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Hamster Brings Namco’s 1994 Racer Ace Driver To Modern Consoles

The re-release adds Time Attack, variable refresh rate and split-screen local multiplayer to reproduce the arcade experience on current systems.

Overview

  • Hamster announced on Wednesday that Arcade Archives 2 Ace Driver will arrive Thursday, May 28 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series and Switch 2 while Arcade Archives Ace Driver will be available on PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch.
  • The company set Arcade Archives 2 at $14.99 (1,500 yen), Arcade Archives at $16.99 (1,800 yen) and an upgrade between versions at $2.99 (330 yen), though one outlet reported a different Switch price that has not been reconciled.
  • Arcade Archives 2 adds specific new modes and tech: Time Attack Mode, online/Network support when multiplayer applies, multiple save slots, rewind and VRR (variable refresh rate) to better match arcade timing.
  • Split Screen Mode supports two- and four-player local play on a single console with fixed screen layouts, but features such as save/load, rewind and some display/frame options are disabled in that mode.
  • The release gives Ace Driver its first official home release and continues Hamster’s Arcade Archives program to preserve System 22-era Namco arcade titles while making them easier to play with modern conveniences and online rankings.