GameCentral reviews the mini-console from Taito that puts 40 of their best arcade games onto one replica coin-op.
It used to be a widely acknowledged fact that Taito’s Rainbow Islands is one of the best video games ever made. Since the early 90s though, memories of the game have slowly faded, since it’s rarely ever referenced or re-released by creator Taito. But then Taito itself has also largely disappeared from history. Once recognised as one of the powerhouses of the golden age of arcade games, as soon as they were bought by Square Enix, in 2005, the entire brand and all its games were all but mothballed.
There have been signs of life lately though, such as the surprisingly good Bubble Bobble 4 Friends, a remaster for The Ninja Warriors, and a Darius compilation, and yet still the Taito name is all but unknown to younger gamers. Last year we spoke to Taito producer Toyama Yuichi about how this could be addressed and while a £165 mini-console is clearly not going to do anything for Taito’s mainstream recognition it is a wonderful way to demonstrate why they’re worth remembering in the first place.
The mini-console is shaped like the Egret II coin-op cabinet, which was first released in 1986 and can still be found in Japanese arcades today. The replica stands about 21cm tall and includes a light-up display above the screen and a proper eight-way arcade joystick. It’s very similar in concept to the Sega Astro City Mini, except Sega games get re-released all the time and it’s a long while since many of these Taito games have seen the light of day – in fact one of them never has at all.
Like Nintendo and Sega, Taito actually predates the video games industry and can trace it roots back to 1953. Also like Sega, its founder was not native to Japan, as Taito was actually started by a Jewish Ukrainian named Michael Kogan, who was a refuge of the Soviet Union – which is unfortunately topical.
Not only did the predecessor of Taito become the first company to produce vodka in Japan but in 1975, with the now forgotten Gun Fight, they made what was the first video game to use a microprocessor and the first to feature human-on-human combat. Taito was also the first Japanese company to export its arcade games to the West, so if you’re sitting there scoffing at their relevance or notability we hope you think again.
You can find reviews of all the Egret II games below but like all mini-consoles and compilations there are unfortunate omissions, although in this case they’re almost all due to the fact that the original games had unusual controls, such as steering wheels (Continental Circus and Chase H.Q.), lightguns (Operation Wolf) or ultra-wide screen displays (the early Darius games and The Ninja Warriors).
Arkanoid is also missing, because it originally used a paddle controller, but there is a separate Paddle and Trackball Game Expansion Set which includes just such a controller and a set of 10 extra games – including three Arkanoid titles and maze game Cameltry. We haven’t used it, but it’s €119.99 (£99) from the Inin/Games Rocket website.
A range of optional controllers, including an extra joystick and a cheaper joypad are also available on the same site, along with the mini console itself, whose €199.99 price tag comes out as £165. Again, we weren’t sent any of these extras, just the basic ‘Limited Blue Edition’ hardware (referring to the colour of the buttons).
There are more expensive bundles available though, with the Arcade Cabinet Blue Edition from Srictly Limited Games including the Paddle and Trackball Expansion Set, mini instruction cards, an anniversary soundtrack, and a strategy book for €319.99 (£265).
If you’re a really committed Taito fan there’s also the Game Center Blue Edition, also from Strictly Limited Games, which adds two optional mini controllers and various other knick knacks for €439.99 (£365)
Although an extra controller is almost a necessity, we were perfectly fine getting the standard version, as this is an excellent mini-console that, given the cost of a good quality arcade joystick, is a lot better value for money than it first seems.
The build quality of the console is excellent, and the emulation is faultless throughout. You also get multiple save points for each game, as well control over DIP switch settings that alter the number of lives, the difficulty, and other options specific to each game.
The console itself is satisfying weighty and not quite as small the Sega equivalent, so even if you have got big hands you should be okay with the scaled down joystick and buttons – all of which feel marvellously crunchy as you pound upon them.
There are also a couple of special features, starting with the ability to press the screen in and have it pop up so you can rotate it around 90° for games that were either designed with vertical screens (primarily shooters) or horizontal ones.
