Arcade Archives NOVA2001 (2015)

NOVA2001 is a shooting game originally released by UPL in 1983. In this title, players take control of a versatile fighter capable of firing in all directions. The primary objective of the game is to continuously defeat a variety of enemies that appear across different stages, providing a fast-paced and engaging arcade experience.

Faithful Recreation on PS4™

The game is part of the Arcade Archives series, which brings classic arcade masterpieces to the PS4™ system with careful attention to preserving the original gameplay. The PS4™ version enhances the experience by incorporating additional system features, allowing both veteran and new players to enjoy the iconic title with modern conveniences.

Enhanced Features

Players can share their gameplay with friends using the SHARE function, capturing both screenshots and video clips. Additionally, the game supports online competition, where players can strive to improve their ranking on the global score leaderboard, adding a modern competitive element to this classic arcade experience.

Game Modes and Compatibility

The game supports one to two players and can be played using the DUALSHOCK®4 controller. For those interested in remote gaming, Remote Play functionality is supported, although additional hardware may be required. The game delivers crisp visuals with 1080i HD video output, maintaining the clarity and detail of the original arcade experience.

Legal and Licensing Information

Playing NOVA2001 on PS4™ requires agreement to the software license, as well as adherence to online activity terms outlined in the PlayStation™ Network Terms of Service and User Agreement. A one-time license fee is required for use on the account’s designated primary PS4™ system, and the license also permits play on other PS4™ systems when signed in with that account.

Conclusion

NOVA2001 on PS4™ offers a faithful reproduction of the 1983 classic, combining timeless shooting gameplay with modern console features. The game preserves the challenge and excitement that defined its original arcade release while adding options for online interaction, sharing, and enhanced visuals. This release allows both long-time fans and new players to experience a piece of video game history on a contemporary platform.

Until recently, the prevailing view was that modern hominoids—including humans, human ancestors, and apes—diverged from monkeys in East Africa. However, the discovery of a previously unknown extinct primate species, Masripithecus moghraensis, has prompted a reevaluation of the timeline and location of hominoid divergence.

Masripithecus exhibits traits exceptionally close to those of modern hominoids and may represent the last ancient hominoid species that appeared prior to the evolution of modern apes. The question of the earliest ancestor that set human evolution in motion—long before the appearance of Neanderthals, Denisovans, Homo erectus, and australopiths such as Lucy—remains a central focus of research.

Human evolution is generally understood to have begun when hominoids—a group including humans, human ancestors, and apes—diverged from monkeys between the Miocene and Oligocene epochs, approximately 25 million years ago. Modern humans and great apes belong to the family Hominidae, while gibbons and siamangs are classified as Hylobatidae. Despite this classification, a significant question remains unresolved: from which species did modern crown hominoids emerge as they evolved beyond their more archaic stem hominoid ancestors?

The answer may be connected to an 18-million-year-old mandible recently discovered in northern Egypt’s Wadi Moghra region. Fossils of Early Miocene hominoids, dating from roughly 17 to 18 million years ago, have predominantly been found in East Africa. The Masripithecus moghraensis mandible, however, may provide a key missing piece in the fossil record. Paleontologist Shorouq Al-Ashqar of Mansoura University believes this find could significantly advance the understanding of early hominoid evolution.

Al-Ashqar and his colleagues published their findings in the journal Science, highlighting that Masripithecus is more closely related to crown hominoids than coexisting fossil apes from East Africa. This discovery fills a phylogenetic and biogeographic gap in the evolution of stem hominoids and suggests that crown hominoids may have originated in the Early Miocene within the northeastern region of Afro-Arabia, rather than in eastern Africa or Eurasia.

The research team conducted extensive fieldwork to locate fossils marking this pivotal evolutionary period. Miocene hominoid fossils have historically been fragmented and inconsistent. By analyzing fossil ages and anatomical features, scientists were able to estimate the divergence of Masripithecus from stem hominids and identify its closest relatives among both extant and extinct species. Prior molecular studies indicated that hominids and hylobatids diverged no later than 16 million years ago, yet the geographic origin of this divergence remained uncertain.

Although only a mandible of Masripithecus has been discovered, its features reveal characteristics not observed together in other coexisting apes. The jaw is notably prominent, with exceptionally large canines and premolars, and rounded molars with highly textured chewing surfaces. This dental morphology indicates a diet primarily consisting of fruit, nuts, and seeds, which were likely difficult to process. Phylogenetic analysis positions Masripithecus very close to crown hominoids, suggesting it could represent the last stem hominoid preceding their emergence. Confirming this hypothesis will require the discovery of additional fossils of closely related stem hominoids, potentially in North Africa, where prior searches may have overlooked them.

The discovery of Masripithecus extends the investigation of modern ape origins beyond East Africa, encompassing North Africa, the Levant, and the eastern Mediterranean. It is even possible that the last stem hominoids migrated out of Africa before crown hominoids evolved. Fossils of our shared ancestor may remain buried beneath ancient rock formations or desert sands, awaiting future discovery.