What are some arcade games that were never made into a console version?

[Atariboy]

If emulation counts, both Vanguard II and Search & Rescue have appeared for the PSP/Vita/PS3 by way of the PSP Minis program.

 

And Vanguard II is also in the Japanese exclusive SNK Arcade Classics Volume 0 for the PSP, which predates their digital initiative that saw almost all of that collection broken up and sold individually as Minis along with the addition of several new titles like the original Vanguard.

[Zap!]

Tattoo Assassins almost certainly never got a release:

 

[lucifershalo]

Doubt Logger (1982 Century Electronics) made it. It's a blatant Donkey Kong rip-off.

 

converted on the japanese computer Sord M5

 

[lucifershalo]

Naughty Mouse

 

 

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This would be great on the ColecoVision or Atari 2600.

 

converted on japanese Sord M5

 

[Jim Pez]

Death Race 2000 from 1976

[Jim Pez]

 

The War of Currents: Tesla vs. Edison

 

[Zap!]

Tropical Angel surely never got a home release, as far as I know at least.

 

 

[King Atari]

Taito's 1988 Superman beat-'em-up arcade game. As far as I know, it was never ported to any console or computer - and I've sure looked over the years! Way back when, I discovered the coin-op at a nearby party center and was totally enamored by it, so I set about trying to find a home console version... but it just never happened. I still recall picking up a copy of Sunsoft's Sega Genesis Superman at a used game store BITD, looking at the screenshots on the back of the box, and proclaiming "this is it!" It wasn't. I also got the Kemco NES Superman at that same used game store (before or after the Genesis one, I don't recall; probably before), and that REALLY wasn't it! Maybe the game has since made it onto some compilation somewhere, I don't know.

 

When I was old enough to have disposable income, the first vintage coin-op I bought? You guessed it: Taito's Superman! (The game has its detractors, and yes, like so many beat-'em-ups, it gets repetitive. But you know, I still love it.)

 

In the same wheelhouse, but without the same nostalgic memories attached (mainly because I didn't know about it until yeaaaaars later) is Atari's Batman coin-op. Lotsa games based on the 1989 film of course, but as far as I know, that coin-op was never ported to anything. Years ago, I recall seeing a machine for sale in, I think, Texas, and I did start the mental process of figuring out a way to get it, but I never followed through.

 

Also, Sega's Star Wars Trilogy Arcade. Man of man, if there was one coin-op that recalled the movie theater lobby ever presence of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles machines of my youth, this was it. A Dreamcast port seemed like such a given, but alas, twas not to be.

[Rhomaios]

Just came across this game: Ken-Go / Lightning Swords. Never played it, but it's Irem and vaguely reminiscent of Ninja Spirit. No home port at all.

[schuwalker]

On 7/8/2021 at 12:03 PM, King Atari said:

Taito's 1988 Superman beat-'em-up arcade game. As far as I know, it was never ported to any console or computer - and I've sure looked over the years! Way back when, I discovered the coin-op at a nearby party center and was totally enamored by it, so I set about trying to find a home console version... but it just never happened. I still recall picking up a copy of Sunsoft's Sega Genesis Superman at a used game store BITD, looking at the screenshots on the back of the box, and proclaiming "this is it!" It wasn't. I also got the Kemco NES Superman at that same used game store (before or after the Genesis one, I don't recall; probably before), and that REALLY wasn't it! Maybe the game has since made it onto some compilation somewhere, I don't know.

 

When I was old enough to have disposable income, the first vintage coin-op I bought? You guessed it: Taito's Superman! (The game has its detractors, and yes, like so many beat-'em-ups, it gets repetitive. But you know, I still love it.)

 

In the same wheelhouse, but without the same nostalgic memories attached (mainly because I didn't know about it until yeaaaaars later) is Atari's Batman coin-op. Lotsa games based on the 1989 film of course, but as far as I know, that coin-op was never ported to anything. Years ago, I recall seeing a machine for sale in, I think, Texas, and I did start the mental process of figuring out a way to get it, but I never followed through.

 

Also, Sega's Star Wars Trilogy Arcade. Man of man, if there was one coin-op that recalled the movie theater lobby ever presence of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles machines of my youth, this was it. A Dreamcast port seemed like such a given, but alas, twas not to be.

My buddy has a Superman arcade cab too. Thought it was decent, but it seems like one of those cases where it started life as another game, acquired the Superman license last minute and just incorporated that with the gameplay. 

