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Hamster Corp.’s new “Console Archives” does what Nintendon’t.
PS1 games on the Switch 2? In this economy? Credit: Hamster Corp.
In 2018, we lamented as Nintendo officially replaced the Virtual Console—its long-running line of downloadable classic games on the Wii and Wii U—with time-limited access to a set of games through a paid Nintendo Switch Online subscription. Now, Hamster Corporation is doing what Nintendo no longer will, by offering downloadable versions of retro console games for direct individual purchase on the Switch 2.
As part of today’s Nintendo Direct Partner Showcase, Hamster announced a new Console Archives line of emulated classics available for download starting today on the Switch 2 and next week on the PlayStation 5 (sorry, Xbox and OG Switch fans). So far that lineup only includes the original PlayStation snowboarding title Cool Boarders for $12 and the NES action platformer Ninja Gaiden II: The Dark Sword of Chaos for $8, but Hamster promises more obscure games, including Doraemon and Sonic Wings Special, will be available in the future.
If the name Hamster Corporation sounds familiar, it’s because the company is behind the Arcade Archive series, which has repackaged individual arcade games for purchase and emulated play on modern consoles since 2014. That effort, which celebrated its 500th release in December, even includes some of Nintendo’s classic arcade titles, which the Switch-maker never officially released on the original Virtual Console.
Now Hamster’s says it is expanding its efforts “with the concept of faithfully reproducing masterpieces released on various home game consoles, allowing players to easily enjoy them on the latest hardware.” While these new offerings are more bare-bones than the full-fledged interactive museums released by the likes of Digital Eclipse, they still include a few modern features, such as customizable button layouts, screen settings, and the ability to save and load at any time.
No, Hamster Corp., thank YOU! Credit: Hamster
Hamster says on its website that it “would like to port and release as many games as possible,” practically begging “those of you who own the rights to the games, please let us release your games” by licensing or outright selling the rights.
“We believe it is very important to pass this on to future generations around the world, and to create an environment where anyone can play it anytime, anywhere,” Hamster writes. “Everyone has different memories of games. We aim to release as many titles as possible so that people can rediscover and play the games that evoke fond memories of the time they played them.”
Incidentally, Ninja Gaiden II was previously offered on the Wii Virtual Console back in 2007 and again on the Wii U Virtual Console in 2016. Both releases cost just $5 at the time, but the shutdown of Nintendo’s Wii and Wii U eShops means the game is no longer available for purchase on those defunct platforms. Thank goodness, then, that Hamster is offering an opportunity to purchase the game for the third time in as many decades on yet another new console. Fully portable ROMs of the game are just way too convenient to purchase, you know?
PS1 games on the Switch 2? In this economy? Credit: Hamster Corp.
In 2018, we lamented as Nintendo officially replaced the Virtual Console—its long-running line of downloadable classic games on the Wii and Wii U—with time-limited access to a set of games through a paid Nintendo Switch Online subscription. Now, Hamster Corporation is doing what Nintendo no longer will, by offering downloadable versions of retro console games for direct individual purchase on the Switch 2.
As part of today’s Nintendo Direct Partner Showcase, Hamster announced a new Console Archives line of emulated classics available for download starting today on the Switch 2 and next week on the PlayStation 5 (sorry, Xbox and OG Switch fans). So far that lineup only includes the original PlayStation snowboarding title Cool Boarders for $12 and the NES action platformer Ninja Gaiden II: The Dark Sword of Chaos for $8, but Hamster promises more obscure games, including Doraemon and Sonic Wings Special, will be available in the future.
If the name Hamster Corporation sounds familiar, it’s because the company is behind the Arcade Archive series, which has repackaged individual arcade games for purchase and emulated play on modern consoles since 2014. That effort, which celebrated its 500th release in December, even includes some of Nintendo’s classic arcade titles, which the Switch-maker never officially released on the original Virtual Console.
Now Hamster’s says it is expanding its efforts “with the concept of faithfully reproducing masterpieces released on various home game consoles, allowing players to easily enjoy them on the latest hardware.” While these new offerings are more bare-bones than the full-fledged interactive museums released by the likes of Digital Eclipse, they still include a few modern features, such as customizable button layouts, screen settings, and the ability to save and load at any time.
No, Hamster Corp., thank YOU! Credit: Hamster
Hamster says on its website that it “would like to port and release as many games as possible,” practically begging “those of you who own the rights to the games, please let us release your games” by licensing or outright selling the rights.
“We believe it is very important to pass this on to future generations around the world, and to create an environment where anyone can play it anytime, anywhere,” Hamster writes. “Everyone has different memories of games. We aim to release as many titles as possible so that people can rediscover and play the games that evoke fond memories of the time they played them.”
Incidentally, Ninja Gaiden II was previously offered on the Wii Virtual Console back in 2007 and again on the Wii U Virtual Console in 2016. Both releases cost just $5 at the time, but the shutdown of Nintendo’s Wii and Wii U eShops means the game is no longer available for purchase on those defunct platforms. Thank goodness, then, that Hamster is offering an opportunity to purchase the game for the third time in as many decades on yet another new console. Fully portable ROMs of the game are just way too convenient to purchase, you know?
