Original Release: Konami, 1985, ArcadeOther Releases: Assorted computers (1986), Famicom Disk (1987) This arcade title from Konami was the first to seriously attempt to replicate table tennis; it’s hard to say how successful it was, as even basic info on those cabinets is hard to come by, but the home ports require some wrestling with…
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PUTT PUTT GOLF
Original Release: Pack-In Video, 1989, Famicom Disk A simplified golf game that blends regular and mini golf, from the developer that did the initial Harvest Moon games Putt Putt Golf (NES, Pack-In Video, 1989) Where to Buy: eBayHow to Emulate: coming soon! “Putt putt” is one of our many regional names for mini golf, but…
PRO GOLFER SARU
Original Release: Bandai, 1987, Famicom Disk Based on an obscure anime, this title is technically impressive for 1987 but has beacoup frustrating gameplay elements Pro Golfer Saru (NES, Bandai, 1987) Where to Buy: eBayHow to Emulate: coming soon! With most of the 8-bit console golf games (that generally patterned themselves after Famicom/Mario Golf), you’re expected…
PACHICOM
Original Release: Toemiland, Famicom, 1985 A crummy pachinko game opportunistically (and inexpertly) forced on the market by one of Japan’s biggest music companies of the 80s and 90s, EMI Music PachiCom (NES, Toemiland, 1985) Where to Buy: eBayHow to Emulate: coming soon! They wasted no time getting pachinko on the Famicom with EMI Music game…
MOONBALL MAGIC
Original Release: Squaresoft, 1988, Famicom A not-great pinball game published by Square, but developed by System Sacom MoonBall Magic (NES, Famicom, 1988) Where to Buy: eBayHow to Emulate: coming soon! MoonBall Magic is noteworthy for being an early title from Squaresoft (though not developed in-house), and for being a “disk writer” title that required you…
ROLLERGAMES
Original Release: Konami, 1990, Arcade The second roller derby game (and the first to take at least half a real crack at representing the actual sport), based on the one-season cult TV series Rollergames (Arcade, Konami, 1990) Where to Buy: eBay How to Emulate: Arcade Emulation Guide The first attempt at a roller derby game…
ROLLER JAMMER
Original Release: Nichibutsu, 1984, Arcade A Pole Position knockoff from a company destined to make mahjong smut, it gets some points for a creative theme (and technically being the first roller derby game) even if it isn’t really any fun Roller Jammer (Arcade, Nichibutsu, 1984) Where to Buy: eBay How to Emulate: Arcade Emulation Guide…
RACING LAGOON
Original Release: Squaresoft, 1999, PlayStation An experimental “racing-RPG” from Squaresoft that manages to fuse a basic Ridge Racer-esque system with the Parasite Eve engine, race random cars instead of fighting random monsters for EXP, funds and upgrades Racing Lagoon (PS1, Square, 1999) Where to Buy: Play-AsiaHow to Emulate: coming soon! Aside from being a Japan-only…
TONY HAWK’S AMERICAN WASTELAND
Original Release: Activision / 2005 / Gamecube, PS2, Xbox, Xbox 360Other Releases: Mobile (2005), PC (2006) The sixth Tony Hawk game is the first with a real open world element Tony Hawk’s American Wasteland (Gamecube, Activision, 2005) Where to Buy: Play-AsiaHow to Emulate: coming soon! American Wasteland was an attempt to blend the long-running Tony…
SEGA SOCCER SLAM
Original Release: Sega, 2002, Gamecube / Xbox / PS2 Sega’s self-branded soccer game takes the odd tack of not using any Sega characters or elements, instead going for kind of an NFL Blitz equivalent Sega Soccer Slam (Gamecube, Sega, 2002) Where to Buy: eBayHow to Emulate: coming soon! You see the name “Sega Soccer Slam,”…