チャレンジャー (Challenger)

Name: チャレンジャー (Challenger)
Year: 1969 or earlier (maybe 1966?)

Manufacturer: unknown - maybe 日本展望娯楽社 (Japan Outlook Entertainment Company) - maybe 中村製作所 (Nakamura Seisakusho)

This is tiny photo of an arcade included in a hotel brochure, but in the lower right we can see... Challenger!

Namco is a company that seems to care about their history, and has published a number of articles and books that give overviews of their history.  I have made a list of the few 中村製作所 (Nakamura Seisakusho) games that I have not found any pictures of.

The game チャレンジャー (Challenger) is always given as 1966 on their list.  Could this be the Challenger they refer to?  

from the Namco Elemecha Encyclopedia

from "Namco Museum"

The 1972 directory lists this game as by 日本展望娯楽社 instead, but it's hard to corroborate that information.

This machine appears in the 1969 Machine Directory, as well as the 1972 one.

The 1969 list has an index at the back with some company information.  Both 日本展望娯楽社 and 中村製作所 are listed, but neither have Challenger listed:

日本展望娯楽社 - 1969 directory

中村製作所 - 1969 directory

These lists are not comprehensive, and sometimes they include machines that they are selling but did not manufacture.  It differs from listing to listing.

The 1972 machine directory has a few sections with company information.  

日本展望娯楽社 - 1972 company listing

日本展望娯楽社 - 1972 price list

中村製作所 - 1972 company listing part 1

中村製作所 - 1972 company listing part 2

中村製作所 - 1972 price list

None of the above listings show チャレンジャー.

There is a page index that lists チャレンジャー as by 日本展望娯楽社

1972 - machine directory index

Is this machine actually by 日本展望娯楽社 like the directory says?  If so, where is the 中村製作所 Challenger?

I wish there was corroborating evidence.

1977 New Crazy 15 - ニュークレイジー15 by こまや (Komaya)

Name: ニュークレイジー15 (New Crazy 15)

Year: 1977

Manufacturer: こまや (Komaya)

Crazy 15 was released in 1965 with the Large Top Hat Jack-in-the-box backglass, and buttons on the front bar.  There are 2 versions of the backglass for that game.

Crazy 15 was re-released in 1970 with the new graphics, improved playfield geometry, and buttons on the side of the cabinet, like a standard pinball machine.

New Crazy 15 was then released in 1977 with an all new art package.

 

The Crazy 15 series of games:

1965 クレイジー15ゲーム (Crazy 15 game) [early backglass] by こまや (Komaya)

1965 クレイジー15ゲーム [クレイジーフィフティーンゲーム] [マークII] (Crazy 15 game [mark II]) by こまや (Komaya)

1970 クレイジー15ゲーム [マークIII] (Crazy 15 game mark III) by こまや (Komaya)

1977 New Crazy 15 - ニュークレイジー15 by こまや (Komaya)

 

This version has distinctively different graphics, with the Komaya logo easily visible.  The art is now a sports theme, and once again the angles on the playfield have been altered.

earliest advertisement: 1977-10-15

Game Machine 1978-01-01
announcement for "New Crazy 15"

1970 クレイジー15ゲーム [マークIII] (Crazy 15 game mark III) by こまや (Komaya)

Name: クレイジー15ゲーム [マークIII] (Crazy 15 game mark III)

Year: 1970

Manufacturer: こまや (Komaya)

Crazy 15 was first released in 1965.  This version came out in 1970 and has a few differences.  The art is all new and flipper buttons are on the side of the cabinet now.
I call this the "3 children" version.  The geometry on the playfield has been altered slightly.

1974/75 Machine Directory

In the 1972 Coin Machine Directory you can see that both versions were being advertised at the same time.

This interview mentions the new version, but refers to it as New Crazy 15.  Or maybe I am translating it wrong and they mean it's a "new Crazy 15".  As in, just a new version.  New Crazy 15 was released years later.

 

From this interview:

this article on Komaya has a quote saying that "New Crazy 15" was released in 1970 around the same time as Baseball, and both were a hit.  But I am sure they mean this version of Crazy 15 since the proper "New Crazy 15" was released in 1977.

