+opcode #26 Posted June 16, 2005 (edited) Hi there! Wow! Now I now why this game looked so suspiciously Taito-ish! Ha! Because it is from Taito! -> http://emustatus.rainemu.com/games/kamikaze.htm Any chance of releasing a Taito edition of this game? Greetings, Manuel 875423[/snapback] No, wait. Leijac is Konami! This game is from Konami! That explains why Stern distributed it in the US... Cool!!! Another Konami game for the ColecoVision. Eduardo Edited June 16, 2005 by opcode Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cybergoth #27 Posted June 16, 2005 Hi there! Are you really sure Eduardo? I'd say it has Taito written all over it, look at this: Without even looking I'd bet it's 100% identical hardware. Greetings, Manuel Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
joeybastard #28 Posted June 16, 2005 Either way guys, over here in the US it was Stern and Scott's over here. Besides, then I'd have to revise the artwork again and I'm lazy Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+opcode #29 Posted June 16, 2005 Hi there! Are you really sure Eduardo? I'd say it has Taito written all over it, look at this: Without even looking I'd bet it's 100% identical hardware. Greetings, Manuel 875582[/snapback] I have a Japanese magazine which list all Japanese games from the late 70s based on the Space Invaders hardware. From Konami to SNK to Nintendo, everybody copied Taito's hardware. Many even copied the game, with just very small graphic changes. But of course Astro Invaders is far from being just a Space Invaders hack. I believe the code is completely different. So you are right, the hardware is probably the same, but that is where similarities end. That Kamikaze version says " Laijac Corporation", and Laijac was the name Konami used with their games in the 70s. I am not completely sure about which game came first, but I would guess it was Kamikaze, then Konami licensed it to Stern. It makes sense, since Konami licensed almost all their games from the 70s and early 80s to Stern. But then again, I am just guessing. I will look for that Japanese magazine to make sure Kamikaze was indeed a Konami game and then I let you know. In other hand, I also think Joey is right. This release is aimed for the US public, so I think Scott took the right decision going with the US name and distributor. Just think, if the game had been released back in the 80s, would you even know about Kamikaze? Probably not, unless you were living in Japan... Eduardo Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NE146 #30 Posted June 16, 2005 (edited) I think basically it comes from the early 80's days where Taito and all the other Yakuza tinged jap amusement companies all were incestuous in one way or another and used each others parts and warehouses etc. So that's why there's a bunch of overlapping hardware & graphic similarities, etc in a lot of the early jap games. Incidentally.. although this game wasn't exactly my favorite even back in the day (it seemed too relentless and was up there with "Cosmic Guerilla"). I think it is AWESOME that it got ported like this Edited June 16, 2005 by NE146 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ScottHuggins #31 Posted June 16, 2005 (edited) What's extremely interesting in the Taito version (shown above) is the colors aren't even close to being the same as the US Stern version. Maybe they used an overlay (like Space Invaders) instead of hardware to do the colors??? and just changed it up for the different vendors ??? I think basically it comes from the early 80's days where Taito and all the other Yakuza tinged jap amusement companies all were incestuous in one way or another and used each others parts and warehouses etc. So that's why there's a bunch of overlapping hardware & graphic similarities, etc in a lot of the early jap games. Incidentally.. although this game wasn't exactly my favorite even back in the day (it seemed too relentless and was up there with "Cosmic Guerilla"). I think it is AWESOME that it got ported like this 875619[/snapback] Edited June 17, 2005 by ScottHuggins Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
King_Salamon #32 Posted June 17, 2005 Okay... I'm confused here. (Nothing new really! ) Is there more than the one screen in Astro Invader? I've never played it but pre-ordered it as it looks like fun (anything homebrewed based on a vintage arcade machine is worth a purchase!) There are 2 screens... is the left one (The Taito one) a different level in the game or is the right picture (The Stern one) the only screen in the game? Any clarification would be helpful. If someone suggests trying the game on MAME... I'll pass. This game is new (to me). Therefore when I get it I will make sure I play it and think back to the arcade days... plunking quarters into machines.... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cybergoth #33 Posted June 17, 2005 Hi there! There are 2 screens... is the left one (The Taito one) a different level in the game or is the right picture (The Stern one) the only screen in the game? Any clarification would be helpful. 875805[/snapback] I'm sorry for any confusion caused. The screen on the left is from Lunar Rescue, a confirmed Taito game I posted just for reference. Greetings, Manuel Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cybergoth #34 Posted June 17, 2005 Hi there! Uihjah! Look at this: http://www.arcadeflyers.net/?page=flyerdb&...ge=thumbs&id=80 Check out what the left column on the backside of the flyer says about the game being "tested in select markets"... Greetings, Manuel Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
King_Salamon #35 Posted June 17, 2005 Hi there! There are 2 screens... is the left one (The Taito one) a different level in the game or is the right picture (The Stern one) the only screen in the game? Any clarification would be helpful. 875805[/snapback] I'm sorry for any confusion caused. The screen on the left is from Lunar Rescue, a confirmed Taito game I posted just for reference. Greetings, Manuel 875918[/snapback] Ahh.. ok. Looking forward to this game and future games from Scott Huggins! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+opcode #36 Posted June 17, 2005 Hi there! Uihjah! Look at this: http://www.arcadeflyers.net/?page=flyerdb&...ge=thumbs&id=80 Check out what the left column on the backside of the flyer says about the game being "tested in select markets"... Greetings, Manuel 875921[/snapback] Even more interesting is that Astro Invaders was the first videogame released by Stern. Eduardo Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
