800 arcade titles so If this is true they’re not done just yet 😊
@AtlanteanMan I would actually LOVE to see the whole entire Activision 2600 lineup of games hit! That would be awesome! Pitfall, Stampede, Barnstorming, Grand Prix, Megamania, Kaboom!, River Raid, Chopper Command, Seaquest, Enduro!
Oh baby! Lol 😂
They need to somehow get popeye on there because that was one of nintendo's earliest arcade games.
@Fighting_Game_Loser They just release Pac-Man. I would say thats a very big release. Now if they released Mrs. Pac-Man that would be huge.
So is this how I’m getting PC-Engine shmups on the switch? So be it. Make it so.
Very interesting, would be lovely to see some PC Engine CD shooters, or Turbo Grafx-16 stuff.
I wanna see where this goes!! ^^
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