Retro gaming in 2018 seems to be taking the gaming community by storm. With our classic favourites getting remastered as micro versions of consoles, there really hasn’t been a better time to get back into the old favourites. My Arcade is here to help with such choices. Offering a range of handhelds, accessories and a cool selection of mini arcade machines—there are an endless amount of retro themed goodies to choose out of.
One of the most popular items on the My Arcade catalogue are the Micro Players, which are collectable micro arcade machines. After teaming up with BANDAI NAMCO, the range of titles offered by My Arcade became endless. These micro arcade machines not only work well as awesome collectables and display pieces, but as classic arcade machines, allowing you to play various classic titles such as PAC-MAN, DIG DUG, GALAGA, GALAXIAN, MAPPY and more. The Micro Players are 6.75 inches tall and feature artwork inspired by the original games design. You can also enjoy the game chosen on a full colour 2.75 inch screen. The machines feature a removable joystick, volume control and a 3.5mm headphone jack. They also come with a user guide to get you going. Just be sure to stock up with 4 AA batteries or a micro-USB cable so you can power the machine.
Another slightly larger 10 inch version named the Mini Arcade is available too. This however does differ, as—unlike the micro arcade machines—the Mini Arcade machines offer a range of various titles on one platform. A brand new Mini Arcade is due to launch Holiday 2018 named the “NAMCO MUSEUM MINI ARCADE” and features dual forward facing speakers, a glowing coin trap and game title marquee, a removable joystick, volume control and 3.5mm headphone jack and a power adapter. This Mini Arcade also features 20 BANDAI NAMCO titles which include PAC-MAN, ROLLING THUNDER and DRAGON SPIRIT. The full list of titles can be seen in the image below. This NAMCO MUSEUM MINI ARCADE is expected to launch at the price of $99.99.
Arcade machines are all fun and good when you’re at home or have a place to put them down, but what about when you’re on the move and want something a bit more handheld? Well, My Arcade also provides a ton of handheld experiences, one of which I got to try back at E3. The brand new Pocket Player Handheld is a yellow PAC-MAN themed handheld that features three popular PAC-MAN games. These are PAC-MAN, PAC-PANIC and PAC-MANIA. All three games play exactly as you’d imagine and provide a full retro experience. Providing a full colour experience on a 2.8 inch screen and an built speaker on the front, it’s sure to be a joy for all PAC-MAN fans. Like the micro arcade machines though, you will need a way to power it. The Pocket Player handheld requires 4 AAA batteries or a Micro USB cable. This handheld is expected to launch in August 2018 for the price of $39.99.
While My Arcade does provide a large amount of gaming hardware, there are some accessories worth looking into too. Two brand new pieces of hardware due to launch holiday 2018 are the Cartridge Converter and Super Cartridge Converter. As you can probably guess by the names, they convert cartridges. The Cartridge Converter allows you to play Famicom games on the US NES, while the Super Cartridge Converter allows you to play Super Famicom games on the US SNES. Both Cartridges are designed to plug in forward, not backwards like most other solutions. The Cartridge Converter features an ergonomic grip which means no pull ribbon is needed. The Cartridge Converter works on both generations of the NES and is compatible with all Famicom games. Similarly the Super Cartridge Converter works with both Super Famicom and SNES cartridges and is compatible with all Super Famicom games. Both of these cartridges are due to be available for $14.99 each.
Various other products such as gamepads, handhelds and accessories are available from My Arcade and can be found at their website here. Thank you very much to the team I met during E3 for being so welcoming and kind.
