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KONAMI Arcade Classics Anniversary Collection |OT| ↑↑↓↓←→←→BA Can't Help You Now!

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Mega Man Zero

Mega Man Zero

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Oct 27, 2017
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Real Game Title - Arcade Classics Anniversary Collection
Price - $19.99, £15.99
Release Date - April 18, 2019
Platforms - Steam, Switch, PS4, XB1
Developer - Hamster
website - https://www.konami.com/games/50th/ac/arcade/us/en/
Trophies - https://psnprofiles.com/trophies/9004-arcade-classics-anniversary-collection
Achievements - https://www.exophase.com/game/arcade-classics-anniversary-collection-xbox/achievements/

Features
  • Infinite Credits
  • Rapid Fire (AKA Turbo)
  • Game Manuals - Instructions
  • Save states
  • Game Settings (AKA DIP switches) - amount of lives, difficulty, etc.
  • Display Settings - Blurring (filter), Display Ratio (Original, 4:3, 16:9), Frame (Same borders for all games), Controls (buttons HUD)
  • Controls - button mapping
  • Bonus E-Book - Developer interview, design docs, concept art, etc.

Trailer



GameXplain's Game & Watch



Games Included
Be aware that this collection is region specific and you can't change the version by changing a setting. The Japanese version is only available on Japanese stores (eShop, Steam, etc.) and everyone else gets the US versions. I have linked to some sites that go over some of the differences between the US and Japanese versions of the ones with major gameplay changes.

Haunted Castle (1988) - https://castlevania.fandom.com/wiki/Haunted_Castle#Ports
https://tcrf.net/Haunted_Castle


TwinBee (1985)


Nemesis | Gradius (1985)


Vulcan Venture | Gradius II (1988) - https://tcrf.net/Vulcan_Venture#Regional_Differences


Life Force | Salamander (1986)


Thunder Cross (1988) - https://tcrf.net/Thunder_Cross


Typhoon | A Jax (1987)


Scramble (1981)



Reviews and impressions

https://seafoamgaming.com/2019/04/23/arcade-classics-anniversary-collection-switch-eshop-review/

https://videochums.com/review/arcade-classics-anniversary-collection

https://www.gamerevolution.com/review/528771-konami-arcade-classics-anniversary-collection-review

https://kotaku.com/konamis-new-arcade-collection-could-have-been-a-lot-bet-1834179761


Source for Flyers
https://flyers.arcade-museum.com/?page=home
https://castlevania.fandom.com/wiki/Haunted_Castle
 
Last edited:
SJPN

SJPN

Member
Oct 27, 2017
1,028
PSA, the US/EU/AU version contains the US arcade games, some of which are significantly different (and much worse) than the JP/EU originals.

And unlike proper Hamster ACA games, there's no option to play the Japanese/original versions.
 
chanunnaki

chanunnaki

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
1,783
you forgot the START at the end, but I dunno if the START was needed on the arcade version of these days. I just wanted to see the BASTART
 
Fularu

Fularu

Member
Oct 25, 2017
10,609
I'm still holding out hope for a Japan exclusive physical triple pack in a nice box (ala Capcom's Belt Scroller pack)
 
lowlifelenny

lowlifelenny

Member
Oct 27, 2017
1,408
MrSaturn99 said:
Uh oh, which games are these? I was heavily considering buying this.
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Gradius becomes Nemesis and Gradius II becomes Vulcan Venture. Little is changed apart from the names.

Life Force replaces Salamander which turns the game into a more traditional Gradius-style experience and has some rather silly graphical changes.

Thunder Cross USA is basically 'Americans Are Crap At Games: The Game', it starts with fully-loaded ships from the outset, and a stock of smart bombs with each life. And this is on top of the Japanese original not being that difficult in the first place.

Real shame, but the JP version is the one to get for this first compilation.
 
PepsimanVsJoe

PepsimanVsJoe

Member
Oct 26, 2017
6,229
In the second stage of Life Force, you're basically flying through somebody's Ureter, and there are invulnerable kidney stones flying everywhere.

Swear on my everything, this had to have been suggested by a higher-up at Konami who suffered a kidney stone.
 
