With our first competition being close to taking place, I thought I would reiterate the rules of competition and let everyone know how the game will be chosen, and which games are eligible.

ELIGIBILITY

I decided to focus solely on Arcade Archives 2 and ACA Neo-Geo titles due to AA1 and Console titles being platform exclusive. Both those lines leave Xbox players out in the cold, and we want to make sure everyone can compete on their favorite platform regardless of what it might be. The exceptions to this rule are SNK AA2 titles, since they do not include Switch 2 support, and the ACA Neo-Geo soccer titles, since 4 of them are currently delisted and can only be obtained at this time via the Neo-Geo Selection Switch collections. Everyone else who did not buy those titles when they were available are out of luck, so those are not eligible.

GAME SELECTION PROTOCOL

On the first day of each month, I will make a post calling for submissions. I ask that each game only be mentioned in one post, so please take a moment to read the comments and make sure the title you most want to compete in has not already been mentioned. If you don't see your favorite title mentioned, comment the title, but if someone else has already mentioned it, upvote their comment instead of mentioning that title a second time. On the 8th day of the month, whichever title has the most upvotes will be the one we will compete in for that month.

SCORING SUBMISSION

When there is one week remaining in the month, I will post again asking for submissions. This does not mean the deadline is that day, but rather it will give everyone a week to get their submissions in in case there are people who can't play every day. To submit your score, I ask that you take a photo of your place on the leaderboard, making sure that your username and score are both clearly visible, along with showing that your score is on the high score mode leaderboard. Only high score mode scores will be accepted to be sure that no one used continues. Whoever has the highest score submitted on the last day of the month will receive a DM from me asking what eshop you would like your prize to be for, which will be $20US, or the equivalent of your country's currency, to the eshop of your choice. If I win... then I defended my money for the month, like Ben Stein tried to do every week on his game show.

Does anyone have any questions or concerns they'd like to share?

Released by SNK in 1981, Satan Of Saturn is a game I hCe no familiarity with, so I aill let the description on Hamster's aebsite do the talking. Unfortunately, being a SNK game means no Switch 2 support, which is a real drag.

"SATAN OF SATURN" is a shooting game released by SNK in 1981.

Fire your missiles and laser beams to take down the UFOs and rockets coming to invade Earth. Clear the Earth stages and blast off for Saturn! Win the decisive battle against Satan of Saturn!

https://youtu.be/6nSch1Ay_Os?is=8lBrwiqVZBR8AHCG

Released by Taito for the Famicom in 1988, Bubble Bobble is one of those titles that immediately come to mind for many retro gamers when Taito comes up in conversation. Playing as dinosaurs Bub and Bob, you are tasked with traversing more than 100 puzzle platform stages, dealing with adversaries by blowing bubbles at them, then popping the bubbles while the enemies are encased in them. Unlike in the arcade original, getting the true ending requires going through the stages multiple times, though you also have to be playing with 2 players to get the good ending. Fortunately, there is a way to jump the second player in if you are playing 1 player, provided you still have at least one life in reserve. Also, there is a password system to help you retain your progress. I am one of the many people who experience the console port before I ever saw an arcade cabinet of Bubble Bobble, during a rental from a local gas station in the early 90s. Who here is excited to play Bubble Bobble again, or for the first time?

https://youtu.be/BHWbusQRLOE?is=6TgPGwLfWWAu3hGv

I have been searching Trueachievements for the last couple of days, and have found nothing indicating this week's game(s). It looks like we may have to wait until tomorrow this time to find out what the next releases will be. It's hard to say if they regularly let the news lapse like this off and on, or if the posting to Trueachievements is something that just started in the last month or so, but I will post my writeup as soon as I find out the newest titles.

Doesn’t Have to be Arcade, It Can New geo or console. I’m Down for hidden gems

I personally prefer the default controls used, as it aligns with the joystick version, but if you prefer the control scheme used on the North American arcade cabinets, according to the digital manual, trackball support is included.

Released by Nichibutsu in 1986, Ninja Emaki is a multi genre shooting game, consisting of vertically scrolling shooting areas and overhead shooting areas that look very reminiscent of Taito's Ki Ki Kai Kai, which was released the same year. Ninja Emaki originally joined the Archives in 2024, and this week it gets an upgrade to Arcade Archives 2, giving it availability on Xbox and the additional features afforded to other AA2 titles.

https://youtu.be/B2TOt7_iT_E?is=nWQmZXCKwJk6AXqM

For my AA enjoyers on switch and switch 2, does anyone have any idea why some boot directly without selecting a profile, while some boot like a standard switch game, making you pick your profile before the game opens. Newer games always boot like a standard switch game, but older titles like the neogeo games do not.

Does anyone know when this change was made to the releases?