Transcript:

ありませんでしたが、フリッパーの修理をしていた従兄弟に誘われて勤めていた会社を辞め、2人でゲームマシンを作ろうとスタートしたのが昭和39年でした。私自身、子供が好きだったのでそれに関わる仕事をしたかったのと、引歳という若さでしたから自分の力でできることを試してみたかったのです。
よく遊園地へ行っては3時間、4時間と子供を観察しましたよ。ちっちゃい小学生が関西精機製作所の「ステレオトーキー」や「ミニドライブ」にとぴついて夢中で遊んでいる姿を見て、どんな機械を作るにせよ子供を喜ばすにはそれなりの知識を持ってかからなくてはいけないと思いました。
関西精機に追いつけ追い越せというのを目標に翌40年に会社を正式に設立して、最初に作ったのが「グーチョキパー」と「クレイジー15ゲーム」です。
「グーチョキパー」は30台しか売れませんでしたが、「クレイジーゲーム」はよく出ました。日本万国博覧会が開かれた45年に音声入りの続編「ニュークレイジー15」を発売し、同時期にヒットした「ベースボール」と合わせて各3000台以上売れました。
10年ぐらいはこれで食べていけましたね。当時はゲームコーナーに置く遊戯機械そのものがなかったから、ある程度のものを出したら売れるという環

Machine translation:

There was no such thing, but in 1961, my cousin who repaired flippers invited me to quit the company I was working at and the two of us started making gaming machines. I personally loved children, so I wanted to do something related to them, and since I was young, I wanted to try out what I could do with my own strength.
I often went to the amusement park and observed the children for three or four hours. When I saw small elementary school students playing with Kansai Seiki Seisakusho's Stereo Talkie and Mini Drive, I realized that no matter what kind of machine you make, you need to have a certain level of knowledge to make children happy. I thought I shouldn't.
The company was officially established the following year in 1965 with the goal of catching up with and overtaking Kansai Seiki, and the first games it created were ``Goochokipa'' and ``Crazy 15 Games.''
``Guchokipa'' sold only 30 units, but ``Crazy Game'' sold well. The sequel ``New Crazy 15'' with audio was released in 1970, when the Japan World's Fair was held, and together with ``Baseball'', which was a hit at the same time, each sold over 3,000 units.
I was able to survive on this for about 10 years. At that time, there were no amusement machines to put in game corners, so if you put out a certain amount of equipment, it would sell.

The Crazy 15 series of games:

1965 クレイジー15ゲーム (Crazy 15 game) [early backglass] by こまや (Komaya)

1965 クレイジー15ゲーム [クレイジーフィフティーンゲーム] [マークII] (Crazy 15 game [mark II]) by こまや (Komaya)

1970 クレイジー15ゲーム [マークIII] (Crazy 15 game mark III) by こまや (Komaya)

1977 New Crazy 15 - ニュークレイジー15 by こまや (Komaya)

research materials wanted! 研究資料が欲しかった！

There are very few resources available for research of old Japanese games.  If you have any materials that can assist us, please email me thetastates@gmail.com

古い日本のゲームの研究に利用できるリソースはほとんどありません。 私たちを助けることができる資料があれば、私にメールしてくださいthetastates@gmail.com

Please let us know if you have access to any of these.  The arcade research community is willing to put forward money to help get copies scanned & preserved.

これらのいずれかにアクセスできるかどうかをお知らせください。 アーケードの研究コミュニティは、コピーをスキャンして保存するために資金を提供する用意があります。

Here is a short list of what research material we are looking for:
これが私たちが探している研究資料の短いリストです：

• Type Approval Numbers documentation:  Beginning in 1961 with 電気用品取締法 (Electrical Appliance and Material Safety Law) and continuing to about 2001,  型式認可番号 (type approval numbers) were used to register almost all commercial electrical equipment to assure they met production safety standards.  Beginning in 1978, Game Machine would periodically print relevant Type Approval Number information, but as we see their list begins at 91-13204.
  
  Each entry contains the Type Approval Number, the date registered, the company, and the name.  Retrieving the history of this information will be essential for piecing together the history of amusement machines in Japan.  We have very little information about manufacturing in the 1960s but if we could access the full government records of Type Approval Numbers it would unlock a massive amount of arcade history.  Amusement machines all begin with 91-xxxxx although earlier entries, from the 1960s, are in the format "XXXX" without the 91- prefix.  I think after about #4500 they switched to using the 91- prefix.  (Other prefixes are used for different industries and machine types)
  Currently, I do not even know where these records might be stored.  Any information would be appreciated.
• History of electrical product safety by Steering Council of Safety Certification for Electrical and Electronic Appliances and Parts of Japan (archive)
• Coin Machine Directories!  1968 or before, 1970, 1971, 1977, 1981
• Note: I do not know when the Coin Machine Directory (Yumio Machine Directory) began or stopped publishing.  I truly hope there is a 1968 (and earlier!) edition out there.  
• The Amusement issues (newspaper-style, 1960s)
• アミューズメント・ジャーナル (Amusement Journal) magazines
• アミューズメント産業 (Amusement Sangyo) magazines
• 全日本遊園 (All Japan Amusement Park) magazines (I have seen # 28, 29, 30, 32, 33, 34)
• I would LOVE to see any other issues, but would love to see 1-27 SO MUCH.  I would be eternally grateful to see them.
• JAA internal magazine (unverified)
• any other issues of 月刊コインジャーナル / Monthly Coin Journal (please!!  I only have a few issues from 1977 and 1979.  I am desperate for any other issues, especially from other years!) 
• any documentation of ジャパンアミューズメントエキスポ (Japan Amusement Expo) from before 1976.
• Game Fantasia magazines
• Any photos of Expo '70 and the arcade Gameland / Playland there
• Pachinko magazines from before 1982.  I want any documentation on smartball, sparrow ball, and arrangeball machines.
• 遊技通信 (Yūgi tsūshin / Game communication) published 1951-1990
• 全遊連弘報 launched in 1965 (at the National Diet Library)
• グリーンべると (green belt) launched in 1966
  

