Arcade conversions once helped determine whether a new console deserved a place in the living room. In 2022, programmers were still revisiting that challenge by bringing coin-operated favourites and arcade-inspired experiments to older consoles and computers.
This work belongs to the homebrew tradition: new software created for discontinued hardware. The scene was active in the late 1990s and early 2000s, before today’s indie-game label became widely used. Developers create these projects for technical curiosity, affection for particular machines and the opportunity to practise low-level programming.
It is a shame that homebrew development can’t be officially sanctioned and supported, because it would be a wonderful platform for a modern generation of programmers to be able to get a real feel for low level design work, to be contrasted with the high level web and application work that so many entry level people start with.
Modern emulation, compilations and new arcade products make original games easier to play than ever, so faithful ports are not always the priority for homebrew developers. They are nevertheless valuable when a title was overlooked, a previous conversion was poor, or a programmer wants to demonstrate what an old system can really do. This roundup covers arcade ports released during 2022, plus projects completed in 2021 that received physical releases in 2022.
The systems below are arranged alphabetically by platform. No suitable arcade conversions were found during the research for 3DO, Apple II, Intellivision, Odyssey2, TurboGrafx-16, Neo Geo AES, SNES, N64, GameCube or Vectrex. Some of those platforms also have smaller homebrew communities than NES, Game Boy and the Atari systems.
Atari 2600 VCS
Released in 1977, Atari’s first major home console has only 128 bytes of RAM and was designed around simple Pong-style games. Its unusually active homebrew community continues to push those limits.
Blocks adapts Bejeweled. Although Bejeweled began as a computer game, Sega did release a Bejeweled arcade machine back in 2011.
Gorf Arcade improves on CBS Electronics’ 1982 conversion with stronger graphics and sound. AtariVox hardware can provide the arcade voices, while an earlier Atari Jaguar version remains expensive.
Qyx brings Taito’s 1982 Qix to hardware once considered too limited for the task.
rubyQ is a more faithful Q*Bert than Parker Brothers’ official 2600 release, restoring elements missing from the arcade gameplay, although it does not reproduce the cabinet’s knocker.
Stratovox recreates Taito’s 1980 voice-synthesised shooter, including its digitised speech.
Atari 5200 and 8-bit computers
The Atari 5200 was intended as the 2600’s successor, but its late arrival, lack of backward compatibility and unreliable analogue joysticks hurt its prospects. It shared much of its design with the Atari 400, while the 400/800, XL and XE computers generally used familiar digital joysticks and offered more memory, including 64KB or 128KB in later models.
Bosconian finally reaches Atari XL/XE computers after a development period spanning several years. Break It 2022 is an Arkanoid-inspired “loaded remake” with new layouts and impressive colour use.
Ice Cream Ike borrows the structure of KLAX while replacing falling tiles with ice-cream scoops.
Atari 7800 ProSystem
The 7800 was completed in 1984 but delayed until 1986 by legal disputes. Atari then lacked the resources to compete strongly with the NES and Master System, despite the console’s arcade-friendly graphics hardware and a collection of conversions prepared for its expected earlier launch.
1942 uses the 7800’s colour range and sprites to surpass the NES version. A separate team was also working on a port for the 2600.
Animal Keeper demonstrates that Taito’s unusual Zoo Keeper could have worked on a home system. Galaxian fills a gap in the 7800 catalogue, which received Galaga instead.
Pengo remains unfinished, while Popeye is complete. Both aim to improve on earlier 2600 and Atari 8-bit versions. Space Race, Atari’s 1973 follow-up to Pong, receives a black-and-white 7800 version; the same programmer also made a 7800 version of arcade PONG, without a recently reported final build.
UniWar S adapts Irem’s Galaxian-like shooter. Its programmer completed this project before creating the 7800 Galaxian conversion.
Atari Lynx
The Lynx lost the handheld market to Game Boy, but its 1989 hardware remains capable, with advanced audio and video chips, graphical effects beyond some 16-bit computers and a larger colour palette than the Genesis, though not the Game Gear.
8-Bit Slicks is not a direct Sprint conversion, but its overhead racing is clearly related to Super Sprint. A Commodore 64 version also exists, although the relationship between the two releases is unclear.
ColecoVision
ColecoVision sold 500,000 units in five months before the 1983 crash and its discontinuation by 1985. Its video hardware was related to the TI-99/4A and MSX, and its homebrew community remains active.
Berzerk joins the system’s library after being overlooked by many modern compilations. Do! Run Run closely reproduces Universal’s 1984 Mr. Do! game, while Robotron 2084 benefits from the ColecoVision controller’s suitability for twin-stick play.
