One of the Weirdest Arcade Games Ever Is Getting a Modern Console Release

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One of the most fascinating things about the history of video games is how incredibly imaginative developers used to be. In the past, they built detailed worlds and unique gameplay experiences that you just don’t see today – partly because things like large, complex arcade machines aren’t common anymore. Arcade publishers like Sega were particularly good at inventing unusual controls and creating bizarre, memorable games.

Many of the unique experiences found in old arcades have faded as gaming moved to home consoles and PCs. Games like Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties cleverly address this by including classic arcade cabinets as optional challenges within the game world. This is a smart way to introduce these older titles to a new audience, letting players discover some of the more unusual games from the past while playing as their favorite characters. A particularly quirky example is a bizarre train cart game that’s surprisingly fun – and now available on modern consoles thanks to the Yakuza remake.

You Have To See Magical Truck Adventure To Believe It

Magical Truck Adventure is a truly unusual arcade game, and I’m thrilled it’s been preserved thanks to its appearance in the Yakuza series. The Yakuza games are known for hiding lots of fun minigames within their cities. While the main story focuses on fighting and exploring, there are always plenty of side quests and games to discover. In Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties, that includes a collection of classic Sega games. Players can unlock Sega Game Gear titles like Pac-Man, Galaga 2, Sonic Drift, and Streets of Rage, but they can also find some hidden gems in the many small arcades scattered throughout the city.

A uniquely quirky two-player game, Magical Truck Adventure, is now playable with standard controllers. Players follow Roy, a kind-hearted boy, and Alma, a mysterious girl, as they race to protect a powerful time-traveling stone from a pair of thieves. The gameplay revolves around ‘pumping’ a railroad cart using the controller’s analog sticks and using a foot pedal (now a button) to lean and jump over obstacles. The game quickly throws you into a variety of wild settings, from robot factories and underwater worlds to fantastical battlefields. It’s a fast-paced and increasingly chaotic experience, made even more enjoyable by its strange charm. With multiple, increasingly bizarre endings, Magical Truck Adventure has been updated for modern DualSense and Xbox controllers. It’s difficult to fully capture the game’s frantic speed and colorful, Miyazaki-inspired visuals, all presented with a distinctly retro, blocky 3D style.

Why It’s Important That Yakuza Games Keep Old Arcade Titles Alive

One of the best parts of the Yakuza games is how they include classic arcades. Arcades are becoming increasingly rare, and games like Magical Truck Adventure might be completely forgotten if not for being featured in big titles like Yakuza. This inclusion works well in a few ways. It makes the game world, which is inspired by real places, feel more detailed and authentic for characters like Kazuma Kiryu and Yoshitaka Mine to explore. Plus, these in-game arcades act like little museums, preserving Sega’s history with both well-loved and unusual games that wouldn’t be available otherwise.

This is a smart way to let players enjoy older games while also adding interesting detail to a newer one. Sega has a long history in gaming, and it’s great to see lesser-known arcade classics get a modern spotlight. The games are enhanced with features like pausing and rewinding, letting players experience them as they originally were. It’s similar to what Nintendo does with classic games in Animal Crossing, and it’s a fantastic way to introduce these older titles to a new audience by integrating them into a larger game. By including these unique Sega games in the Yakuza series, the publisher is preserving them for future generations and ensuring these unusual parts of their history aren’t forgotten.

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2026-01-25 21:41