There’s also a dial on the bottom you can turn to make the joystick operate either in all eight directions or just four, again depending on the game being emulated. That’s in addition to a SD card slot and stereo speakers, as well as two Type-A USB slots for the various additional controllers.
As cute as the arcade recreation is, most people are probably going to end up using the Egret II by attaching a HDMI cable to it and playing it on a TV. The only problem with this is that we would’ve liked to have seen more filter options to make the display look like an old 80s or 90s monitor. There is one filter, which blurs the picture to a suitable degree, but the lack of other display options is one of the few disappointments.
We’ll get to the biggest upset when we review Rainbow Island Extra (even if that’s not really Taito’s fault) but if not for that this would be a near perfect celebration of one of the most accomplished and influential video game companies of all time.
Taito Egret II arcade mini-console games list
Space Invaders (1978)
For many, Space Invaders is the true beginning of the commercial age of video games. Pong was a major hit before it, but it was still essentially just tennis. By comparison, Space Invaders is a concept that could only ever exist as a video game. In recent years, there have only been limited attempts to keep it in the public eye but it’s still one of the most famous and influential games of all time and, as simplistic as it is, still perfectly playable today.
Lunar Rescue (1979)
Essentially a clone of Atari’s Lunar Lander crossed with a single-screen shooter, this can also be seen as a predecessor to both Thrust and Defender – as well as a mountain of clones and knock-offs on various 8-bit formats. Despite its influence though the game is largely forgotten today, but although you’re unlikely to spend much time with it, it’s still surprisingly good fun for a 43-year-old game.
Steel Worker (1980)
It’s curious how so many of the very oldest Taito games look like ZX Spectrum titles, but the most interesting thing about Steel Worker is its unusually complex gameplay, which works like a cross between Bridge Constructor and a sort of one-person Lemmings. It’s one of the least famous games on the console but it’s fascinatingly ambitious, as you have to place steel girders down at various angles to make sure your little worker doesn’t fall to their death.
Lupin The Third (1980)
Not a release that will mean much to most Western games, but this anime licence must’ve cost Taito a pretty penny back in the day and it’s nice to see they went to the effort of relicensing it for the mini-console. It’s a pretty unremarkable maze game though and all the more so because it came out the same year as Pac-Man, which looks and plays infinitely better.
Qix (1981)
A wonderful action puzzle game that, while it does still get ripped off by the occasional mobile game, deserves to be a lot better remembered than it is. The idea is to fill in the majority of the game screen by drawing lines that section it off, while avoiding the giant energy monster you’re trying to trap, and its smaller accomplishes. Qix is one of a handful of games made by Taito’s short-lived American division, while sequel Volfied was developed in Japan.
Pirate Pete (1982)
A rare example of a game that started life on home formats, as the Tarzan-esque Jungle Hunt, before being reimagined for arcades as a pirate-themed game. The graphics were quite advanced for the time, with even a bit of parallax scrolling, and there are three distinct sections: swinging on ropes, swimming through shark-infested waters, and… escaping a volcano? (We’re not sure what’s going on in the third level, to be honest.) You won’t play it more than a couple of times but it’s an amusing historical novelty.
Adventure Canoe (1982)
Unless it has some secret significance to Taito this may be the most obscure game on the console, although it’s quite fun for its time. It’s basically a reverse of Toobin’ (or rather Toobin’ is a reverse of it) where you’re paddling up a river, trying not to hit anything and avoiding crocodiles. You can shoot too, for some reason, with some agreeably precise controls for the era.
Chack’n Pop (1983)
The spiritual predecessor to Bubble Bobble has none of that game’s style and simplicity but there are a number of enemies that are exactly the same. The odd thing is the game itself seems to know it’s needlessly overcomplicated, as there’s the unusual choice of an optional tutorial mode. The aim is to try and help Chack’n rescue captured hearts by… throwing smoke grenades at them and attacking monsters. You can’t jump but you can walk on ceilings, although this is very confusing in practice and the game quickly becomes frustrating.