SilentStorm

SilentStorm

Member
Apr 14, 2019
1,978
Can you even get the JP version on Steam, i really want to buy this because i really want more arcade compilations on PC(why is there no Namco Museum!?) but having inferior versions just feels weird and stupid.
 
Huey

Huey

Member
Oct 27, 2017
13,450
OP, I love these kinds of old arcade advertisements. Thanks for posting them
 
Tizoc

Tizoc

Member
Oct 25, 2017
23,792
Oman
SilentStorm said:
Can you even get the JP version on Steam, i really want to buy this because i really want more arcade compilations on PC(why is there no Namco Museum!?) but having inferior versions just feels weird and stupid.
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We will tey it by changing the language to jp. If it does and the gsmes appesr with their jp name+jp text, then blamo u got the jp versions.
 

Syril

Member
Oct 26, 2017
5,895
lowlifelenny said:
Gradius becomes Nemesis and Gradius II becomes Vulcan Venture. Little is changed apart from the names.
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Nemesis has the difficulty calculated differently from Gradius, and a Nemesis and Vulcan Venture have continues while Gradius and Gradius II don't.
lowlifelenny said:
Life Force replaces Salamander which turns the game into a more traditional Gradius-style experience and has some rather silly graphical changes.
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That's the Japanese version of Life Force, different from Salamander. The international Life Force is more of a reskin of Salamander.
 
Tizoc

Tizoc

Member
Oct 25, 2017
23,792
Oman
YuSuzzune said:
The store updated and no game.
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iT'S NOt like steam gets all the games from publishers and pushes a button for all of them to go up all at once :V

Anyways, steam page states both JP AND English languages, so someone try changing the language from properties to see if it'll download the jp versions.
 
Piccoro

Piccoro

Member
Nov 20, 2017
7,174
Tizoc said:


iT'S NOt like steam gets all the games from publishers and pushes a button for all of them to go up all at once :V

Anyways, steam page states both JP AND English languages, so someone try changing the language from properties to see if it'll download the jp versions.
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Be careful before you buy!

From the Steam description:
Please note the purchases made while located in Japan will be for the Japanese version.
Purchases made while located in any other region outside Japan will be for the English version.
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YuSuzzune

YuSuzzune

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Nov 21, 2018
4,977
Tizoc said:


iT'S NOt like steam gets all the games from publishers and pushes a button for all of them to go up all at once :V

Anyways, steam page states both JP AND English languages, so someone try changing the language from properties to see if it'll download the jp versions.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

Here it makes me purchase both versions, the store page is half german, half italian, what a mess is this?
 
Tizoc

Tizoc

Member
Oct 25, 2017
23,792
Oman
Piccoro said:
Be careful before you buy!

From the Steam description:
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I'm getting it but I generally buy my steam games from Humblebundle :P If anyone gets it, just right click the game, go to Language and see if you could set the language to JP and have the game dl any additional files.
You can do this with SF 30th ann. to get the JP versions of the games with the JP names etc.
 
SilentStorm

SilentStorm

Member
Apr 14, 2019
1,978
Just a warning, i see two options and they are named "Anniversary Collection Arcade Classics" and "Anniversary Collection Arcade Classics Japan Only".

And it states that the two versions give different versions of the games, with the Japanese version having a lot of titles in japanese but i see A-Jax and something with Gofer, which according to Google Translate, means Gradius II, so yeah, there is a choice, but i guess having all versions in one pack would have been better, anyways, buying the Japan Only version for now, shame that it seems to have an additional book which i guess has trivia and behind the scenes stuff, and the Japan Only version only gives it in japanese so i will be missing that.

......Never mind, i genuinely tried to buy the Japan Only version before posting this and it says it can't because it has items restricted to my country...then why the hell are there two options!?
 
Tizoc

Tizoc

Member
Oct 25, 2017
23,792
Oman
SilentStorm said:
Just a warning, i see two options and they are named "Anniversary Collection Arcade Classics" and "Anniversary Collection Arcade Classics Japan Only".

