It’s been one year since legendary Japanese publisher Capcom released an extensive look back at their arcade legacy in the form of Capcom Arcade Stadium. From Vulgus to Giga Wing, players could explore coin-op classics that don’t often get the spotlight, and they’ll get even more next month. On July 22, Capcom is back for round two with Capcom Arcade 2nd Stadium, and they’re giving away two classics to celebrate.
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This week, players who download the original Arcade Stadium can pick up Street Fighter 2 free of charge. This is the original version of the game (dubbed The World Warrior) and doesn’t have the updates and balance patches that later releases would bring. Still, for the low price of $0, the look back at where Ryu, Ken, and the rest really made an impact is worth it.
Capcom Arcade 2nd Stadium is bringing another 32 arcade classics to Switch, PS4, XB1, and PC!
SonSon will be a free download with this collection, and pre-orders / early purchases of Capcom Fighting Collection will also get Three Wonders as a bonus at launch.
More info soon! pic.twitter.com/mbvrpwr7LB— Capcom USA (@CapcomUSA_) April 11, 2022
Next month, everyone who downloads Capcom Arcade 2nd Stadium will get to check out SonSon for free. Released in 1984, this sidescrolling platformer is based on the everpresent Journey to the West narrative and features a main character who could be a variant of Goku. The gameplay involves guiding the titular monkey warrior across an autoscrolling screen while occasionally stopping the action for a big fight.
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SonSon is certainly less notable than Street Fighter, but it has some big historical significance. It was Capcom’s first arcade release in the United States and its main character’s grandaughter is a playable fighter in Marvel vs. Capcom 2. Its last release came on the Wii Virtual Console back in 2010, so it’s certainly due for another version on modern hardware.
The rest of 2nd Stadium‘s lineup does require putting up more than a few quarters, but there are some gems in the mix. Mike Haggar’s starring role in Saturday Night Slam Masters shouldn’t be missed, and the two Mega Man arcade outings are good for a head-scratching evening of nostalgia. You can head back to the arcade with Capcom next month when Capcom Arcade 2nd Stadium hits Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC on July 22.