Elevator Action (1983)
An important early hit for Taito and another game that was ported to almost all the home formats of the day. You control a spy working their way down a skyscraper, stealing secret documents and trying to make it to a getaway car at the bottom. It’s simple stuff but enjoyable and not as ridiculously hard as you’d expect given when it was released. You can also see elements of the subsequent Rolling Thunder and Shinobi – and Impossible Mission – in the unusually deliberate action.
Outer Zone (1984)
There was a brief fad for isometric shooters in the early 80s and while they tended to have better graphics than other titles (the ones in Outer Zone almost look pre-rendered) they never managed to get over the control problem that made it difficult to match the on-screen action with the movement of a digital joystick. Outer Zone tries its best, and it’s certainly interesting as you zoom around the maze-like roadways in a robotic car, but the only way to succeed is to be slow and cautious, and that’s not much fun.
The Fairyland Story (1985)
The name makes it sound like a predecessor to The NewZealand Story but this is actually another step on the evolutionary path to Bubble Bobble. You control a witch who can turn enemies into slices of cake, which she doesn’t eat but either destroys or pushes off the edge of a platform to squash enemies below. It’s nowhere near as good as its eventual descendant but the multi-use weapon system is an important innovation that informs many of Taito’s later games.
The Legend Of Kage (1985)
Like many of these titles, older fans are more likely to recognise this from one of the many home computer ports of the time, rather than the arcade original. A ninja-themed hack ‘n’ slash, it’s only really notable for its attempts to tell a coherent story and a lot of verticality in the level design. Although it doesn’t quite work, the animation is also quite ambitious and hints at the greater successes to come. This version of the game is ‘partially censored’, although looking at footage of the arcade original it’s not clear what’s been removed.
Bubble Bobble (1986)
Taito’s most famous creation and still as much fun to play today as it was over 35 years ago. A near perfect game, the cartoonish visuals are a delight and the weapon system wonderfully versatile and inventive. The idea is that you blow bubbles to trap enemies before attempting to pop them, but the more you pop at once the bigger your reward (from a dizzying array of different fruits and foods). Enemies will eventually escape from a bubble, and move twice as fast as before, so there’s a great risk/reward element where you try and leave as many as possible to pop at once.
The level design is clever and varied and there’s a huge range of power-ups, with water and lighting also trapped in special bubbles. Plus, you can use them, or your own bubbles, as a platform to jump higher. Add in simultaneous two-player co-op and the best video game theme tune of all time, and you’ve got yourself a cast iron classic. The only problem is that you will need to buy an extra controller for the two-player option.
Halley’s Comet (1986)
Although best known for its family friendly games, Taito’s other speciality was 2D shooters, many of which were developed externally by Toaplan. Halley’s Comet was not but it’s still a fairly diverting vertically scrolling shooter, although it must’ve seemed a little outdated at the time as most of its influences are from older 2D shooters such as Galaga and Xevious – at a time when R-Type was only a year away from release.
Kiki Kaikai (1986)
A multi-directional shooter that rather than having a traditional sci-fi or war setting is based around Japanese mythology, with yōkai acting as enemies and the shrine maiden protagonist wielding a ghoei purification wand and throwing ofuda scrolls around like shuriken. The atypical weapons create a step learning curve but once you get the hang of them this is a neat little top-down shooter that’s not dissimilar to a more open-ended version of Capcom’s Commando.
Scramble Formation (1986)
Known as Tokio in the US, this is another pre-Toaplan vertically scrolling shooter, where you fly a biplane over Tokyo while shooting down alien-looking enemies and spaceships. The graphics don’t impress but there’s a neat gimmick where you’re able to turn smaller red planes into allies by shooting and collecting them, then changing their formation to focus on air-to-air, air-to-ground, or a compromise between both. Although the purpose of the formations is different, it’s clearly been influenced by the earlier Terra Cresta – which recently got a belated sequel in the form of Sol Cresta.