And it states that the two versions give different versions of the games, with the Japanese version having a lot of titles in japanese but i see A-Jax and something with Gofer, which according to Google Translate, means Gradius II, so yeah, there is a choice, but i guess having all versions in one pack would have been better, anyways, buying the Japan Only version for now, shame that it seems to have an additional book which i guess has trivia and behind the scenes stuff, and the Japan Only version only gives it in japanese so i will be missing that.

......Never mind, i genuinely tried to buy the Japan Only version before posting this and it says it can't because it has items restricted to my country...then why the hell are there two options!?
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Huh I JUST noticed that now. I think the reason is because there are 2 versions of the game and its possible they didn't set it up so that only the non-JP ver. appears worldwide.
That or....it's for anyone who is in Japan and set the language of the store to English? Eh maybe both :V
 
Tizoc

Tizoc

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Oct 25, 2017
23,792
Oman
Someone checked and the English ver. doesn't have an option to change the language sadly. It is not advisable to use a VPN to buy games on Steam btw.
 

Syril

Member
Oct 26, 2017
5,895
Jesus Christ I can't believe the lengths they're going to to prevent people from playing the other versions of these games.
 
fiendcode

fiendcode

Member
Oct 26, 2017
25,025
After looking through the eBook I really really hope we get the Arcade Classics Anniversary Collection 2 they speculate about. Games hinted at for possible inclusion:
  • Time Pilot (1982)
  • Road Fighters (1984)
  • Time Pilot '84 (1984)
  • Crime Fighters (1989)
  • Lightning Fighters (1990)
  • Sunset Riders (1991)
  • Thunder Cross II (1991)
  • Xexex (1991)
  • Gaiapolis (1993)
  • Monster Maulers (1993)
  • The Fantastic Journey (1994)
  • Dragoon Might (1995)
  • Salamander 2 (1996)
  • Vic Viper (unreleased)
 
SilentStorm

SilentStorm

Member
Apr 14, 2019
1,978
...Why is Konami doing this?

No, seriously, i am honestly asking, why are they doing this, why wouldn't they just put all versions in a game, or Heaven forbid, put only the typically considered better versions in one pack!?

Why are they region locking the JP versions, seriously, i can find games in japanese on Steam and not all of them are region locked, hell, even Namco's Pac-Man Museum, flawed as it is, doesn't discriminate as far as i know.

And that's not to say anything about the fact that there are remakes or reboots of old japanese arcade and computer games on Steam that aren't region locked, hey, look at that, a japanese developer made a remake of a 1979 arcade game called Heiankyo Alien and it's on Steam with the same name, it's fun and i can buy it, oh look, a 1981 game for a japanese computer called PC-8001 got a remake on Steam and i can't buy it under the name of Space Mouse, and hey Cosmic Cavern, a 1980 game for the obscure Sharp MZ-80 computer and was the closest thing to Dig Dug only released two years before that game, is also on Steam with a remake, and no region lock!

And they all have the original versions as well, Space Mouse and Cosmic Cavern even have the different versions across old japanese ports alongside the remakes, if much less known games can get remakes and ports with no region locking, i fail to see why Konami can't do the same for their classic and much more well known games!
 
Ganado

Ganado

▲ Legend ▲
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Oct 25, 2017
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XbEKS4G.png

Those South American prices. YIKES!

Also, whats so bad with the non-JP versions?
 
Tizoc

Tizoc

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Oct 25, 2017
23,792
Oman
I guess they region split it due to the JP price being higher, and they don't want to risk JP consumers buying the game cheaper outside their region?
 
SilentStorm

SilentStorm

Member
Apr 14, 2019
1,978
Jesus Christ, so Konami is forcing the worst versions and in some countries demanding full AAA game prices!?

Screw that, just today you got Katana Zero, Forager and Whispers Of A Machine being released, all games i wouldn't mind paying for instead of Konami non-Japan Only pack, and they are all much less expensive.

Hell, for that money you could buy the Bloodstained game(replacing Haunted Castle while being better) and buy some good old shumps on Steam like Blue Revolver or Super Hydorah, speaking of the countries where it's more expensive, of course.

The more i learn, the more i wonder what Konami is doing!
 
Tizoc

Tizoc

Member
Oct 25, 2017
23,792
Oman
Ganado said:
XbEKS4G.png

Those South American prices. YIKES!

