Data East Collection 1

Data East occupied a unique space in the arcade pantheon — never quite as polished as Capcom, never as technically ambitious as Sega, but reliably inventive, frequently weird, and always entertaining. This ten-game Evercade collection captures that spirit perfectly.

The Headliners

BurgerTime is the anchor. Peter Pepper's quest to assemble giant hamburgers while dodging sentient hot dogs, pickles, and fried eggs is one of gaming's most brilliantly absurd premises, executed with tight puzzle-platformer mechanics that remain addictive decades later. The NES version included here is an excellent conversion that captures the arcade's strategic depth.

Bad Dudes is peak late-'80s arcade culture. "The President has been kidnapped by ninjas. Are you a bad enough dude to rescue the President?" Yes. Yes you are. The side-scrolling brawler is simple but satisfying, with a two-player co-op mode that elevates the experience. The final "thank you" scene with the President offering to get burgers is an all-time gaming moment.

Caveman Ninja (released in the West as Joe & Mac) is the collection's best-kept secret. This prehistoric side-scrolling action game features beautiful sprite work, varied level design, and a two-player co-op mode that transforms it into one of the most entertaining games on any Evercade cart. The dinosaur boss battles are spectacular.

The Deep Cuts

Heavy Barrel is a top-down military shooter in the Commando mold, with a unique weapon-assembly system where collecting pieces of a super-weapon across the level builds toward a devastating power-up. It's tough but rewarding, especially in co-op.

Side Pocket brings pool to the collection — a surprisingly polished billiards game with trick shot challenges and a tournament mode. It's a welcome change of pace from the action-heavy lineup and plays well with the Evercade's precise d-pad.

Lock 'N' Chase is Data East's Pac-Man answer — collect coins in a maze while avoiding police, with the added ability to drop doors behind you to block pursuers. It's derivative but well-executed, and the door mechanic adds genuine strategic depth.

Crude Buster (Two Crude Dudes) is the spiritual successor to Bad Dudes, cranking the absurdity to eleven. Your massive protagonists can pick up and throw anything — cars, lampposts, enemies, vending machines. It's gloriously dumb fun.

The Data East Personality

What makes this collection special isn't any single game but the collective personality that emerges. Data East had a house style — colorful, slightly unhinged, always willing to prioritize fun over polish. Playing through these ten games feels like visiting a specific era of the arcade, one where developers weren't afraid to make a game about building hamburgers or rescuing presidents from ninjas.

Verdict

Data East Collection 1 is one of the Evercade's most enjoyable cartridges. BurgerTime and Bad Dudes provide the nostalgia, Caveman Ninja provides the discovery, and the supporting lineup provides depth and variety. Data East may never have been the biggest name in arcades, but their games had a personality that this collection captures beautifully. Highly recommended for anyone who appreciates the golden age of arcade gaming.