Rastan Saga (1987)
Another game that will be very well known to 8-bit computer owners, but the arcade original is a far more extravagant production, with excellent graphics and animation – even if the lead Conan-alike does seem to hold his sword a bit funny. There’s more to the game than it first seems, with hidden areas and collectible weapons, so it’s a shame the franchise, which includes two little known sequels, has largely been forgotten today.
Kyukyoku Tiger (1987)
Better known in the West as Twin Cobra, this is one of Toaplan’s most celebrated early titles; it’s a sequel to Tiger-Heli, which means it’s a vertically scrolling shooter where you’re controlling a helicopter in, for a 2D shooter, a relatively realistic setting. Although at first there seems nothing special about the game beyond its above average graphics, the four flavours of power-ups make a big difference and picking the right one for the job adds some extra nuance to the action.
Raimais (1988)
A weirdly old-fashioned looking game even for the late 80s, Raimais comes across as a sort of low intensity Pac-Man, with some mild Tron influences – a movie that was six years old even at the time. It’s a real oddity on the Egret II as it’s not an interesting oddity and it’s not quite old enough to forgive the dull graphics and gameplay.
Rainbow Islands Extra (1988)
At this point we should be introducing Rainbow Islands as one of the greatest video games ever made, but unfortunately this is the Extra version that changes the music and switches the order of the stages and which enemies appear where – so the first island is filled with weird looking robots rather than cute little bugs, which is just wrong. The music is also different, because of accusations that the original sounded too much like Over the Rainbow from a Wizard of Oz.
That’s no doubt the main reason why the Extra version is the only one included on the console, but we wish Taito had just switched the soundtrack on the original version, since apparently they were happy to modify Legend Of Kage for this release.
Being stuck with the Extra version is a crying shame but the underlying game is still as fantastic as ever, with what is one of the best weapon systems ever created. Expanding on concepts from previous Taito games, at first it seems as if Bub and Bob (now in human form) can only shoot a single rainbow, with which to hit enemies. But you can also use the rainbow as a bridge or platform, knock it down so it hits enemies beneath you, and have up to three rainbow arches fire in a line, to hit distant objects and trigger smart bombs.
There’s a mountain of power-ups and secrets (the most famous involves causing enemies to drop specifically coloured gems, depending on where they fall, and unlocking brand new islands) and the whole thing feels much more like a fully-fledged console title rather than a coin-op interested only in your next 10p. Even in this reduced form it really is one of the best games ever made and it deserves to be celebrated as such.
The NewZealand Story (1988)
Taito’s most famous platformer that’s nothing to do with Bubble Bobble, and another game that’s best known to British gamers thanks to an excellent Amiga conversion. A maze-like platformer that manages to be effortlessly charming despite its high difficulty, there are plenty of clever details, such as the various flying devices you can steal from enemies and a bonus round on some levels, where if you’re killed by a projectile you get the chance to escape from ‘Heaven’ and continue the game.
Tatsujin (1988)
Despite the switch to a sci-fi setting this can very much be seen as a spiritual sequel to Twin Cobra (as opposed to the actual sequel, which wasn’t by Toaplan). Known as Truxton in the West, it has a similar mix of graceful simplicity and chunky graphics but the change in location means it can be more adventurous in terms of the weapons, even though they work in a similar way with three different colours of power-up. There are no new ideas here, but it’s no wonder Toaplan and Taito got on so well because both employ a similar attention to detail and have an obsession with hidden secrets.
Don Doko Don (1989)
It’s probably because of the name, but this is a sadly overlooked platformer that has a lot in common with Bubble Bobble and The Fairyland Story. The idea is you’re controlling a dwarf with a hammer, which can be used to stun enemies so you can then pick them up and throw them at either the wall or other bad guys. Once again, it’s the clever weapon system that makes the game and, unlike Rainbow Island, it’s back to being two-player again.
