Cartridge 12 in the Evercade Arcade Collection
Data East Arcade 2 brings together 12 more arcade classics from Data East’s back catalogue — a real mixed bag spanning shoot-’em-ups, beat-’em-ups, and action platformers from the mid-80s through 1990. Released 28 November 2024, it’s a solid follow-up for anyone who enjoyed the first Data East Arcade collection. Best suited to players who want variety over a single genre — there’s no other single Evercade cart that mixes shoot-’em-ups, beat-’em-ups, a Western hybrid, and a BurgerTime-style game in one package. Data East also has a console-focused sister cart, Data East Collection 1, if you want to explore beyond their arcade output.
The Games
B-Wings (1984)
A vertical-scrolling shoot-’em-up in which your fighter equips different “WING” attachments that change its weapon type, across 45 stages. It was Japan’s top-grossing table arcade unit in November 1984. Data East Wiki Page
Crude Buster (1990)
Also known as Two Crude, this is a spiritual sequel to Data East’s Bad Dudes vs. Dragon Ninja. Two players punch and kick across two planes of action, with the standout mechanic being the ability to pick up and throw almost anything — rocks, cars, even enemies — as a weapon. Data East Wiki Page
Edward Randy (1990)
A cinematic action game set in a 1930s Nazi-esque Europe. Edward fights his way through hordes of enemies with a whip that doubles as a swing-rope, tackling set pieces like burning boats and dive-bombing planes to rescue a kidnapped scientist’s granddaughter. Data East Wiki Page
Express Raider (1986)
Known in Japan as Western Express, this Wild West action game alternates between punching enemies along the top of a moving train and horseback stages where you aim a reticule to shoot approaching targets. Data East Wiki Page
Joe & Mac Returns
The prehistoric platforming sequel to Caveman Ninja (Joe & Mac), sending the two cavemen heroes back into action against dinosaurs and rival tribes. Data East Wiki Page
Last Mission (1986)
A top-down, multidirectional shooter in the mould of Time Pilot. An exiled space pilot must destroy a set number of enemy air bases within a bounded arena to earn the right to return home — it was Japan’s #4 arcade earner in December 1986. Data East Wiki Page
Midnight Resistance
A Contra-style run-and-gun with rotating aim, sending a team of commandos to rescue a scientist’s kidnapped children from a terrorist organisation. Data East Wiki Page
Peter Pepper’s Ice Cream Factory
Data East’s ice-cream-themed spin on their own BurgerTime formula — build treats while dodging enemies across platform-and-ladder stages. Data East Wiki Page
Shoot Out (1985)
A rail shooting-gallery game shot from behind the player. A vigilante chasing a mob boss moves horizontally, crouches, and aims in five directions across seven stages, needing to shoot criminals while avoiding civilians. Data East Wiki Page
SRD: Super Real Darwin (1987)
A vertical shoot-’em-up sequel to Data East’s Darwin 4078. Your ship mutates into different biomechanical forms as it collects power-ups, fighting bio-organic invaders across the story of a planet’s life-force being weaponised. Data East Wiki Page
Super BurgerTime
The sequel to the arcade classic BurgerTime, with the same platform-and-ladder, walk-over-ingredients formula plus new stages and enemies. Data East Wiki Page
Trio the Punch: Never Forget Me…
A Japan-only side-scrolling action-platformer where you choose from three fighters — a ninja, a brawler, and a barbarian — each with melee attacks and a once-per-level special move. It’s cult-famous for its deliberately absurd, parody-driven stages. Data East Wiki Page
What to Expect
This is a genuinely varied cart — shoot-’em-ups (B-Wings, Last Mission, SRD: Super Real Darwin), beat-’em-ups and action platformers (Crude Buster, Edward Randy, Joe & Mac Returns, Trio the Punch), a run-and-gun (Midnight Resistance), a shooting gallery (Shoot Out), a Western hybrid (Express Raider), and two BurgerTime-style titles (Peter Pepper’s Ice Cream Factory, Super BurgerTime). If you want a broad sample of Data East’s arcade output rather than a single genre, this delivers it.
Data East Arcade 2 vs Data East Arcade 1
Data East Arcade 2 follows on from Data East Arcade 1 (Cartridge 2), which collects 10 earlier Data East coin-ops including BurgerTime, Bad Dudes vs. DragonNinja, Tumblepop, and Sly Spy. The two carts don’t overlap on games, so they’re complementary rather than a straight upgrade — Arcade 1 leans on Data East’s best-known hits, while Arcade 2 goes deeper into the catalogue with a wider genre spread (shoot-’em-ups, beat-’em-ups, and two more BurgerTime-style titles in Peter Pepper’s Ice Cream Factory and Super BurgerTime). If you enjoyed Arcade 1, Arcade 2 is more of the same variety rather than a sequel to any specific game on it.
Frequently Asked Questions
When did Data East Arcade 2 release?
Data East Arcade 2 released on 28 November 2024, following pre-orders that opened on 30 September 2024.
What games are on Data East Arcade 2?
It contains 12 games: B-Wings, Crude Buster, Edward Randy, Express Raider, Joe & Mac Returns, Last Mission, Midnight Resistance, Peter Pepper’s Ice Cream Factory, Shoot Out, SRD: Super Real Darwin, Super BurgerTime, and Trio the Punch: Never Forget Me…
Which Evercade devices does Data East Arcade 2 work on?
Like every Evercade arcade cartridge, it works on all Evercade cartridge-based hardware: the VS-R, EXP-R, Nexus, Alpha, and the original VS and EXP handhelds. See the hardware comparison if you’re deciding which device to play it on.
Where can I buy Data East Arcade 2?
Check our Where to Buy page for current retailers, or search eBay UK for Data East Arcade 2.