As a reminder, this friendly competition pits the The Challenge community against the Recalbox community. Everyone is welcome! Whether you play on an arcade cabinet, with a controller, on CRT, LCD, or even on a portable device, you can participate.

It’s important to note that this challenge is a “challenge” in name only: all skill levels are welcome, from the hardcore scorer aiming for the top of the leaderboard to the newcomer (like me!) who just wants to discover games and connect with fellow enthusiasts.

Be warned though: arcade gaming can quickly become addictive, whether in terms of playtime or hardware... You have been warned!

Rules

For this first month of Summer Camps 2025, three games have been selected to compete. You are not required to play all three; you can focus your efforts on the game(s) you prefer.

You have until July 31 at 11:59 PM to submit your best score, achieved on a single credit, for each game you have played. The top 10 scores per game and per community will be counted to determine the final score.

If you manage to finish a game on a single credit, your community will earn an additional 15 points. As with previous Recalbox challenges this year, rewind, save states, cheats, and autofire (unless built into the game) are prohibited.

The full rules and scoring table are listed below, followed by the three games for July.

Games of the Month

Gunbarich – Puzzle (Psikyo, 2001) – Tate

rom: gnbarich

Gunbarich was developed by Psikyo and released in 2001. A dynamic mix of breakout and pinball, it stands out with fast-paced, colorful gameplay. The player controls a character on a moving platform, bouncing a ball to break blocks while using “flippers” to deflect its trajectory.

With unique power-ups, eccentric bosses, and a strong manga style, Gunbarich offers a fun and intense experience true to the Japanese arcade spirit.

Armored Warriors – Beat them all (Capcom, 1994) – Yoko

rom: armwar

Armored Warriors is a beat’em up developed by Capcom and released in 1994. In this futuristic world, you play as a mecha pilot fighting hordes of mechanical enemies in an intergalactic war setting.

The gameplay features dynamic combat, with the ability to customize your robot by picking up and swapping parts (weapons, arms, legs…) in real time. With detailed graphics and a powerful soundtrack, Armored Warriors is a must-play blending brutal action and mechanical strategy.

Blood Bros – Third-person shooter (TAD, 1990) – Yoko

rom: bloodbro

Blood Bros. was released in 1990, developed by TAD Corporation, the creators of Cabal. It is a third-person shooting gallery set in a wild-west fantasy world. You play as an unlikely duo (in co-op mode): a cowboy and a native American, united to track down a notorious outlaw across the country.

The gameplay is simple but intense: you control a crosshair to shoot waves of enemies while moving your character sideways to dodge projectiles. You can also destroy the environment (buildings, wagons, etc.) to reveal bonuses or weaken your foes.

With its cartoonish graphics, quirky humor, and frantic action, Blood Bros. is a great example of arcade games that are tough, fun, and demanding. For this challenge, co-op play is not allowed.

Score Submission

To submit your scores, go to the Discord server of the community you represent and post a screenshot (or photo) of your score, including: your username + score + game title (example: LittleG4M3, 24,300, Blood Bros).

• If you represent the The Challenge community (and are therefore a traitor 👀), share your score via this Discord link.
• If you represent the Recalbox community, share your score via this Discord link.

Finally, note that Recalbox is offering a game key from a list of over 100 different titles to the top player from each community for every game — that’s 6 keys to win for The Challenge participants, and 6 keys for Recalbox players. Each person can only win one key throughout the entire challenge.

Good gaming everyone! Feel free to share your sessions, experiences, and tips on Discord… And above all: let’s have fun!