exA-Arcadia has turned its attention to Touhou Scarlet Diabolique Fantastica, its next arcade shoot ’em up following the December release of Arcana Heart 3 Xtend. The company presented the upcoming title during a Japanese livestream covering its latest arcade plans.
A quick guide to Touhou
Touhou is one of Japan’s major danmaku, or bullet-hell, shoot ’em up properties. The series has grown to almost two dozen games, although only one previous entry has reached arcades: Touhou Perfect Sakura Fantastica in 2022. Here’s a website in English that explains it in more detail.
For readers discovering the series through Australian arcade news, Scarlet is the eighth game in the series, while Sakura was the seventh. Understanding how those entries fit into Touhou’s broader lore is a much deeper subject, with plenty of fan-made explanations available elsewhere.
Scarlet arrives on the exA-Arcadia platform
Touhou Scarlet Diabolique Fantastica has been in development for well over a year with Team EXA AM5, the same team behind Touhou Perfect Sakura Fantastica. The sequel is intended for an international arcade release rather than a Japan-only launch, helped by exA-Arcadia’s platform having no regional codes restricting software to one territory.
At the time of the livestream, the game had not yet launched and was scheduled to begin testing in Japan the following week. The event itself, known as exALive, was designed as a focused presentation for fans. It delivered the key information through video and demonstrations, though both its spoken and written content were in Japanese.
The game includes several voice actresses, as with the preceding release, and these performances are believed to be unique to this version. exA-Arcadia also stated that input lag is between one and two frames, pointing to a highly responsive control experience.
The title supports TATE orientation for vertically mounted arcade displays, as well as standard-definition 4:3 monitors. That makes it suitable for the traditional vertical presentation and compatible with CRT-equipped Japanese candy cabinets. The earlier playable build shown at IAAPA 2023 did not yet include some of the devices and accessories demonstrated during the presentation.
Limited and Regular editions
Two editions of the game kit are planned: Limited and Regular. The presentation showed one of them, while pricing had not been confirmed at the time. The previous Touhou arcade title sold in the approximate range of US$1,850 to US$2,300, so similar pricing was considered possible, but this was not an announced figure.
Special merchandise was also discussed for customers ordering through one of two Japanese distributors. Those extras appeared likely to be restricted to purchases within Japan. Australian operators and collectors should wait for confirmed distribution and pricing before planning a purchase; our arcade machine buying guide provides broader advice for evaluating a cabinet setup.
What comes next for exA-Arcadia?
The livestream also previewed exA-Arcadia’s upcoming appearances at Amusement Expo and EVO 2024. Amusement Expo was scheduled for 20–21 March, with at least one new game expected to be shown and possibly more. A new fighting game was considered likely, although plans could change and one project had already been affected by overseas shipping delays.
The company planned to occupy booth 553, positioned across from LAI Games’ large booth and closer to the front of the event than in the previous year. For arcade operators considering new arcade machines, these trade-show announcements offer a useful indication of where new dedicated software and hardware may emerge.
At EVO 2024, exA-Arcadia expected to bring at least six games, with the possibility of additional software and hardware. New announcements there were expected to lean towards fighting games. The company also indicated that one of its upcoming fighters uses a widely recognised intellectual property, although the specific identity was not revealed in the material available here.
Why the release matters
Touhou Scarlet Diabolique Fantastica gives exA-Arcadia another opportunity to bring a specialised Japanese shoot ’em up to arcades worldwide. Its support for TATE mode and 4:3 displays also keeps the game relevant to both modern locations and enthusiasts maintaining older cabinets. For restoration or installation work, arcade parts can help operators prepare compatible controls and displays.
Would you like to see Touhou Scarlet Diabolique Fantastica installed at an Australian arcade venue?
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