The Capcom Home Arcade immediately presents itself as an officially licensed product, bearing Capcom’s iconic logo prominently on its expansive control panel. While reminiscent of the countless, inexpensive fight sticks available online, often pre-loaded with numerous ROMs under names like Pandora’s Box, the Capcom Home Arcade distinguishes itself. It’s a fully licensed product developed and marketed by Koch Media, showcasing a commendable level of ambition. The key questions remain: how does it perform against competitors, and are the included 16 games sufficient to justify the purchase?
The Arcade Feeling
The memories are vivid: a thirteen-year-old in Skövde, spending school breaks at the local video store (All-Video), captivated by older teenagers feeding coins into the arcade machines. The owner, wary of rumors about kids spending clothing money on games, maintained a watchful eye. However, amidst customers and rewinding VHS tapes, opportunities arose for quick sessions. Back then, the prospect of such high-quality, immersive, and stylish games becoming available at home seemed distant. The 16-bit era offered limited conversions of arcade titles on Mega Drive, SNES and Amiga, and the ultimate aspiration was owning a NEO GEO, the first platform to replicate arcade experiences at home, albeit at exorbitant prices (2,000 kronor per game). Little did we anticipate the arrival of consoles, within a decade, that would surpass the arcade experience entirely.
Two years felt like an eternity. By my 15th birthday, PC gaming (MS-DOS, Super-VGA with 256 colors!) and, to some extent, the Playstation had emerged, diminishing the allure of arcades. It was later, in adulthood, that I rediscovered the enjoyment of arcades at locations like Liseberg and Las Vegas, and significantly after RetroPie facilitated the resurgence of classic emulation.
Capcom Home Arcade – More Than an Emulator
Arcade games originally utilized circuit boards housed in cabinets with CRT screens and coin slots, providing fast-paced, intense, and relatively brief pay-to-play entertainment. This model optimized throughput and revenue for operators who often leased the machines. The Capcom Home Arcade contains ROMs of arcade games, which are digital files representing exact copies (“dumps”) of the circuit board code. These are licensed and legally obtained, as Koch Media has secured the rights from Capcom. The system supports CPS 1 and 2 architecture, but currently lacks games from the later CPS 3 generation (more on this below).
The Capcom Home Arcade (CHA) runs on a modified version of the popular open-source arcade emulator, Final Burn Alpha (FBA). The use of FBA has previously been subject to debate regarding its commercial application. It is understood that the CHA team has customized the emulator and operates it on a Linux-based system.
For the hardware, Sanwa joystick levers and arcade buttons have been implemented – a premium choice known for high quality in home arcade setups (specifically, JLF-TP-8Y levers and OBSF precision buttons). The result is impressive. The joysticks offer precise movement and tactile feedback, accurately replicating the arcade experience, while the buttons are robust, responsive, and designed to withstand the rigorous demands of gameplay. The inclusion of dual controls on the spacious housing allows two players to comfortably play side-by-side, recreating the social arcade experience. The difference now is the ability to insert “credits” with the press of a button.
The Games in Capcom Home Arcade
The initial impression of 16 games might seem limited for a modern retro console, considering that many offer 30-64 titles, especially given the CHA’s price point (approximately 2,300 kr). However, due to the genuine licensing agreements, this remains the most affordable legal method for owning these games. Furthermore, the high-quality fight stick construction provides an authentic arcade feel, distinguishing the CHA from competitors despite the higher cost.
Naturally, the collection includes Street Fighter 2 (Hyper Fighting version), one of Capcom’s most iconic and successful arcade games. The exclusion of multiple SF2 iterations is appreciated. The lineup also features more obscure titles, reflecting a curated selection by arcade enthusiasts. Alien vs Predator makes its debut on a “home format” (likely due to licensing complexities with Fox). Other notable inclusions are Capcom Sports Club and Progear (released as late as 2001, when arcade games outside of dedicated arcades had largely faded).
