August 1st marks the launch of the second part of the Challenge X Recalbox event, also known as Summer Camps 2025. As a reminder, this friendly competition pits the community of The Challenge against the Recalbox community. Everyone is welcome! Whether you play on an arcade cabinet, with a controller, on a CRT, LCD, or even a handheld device, you can join the fun.

It’s worth noting that this is a “challenge” in name only: players of all skill levels are welcome, from hardcore scorers aiming for the top of the leaderboard to newcomers (like me!) who simply want to discover new games and connect with fellow enthusiasts.

That said, be warned: arcade gaming can quickly become addictive, whether it’s in terms of playtime or hardware… You’ve been warned!

Three games for August

For this second month of Summer Camps 2025, three games have been selected to help determine the winner. You don’t have to play all three – feel free to focus your efforts on your favorite(s).

You have until August 31st at 11:59 PM to submit your best score, achieved on a single credit, for each game you play.
The top 10 scores per game and per community will be used to determine the final score.
And if you manage to complete a game on a single credit, your community will earn 15 bonus points.

As with previous Recalbox challenges this year, rewind, save states, cheats, and autofire (unless part of the original game) are strictly forbidden.

August Game Lineup

Recalhorn (Taito F3 – unreleased prototype)

Genre: Action / Platformer
Recalhorn is a side-scrolling platform-adventure game developed by Taito in 1993 for the F3 arcade system, but never officially released. You play as a young hero in a fantasy world filled with strange creatures, enjoying polished graphics, a classic Taito soundtrack, and smooth gameplay featuring jumping, attacking, and exploring. A hidden gem few players have ever tried!

Batsugun (Toaplan – 1993)

Genre: Shoot’em up (Maniac Shooter / Bullet Hell)
A pioneer of the maniac shooter genre, Batsugun is widely considered the first game to introduce massive bullet curtain patterns on screen. Choose from three pilots with distinct shooting styles, collect power-ups to upgrade your weapons, and survive through intense and spectacular stages. A demanding and thrilling classic, developed by Toaplan and also released on Sega Saturn.

Penguin-Kun Wars (UPL – 1985)

Genre: Action / Versus (Arcade Duel)
A game as simple as it is brilliant! In Penguin-Kun Wars, you face off against an opponent (AI or player) in a fast-paced duel where you must throw balls across a table while dodging those thrown at you.
Each match lasts 60 seconds, and the player with the fewest balls on their side at the end wins. With a cast of animal characters, the game is fun, fast, and ultra-competitive.

How to submit your score

To submit your scores, simply head over to the Discord of the community you’re representing and post a screenshot (or photo) of your score, making sure to include:

your username + score + game title
Example: LittleG4M3, 24,300, Batsugun

• If you’re representing The Challenge community, share your score via this Discord link.

• If you’re representing the Recalbox community, post your score here.

Have fun and good luck!
Feel free to share your sessions, experiences, and tips on Discord...
And most importantly: enjoy yourselves!