NAMCO MUSEUM ARCHIVES Vol 1

Overall, the two-volume set that honors the NAMCOT brand is worth a go, especially if you revel in 8-bit history. It’s a neat departure from the usual Museum releases, but there are certainly some forgettable titles amongst the bunch.

73%Game Brain Score

gameplay, graphics

optimization, stability

76% User Score Based on 174 reviews

Critic Score 75%Based on 13 reviews

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NAMCO MUSEUM ARCHIVES Vol 1 is a single player and multiplayer action game. It was developed by M2 Co.,LTD and was released on June 17, 2020. It received mostly positive reviews from both critics and players.

"NAMCO MUSEUM ARCHIVES Vol 1" is a collection of 11 classic Namco games from the 8-bit era, including some titles never released in the west. The game includes modern features such as a save function and replay function, and also features a newly created 8-bit demastered version of "Pac-Man Championship Edition."

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76%

Audience ScoreBased on 174 reviews

gameplay6 positive mentions

optimization3 negative mentions

The collection includes a fun and polished NES demake of Pac-Man Championship Edition, which many players find to be a highlight.
The emulation quality is solid, with features like save states and a rewind function that enhance the gameplay experience.
The selection of games includes several classic titles like Dig Dug, Mappy, and Splatterhouse: Wanpaku Graffiti, appealing to fans of retro gaming.

The collection consists of NES ports rather than the original arcade versions, which disappoints players expecting the classic arcade experience.
Many of the games feel dated and lack the complexity and performance of their arcade counterparts, leading to a less satisfying experience.
The user interface is basic and lacks additional content such as concept art or behind-the-scenes features, making it feel like a missed opportunity for a true 'museum' experience.