Volfied (1989)
There were a lot of variants and pseudo-sequels released for Qix around the time it launched but this is what nowadays would be regarded as a reboot or reimagining. The name has changed, and the graphics have improved, but otherwise it’s largely the same game, except this time with a more overt sci-fi theme and more aggressive and varied enemies, which you can actually kill this time. Just like the original it’s also really good, even if it doesn’t have quite the same ultra-retro charm.
Violence Fight (1989)
Taito didn’t go in a lot for one-on-one fighting games, but this was an impressive effort that managed to come out two years before Street Fighter 2. It’s an unusual halfway house between a traditional one-on-one fighter and a scrolling beat ‘em-up, since you can move around in any direction but the moves are very simplistic. That limits its appeal, but you do get to have a fight with a tiger and a Mr. T lookalike, which is nice.
Cadash (1989)
The logic behind most arcade games was that they gave you a short, sharp shock of adrenaline and then you quickly died and either inserted more money or made way for the next person. This tended to mean that most coin-ops were extremely simple action games, with instantly understandable rules, but Taito often deviated from this template, especially with this side scrolling action role-player that often seems more complex than similar console titles of the time. Unfortunately, the combat and platforming aren’t terribly good, but the ambition can’t be faulted.
Mizubaku Adventure (1990)
Known as Liquid Kids in the West, this is another uniquely Taito platformer that uses the water bubbles from Bubble Bobble as its main inspiration. This is a side-scrolling platformer, not a single-screen affair, and, as you can probably guess, a lot of the enemies are fire based. That means you have to soak them and then kick them to kill them for good, before they dry out. You can also use your bubbles to grow plants and use them as platforms and while there isn’t quite the variety of previous titles the fact that it’s not single-screen is a fun novelty.
Gun Frontier (1990)
We’re getting into the 32-bit era now, where new games were being converted to the PlayStation and Saturn rather than the Mega Drive or SNES. That brings with it a notable improvement in the graphics, even if they look rather grainy nowadays. A sci-fi shooter with a vague cowboy theme, Gun Frontier is filled with giant tanks with revolvers for gun turrets and other western imagery. Apart from a directional smart bomb though the game’s weapon system lacks any interesting twists, although the amount of destructible scenery is nice to see.
Runark (1990)
Scrolling beat ‘em-ups are another arcade genre Taito rarely dabbled with but this one, known in the West as Growl, is probably their best. It’s an obvious homage to Indiana Jones, with a smattering of Bring ‘Em Back Alive, in that you’re trying to stop evil animal poachers. What results is typical of the genre but there’s a good range of weapons, from whips to rocket launchers, and even animal helpers once you manage to rescue them.
Hat Trick Hero (1990)
Sports games are something else you wouldn’t really associate with Taito, but they did make a few and Football Champ, as it was usually known in Europe, and its many variants will be fondly remembered by anyone that used to have one in their chip shop. Although that’s primarily for the fact that it famously allows you to punch, kick, and pull the shirt of other players, and even hit the ref and cameraman with the ball. It has about as much in common with FIFA 22 as Space Invaders does with Halo but it’s still good dumb fun.
The Ninja Kids (1990)
Clearly intended as a response to Konami’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles scrolling beat ‘em-up, this lacks the same production values but tries to make up for it by just being flat out weird – starting with the fact that the ninjas don’t seem to be kids at all but weird human-sized dolls. It’s not clear whether the enemies are human either as while they do seem to bleed the way you cut them in two (or more) feels more like they’re toys breaking apart. The Ninja Kids is peculiar but it’s also very simplistic and you’ll quickly lose interest.
Metal Black (1991)
Originally intended as a new Darius entry, this horizontally scrolling shooter by the Gun Frontier team has a more generic sci-fi theme and rather old-fashioned graphics, that make it look like an only slightly upgraded Gradius. There are no power-ups, but you can collect floating molecules which increases your firepower, allowing you to fire a huge laser beam or a smart bomb-like lightning strike. The best part is that enemy bosses work in the same way and that often leads to a beam duel where the one with the most molecules gets the advantage and you have to button mash to escape.