King_Salamon #37 Posted June 17, 2005 Hi there! Uihjah! Look at this: http://www.arcadeflyers.net/?page=flyerdb&...ge=thumbs&id=80 Check out what the left column on the backside of the flyer says about the game being "tested in select markets"... Greetings, Manuel 875921[/snapback] Even more interesting is that Astro Invaders was the first videogame released by Stern. Eduardo 876213[/snapback] That makes this homebrew an even more historical one! Sounds like it will be a fun shooter. Stern had some good games! My personal fav is Berzerk. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hhwolfman #38 Posted June 18, 2005 Hi there! Uihjah! Look at this: http://www.arcadeflyers.net/?page=flyerdb&...ge=thumbs&id=80 Check out what the left column on the backside of the flyer says about the game being "tested in select markets"... Greetings, Manuel 875921[/snapback] Even more interesting is that Astro Invaders was the first videogame released by Stern. Eduardo 876213[/snapback] That makes this homebrew an even more historical one! Sounds like it will be a fun shooter. Stern had some good games! My personal fav is Berzerk. 876221[/snapback] I totaly forgot about that game. Man I used to love to play that. I will be purchasing one of those for sure. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hhwolfman #39 Posted June 18, 2005 Hi there! Uihjah! Look at this: http://www.arcadeflyers.net/?page=flyerdb&...ge=thumbs&id=80 Check out what the left column on the backside of the flyer says about the game being "tested in select markets"... Greetings, Manuel 875921[/snapback] Even more interesting is that Astro Invaders was the first videogame released by Stern. Eduardo 876213[/snapback] That makes this homebrew an even more historical one! Sounds like it will be a fun shooter. Stern had some good games! My personal fav is Berzerk. 876221[/snapback] I totaly forgot about that game. Man I used to love to play that. I will be purchasing one of those for sure. 876405[/snapback] Is there a home version for any system of Taito's Lunar Rescue. I found something close for Colecovision called , This Planet Sucks, are there any more, for any other systems Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
King_Salamon #40 Posted June 18, 2005 Wasn't this planet sucks for the Atari 2600? I thought that was a homebrew? Hi there! Uihjah! Look at this: http://www.arcadeflyers.net/?page=flyerdb&...ge=thumbs&id=80 Check out what the left column on the backside of the flyer says about the game being "tested in select markets"... Greetings, Manuel 875921[/snapback] Even more interesting is that Astro Invaders was the first videogame released by Stern. Eduardo 876213[/snapback] That makes this homebrew an even more historical one! Sounds like it will be a fun shooter. Stern had some good games! My personal fav is Berzerk. 876221[/snapback] I totaly forgot about that game. Man I used to love to play that. I will be purchasing one of those for sure. 876405[/snapback] Is there a home version for any system of Taito's Lunar Rescue. I found something close for Colecovision called , This Planet Sucks, are there any more, for any other systems 876425[/snapback] Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hhwolfman #41 Posted June 18, 2005 Wasn't this planet sucks for the Atari 2600? I thought that was a homebrew? Hi there! Uihjah! Look at this: http://www.arcadeflyers.net/?page=flyerdb&...ge=thumbs&id=80 Check out what the left column on the backside of the flyer says about the game being "tested in select markets"... Greetings, Manuel 875921[/snapback] Even more interesting is that Astro Invaders was the first videogame released by Stern. Eduardo 876213[/snapback] That makes this homebrew an even more historical one! Sounds like it will be a fun shooter. Stern had some good games! My personal fav is Berzerk. 876221[/snapback] I totaly forgot about that game. Man I used to love to play that. I will be purchasing one of those for sure. 876405[/snapback] Is there a home version for any system of Taito's Lunar Rescue. I found something close for Colecovision called , This Planet Sucks, are there any more, for any other systems 876425[/snapback] 876430[/snapback] Ooops sorry. You are correct. Is there any, for any other systems? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stingray #42 Posted June 20, 2005 I don't know a thing about programming, but I was at OVGE, and I got a chance to see this new CV game running next to the real thing in MAME and I saw no difference whatsoever. Scott did an outstanding job with the conversion. He also had a really super looking MAME cab. Very well done on both counts Scott! -S Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ScottHuggins #43 Posted June 20, 2005 (edited) Stingray, Thanks for compliments, I really do appr it. Didn't I meet you at the show? All the faces/names are bleeding together. Funny 'bout that mame cab. It got way more attention than I thought it would. Someone offered me a large sum of money for it (which I declined), much to the chagrin of my wife (she hates the thing). Scott I don't know a thing about programming, but I was at OVGE, and I got a chance to see this new CV game running next to the real thing in MAME and I saw no difference whatsoever. Scott did an outstanding job with the conversion. He also had a really super looking MAME cab. Very well done on both counts Scott! -S 877719[/snapback] Edited June 20, 2005 by ScottHuggins Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stingray #44 Posted June 21, 2005 Stingray, Thanks for compliments, I really do appr it. Didn't I meet you at the show? All the faces/names are bleeding together. 877784[/snapback] Yes, we talked for a bit about MAME cabs. We were discussing how tempramental they can be, and yours chose that exact moment to stop responding. I held the control panel up for you while you reached inside to reattach the KeyWhiz. I also commented on the unusual (to me at least) slimline mechs inside your coin door. I also played both versions of Astro Invader long enough to determine that I really stink at both. I didn't realize that it was already available to buy at the show or I would have bought a copy while I was there. -S Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mumbai #45 Posted June 23, 2005 I assume this is an unlicensed product? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
joeybastard #46 Posted June 23, 2005 I assume this is an unlicensed product? 879275[/snapback] I'm not sure. I know AA tried to contact Stern but I'm not sure what the final result was. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
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