gameplay
32 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
19%
72%
9%
The gameplay of the Namco retro collection is a mixed bag, with many arcade originals offering superior performance and complexity compared to their console ports, leading to a less satisfying experience overall. While some titles maintain their core mechanics, the limitations of the NES hardware and the introduction of features like the 'rewind' function can detract from the gameplay flow. Additionally, certain demakes and adaptations suffer from poor controls and missing mechanics, which can frustrate players seeking a faithful experience.
- “For example, unlocking these desirable insights into some of the world's early beloved franchises by either accumulating points based on performance in each individual game or by reaching milestones in them would have gone a long way in making the gameplay loop feel that much more satisfying.”
- “Another thing that I should mention here is that a unique feature of these museum archives of Namco is the 'rewind' function, which enables you to rewind time at 5-second intervals to prevent easily made mistakes from occurring during gameplay.”
- “The new demake plays beautifully (even smoother and better than the original with the gameplay tweaks) and while it does have fewer game modes, it pushes the tech of the NES to its limits with amazing visuals and incredible music.”
- “Alongside this, the arcade originals often had better performance and more gameplay complexity than their inferior console counterparts, resulting in a poorer gaming experience overall.”
- “When you're frequently undoing deaths (Xevious), this is really irritating because this process of 'two button presses, then quickly assess whether it worked' becomes core gameplay.”
- “As well, the vaunted 'demake' of Pac-Man CE only contains two levels, sloppily patched together from the original, but now with bad controls and missing mechanics.”
graphics
24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
58%
17%
The graphics in this collection are a mixed bag, with many titles suffering from poor emulation that fails to capture the nostalgia and quality of the original arcade versions. While some simpler 2D graphics, like those in "Dragon Spirit," enhance gameplay clarity, others, such as "Splatterhouse: Wanpaku Graffiti," adopt a cuter art style that diverges from their predecessors. Overall, while the NES ports may look decent on HD displays, they lack the visual fidelity and charm of the original arcade games.
- “Dragon Spirit's simpler graphics work surprisingly well in making the vertical-scrolling shooter function much better, as the 2D graphics often make it clearer to see enemies and projectiles than the more detailed 3D-esque arcade graphics that can confuse newer players to the genre.”
- “The new demake plays beautifully (even smoother and better than the original with the gameplay tweaks) and while it does have fewer game modes, it pushes the tech of the NES to its limits with amazing visuals and incredible music.”
- “If you played the NES versions (I had several of these), they are the same as the original with improved graphics and various scaling options, and on HD displays, they look fairly good and also sound the same.”
- “The emulation of the games is also poor, with many of them suffering from subpar graphics and sound, and not capturing the same feeling and nostalgia of the arcade games.”
- “The games' graphics and sound are not well-preserved, and feel dated and far from the original.”
- “10 - Splatterhouse: it's a graphically poor version of the Splatterhouse we all know and love (which you'll probably enjoy more with the Sega games compilation).”
music
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
55%
15%
The music in various NES ports has received mixed reviews, with some titles like "Tower of Druaga" showing slight improvements by removing monotonous sound effects, while others, particularly "Xevious," are criticized for their repetitive and grating soundtracks. However, newer demakes have been praised for pushing the NES's audio capabilities, delivering impressive and catchy music that enhances the overall experience. Overall, while nostalgia plays a role, the quality of music varies significantly across different titles.
- “The new demake plays beautifully (even smoother and better than the original with the gameplay tweaks) and while it does have fewer game modes, it pushes the tech of the NES to its limits with amazing visuals and incredible banging music.”
- “It's a great game and the soundtrack is quite nostalgic.”
- “The music here is also amazingly well done.”
- “Although most of the sounds from the NES ports are downgrades to some degree, Xevious is particularly noticeable as the short loop of music is ear-grating combined with the loud brash shooting noises that lack the polish of the arcade original.”
- “Xevious: I'm sure this was revolutionary, but the two-second loop that comprises the music is painful.”
- “Xevious: It's a shoot 'em up with looping music that will make your head hurt.”
optimization
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
Overall, the optimization of the games is generally good, with most running smoothly; however, some users reported occasional stuttering in titles like Druaga and Dragon Saber, raising questions about whether these issues were present in the original arcade versions. Additionally, the arcade originals are noted for their superior performance and gameplay complexity compared to their console counterparts, which can lead to a less satisfying experience on the latter.
- “Alongside this, the arcade originals often had better performance and more gameplay complexity than their inferior console counterparts, resulting in a poorer gaming experience overall.”
- “All the games run pretty well, though I noticed odd stuttering in Druaga and Dragon Saber, but I don't know if that was in the original or not.”
- “For example, unlocking these desirable insights into some of the world's early beloved franchises by either accumulating points based on performance in each individual game or by reaching milestones in them would have gone a long way in making the gameplay loop feel that much more satisfying.”
story
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The story of the game draws inspiration from classic 80s RPGs like Dragon Quest and The Legend of Zelda, with elements reminiscent of arcade-style shooters and platformers. Players can enjoy uncovering fun secrets in each mission, adding depth and replayability to the narrative experience.
stability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The stability of the game is criticized for being plagued by bugs and glitches, particularly in remote play functionality, which prevents two players from using the keyboard simultaneously. Reviewers express frustration over the lack of improvements in gameplay and stability, likening the experience to outdated arcade games from the 90s.
- “Remote play is too buggy, and two people can't use the keyboard for the same game.”
- “You give us back the same games from the arcade machines of the 90s with really no improvement on bugs, glitches, and gameplay; all you do is slap a couple of achievements in there.”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game lacks additional features or modes, such as leaderboards or challenges, which diminishes its replayability and overall engagement for players.
- “There are no additional features or modes beyond the basic arcade versions of the games, such as leaderboards or challenges to add replayability and engagement.”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is consistently praised for its hilarity, featuring a wealth of monster movie cameos and clever tie-ins that enhance the comedic experience.
- “It's hilarious with numerous monster movie cameos and tie-ins.”
monetization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviewers express concern that the monetization strategy feels exploitative, as games are fragmented into multiple purchases instead of being offered as a complete package with downloadable content (DLC). This approach is perceived as a cash grab, detracting from the overall gaming experience.
- “This salami-slicing of the games, which could be made as a single app with DLCs, has a distinct scent of a cash grab.”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players appreciate that the game's saving feature eliminates the need for tedious password management, making the grinding experience more streamlined and less frustrating.

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75%Critics’ scoreBased on 13 critic reviews

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NAMCO MUSEUM ARCHIVES Vol 1 is a action game.

NAMCO MUSEUM ARCHIVES Vol 1 is available on Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X|S, PC, PlayStation 5 and others.

NAMCO MUSEUM ARCHIVES Vol 1 was released on June 17, 2020.

NAMCO MUSEUM ARCHIVES Vol 1 was developed by M2 Co.,LTD.

NAMCO MUSEUM ARCHIVES Vol 1 has received mostly positive reviews from both players and critics. Most players liked this game for its gameplay but disliked it for its optimization.

NAMCO MUSEUM ARCHIVES Vol 1 is a single player game with multiplayer and local co-op support.

Similar games include The Disney Afternoon Collection, Castlevania Anniversary Collection, Contra Anniversary Collection, NAMCO MUSEUM ARCHIVES Vol 2, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Cowabunga Collection and others.

NAMCO MUSEUM ARCHIVES Vol 1

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