 

I have the kit for Atari's Batman (only 1k produced so on the rare side), eventually I would like to put it into a Atari Pitfighter cab which was originally intended before going the kit route. Gameplay reminds me of a poorly executed Rolling Thunder. Think Atari blew their wad on the audio and graphics department and didn't focus on the gameplay.

 

My choice would be Capcom's Willow. Awesome game which I had the displeasure of never seeing one bitd but had the arcade flyer.. I thought for sure the Genesis or Super Nintendo would get this since they had the majority of Capcom CPS1 games library.

[mbd39]

On 7/8/2021 at 12:03 PM, King Atari said:

Taito's 1988 Superman beat-'em-up arcade game. As far as I know, it was never ported to any console or computer - and I've sure looked over the years! Way back when, I discovered the coin-op at a nearby party center and was totally enamored by it, so I set about trying to find a home console version... but it just never happened. I still recall picking up a copy of Sunsoft's Sega Genesis Superman at a used game store BITD, looking at the screenshots on the back of the box, and proclaiming "this is it!" It wasn't. I also got the Kemco NES Superman at that same used game store (before or after the Genesis one, I don't recall; probably before), and that REALLY wasn't it! Maybe the game has since made it onto some compilation somewhere, I don't know.

 

When I was old enough to have disposable income, the first vintage coin-op I bought? You guessed it: Taito's Superman! (The game has its detractors, and yes, like so many beat-'em-ups, it gets repetitive. But you know, I still love it.)

 

In the same wheelhouse, but without the same nostalgic memories attached (mainly because I didn't know about it until yeaaaaars later) is Atari's Batman coin-op. Lotsa games based on the 1989 film of course, but as far as I know, that coin-op was never ported to anything. Years ago, I recall seeing a machine for sale in, I think, Texas, and I did start the mental process of figuring out a way to get it, but I never followed through.

 

Also, Sega's Star Wars Trilogy Arcade. Man of man, if there was one coin-op that recalled the movie theater lobby ever presence of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles machines of my youth, this was it. A Dreamcast port seemed like such a given, but alas, twas not to be.

 

Oh man I loved the Superman arcade game as a kid and I've also played it on MAME.

 

It really should have been ported to Sega Genesis. Superman never got as many good games as Batman.

[Steven Pendleton]

The (supposedly excellent) Sailor Moon arcade game never got a home release of any sort, whether emulated or ported. There are some similar games for the SFC and Japanese Mega Drive, but I believe they have nothing to do with the arcade version.

[The Usotsuki]

They're all beat-em-ups, that's about where the similarity ends.

[Loafer]

I love necro-posts like these, some incredible finds. Just going back a few posts, I didn't know about Vanguard II, so checked it out on youtube and man was I disappointed, not a big miss. Then there is the "so bad, it's ... well it's REALLY bad" category we have "Tattoo Assassins".  I can't believe Data East put this out.  It's slow, it looks like amateur hour and it has fart attacks and what looks like a poop fatality. Wow! 

 

I'm def going to have to go back to post #1 to check out everything I may have missed!

[electricmastro]

Cadillacs & Dinosaurs

[Zap!]

Domino Man

 

 

[+jeremiahjt]

Timely bump, as I was thinking about all the arcade games Atari got from Stern and any ports that were made.  Berzerk got 2600 and 5200 ports, plus an 8-bit prototype, I believe.  Frenzy was on the Colecovision at least.  Lost Tomb had an Atari 8-bit port.  Tazz-Mania had a Commodore 64 port called Tazz.

 

Any others?  I think it is safe to assume that there was never even a planned port of Atomic Castle.  What about the rest though?  Great Guns, Mazer Blazer, Rescue, Minefield, Dark Planet, Armored Car, and Moon War?  I know of none.

 

Thanks to Atari buying out these Stern games, I know more about Stern arcade games than I ever thought I would.

[GameGirl420]

New York! New York! should have gotten an NES release...

 

 

Leprechaun should have been released on Atari 2600...

 

 

[+thegoldenband]

4 hours ago, lushgirl_80 said:

New York! New York! should have gotten an NES release...

 

Leprechaun should have been released on Atari 2600...

Interesting -- I see those and I think "ColecoVision" and "Intellivision" respectively (as in. "that game would be perfect for...").

[Hakogame 箱亀]

SnapJack. I love this game, but no home ports.

 

Also, Super Pac-Man has come up in this thread multiple times, but no one ever mentioned the Gameboy Color version included in Ms. Pac-Man Special Edition. Just FYI.