Commodore VIC-20, C64 and Amiga
These machines are technically different, but all retain strong communities. The C64’s name refers to its 64KB of RAM rather than a 64-bit processor, while its sound hardware and the Amiga’s capabilities continue to support ambitious projects.
Amidar receives an accurate-looking Amiga conversion. Bagman Strikes Back is a C64 sequel and tribute to Valadon’s Bagman, following earlier home versions and the arcade-only Super Bagman in 1984.
Other C64 projects include another Berzerk conversion; Castle Climber and Krazy Klaimber, both inspired by Crazy Climber; and Crash, a VIC-20 racing game based on early pre-Pac-Man car games.
Deep Scan is a VIC-20 version of Sega’s submarine game. Devil’s Temple – Son of the Kung Fu Master is an unofficial Amiga sequel to Kung Fu Master rather than a direct port. The C64 also receives an attractive arcade conversion of Duck Hunt, which first appeared in arcades in 1984 before its better-known NES release.
Green Beret arrives on Amiga, while Pieces II adapts Puzznic for C64 with community-created puzzles.
POING Ultra adds music and extra ideas to a C64 Pong-style game. Scramble 500 brings Konami’s Scramble to Amiga, while Snake Break enhances Super Breakout with music and gameplay changes.
Venture 64 is a faithful C64 version of Exidy’s Venture, although its music may not match the original’s appeal.
NES and Game Boy
The NES/Famicom and Game Boy have substantial homebrew communities, although arcade conversions appear less common than on Atari hardware. The projects identified here include Irritating Ship, an NES partial adaptation of Gravitar that concentrates on precise navigation through space mazes rather than shooting.
Minekart Madness is inspired by Donkey Kong and Pac-Man, with visual touches that also suggest Popeye and Bagman. On Game Boy, Retroid takes cues from Arkanoid and includes a limited edition with a working cassette soundtrack, while Pong Boy offers a straightforward first project.
Sega Genesis, Master System and Dreamcast
Arcade ports were less numerous on Sega’s older systems than original homebrew games, so the Genesis, Master System and Dreamcast are grouped together. Unfinished or in-progress Genesis projects included Final Fight, King of Fighters ’98, two Metal Slug versions, R-Type, SplatterHouse, Street Fighter Zero and The Simpsons.
Andro Dunos II is an unofficial Dreamcast sequel to Andro Dunos and is also available on Switch and PS4.
BattleZone explores whether Atari’s tank game can work on Master System. Cadillacs & Dinosaurs Demake brings Capcom’s beat ’em up to Genesis; unlike the Sega CD title, this is an arcade conversion, with a Portuguese title screen and English gameplay.
Green Beret also reaches Master System. Road Riot 4WD is a Genesis prototype roughly 30 years late after Tengen cancelled its port; the recovered build is unfinished but appears mostly complete. Finally, Space Invaders is a faithful Genesis conversion with the arcade background.
Texas Instruments TI-99/4A
The TI-99/4A was technically a computer, with a 16-bit CPU, cartridge software and a video processor related to ColecoVision and MSX hardware. Spac Man adapts Pac-Man with Zelda references and a shoe-firing mechanic instead of power pellets.
ZX Spectrum
The ZX Spectrum’s restricted colour handling makes colourful homebrew an especially interesting technical achievement. Dig Dug Doug borrows Dig Dug’s underground digging but changes the enemies, behaviour and escape objective.
Donkey Kong 3 recreates the Game & Watch version rather than the arcade game. Frogger arrives alongside another computer release. Pac-themed oddities include Pac-Hic, Pac-Hic Rehab and Ms. Nam-Pac; the first two replace pellet collecting with leaving hearts, while Ms. Nam-Pac struggles to maintain smooth movement.
Tournament Arkanoid is an impressive Spectrum attempt at Taito’s brick-breaking classic, complete with a polished title screen.
Why these ports matter
These projects show that homebrew is not only about reproducing familiar software. Some restore games that were missed by a platform, some reinterpret arcade mechanics and others use old hardware to test ideas once considered impractical. Whether you prefer original homebrew concepts, faithful conversions or real cabinets, the 2022 releases demonstrate that classic systems still have room for new discoveries.
For readers building a modern collection, RETROCADE’s Arcade Machine Buying Guide covers the practical decisions behind choosing a cabinet, while the Arcade Blog explores more arcade news and history. Home builders can also compare compact bartop arcades, upright arcade designs and arcade parts.
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