Also, whats so bad with the non-JP versions?
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I did a quick search

https://tcrf.net/Haunted_Castle
Ver. K is the JP ver. which is easier than the US ver.

https://tcrf.net/Nemesis_(Arcade)#Version_Differences
Gradius aka Nemesis outside Japan

https://tcrf.net/Vulcan_Venture
Gradius II aka Vulcan Venture in Europe
This one seems to have the Eng. ver. be easier than the JP ver. it seems

https://tcrf.net/Thunder_Cross
Thunder Cross has 2 versions, one of which I think is official. Doesn't seem to mention any differences between JP and Eng. versions though.

SilentStorm said:
Jesus Christ, so Konami is forcing the worst versions and in some countries demanding full AAA game prices!?
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Click to shrink...
Outside of Haunted Castle, could you elaborate on why the other games are worse than their JP counter parts? Even looking through the Cutting Room Floor pages, it doesn't seem all that bad @_@
 
Seafoam Gaming

Seafoam Gaming

One Winged Slayer
Member
Nov 3, 2017
2,716
Tizoc said:
I did a quick search

https://tcrf.net/Haunted_Castle
Ver. K is the JP ver. which is easier than the US ver.

https://tcrf.net/Nemesis_(Arcade)#Version_Differences
Gradius aka Nemesis outside Japan

https://tcrf.net/Vulcan_Venture
Gradius II aka Vulcan Venture in Europe
This one seems to have the Eng. ver. be easier than the JP ver. it seems

https://tcrf.net/Thunder_Cross
Thunder Cross has 2 versions, one of which I think is official. Doesn't seem to mention any differences between JP and Eng. versions though.


Outside of Haunted Castle, could you elaborate on why the other games are worse than their JP counter parts? Even looking through the Cutting Room Floor pages, it doesn't seem all that bad @_@
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They aren't bad, it's just some of the games were made stupidly easier/harder for no reason. I'm really enjoying it but I hope that they do a Tate update.
 
Narpas Sword0

Narpas Sword0

Member
Oct 28, 2017
1,090
SilentStorm said:
...Why is Konami doing this?

No, seriously, i am honestly asking, why are they doing this, why wouldn't they just put all versions in a game, or Heaven forbid, put only the typically considered better versions in one pack!?

Why are they region locking the JP versions, seriously, i can find games in japanese on Steam and not all of them are region locked, hell, even Namco's Pac-Man Museum, flawed as it is, doesn't discriminate as far as i know.

And that's not to say anything about the fact that there are remakes or reboots of old japanese arcade and computer games on Steam that aren't region locked, hey, look at that, a japanese developer made a remake of a 1979 arcade game called Heiankyo Alien and it's on Steam with the same name, it's fun and i can buy it, oh look, a 1981 game for a japanese computer called PC-8001 got a remake on Steam and i can't buy it under the name of Space Mouse, and hey Cosmic Cavern, a 1980 game for the obscure Sharp MZ-80 computer and was the closest thing to Dig Dug only released two years before that game, is also on Steam with a remake, and no region lock!

And they all have the original versions as well, Space Mouse and Cosmic Cavern even have the different versions across old japanese ports alongside the remakes, if much less known games can get remakes and ports with no region locking, i fail to see why Konami can't do the same for their classic and much more well known games!
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

Buy heiyankyo alien
 
PepsimanVsJoe

PepsimanVsJoe

Member
Oct 26, 2017
6,229
Yeah the Western version of Haunted Castle is ridiculous.
'
There's one checkpoint in the entirety of stage 1. So if you die at the boss, you get kicked back to practically the very beginning. A portion of your life is restored after clearing a stage, otherwise LOL if you need healing. I seriously can not believe that there was somebody who thought "Haunted Castle isn't enough of a pain in the ass. What can we do to make it even more hateful towards the player?"

The stopwatch is pretty damn broken if you can hang on to it though.

Narpas Sword0 said:
Buy heiyankyo alien
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YES! I have over 80 hours in Heiankyo Alien 3671. I love it.
Cosmic Cavern and Space Mouse (by the same dev) are also really good.
 
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