I do seem to have got around with these Data East games, I think I've had a hand in improving the emulation of many of the ones featured here over the years. There are so many strong games in this period, but I guess never successfully making that jump to 3D can't have helped with getting them noticed at the time as a large number simply ended up overshadowed by flashier 3D titles. I thought Skull Fang did work in MAME, although got a lockup last time I played it on stream, so maybe there are still some issues, not sure, it's not a game I've ever managed to find enjoyment in. Rohga on the other hand, with the way you can customize your mech/fighter makes that one stand out for me. I do tend to go back to Mausuke no Ojama the World quite often too, as while it definitely doesn't have the same addictive quality as Magical Drop the mechanics are unique so it doesn't feel like I'm playing 'just another Puyo Puyo clone' and after a while of playing those drop piece puzzle games you do start to notice which have more to offer. The prerendered art in it does not look good however. I wasn't aware of the origins of Magical Drop however, it seems like so many arcade puzzle games were ideas that were licensed from elsewhere. It's one of those where the clone sets can be interesting to look at too, with the export 'Chain Reaction' version being based off what was 'Magical Drop +1' in Japan, as the original Magical Drop release didn't even have the solo mode. World Cup Volley 95 also got an 'Extra Version' although I'm not sure what changed. Boulder Dash is interesting with the Part 1 / Part 2 dipswitch too, as it gives the game a new set of levels if you flip that. The High Seas Havoc PCB doesn't look like a bootleg to me, but it's still a very strange product, with some annoying encryption. It uses original Sega parts (Genesis VDP etc.) and has Data East silkscreen on the PCB, whereas typically the bootleg boards use cloned components. The PCB numbering is also what makes me think there was another planned game for that MD/Genesis based platform (my guess would be Dashin' Desperadoes / Rumble Kids, but there's never been a trace of it)
@@mamehaze Yeah, when I tried Skull Fang on MAME it locked up when I reached the first level boss. Happy there was a Saturn version at least to capture...shame there wasn't for Locked 'n' Loaded/Gun Hard, that was another one that just wouldn't work. I do hope we get to find out what's on that High Seas Havoc PCB some day, it's a very curious one!
@@Kim_Justiceyeah, that sounds similar to my experience with Skull Fang, it definitely didn't do that at one point, but it must have regressed. I'll see if I can figure out when/why as you don't really want to use much older versions for it as a lot of video effects were missing instead. Locked 'n' Loaded has always been a pain, there are ways you can almost calibrate it to be playable, but you have to be very careful where you shoot or it resets even then. (It uses positional interrupts etc. and if they happen at the wrong time it confuses the emulation) Even then there are priority issues that need fixing though.
Boogie Wings seems like a perfect game to spend your holiday with its Christmas theme and art deco style, there are shooters with similar fashion such as Steel Empire and Progear.
Night slashers was pretty badass. Fun fact - In addition to the blood, most versions also censored the vampire hunter guy using a crucifix for his combo finisher, replacing it with a blue gem.
From Karnov's Revenge, the Dunk Dream games, Magical Drop 3, Pocket Gal Deluxe, Two Crude, Thunder Zone, Vapor Trail, Rohga, Wizard Fire, Super BurgerTime, Robocop 2, Boogie Wings, WindJammers, Captain America, Heavy Smash to Stadium Hero. 90s DECO had some absolute bangers. Good job with this vid!
Funny ya also mentioned Yakuza when talking about learning Mahjong cuz I am playing the first turn-based one as of late AND have been invested in learning how to play Mahjong
Tumblepop is one of the very few arcade games I can beat with one credit. Love that game. (also enjoyed its spiritual successors: Diet Go Go and Joe & Mac Returns) Mutant Fighter was also another favorite of mine from my childhood. The dragon was my main!
Kim, you don't have to jump on the buns and burger components in Super Burger Time. You can stand on them and then press down and the jump button to stomp them down... It's MUCH faster. You have to get on top of them first, then you can stomp. Great video overall as usual, though!
I do love some Data East. I do have a 4 player Desert Assault pcb I sometimes put in my Sunset Riders cabinet, and yes, it is exponentially more fun with 4 players. My oldest son loves Nitro Ball and Boogie Wings. Boogie Wings realls is a riot, and a must-play for any arcade fan! I have a Windjammers cart for my Neo Geo MVS cabinet, and it's another favorite. Pretty much everyone enjoys a round of the game. I like Data East's Neo Geo output in general Street Hoop is almost as much fun as NBA Jam, and Magical Drop is a good time, even if I prefer Money Puzzle Exchanger. Spin Master also is a great time. So many good games... aside from their fighting games I really enjoy most of their catalog. Thanks for the retrospective!
I haven´t played a lot of Data East games, but this video makes me want to! Magical Drop 3 is probably the one I´ve had most fun with, playing against my brothers. I also liked the Saturn port of Karnov's Revenge.
