Capcom's recent teaser has come to fruition, and the Capcom Home Arcade console has been unveiled. The Capcom Home Arcade console not only comes bundled with 16 classic arcade games, but also is an arcade deck with two joystick setups, with the console itself being the controllers. For now, the Capcom Home Arcade system seems to be a niche project, sold solely through the Capcom Europe storefront at a price of 229.99€.
For 229.99€, buyers will get 16 classic Capcom games pre-loaded on the Capcom Home Arcade console, including rare or otherwise unavailable games such as Alien vs. Predator, Giga Wing, and Progear. Popular games like Street Fighter 2: Hyper Fighting, Ghouls 'n Ghosts, and Final Fight will also be included in the package. And while there's no hint that further games will be purchasable for download, the system is highly mod-able, so players likely can download their own arcade games.
The hardware itself is particularly unique. The deck of the system is shaped into the Capcom logo, and two six-button Sanwa joystick setups are built into the top. That makes the Capcom Home Arcade both the system and the controller. The system will feature a micro USB power connector, an HDMI port for video output, and onboard Wi-Fi so that players can upload their scores to online leaderboards.
Emulation on the Capcom Home Arcade will be run via the open sourced emulator FB Alpha. What appeared to be the start of a controversy over FB Alpha disallowing commercial use was quickly solved, as the official FB Alpha Twitter account confirmed the emulator had been officially licensed by Capcom.
Price and hardware aside, what really matters with a mini-console is its line-up of games and the Capcom Home Arcade is no different. While 16 games may not seem like a lot, Capcom is likely hoping that the console's exclusives will seal the deal. Here's all 16 Capcom games planned to be included on the platform:
- 1944: The Loop Master
- Alien vs. Predator
- Armored Warriors
- Capcom Sports Club
- Captain Commando
- Cyberbots: Fullmetal Madness
- Darkstalkers: The Night Warriors
- Eco Fighters
- Final Fight
- Ghouls 'n Ghosts
- Giga Wing
- Mega Man: The Power Battle
- Progear
- Street Fighter 2: Hyper Fighting
- Strider
- Super Puzzle Fighter 2 Turbo
The same criticism that was leveled at the PlayStation Classic console will likely be heard with regard to the Capcom Home Arcade console, too. That is, that if Capcom's making a console like this, why not go above and beyond and include as many arcade games as possible on the platform? Capcom's answer is likely both that this console is intended for the niche of Capcom fans who are willing to pay extra for such a product and also that, quietly, it's expected that fans will fill out the platform's lack of games on their own.
Expect more information on the Capcom Home Arcade console soon, including availability through more storefronts than just Capcom Europe. It's not yet clear if the Capcom Home Arcade console will be made available outside of Europe.
The Capcom Home Arcade releases October 25, 2019.