# New arcade games with old-school rules

Source: https://roam.new/new-arcade-games/

New arcade games come in two kinds: faithful ports of coin-op classics, and fresh games built on the same rules, short levels, high scores, one more credit. 2026 brought both. Here are the recent releases worth a coin, plus arcade games on Roam you can learn in a minute.

## Classic arcade, new releases

- **Arcade Archives 2 (Hamster)**: Faithful ports of old coin-op games for Switch 2 and PS5. Space Invaders Part II arrived on Switch 2 in January 2026 and Space Cyclone in June 2026.
- **Arcade Archives: Rave Racer (February 2026)**: Namco's arcade-only racer finally came home, on PS5 and Switch.
- **Pac-Man World 2 Re-Pac (Bandai Namco, September 2025)**: A remake of the 2002 3D Pac-Man adventure, now with two-player couch co-op.

## New games with arcade rules

What still counts as arcade: you understand it in ten seconds, a run lasts a few minutes, and your score is the story. Galaga (Namco, 1981) and Angry Birds (Rovio, 2009) are still the two references most new arcade games get compared to.

- **Astro Fighters 2 (March 9, 2026)**: A vertical shooter on Steam where grazing enemy bullets boosts your score. Built for chasing a high score.
- **Retro Arcade Shop Simulator (September 2026)**: Not an arcade game but a game about one: run your own arcade, in early access on PC.

## Arcade games on Roam

Roam is a free iPhone app with a full arcade row. STARFIGHT is Galaga-style: Earth orbit, three waves, keep firing. Keep Exploding is a guided-missile chain blaster: hit, relaunch, hit again. Guard the Core has you rotate a shield and block everything.

Pigs Will Fly is the Angry Birds slingshot: pull back, let go. BOOMDIG is hold to dig, tap for TNT, keep going down. BOLLARD BOSS is pure reflexes: stop the wanted cars, let the rest go.


## Play it on Roam

- [STARFIGHT](https://roam.gg/play/starfight/): You fly. The guns handle themselves.
- [Keep Exploding](https://roam.gg/play/keep-exploding/): Every explosion is also a launch.
- [Guard the Core](https://roam.gg/play/guard-the-core/): Spin the shield. Save the smile.
- [Pigs Will Fly](https://roam.gg/play/pigs-will-fly/): It took a slingshot, but pigs fly now.
- [BOOMDIG](https://roam.gg/play/boomdig/): Hold to dig, tap to blast, and see how many floors you can clear.
- [BOLLARD BOSS](https://roam.gg/play/bollard-boss/): WANTED cars only. Everyone else drives on.

## Make your own arcade game with Roam

Say what you shoot, dodge or launch, and what the score is for. Roam makes it playable, and you can add a boss wave by asking. Roam is rated 13+ on the App Store.

Try: "arcade shooter where my cat defends the fridge from flying cucumbers, 3 waves, a boss melon, high score table for my friends"

[Get Roam on the App Store](https://apps.apple.com/app/apple-store/id6745489251?pt=126889634&mt=8&ct=rnew-new-arcade-games)

## Questions people ask

**What are Arcade Archives?**
A long-running series from Hamster that ports classic coin-op games faithfully to modern consoles. Arcade Archives 2 is the newer line for Switch 2 and PS5.

**What makes a game an arcade game?**
Simple controls, short runs, rising difficulty and a high score. You learn it in seconds and keep playing to beat your best.

**Are there arcade games on iPhone?**
Yes. Many classics are on the App Store, and Roam has quick arcade games you can play free on iPhone.

## About Roam

Roam ("Roam - Make Games" on the App Store) is an iPhone app where you play games and make your own by describing them or from a photo. It is free to download and play, and making games works without a subscription; optional Spark and Reality plans and credit packs add more creation. Android: pre-register on Google Play. https://roam.gg