Category: Games

Keeping Classics Alive: Arcade Archives Reaches 500 Titles with Space Invaders

Melis Arslan Aksoy, Hamster Corporation, Overseas Promotion Coordinator

Summary

With Space Invaders, The Arcade Archives series reached a milestone of 500 titles on December 25, 2025.
Launched in 2014 and released across various platforms, the Arcade Archives series has continued for 11 years.
We look back on the journey so far and discuss the importance of preserving classic games as a cultural heritage.

If you’re new to the Arcade Archives series, one key thing to know is that its creators are deeply committed to preserving arcade games by making them available on modern platforms.

The series reached a major milestone with its 500th title, Arcade Archives 2 Space Invaders, which launched on December 25, 2025 (originally released by Taito in 1978).

The Arcade Archives series, first started in 2014, has been running for 11 years across multiple platforms, featuring titles from 24 different game publishers. It has even earned a Guinness World Records title for being the longest-running series to release new games on a weekly basis.

In this article, we look back on the journey so far and explore the behind-the-scenes development of the series through interviews with the staff. For the team, Arcade Archives is not simply about re-releasing classic games; it represents a clear commitment to preserving video games as cultural heritage for future generations.

“Arcade Archives has two defining features,” explains Satoshi Hamada (Producer and CEO). “One is the weekly release schedule, and the other is the breadth of the lineup.”

From the very beginning, despite the challenges involved, the goal of the series has been to deliver excitement to players every single week. The games people feel nostalgic about vary greatly from person to person, so the lineup spans from well-known, iconic titles to lesser-known games that are being re-released for the first time.

For its 500th milestone, the series chose Space Invaders. Hamada explains the reasoning behind this decision:

“In 1978, when Space Invaders was released by Taito in Japan, it caused a massive boom. There is even a famous legend that Japan ran out of coins because of it. I believe the enormous success of Space Invaders became a major catalyst for the dramatic growth of the gaming industry. Incidentally, the very first video game I ever played was Space Invaders. For all of these reasons, I felt it was the most fitting title to commemorate the 500th release.”

There is no doubt that Space Invaders was the perfect choice for the occasion. However, as one of the most iconic games in history, it has already been ported many times before. This raises the question: what sets Arcade Archives 2 Space Invaders apart from previous versions?

In two words: improved playability. One of the key features of the Arcade Archives series is its highly detailed screen settings, which are deliberately designed to recreate the feeling of staring into a dusty arcade monitor, reviving the excitement of those original play sessions. “To bring players as close as possible to that original sensation, even if not perfectly, is our mission today,” says Tetsu Masuda (Director).

“We also implemented ‘Caravan Mode,’ where players compete for high scores within a five-minute time limit,” Masuda explains. “This introduced a new type of fun that didn’t exist in previous versions of Space Invaders.”

Accurate sound reproduction was another major challenge. “We collected multiple original arcade boards and recorded the ‘real’ sounds directly from them,” he adds. “The team worked extensively to reduce input lag and improve responsiveness, aiming to create the most playable version of Space Invaders ever.”

This makes Arcade Archives 2 Space Invaders a faithful and carefully crafted preservation of the original. Every option and mode exists to bring players closer to that sensation back then.

Satoshi Hamada (Producer and CEO) views Arcade Archives as an effort to preserve gaming culture. Arcade games originally ran on physical boards, and since some of these titles are over 40 years old, fewer and fewer boards remain in working condition.

“That is why we believe it is extremely meaningful to preserve classic arcade games by making them playable on modern hardware. We will continue striving to preserve as many titles as possible, to share them with as many people as we can, and to pass them on to future generations.”

On Xbox, the Arcade Archives series is especially recognized for its ACA NEOGEO lineup, featuring legendary series like Metal Slug and The King of Fighters. Since the announcement of Arcade Archives 2 last year, new titles from the series continue to launch on Xbox every week.

“Arcade Archives will continue releasing as many titles as possible on Xbox, so please look forward to what’s to come!”

Arcade Archives 2 SPACE INVADERS

HAMSTER Corporation

☆☆☆☆☆ 4

★★★★★

$9.99

Get it now

"SPACE INVADERS" is a shooting game released by TAITO in 1978. The origin of the masterpiece that once captivated all of Japan has finally arrived on Arcade Archives! This title includes both the black-and-white and color versions, and the sound has been reproduced to the limit of how it sounded back then. Experience the timeless legend once again! The “Arcade Archives”series is developed with the concept of faithfully reproducing classic arcade games. It also includes convenient features such as difficulty and screen settings, rewind, rapid-fire, and multiple save slots. In addition, players can compete for the best scores with players around the world through online rankings. “Arcade Archives 2” adds a new “TIME ATTACK MODE” to the lineup of “ORIGINAL MODE,” “HI SCORE MODE,” and “CARAVAN MODE” included in the Arcade Archives series. In “TIME ATTACK MODE,” players compete to clear the game as quickly as possible, regardless of the score achieved. VRR (Variable Refresh Rate) support has also been added, allowing gameplay to be reproduced even closer to the original arcade experience. Please enjoy these iconic arcade games that defined an era with the “Arcade Archives” series! *The options menu and manual are available in Japanese, English, French, German, Italian, and Spanish.