The 16 games featured on the Capcom Home Arcade are:
- 1944: The Loop Master
- Alien Vs. Predator
- Armored Warriors
- Capcom Sports Club
- Captain Commando
- Cyberbots: Full Metal Madness
- Darkstalkers: The Night Warriors
- Eco Fighters
- Final Fight
- Ghouls ‘N Ghosts
- Giga Wing
- Mega Man: The Power Battle
- Progear
- Street Fighter II
- Strider
- Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo
While the game selection may not be extensive, it is carefully chosen, with each game possessing its own appeal, and several achieving timeless classic status. 1944 stands out as a top-tier bullet-hell shooter, perfect for cooperative play. Alien vs Predator offers a compelling experience, reminiscent of Final Fight (and many other beat’em ups) but incorporating characters and themes from the Alien and Predator franchises. Capcom Sports Club proves surprisingly enjoyable, featuring tennis, basketball, and football as intense arcade mini-games in the style of Mario Tennis, NBA Jam, and Football Champ: easy to learn but difficult to stop playing. Eco Fighters innovates the side-scrolling shmup genre with a ship featuring a rotating cannon. The collection also includes beloved classics like Final Fight (arguably the best beat’em-up of its era), the notoriously challenging Ghouls and Ghosts, and Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo, an engaging Tetris-style puzzle game with its own unique mechanics akin to Puyo-Puyo. Mega Man: The Power Battle will appeal to Mega Man enthusiasts, having previously been available only in anniversary collections for Xbox, GameCube, and PS2. Special mention is deserved by Progear, a visually stunning, stylish, and intense shoot’em-up.
Falling in the middle ground are Captain Commando, which bears too much resemblance to Final Fight to fully distinguish itself (although the novelty of playing as a baby in a Mecha suit is undeniable), and Strider, which evokes fond memories from its Amiga origins, but has aged noticeably over the past 30 years as a single-player action-adventure title.
The collection’s weaker entries include the somewhat chaotic fighting game Cyberbots: Full Metal Madness and Gigawing, which feels like a hyper-intense, neon-drenched bullet-hell experience with a relentless barrage of enemies and projectiles.
Overall, the Capcom Home Arcade accurately and faithfully recreates the original arcade versions of these games. As with any emulation, minor imperfections or glitches may occasionally occur, but they are negligible. The experience of revisiting these arcade classics on a high-quality fight stick with good company is invaluable for those with an appreciation for arcade gaming.
Features and the Future
The Capcom Home Arcade includes an HDMI port (with an extra-long cable for convenient couch setup), power via microUSB (similar to other retro consoles like the Mega Drive Mini), and a covered USB port labeled EXT1. The purpose of this port remains unclear, but speculation suggests it may allow the connection of external devices in the future. The unit also features built-in Wi-Fi, facilitating software updates (currently on version 1.3) and online high score leaderboards. Connectivity has been inconsistent during testing, with Wi-Fi connections intermittently dropping upon restart, despite factory resets (restarts take approximately 25 seconds between games). Menu navigation can also feel somewhat sluggish at times (though aesthetically pleasing). Koch Media has stated that these issues will be addressed in future updates (joining the reddit group for the machine is recommended, as the Koch Media representative actively engages with the community).
While no official announcements have been made, Capcom’s arcade catalog contains approximately 80 titles, suggesting potential opportunities for future game additions via updates. Failure to offer such content could lead to community-driven hacking, as seen with the NES Classic Mini and PS Classic Mini. Koch Media has initiated a thread on the reddit group soliciting fan suggestions, albeit with the disclaimer that “there are no plans to expand”. Additional information and updates can be found on the Capcom Home Arcade official website.
Best Christmas Gift for the Arcade Lover
The Capcom Home Arcade is a compelling device with notable strengths and minor shortcomings. The dedication to accuracy and passion evident in the game selection, the emulator, and the hardware is commendable. For those who grew up longing to experience these games in arcades, this offers a tangible connection to that era. However, potential buyers should be aware of the price point. For those with a strong affinity for arcade gaming, the Capcom Home Arcade delivers an authentic and enjoyable experience.
Here’s hoping Santa brings one this year! 🤞🏻🎄🎅🏻
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