  

  magazine archive from the now-defunct Pachinko Museum in Nagoya
  I would love an opportunity to research with these magazines!

• Any Sigma newsletters!  シグマ社員ニュース (Sigma Employee News) published by シグマ (Sigma) began November 1972.
  In May 1976 it was renamed to こみゅにてぃ Sigma (Community Sigma).
  
  
  

  

  
  
• ゲームファンタジア (Game Fantasia) magazines published by シグマ (Sigma), beginning March 1975
  
  
  
  
  
• issues of たいとうグループ (Taito Group) in-house magazine launched in 1970.  We would especially love to see all issues from the 1970s.  Cover taken from @Taito70th (archive)
  

  

Machines by 中村製作所 (Nakamura Seisakusho) that we have no pictures of:

• 1966 ナバロンの要塞 (Fortress of Navarone)
• 1968 サイレンサー (silencer)
• 1968 スピンルーレット (spin roulette)
• 1968 ファイヤーカーニバル (Fire Carnival)
• 1968 神経衰弱ペアマッチ (nervous breakdown pair match)
• 1969 シャッフルゲーム (Shuffle game)
• 1974 ピッコロピッコロ (Piccolo Piccolo)
• 1974 フルフェィス　マジンガーＺ (Full Face Mazinger Z)
• There is also the mystery of チャレンジャー (Challenger) from 1966.  I had suspected that the Challenger we have a photo of was the 中村製作所 machine, but the 1972 Coin Machine Directory says it is a different company....

Machines by 太東貿易 (Taito Trading) / タイトー (Taito) that we have no pictures of:

• 1964 フリッバーチャリアッツ (Flipper Chariats)
• 1966 クラウンクレーンゲーム605 (crown crane game 605)
• 1967 ラッキーバルーン (lucky balloon)
• 1968 クレージーボール (crazy ball)
  

Machines by セガ (Sega) needed:

• We need any photos for:
• 1962 Western Gun - ウェスタン・ガン
• 1976 Apollo 6 - アポロ・シックス [MENTION ONLY - Galaxy payout re-theme]
• 1977 Best Hand - ベスト・ハンド [MENTION ONLY - Straight Flush payout re-theme]
• 1977 Do Do Bug - ドウ・ドウ・バッグ [MENTION ONLY - Doodle Bug payout re-theme]
• 1977 Nottingham - ノッチンガム [MENTION ONLY - Robin Hood payout re-theme]
• 1977 Spanish Beauty - スパニッシュ・ビューティー [MENTION ONLY - Spanish Eyes payout re-theme]
• 1977 Surf Club - サーフクラブ [MENTION ONLY - Surfing] payout re-theme]
• 1977 White Festival - ホワイトフェステバル [MENTION ONLY - Sapporo] payout re-theme]
• flyers and/or better photos of:
• 1961 Jungle Gun - ジャングルガン
• 1962 Space Ace - スペースエース
• We would like better photographs of:
• 1973 73パンチング・バッグ - '73 Punching Bag
• 1974 ライフル・ギャラリー (Rifle Gallery)
• 1975 Double or Nothing - ダブルオァナッシング
• 1976 Stretch Drive - ストレッチ・ドライブ [Winner payout re-theme]
• 1977 Basketball - バスケットボール by セガ (Sega)
• 1981 甲子園 (Koshien) by セガ (Sega)
• 1981 Roulette - ルーレット by セガ (Sega)
• 1984 Dancing Hat - ダンシングハット by セガ (Sega)
• 1991 Pig Racing - ピッグレーシング by セガ (Sega)
• 1993 Gongs - ゴングス by セガ (Sega)
• 2001 UFO Catcher Ride - UFOキャッチャーライド by セガ (Sega) & ホープ (Hope)

任天堂 (Nintendo) machines we need better photos of:

• 1975 Fascination [aka Gun Fantasy] [prototype] by 任天堂 (Nintendo)
• 1978 Laser Clay Twin - レーザークレーツイン by 任天堂 (Nintendo)