Konami's 1988 shooter Devastators just got a modern console release

Hamster Corporation has released Konami's 1988 arcade shooter Devastators for modern consoles. The game (known as Garyuka in Japan) is available now across two different Arcade Archives tiers for Nintendo Switch, Switch 2, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S.

Devastators uses a pseudo-3D behind-the-back perspective. Instead of scrolling horizontally or vertically like most shooters of the era, the player character moves forward into the screen. The background scales toward the camera to simulate depth. The arcade original supported two-player local co-op, and Hamster has retained that functionality here.

Contra, but only the base stages

The perspective shares obvious DNA with the indoor base sequences from Konami's own 1987 hit Contra. The mechanics also closely resemble TAD Corporation's Cabal, which hit arcades the same year. Players navigate a mercenary through seven stages. You have to take cover behind sandbags and destroy enemy watchtowers with explosives.

You start with a standard machine gun and a limited supply of grenades. Enemy troops occasionally drop rocket launchers, which are necessary for taking down heavy armor and fighter jets. The enemy forces constantly charge forward from the background. This forces you to manage crowds of infantry alongside larger threats like helicopters and tanks.

The plot is standard 1980s action movie fare. The player takes control of a mercenary group called the Devastators. Your team is hired to defend a developing nation from an invading superpower. The campaign culminates in a mission to rescue an ambassador from a captured embassy.

The Hamster release includes both the English version and the Japanese version. The two versions have slight differences in gameplay content and balancing. The digital package also includes a warning about intense blinking lights. Hamster chose to preserve the original visual effects exactly as they appeared in arcades, so the company advises players to keep the room bright.

The generational split

Hamster is distributing this release across two distinct product lines. The PlayStation 4 and original Nintendo Switch versions fall under the standard Arcade Archives label for $7.99. The PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch 2 versions carry the new Arcade Archives 2 branding and cost $9.99.

The base Arcade Archives release includes the standard Original Mode, Hi Score Mode, and Caravan Mode. The newer tier adds a Time Attack mode. Players compete on online leaderboards to clear the game as fast as possible regardless of score. It also introduces variable refresh rate support. The idea of needing variable refresh rate to properly display a 1988 arcade board is either genius or madness. Possibly both.

Prior to this release, Devastators rarely left the arcade. Its only home port was a digital release on Microsoft's defunct Game Room service for the Xbox 360 and PC back in 2010. After 16 years trapped on dead platforms, the game is finally easy to buy again. Anyone who purchases the PS4 version can upgrade to the PS5 edition for $2.99, though save data does not transfer between the two.