Data East, in my humblest opinion, is a company that should've NEVER died! sure their lineup wasn't going to reach the pinnacle like Capcom and Sega did- was gonna add Konami, but the less we dwell into how hard they've fallen from grace, almost becoming Japan's version of EA or ActiBlizzard, the better...- but with hits like "Captain America and The Avengers" and both "Robocop" titles as well as hard-hitting IPs like "ThunderZone/Desert Assault" and "Wolf Fang: Rohga Armor Force" they deserved a far better fate; like being absorbed by a worthy still-standing company like how Taito had by Square-Enix or Technos by Ark System Works! a bit of a curio for y'all= "ThunderZone/Desert Assault" was a massive hit here in the Bronx when we got it back in '92, mostly for 2 reasons: the electric-guitar riff samples on its OST which we've not heard of like that at the time, and because it just exuded "America: F**K YEAH!!!" like few at the time did! as always, cheers... and Happy Holidays!
An amazing second part of Data East's legacy and more indept than my feature in my Coin-op book, wish this had have been release when I originally included the piece, so much I missed, but also contains alot on them within the feature in the book, Data East is many ways are an unsung hero of the oglden arcade era and have been greatly praised in the presentation. Thanks for your effort here.
This is a great follow up to your Data East 80's arcade video!!! These games bring back a lot of memories of playing them as a kid, trying to get a quarter anyway I could...I hope you do some other game companies as well.. Thank you for making this awesome video...😄👍👍👍
The research and work you put into your videos will never cease to amaze me. Thank you for these, Kim. I am always happy when I see you put up a new one. :-)
I deeply appreciate how weird it is that Karnov became their de facto mascot. Even over Joe & Mac. I wish that dumpy fire eating carney was still around.
Think it's about time we received a decent Data East collection (not the Wii one as it's lacking a tonne of titles). Amazing video as always Kim, thank you!!
I absolutely LOVE Street Hoop for the music alone. Full blown hip-hop songs with lyrics. And Windjammers is so good and has enough depth that it's often played at fighting game tournaments alongside the usual retro choices like Super Street Fighter 2 Turbo, Street Fighter Alpha 2, etc.
I’ll never forget being in awe of the Indiana Jones Temple of Doom arcade game.. Told my dad to get me that one and he informed me Karate Champ C64 was coming out.. This was my prior favorite.. Now I find out today DE had their own Indy game so to speak! They were just so well rounded.. I wonder if any of the old team are still active today doing projects I’m guessing Bad Dudes/Two Crude/Night Slashers was essentially a trilogy
I feel like the only thing this video needs is some epic Data East boss music, but don’t worry, I’ve got you covered. *starts banging pots and pans together with thumping in the background*
Good look into the games of this company alright. Fun to recall their output and what they managed to do with their time working on the arcades and so on. Good job.
I do hope they make another Data East cartridge for the Evercade. Lots of hidden gems in the video. I do love that Tumblepop game; I play it on my Evercade often. 😊
One interesting thing about Captain America and the Avengers... When you see their cards and stats, pre-game, those stats are taken from the Marvel/TSR roleplaying game.
I am trying to find a game from back in the 90s. it was a side scroller with a boy that jumped around. I remember a school buss passing from the right and you had to go to the top to jump over it. it was an arcade game back in Europe. Sadly that is all i can remember about it.
Kim, please make a video on Flashback 2! I watch your retrospective video on Flashback once a year to remind myself how great of a game the original is and I'd love to hear your thoughts on the new game (even if only to be reminded why the original was so good). Your analysis was so in-depth, I'd love to see you pick the new one apart.
I enjoyed playing Captain America in the Arcade and was exciting that it got a conversion for the 16 but consoles and I had a copy of the SNES version in my hand in Our Price but I didn't buy it after seeing the reviews in CVG and on Big Boy Barry show Games World.
FYI revisions 1/2 of Edward Randy have story cutscenes and a different stage order, I recommend playing those for the full experience 19:20 Strangely there's only 2 of these crosshair shooter sections in the whole game right at the beginning, but I did find evidence the game may have been more of a crosshair shooter originally, there's a full set of unused sprites for Robocop aiming his gun at multiple different angles. Oh yeah and the Japanese version has an extra cutscene and opening stage that recaps the 1st movie
Later Data East games generally have very good music. Some might say their music often surpass the actual games in quality (Skull Fang is a good example)
Elite were going to port the game to computers but they were cancelled. Probably too much for any of the home consoles/computers at the time to handle what with all the faux-scaling and sprite rotation, the amount of stuff happening on-screen, and the control scheme that's already kind of awkward on 2 buttons
@@Kim_Justice no probs. Might be a bad rom or mame mismatch, mame can be finicky sometimes. Either way, I'll just add that I really appreciate your content, top tier.