We may be en route to a million and one software reveals next week at E3 2021, but Taito has decided to show off a new piece of hardware. Or rather, a new take on an old piece of hardware.
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The Taito EGRET II Mini comes hot on the heels of Sega’s somewhat similar-looking Astro City Mini machine and gives people with tiny, tiny hands the ability to uncomfortably get down with 50 classic Taito arcade titles. 40 as-yet-unconfirmed games will be bundled with the system at launch, with a further 10 being sold on SD card in an expansion pack, complete with a trackball and paddle controller.
The EGRET II Mini has some pretty cool features, such as the ability to flip the screen from landscape to portrait and switch the built-in stick from 4-way to 8-way functionality. Control pads (sold separately) can be connected to the machine for those who have normal-sized hands, and an HDMI-out port means that you won’t need to squint.
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In terms of bundled games, the official trailer for the device shows the likes of Cadash, The New Zealand Story, Violence Fight, and Rastan Saga, but a full list has yet to be revealed.
The machine will retail for ¥18,678 ($170) in Japan when it releases on March 2, 2002. A US/European launch has yet to be confirmed.