RayForce (1993)
Known variously as Gunlock, Layer Section, and Galactic Attack, this is arguably the best of Taito’s many vertically scrolling shooters. It’s not particular complex or original but it does have a lock-on laser, and that counts for a lot. The graphics are great too, with some simple but effective use of 3D polygons, that compliment the enemy sprites well. This was a little before the era of bullet hell shooters but RayForce certainly starts getting that way before the end and was a key inspiration for later titles.
Kaiser Knuckle (1994)
This was Taito’s big attempt at a Capcom style fighter but it never made it outside of arcades, until now. It is very similar to Street Fighter 2, with most of the characters being outright clones, but there are some unique ideas, such as the ability to destroy parts of the background, including breaking through walls to the left or right and even setting some parts on fire or alive with electricity. The other big idea was having five levels of attack strength, which was no doubt meant to add extra depth but is awkward and confusing to pull off, even with six buttons.
Bubble Symphony (1994)
There are at least three official games that claim to be Bubble Bubble 2 and if you don’t count Rainbow Islands, which is one of them, this is the best. It’s not much more than a remake most of the time, but it adds a slew of Rainbow Islands style bosses and the option to choose a branching path through the game after you beat each one. A charge shot is the only other real innovation but there are the customary number of secrets, as you try and collect a magic wand to turn you into a human and get the true ending.
Darius Gaiden (1994)
Even if it’s understandable, it’s a shame this is the only Darius game on the console, although it is one of the best ones. The graphics are great, the usual sea life inspired art design is more surreal than ever, and the anime style soundtrack is fantastic. Again, it’s a little before the bullet hell era, but this was certainly one of the games that inspired it, with a great sense of pacing and enemy placement. Taito made more horizontal shooters than this mini-console suggests, but this is still one of their best.
Elevator Action Returns (1994)
Taito began to rely more and more on nostalgia as the age of the arcade came to an end, but most of these sequel/remakes are pretty good. This is the same basic idea as the original but there’s a more serious tone with anti-terrorists instead of superspies. The main goal is still the same, to reach the bottom of the skyscraper, but you can now scroll left and right, pick up extra weapons, and use melee combat. There’s also a two-player co-op mode and some great animation – including some amusingly over-the-top violence.
Dan Ku Ga (1994)
You were unlikely to see Kaiser Knuckle in arcades in the West (where it was known as Global Champion) but you certainly wouldn’t have seen the follow-up, since it was never actually released. It was finished though, and this is the first ever official version. It’s really just a minor upgrade, but it does allow you to play as two of the bosses, adds a difficulty setting, gives everyone a backdash move, and tries to undo the undue complexity of the five attack levels. A proper 3D sequel was planned at one point, but eventually became the underwhelming Psychic Force.
Puzzle Bobble 2X (1995)
Puzzle Bubble, aka Bust-A-Move, is the longest lasting legacy of the Bobble series, including in terms of it still being ripped off by mobile games. It’s a fairly standard match-three puzzler but where you have to shoot bubbles up into the air to connect with those hanging above. There are multiple sequels, most with their own variants (2X has more levels than the initial release) but the main addition to the sequel was adding two-player support, which is obviously why it was the one chosen here.
Bubble Memories (1995)
The last proper Bubble Bobble title before the recent Bubble Bobble 4 Friends, it’s sad to say that things did not end with a bang. Like Bubble Symphony, this is little more than a remake of the original except, bizarrely, with completely irrelevant digitised backdrops. It’s a shame because the character sprites are fun, and full of personality, but why they’re moving around in front of badly digitised photos of lions and butterflies we have no idea.
The only new ideas are giant-sized enemies and the ability to blow equally large bubbles by charging up, but otherwise it’s clear that, by 1995, the Bubble Bobble bubble had burst. Oh, and Parasol Stars was never an arcade game, if you’re wondering where that’s got to (it’s on the PC Engine Mini though).
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