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The Castlevania Dungeon Forums => General Castlevania Discussion => Topic started by: crisis on July 23, 2021, 05:12:23 PM

Title: Akumajou Dracula: The Arcade
Post by: crisis on July 23, 2021, 05:12:23 PM
Has anyone here been lucky enough to play this thing. Since arcades are a relic of the 90’s/2000’s, you’d be lucky to find one these days. In Japan I’m sure they’re everywhere. Here in NY we have a place called Dave n Busters, a restaurant/bar/arcade but I have never seen this cabinet.

Always wanted to play it. One of the few Castlevanias that have eluded me (and I’m assuming 90% of the fanbase)

It was a weird but unique project. It was never ported, was limited to a select few countries, consider yourself lucky to have experienced it. I can’t say if it sucked or it was awesome because I have no idea.

I guess this could be considered one of the rarest CV games, since it’s literally not playable in any format aside from the arcade cabinet it was designed for. Even the long-lost Castlevania Resurrection was able to get into our hands. But what are the chances of this EVER being playable? I wanna say never say never, but… this is an entire beast altogether and a gargantuan task that might not ever be seen again
Title: Re: Akumajou Dracula: The Arcade
Post by: The Puritan on July 23, 2021, 05:50:08 PM
If they wanted to, Konami could've done a Wii port around the time it came out. "Such a rare opportunity. Squandered.", as Zead said.
Title: Re: Akumajou Dracula: The Arcade
Post by: Reinhart77 on July 24, 2021, 06:28:27 AM
I think they ought to port lots of the arcade cabinets with unusual shapes to Virtual Reality.
Title: Re: Akumajou Dracula: The Arcade
Post by: Nagumo on July 24, 2021, 11:02:48 AM
I tracked it down when I was in Japan two years ago. It wasn't as easy as you might think. I got the impression it wasn't really popular because nobody seemed to paid any attention to it except me. It's a lot of fun but once you play it, you definitely understand IGA's comment about not wanting to do a traditional CV for the Wii because he was afraid people's hands will get tired. I had some trouble with dodging attacks but I'm not sure it that was my fault or because my swings didn't properly register.

Also, Crisis, surely you can fit an The Arcade cabinet next to all your pachinko ones?
Title: Re: Akumajou Dracula: The Arcade
Post by: crisis on July 25, 2021, 12:11:10 AM
Unfortunately all my pachinkos died on me  :( they are just glorified paper weights now, next to my 5 ft tall Gabriel Belmont statue. I dunno why i even bought that thing

But the game is 2 players isn’t it? From the few videos I seen on youtube it looked kinda fun. It’s an entirely different experience than any other castlevania game. How far did you get? Were the bosses challenging? Familiar stage progression?

I don’t think it would’ve sold well on the Wii. The PS3, perhaps, but they chose not to port it. And it will probably never be. I can’t even perceive how that game can even be ported in this day & age. It might be forever lost  ???
Title: Re: Akumajou Dracula: The Arcade
Post by: X on July 25, 2021, 10:47:26 AM
Quote
next to my 5 ft tall Gabriel Belmont statue. I dunno why i even bought that thing

Could have been and in-the-moment thing. If it's means nothing to you now, you could always sell it and recup your loss.
Title: Re: Akumajou Dracula: The Arcade
Post by: JR on July 25, 2021, 11:49:36 PM
They have it listed here: https://www.arcade-museum.com/game_detail.php?game_id=18699 (https://www.arcade-museum.com/game_detail.php?game_id=18699)

It looks like 1 registered member of that site owns one.

Never seen one out in the wild myself. Dave and Busters, local arcade bars, casino arcades...nothing. Kinda surprised, because it totally sounds like the kind of game D&B would have. But then again, I'm assuming they didn't produce very many at all.
Title: Re: Akumajou Dracula: The Arcade
Post by: Abnormal Freak on July 31, 2021, 11:35:54 AM
Does FB hotlinking work? I dunno, but I got to play these beauts last weekend and aim to do so again tomorrow.

(https://scontent.ffsd3-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.6435-9/217605462_10159157255415435_5389785797402449208_n.jpg?_nc_cat=108&ccb=1-3&_nc_sid=8bfeb9&_nc_ohc=WFa5Lftaf6YAX8yfNvz&_nc_ht=scontent.ffsd3-1.fna&oh=be0ae201a6991eb8933d7ebce96d0464&oe=61296DB1)

(https://scontent.ffsd3-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.6435-9/219043778_10159157255525435_4670527837134799309_n.jpg?_nc_cat=109&ccb=1-3&_nc_sid=8bfeb9&_nc_ohc=Lusop91Ha0YAX8myAxv&_nc_ht=scontent.ffsd3-1.fna&oh=8e648cb691b5fde4ad19a304ae85f43b&oe=612BC80D)

I'd be super down for playing The Arcade if anybody ever gets it.
Title: Re: Akumajou Dracula: The Arcade
Post by: JR on August 04, 2021, 11:40:57 PM
Hah, I see Bloodstorm next to Haunted Castle. I'm probably the only person ever who liked that dumbass game enough to beat all the secret characters.

Also, I'm wondering what was in the original cabinet before they put Haunted Castle in there. The bezel and the control panel art looks pretty cool.
Title: Re: Akumajou Dracula: The Arcade
Post by: Abnormal Freak on August 05, 2021, 09:13:25 AM
The bezel is from Pyros and the cab has Final Fight art on the side. It's a pretty cool frankensteining.
Title: Re: Akumajou Dracula: The Arcade
Post by: Super Waffle on August 07, 2021, 05:38:13 PM
I've seen Haunted Castle called a lot of things, but I've never seen anyone call it a "beaut."
Title: Re: Akumajou Dracula: The Arcade
Post by: Darkmoon on August 07, 2021, 07:22:27 PM
I wouldn't enjoy playing it much, but I'd still happily buy a cabinet if I found one. It would be a beaut.
Title: Re: Akumajou Dracula: The Arcade
Post by: Abnormal Freak on August 08, 2021, 05:40:05 PM
HC is fun in spite of its problems. Playing a real arcade board of it is what's awesome.
Title: Re: Akumajou Dracula: The Arcade
Post by: LuxKiller65 on October 02, 2021, 07:49:23 AM
"The Arcade" was meant to come to the West, but it failed so bad in Japan they just threw all cabinets in the sea for Godzilla to feed on (the last part is not true). A flyer was released in Europe!

Apparently some cabinets made it out for test.
https://www.wikiwand.com/en/Castlevania:_The_Arcade (https://www.wikiwand.com/en/Castlevania:_The_Arcade)
Did they use the Japanese rom or was the english translation ready? i sometimes can't sleep because of this question
Title: Re: Akumajou Dracula: The Arcade
Post by: Reinhart77 on October 13, 2021, 10:16:31 PM
what a waste when stuff like that happens
Title: Re: Akumajou Dracula: The Arcade
Post by: PFG9000 on October 18, 2021, 06:10:48 PM
Years ago I heard they had one of those at the Galloping Ghost in Chicago.  I haven't been down there in something like ten years, so I can't confirm it.  But they have a Primal Rage 2 cab, so stranger things have happened.