The Arcade Card provided additional RAM that enabled developers to port games with fewer compromises. In SNK's fighting games, for example, Hudson's developers were able to include significantly more frames of sprite animation (versus a hypothetical SCD version) for each character.
A dozen* ACD-only titles were released; four of them were ports of SNK fighting games…
| Release Date |
English Title |
Japanese Title |
Compare ports… |
1994.03.12 |
Fatal Fury 2 |
Garou Densetsu 2 |
PCE vs. SFC vs. MD |
1994.03.26 |
Art of Fighting |
Ryuuko No Ken |
PCE vs. SFC |
1994.06.04 |
World Heroes 2 |
World Heroes 2 |
PCE vs. SFC |
1994.12.02 |
Fatal Fury Special |
Garou Densetsu Special |
PCE vs. SFC vs. MD |
NOTE: The links in the "compare" column above will bring you to a cross-platform screenshot comparison.
SNK POSTER: The two-page advertisement below makes a delightful SNK-themed poster (2600x1583 .jpg) ▼ that can be used as desktop wallpaper, amongst other things.
LEFT TO RIGHT: Fatal Fury 2, Art of Fighting, World Heroes 2, Fatal Fury Special.
FIGHTING WORDS: I maintain that that NEC/Hudson would not have released the Arcade Card (destined to be a niche product) if it were not for the enormous popularity of the fighting genre (kicked off by Capcom's Street Fighter II). Therefore, even if you aren't a fan of the fighting genre, you should be grateful that it drove NEC/Hudson to develop new strategies for keeping the aging PCE/DUO hardware relevant in an increasingly competitive market.
*To be precise, there are 12 Arcade CD•ROM2 titles (Arcade Card required to play), plus an additional 19 "hybrid" SCD+ACD titles (Arcade System Card is not required, but extra animation, during cinemas, will load if an Arcade Card is present). Continue reading below for a full list of all ACD and SCD+ACD games.
Continued below…
ARCADE CD•ROM2, CONTINUED…▲
31 total games: 12 Arcade CD•ROM2 titles plus 19 SCD+ACD hybrids. Sadly, this list contains far too many mahjong, sports, wrestling (it's not a sport) and simulation titles. Yawn…
Since ACD appeared at the end of PCE's lifespan, the ACD and SCD+ACD games are more likely to support the PCE Mouse, Memory Base 128 (MB128), 6-button NEC AVE controller, Virtual Cushion, etc. Actually, I'm lying about the Virtual Cushion.
AVOID: The two most disappointing games, given their provenance, are Vasteel 2 and Strider Hiryuu.
▲
COMPLETE LIST OF ACD, SCD+ACD GAMES FOR PCE
| Release Date |
Format |
English Title* |
Japanese Title |
Mouse, MB128,
6-button Pad |
| 1994.03.04 |
SCD+ACD |
The Atlas |
The Atlas—Renaissance Voyager |
Mouse, MB128 |
| 1994.03.12 |
ACD |
Fatal Fury 2 |
Garou Densetsu 2 |
6-button |
| 1994.03.26 |
ACD |
Art of Fighting |
Ryuuko No Ken |
6-button |
| 1994.06.04 |
ACD |
World Heroes 2 |
World Heroes 2 |
3-button |
| 1994.06.17 |
SCD+ACD |
Brandish |
Brandish |
Mouse, MB128 |
| 1994.07.08 |
SCD+ACD |
3 x 3 Eyes |
3 x 3 Eyes Sanjiyan Hensei |
— |
| 1994.07.08 |
SCD+ACD |
"This garbage isn't the sequel I wanted. Dammit." |
Vasteel 2 |
MB128 |
| 1994.07.15 |
SCD+ACD |
"That PCE Mouse + MB128 Baseball Simulation" |
Eikan Wa Kimini |
MB128 |
| 1994.08.05 |
SCD+ACD |
Mahjong |
Super Real Mahjong P II & III Custom |
MB128, 6-button |
| 1994.08.12 |
SCD+ACD |
Popful Mail |
Popful Mail |
MB128 |
| 1994.09.15 |
ACD |
Mad Stalker |
Mad Stalker Full Metal Force |
— |
| 1994.09.16 |
SCD+ACD |
Mahjong |
Sexy Idol Mahjong Fashion Monogatari |
— |
| 1994.09.22 |
ACD |
Strider |
Strider Hiryuu |
— |
| 1994.09.22 |
SCD+ACD |
Tanjou Debut |
Tanjou Debut |
— |
| 1994.11.25 |
ACD |
Battlefield '94 |
Battlefield '94 In Super Battle Dream |
— |
| 1994.12.02 |
ACD |
Fatal Fury Special |
Garou Densetsu Special |
6-button |
| 1994.12.23 |
SCD+ACD |
J. League Tremendous Soccer '94 |
J. League Tremendous Soccer '94 |
— |
| 1994.12.23 |
SCD+ACD |
Neo Generation |
Sotsugyou II Neo Generation |
— |
| 1995.02.03 |
ACD |
Fire Pro Female Wrestling |
Fire Pro Female Wrestling |
— |
| 1995.02.24 |
ACD |
Mahjong: Quest of Jongmaster |
Jong Shin Densetsu |
— |
| 1995.02.24 |
ACD |
"That fighting game based on Tengai Makyou" |
Kabuki Itouryodan |
6-button |
| 1995.03.03 |
SCD+ACD |
Mahjong |
Super Real Mahjong PV Custom |
MB128, 6-button |
| 1995.04.07 |
SCD+ACD |
Formation Soccer '95 |
Formation Soccer '95 |
— |
| 1995.05.19 |
SCD+ACD |
Wrestling Angels Double Impact |
Wrestling Angels Double Impact |
— |
| 1995.05.26 |
SCD+ACD |
Gulliver Boy |
Gulliver Boy |
— |
| 1995.06.16 |
SCD+ACD |
Princess Maker 2 |
Princess Maker 2 |
Mouse, MB128, 6-button |
| 1995.08.11 |
SCD+ACD |
Mahjong Sword |
Mahjong Sword Princess Quest Gaiden |
6-button |
| 1995.08.11 |
SCD+ACD |
Private Eye Doll |
Private Eye Doll |
MB128 |
| 1995.10.13 |
SCD+ACD |
Linda Cube |
Linda3 |
MB128, 6-button |
| 1995.11.24 |
ACD |
Sapphire |
Ginga Fukei Densetsu Sapphire |
— |
| 1996.12.13 |
ACD |
Madou Monogatari |
Madou Monogatari I Honou no Sotsuenji |
— |
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*Taken with a grain of salt.▲ |
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WORK IN PROGRESS…▲
Detail: …
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