Limited Run is putting Capcom Arcade Stadium 2 on a Switch cartridge

Limited Run Games has announced a physical Nintendo Switch release for Capcom Arcade Stadium 2. The collection originally launched digitally in July 2022. It bundles 32 of the publisher's classic arcade titles into a single frontend interface.

The digital version was sold as a free base app (which only included the 1984 platformer SonSon) with the rest of the games split into downloadable DLC. This physical release puts the entire 32-game roster on a single Switch cartridge. It is a much cleaner solution for people who prefer to just buy a game and own it without navigating digital storefronts.

Alpha, Darkstalkers, and Slam Masters

The second volume's lineup leans heavily into Capcom's 1990s arcade output, specifically titles running on the CPS-1 and CPS-2 arcade boards. The cartridge includes Street Fighter Alpha, Alpha 2, and Alpha 3. It also packs in the Darkstalkers series, covering The Night Warriors, Night Warriors: Darkstalkers' Revenge, and Vampire Savior.

Beyond the standard fighting games, the collection has some excellent multiplayer beat-'em-ups and sports titles. Saturday Night Slam Masters is a standout. It blends traditional wrestling mechanics with Street Fighter-style special moves, complete with character designs by Fist of the North Star artist Tetsuo Hara.

You also get Knights of the Round, Magic Sword, and the boss rush games Mega Man: The Power Battle and Mega Man 2: The Power Fighters. While these titles were not arcade-exclusive and saw several home console ports on platforms such as PlayStation 2, GameCube, Xbox, and Neo Geo Pocket Color, and were also re-released on the Nintendo Switch eShop as part of 'Mega Man Battle & Fighters', they are still particularly nice to have on a physical cartridge. Other notable inclusions are the puzzle game Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo and the quirky collection of sports mini-games Capcom Sports Club.

Rewind and CRT filters

The emulation wrapper has the standard modern conveniences expected from retro re-releases. Players can use save states, rewind gameplay to undo mistakes, and adjust the overall game speed. The software also includes visual filters to simulate CRT monitors, complete with scanlines and screen curvature options. You can even display 3D rendered arcade cabinet bezels around the game screen.

An invincibility toggle is available for people who just want to see the end credits of 1943 Kai without spending virtual quarters. The collection also allows players to choose between the English and Japanese ROM versions for the vast majority of the included games. This is a crucial detail for games where the regional difficulty was tweaked.

The 2021 predecessor

This second volume builds on the framework established by the original Capcom Arcade Stadium. That first collection launched in early 2021. It focused on slightly older classics like Ghosts 'n Goblins, Commando, and Strider, alongside Super Street Fighter II Turbo.

I bought the first collection digitally when it came out. The 3D arcade frontend was charming, but the piecemeal DLC structure made navigating the store genuinely confusing. You had to buy specific packs of ten games just to get the one title you actually wanted to play. Having everything on a single physical cartridge solves that problem entirely.

The Switch version is the only physical edition announced so far.