39-Year-Old Konami Game Just Re-Released for First Time Ever

A 39-year-old Konami game released in 1987 — which has only ever been released on the Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum, MS-DOS, Amstrad CPC, and as an arcade table — is getting its first-ever re-release today, courtesy of a new stealth release. And this stealth release has graced Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, PS4, PS5, and Xbox Series X. In other words, the classic from yesteryear is now available on every modern platform minus PC and Xbox One. And it only costs a few bucks.

Back on April 2, 1987, Konami developed, published, and released a military sports action game by the name of Combat School. In it, players play as a military recruit going through boot camp for the United States military. In 1987, the video game scene was still very nascent everywhere, but in Japan, Combat School was fairly popular as a table arcade game in Konami’s home country. Now, it’s back courtesy of Tokyo-based developer Hamster as part of its Arcade Archives and Arcade Archives 2 series. The former is available on PS4 and Nintendo Switch, while the latter is on Switch 2, PS5, and Xbox Series X. Meanwhile, the former versions cost $7.99 while the latter costs $9.99. There will also be an upgrade path for those who upgrade from the former to the latter in the future that costs $2.99.

What’s New With the Classic Konami Game

Both versions come with new Hi-Score and Caravan modes, while the Arcade Archives 2 version also comes with a Time Attack mode. Both also add variable refresh rate to the 39-year-old game. And this feature is an important addition because it makes the game closer to the original arcade table experience. In fact, it’s easy to say this is now the definitive version of the game outside the original experience, as the original ports didn’t have this and suffered as a result.

As you would expect, those who grew up playing games in the 1980s and early 1990s are excited to see yet another forgotten game from this era return. To this end, the trailer above has 189 likes to just 2 dislikes, and lots of positive comments.

“Wow, finally! Slowly but surely they are all coming! Can’t wait for this,” reads one of said comments. Another adds: “Wow, first home release of this game in 38 years!”

Of course, by 2026 standards, this classic arcade game is rudimentary, but it does hold up for what it is. It’s dated, but still good. That said, those without nostalgia for it or this era of gaming may find it a bit too archaic.

Meanwhile, for Konami diehards, it’s been a busy last few weeks. A few days ago, it was revealed that a Konami PS1 series was set to return with its first new game in 14 years. On top of this, later this month, a more recognizable Konami game from 1995 is getting its first re-release ever.

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