Capcom is giving new life to its arcade classics with the release of Capcom Arcade Stadium. Nostalgia can be a tricky thing in gaming due to its ability to make the memory of a game, like Commando '85, seem much bolder, detailed, or fun than it really is - but that's not the case here. Capcom's commitment to game preservation and restoration is on full display here, providing players of all ages an experience that lives up to the memories of those who grew up on these games.
Capcom Arcade Stadium is a collection of 32 games such as Vulgus, Tatakai no Banka, and Street Fighter 2. Each title has been carefully emulated in order to provide the most authentic playing experience while also implementing a ton of new accessibility features.
The Last of Us 2's accessibility options set a precedent for the industry and Capcom made sure to follow suit, providing options such as rewinding to avoid death and try again, the ability to save whenever and wherever, and the option to adjust the difficulty of any game. Capcom also added multi-player features like global leaderboards and co-op in order to provide the feelings of competition and camaraderie that once filled arcades. While some of these features may be off-putting for veteran players looking for a more authentic experience, engaging with them is purely optional and anyone is free to approach each title in the way they please.
Capcom Arcade Stadium preserves not just the look and sound of each game, but their charm and near Demon's Souls level of difficulty, too. Even with scalable difficulty, these games present a sizable challenge that requires precision and quick thinking in order to minimize the amount of "Game Over" screens that are sure to pop up - luckily there are unlimited coins to get back in action. Capcom Arcade Stadium's "insert coin" feature is one of the many small details present in the collection that are sure to bring a smile to gamer's faces.
Unfortunately, having all these features requires a lot of explanation before players can pick a game, which results in a lot of them being forgotten or ignored in order to start playing. Some games don't all play as well as they should, too, which was particularly noticeable when playing Strider with the PS4's DualShock controller because joystick inputs often felt inaccurate but the D-pad felt too stiff, making it a bit difficult to properly play. Thankfully, Capcom Arcade Stadium is compatible with third-party arcade style controllers which will likely provide a better sense of precision and fluidity that's necessary for combos in Street Fighter 2 or agility in Strider.
Overall, the pros outweigh the cons of this collection by a wide margin. Players are fee to explore and re-learn all the features at their own speed and tailor each game in a way that encourages them to improve their skills. Whether an arcade veteran or exploring these classics for the first time, Capcom Arcade Stadium provides a nostalgic and enjoyable experience that will people coming back for more.
Capcom Arcade Stadium is available now on PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, and PC. Screen Rant was provided with a digital PS4 download code for the purpose of this review.