Shooters Fes 2024 event is taking place at Mikado Game Center in Tokyo, bringing together upcoming shoot ’em ups for arcades and consoles. exA-Arcadia used the Japanese festival to reveal updates on several arcade projects.
For Australian arcade fans following new releases, the announcements covered remastered classics, multiplayer enhancements and two previously announced original games. Here are the key details.
Shooters Fes 2024 livestream
The festival stream is presented entirely in Japanese. It includes a second day, although the available information indicates that the arcade announcements were expected during the first day. The relevant game footage begins roughly an hour into the broadcast.
Airgallet arrives as an exA Label
exA-Arcadia’s Exa Label branding is used for remakes and enhanced versions of games on the platform. The next title to receive that treatment is Airgallet, a vertical shooter created by former Toaplan staff.
The original is an uncommon arcade game and, as far as the available information indicates, did not receive home conversions. That means many players have encountered it only through emulation. The Exa Label version gives the game a new opportunity to reach dedicated arcade hardware.
Fixeight gets an expanded Exa Label version
Toaplan’s Fixeight was another major announcement. It follows the run-and-gun structure of Out Zone, with a soldier moving vertically through stages while firing at enemies. Its broader lineage also includes games such as Ikari Warriors, Commando and the later Shock Troopers.
Fixeight is often judged less favourably than Out Zone, but the Exa Label edition is designed to address some of those shortcomings with meaningful arcade-focused additions:
- Simultaneous play for up to four players
- Native support for vertical TATE display mode
- “Out Zone aiming”, allowing players to lock their firing direction by holding a button
The presentation also included a brief tease for another Exa Label game. No title or further details were provided, so its identity remains unknown.
Jamjam’N Jelly moves towards location testing
Jamjam’N Jelly was first announced some time ago, but the version shown at Shooters Fes has changed since its earlier appearance. It was previously playable at Amusement Expo 2023, where the experience suggested a mix of Amusement Expo 2023 gameplay, Cotton Rock’N Roll and Dariusburst.
The game continues to stand out visually and was described as running smoothly. Location testing is planned for July. That could point to a release around the same period, provided the tests produce a positive result, although no firm launch date has been announced.
Cambria Sword -Another Cry- continues development
Cambria Sword AC, also known as Cambria Sword -Another Cry-, was originally announced alongside Jamjam’N Jelly in 2022. It shares a sea-creature theme with that title, but its action and presentation take a different direction.
The footage evokes the fantasy shooting style of Lords of Thunder on PC Engine combined with elements of Darius II. The Shooters Fes video was four months newer than the material shown at AEI24, though the gameplay appeared broadly similar.
What comes next for exA-Arcadia?
The two newer projects, Jamjam’N Jelly and Cambria Sword AC, were expected to begin shipping within the following few months. However, neither game had a confirmed release date at the time of the presentation.
Fixeight is particularly notable because modern arcade games rarely revisit this style of vertical run-and-gun action. Players interested in following broader arcade hardware and release news can browse the RETROCADE Arcade Blog or explore arcade machines for home setups.
exA-Arcadia was also scheduled to appear at EVO Japan 2024 later in the month. That event was expected to focus on fighting games rather than shoot ’em ups, suggesting a different set of announcements.
For anyone planning a dedicated vertical-shooter setup, an upright arcade cabinet and suitable arcade parts can help create the right play environment at home.
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