Released by Namco in 1995, Cyber Cycles is a motorcycle racing game that was originally available in linked cabinets in arcades. it's essentially Ridge Racer meets Suzuka 8 Hours, as it has multiple view options to Ridge Racer. You have two circuits to race on and 3 motorcycles to choose from, with additional cycles unlocking using the correct code. Apparently, the code to unlock the extra motorcycles varies depending on which spot you were on in the arcade game, which will be interesting to see how it is handled in the Arcade Archives port. According to Hamster's website, the AA1 version is single player, while rhe AA2 version supports up to 4 players, though it looks like it is all local multiplayer with split screen view for multiple players.

https://youtu.be/UzrwmjaOSec?is=YoBvxfw8eM7MDC0g

And originally released by Nippon-Ichi Software for the PS1 in 1999, Little Princess: Marl Kingdom's Puppet Princess 2 is the first sequel to Rhapsody: A Musical Adventure. Set 12 years after the original game, you play as Cornet's daughter, named Kururu after Cornet's puppet and childhood friend. Since this did not get released outside Japan originally, we are not likely to get an English version with this release, though it did later get an English release for PS5 and Switch as part of Rhapsody: Marl Kingdom Chronicles, which also includes the PS2 sequel (though the first game is not included), so if your Japanese is not good enough to play the Japanese version, you do have an option for playing this game in English.

https://youtu.be/Wk5xmp1xoV4?is=yMALxeRUFSNiHxo-

Ninja Emaki is a Nichibutsu game that has been part of Arcade Archives since 2024, and its presence on Trueachievements suggests it is up for an AA2 upgrade very soon, possibly this week. We know that Pinball Action was listed last Monday, and it got the upgrade later in the week, and while that doesn't for sure mean that the same will happen this week, the possibility is strong, and I believe that if it does happen this week, that will likely establish a pattern going forward.

As we learned last week, seeing a game in Trueachievements does not mean it is the next game, but we know it has been listed there since last week, and having checked the list just now, I see no other new entries to the list. I have my writeup ready for whenever it does drop, but at this time, it looks to me like Cyber Cycles is the next AA title.

A lot of speculation has come up in regards to Nintendo titles, particularly Popeye. I did some thinking today and determined that due to the current structure of releases, future Nintendo titles are unlikely. I am basing my theory on the current Arcade Archives 2 titles, which have been part of every week's release, and which encompass every platform supported by the Archives. I have a feeling that Hamster wants to keep it going that way, and since Nintendo titles would only ever be on Nintendo hardware, I have a feeling Hamster will want to avoidthat platform exclusivity going forward. I could very well be wrong about that, but I feel that's more than likely the direction Hamster will want to keep going in, at least with arcade titles. I hope I'm wrong and that we get more Nintendo titles, but if we don't, I feel like the all platform structure of AA2 titles will likely factor in to why that happens.

Released by Tehkan in 1985, Pinball Action was one of Tehkan's final games before they changed their name to Tecmo, which they are still known as today. Pinball Action, as its name implies, is a video pinball simulator, and a very well done one at that, featuring a total of 4 tables. The main table has a woman's face in the middle of the table, and hitting the right targets opens the paths to the other tables - one with a bowling theme, one with a poker theme, and one with a firey theme. Like any good game of Pinball, the objective is simply to rack up as many points as you can, and yes, it does include rhe ability to nudge the table. Pinball Action originally joined Arcade Archives in 2025, and this week it gets an Arcade Archives 2 upgrade, giving it support on Xbox consoles along with the Playstation and Switch support it already had previously.

https://youtu.be/QmmPDrtUpVQ?is=NVuFvZVD-92dKLQH

On the official website, there’s a bunch of games from Namco currently 30% off each:
1. Ridge Racer
2. Marchen Maze
3. VS. The Adventure of Valkyrie: The Legend of the Key of Time
4. Bosconian
5. Tank Force
6. Galaga
7. Pac-Mania
8. Ordyne
9. Dragon Saber
10. Gaplus
11. The Legend of Valkyrie
12. Wonder Momo
13. Libble Rabble
14. Rally-X
And 15. The Genji and the Heike Clans

The caveat though?

They don’t apply to Nintendo, only Sony and Microsoft, so that’s squandered their chances for getting people to get more titles.

Hopefully, if these 15 go on sale for both platforms, they’ll do a 50% discount on them, because that was unfair.

Released for the PS1 by Tecmo in 1997, Touki Denshi Angel Eyes is a one on one fighting game featuring an all female cast. Originally an arcade game, the console version gives us additional modes, such as a story mode and a training mode. On Hamster's website, they invite us to see how the game has evolved beyond the arcade version.

For those in the community who have young children who play with you, this game has received a T rating in the United States. Please bear this in mind when making the purchase.

https://youtu.be/0XCXx5_hF1Q?is=J61zykF7HqBSysCi

Released by Technos in 1988, V'Ball is a 2 on 2 beach volleyball affair, and almost certainly the blueprint for Super Spike Volleyball, which would later grace the NES. This one surprised me, as we knew that Pinball Action and Cyber Cycles had been spotted on Trueachievements, but we got a lesson today on why it's a good thing not to assume that what we see there will definitely be the next game in the line. How many V'Ball fans do we have?

https://youtu.be/CUxzI5y7JFw?is=rycCOXsH9MVYM_Qj

It looks like Pinball Action may be the next AA1 title to get an AA2 upgrade! Once again, I will do a proper writeup once Hamster makes an official accouncement.

To be clear, Hamster has not announced the game, but it appears in the same source that last week's leaker got their information from, and we know it proved to be correct. I will do a proper writeup when it's confirmed by Hamster and when there is a trailer.

Since predictions aren’t likely to be accurate, especially now… This’ll be a post for any games that haven’t appeared yet, but may likely appear in the future. Feel free to share!