We've been excited for the Taito Egret II Mini arcade cabinet since it was announced last year. The cabinet will include 40 classic arcade games from Taito, with several cool accessories adding to the arcade experience. Until now, the Egret II was only announced for the Japanese market. Now, United Games Entertainment (parent company of ININ and Strictly Limited) has revealed that it will distribute the Egret II Mini in the West in 2022!

In December 2021, Sega and a company called Zuiki released the Astro City Mini, a miniature arcade cabinet featuring 37 classic Sega arcade games. Now to be outdone, Taito recently announced its own mini arcade cabinet: the Egret II Mini. Scheduled for release in March 2022, the Egret II Mini will include 40 classic arcade games, 10 of which feature 2-player local co-op. Even better, the optional Paddle & Trackball Game Expansion Set adds 10 more games and a very special controller. That’s a lot of classic co-op goodness!

Several weeks ago, Bubble Bobble was the topic of our Co-Op Classics column.  We waxed nostalgic at the cute widdle dinosaurs and co-op action.  A remake of Bubble Bobble, called Bubble Bobble Plus!, is available Nintendo's WiiWare service in Japan and Europe.  No North American release has been announced yet, but it seems the bubbles will soon be bobbled on Xbox Live Arcade, as well!

Halo.  Diablo.  Gears of War.  Each of these franchises feature co-op, and each of them are legendary.  They are also violent, grim, and gritty, for the most part.  For Co-Op Classics today, we will look at a co-op game at the opposite end of the spectrum.  There are no bullets, demons, or chainsaws in the world of Bubble Bobble.  But you won't care, because there is some top notch co-op here.