Two more old-school names are getting a fresh place on modern hardware this week. Taito's Arkanoid and Nichibutsu's MagMax are the latest releases lined up for the Archives range, bringing one arcade landmark and one NES shooter back into view on May 7, 2026.
Arkanoid Returns
Arkanoid, Taito's 1986 brick-breaking arcade classic, is coming to PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, and Xbox Series X|S. The release is part of Arcade Archives and Arcade Archives 2, depending on the platform.
The game puts players in control of a spacecraft called VAUS. The aim is to keep energy balls in play, bounce them into space walls, and break a path out of a warped labyrinth so VAUS can return to its mothership, Arkanoid.
As simple as that setup sounds, Arkanoid has always had a little more going on than a plain bat-and-ball game. Players can collect a range of power-ups along the way, each offering its own ability and changing the rhythm of a stage in that very arcade-era way.
A Long Retro Trail
After its original arcade release, Arkanoid travelled widely. It was ported to the NES and to home computers including the Amstrad CPC, Commodore Amiga, ZX Spectrum, Commodore 64, and Atari ST. It also led to several follow-ups, beginning with Arkanoid: Revenge of Doh in 1987.
Release Details
- Arcade Archives on PS4 and Nintendo Switch is priced at $7.99.
- Arcade Archives 2 is priced slightly higher at $9.99.
- The confirmed release date is May 7, 2026.
MagMax Also Arrives
Arkanoid is not coming alone. Hamster has also announced that the NES port of Nichibutsu's horizontal shooter MagMax will launch on the same day for PS5 and Nintendo Switch 2 as part of Console Archives.
MagMax sends players into battle inside a transformable mecha, with the mission focused on destroying an alien computer known as Babylon. Stages move between above-ground and underground areas, where players face robot enemies and a boss described as resembling Mecha-King Ghidorah from the Godzilla series. Footage of the game has also been shown.
