Taito, the Square Enix subsidiary responsible for the arcade classic Space Invaders, is cashing in on the small hardware craze by releasing a new version of the game. The Egret II, a sit-down arcade system developed by the Japanese company, has now been released on the PC platform. This retro-style candy cabinet, which was first introduced in the mid- to late-1990s, was distinguished by a rotating mechanism that allowed the screen to be positioned vertically for tate-mode games like shoot-em-ups and arcade games.

It is appropriate that the micro-version retains this feature, which consists of a 5 inch 4:3 LCD display that can be popped out and rotated to fit in either direction. Primary controls are comprised of six primary buttons and a stick that can be moved in four to eight directions depending on the game's difficulty level. A separate controller with a paddle wheel and trackball is also being provided by Taito to be used with the reproduction cabinet. This controller will be used with compatible games such as Cameltry, which originally required players to rotate the screen in order to guide a marble through a maze. If this sounds familiar, it's because it was this concept that served as the inspiration for the special stages in the original Sonic the Hedgehog video game.

Taito promises a total of 40 titles that will come pre-loaded. Despite the fact that the company has not yet revealed the full lineup, it currently includes Space Invaders, Lunar Rescue, Qix, Elevator Action, Chack'n Pop, and Bubble Bobble among its games. Global Champion (also known as Kaiser Knuckle in Japan) is a more recent addition to the list, having jumped on the beat-em-up bandwagon following the success of Street Fighter II: Super Fighting Championship.

While this is happening, the expansion controller comes with an SD card that has been pre-loaded with ten games that make use of the trackball or paddle. The following titles have been confirmed: Strike Bowling, Cameltry, Plump Pop, and Syvalion, among many others. Another notable addition is Arkanoid, a block breaker arcade game from Taito that was released in 1986. Other features include a USB-C charging connector, two USB-A controller connections, an HDMI port for TV output, and a headphone jack. The Egret II Mini does not include a rotating screen.

In addition to the reproduction and accessories, the cost of the cabinet will be significant. It costs 18,678 yen ($170) on its own, and 12,078 yen ($110) when purchased in conjunction with an expansion controller. In addition, Taito is selling an additional arcade stick for 8,778 yen ($80) and a gamepad for 3,278 yen ($30) to accompany the game. Those looking for the complete package can choose from two options: a 49,478-yen ($450) special edition bundle that includes extras such as soundtrack CDs, or a 32,978-yen ($300) bundle that excludes the arcade stick and gamepad.

While the Egret II Mini is scheduled to arrive on March 2, 2022, there is still some time before it can be seen in its final form. It is possible to satisfy your arcade craving with smaller, less expensive replicas such as My Arcade's Micro Player machines, which are available online. In addition, it's possible that Sega will bring back a limited edition of their Astro City Mini arcade.