This week's Arcade Archives release has been revealed to be Battlantis — Konami's 1987 Space Invaders-esque fixed shooter in which players must defend a castle from an invading army of monsters. The game will be released this week, on October 9th, and will be available to buy across Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, PS4, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S.
Originally released in the arcades, Battlantis (whose name is believed to be a portmanteau of "Battle of Atlantis") puts players in control of a hero named Cripeuss III, whose mission is to prevent an attack from the grotesque monster Asmodeus and his evil minions.
Players take position at the bottom of the screen, perched upon a castle wall, with the objective being to fire projectiles at the enemy formations that assemble below. Players can duck behind the castle walls to dodge enemy attacks, and can also shoot enemies carrying power-up boxes to gain special abilities like transparency, rapid fire, and the capacity to freeze time. There are also various boss fights, pitting players against everything from a demon from hell, to a gigantic toad, and a flying, fire-breathing dragon.
In total, there are 16 levels to play through before you reach the credits, with a further 16 levels also being available after, with some slight deviations from the first set of levels.
Here's the official description for the release:
The time for battle has come!
Rise, true hero! "BATTLANTIS" is a shooter released by KONAMI in 1987.The objective is to defend your castle from an invading army of monsters. You must defeat all enemies before they climb the castle walls. Only the young King Cripeuss III can save the sacred island of Battlantis. Go forth and drive back the evil monsters!
According to the website, the PS4 and Switch versions are priced at $7.99, while the PS5, Switch 2, and Xbox Series X|S will cost $9.99. An upgrade option will also be available for $2.99.