チャレンジャー (Challenger) by 日本展望娯楽社 (Nihon Tenbo) [presumed]

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

Manufacturer: 日本展望娯楽社 (Nihon Tenbo) [presumed]

Challenger is a scifi-themed game where the earliest date we have on file is the 1969 machine directory, but I suspect this game is a few years before then.  It has stations for 3 players.

 

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

Let's look at what information we can see in the machine directories:

1969 coin machine directory entry

1972 coin machine directory entry

チャレンジャー
発射ロケットの照準を回転する月面上の宇宙人、自動車、円盤、ロケートの標射に合わせ、ショトボタンを押すゲーム。10発射して、命中するとカウントされ、カウントが赤色のランプに変ると再びゲームできる。 高さ1,030m、直径1.500%、電力100V。 250W

Machine translation:
Challenger - Aim the launch rocket at the aliens, cars, flying saucers, and locator targets on the rotating surface of the moon and press the shot button. 10 shots are fired, and when they hit the target, the countdown turns to red and you can play again. Height 1,030m, diameter 1.500%, power 100V. 250W

This machine appears in the 1969 Machine Directory, as well as the 1972 one. The 1972 directory lists this game as by 日本展望娯楽社 (Nihon Tenbo).

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?  I believe so as the hardware on Challenger matches コスモ大作戦 (Cosmo Daisuken) by 日本展望娯楽社 (Nihon Tenbo).  Let's take a look.

~1969 コスモ大作戦 (Cosmo Daisuken) by 日本展望娯楽社 (Nihon Tenbo)

zoomed in on controls

 

There is a grid of what looks to be 15 lights / buttons (3 tall, 5 wide) and the rocket ship controller.  The proportions and moulding at the base are a match to the the controls of Challenger.

 

チャレンジャー (Challenger)

Challenger appears to have 6 buttons/lights by the controller, and then a line of 10 to the right, which aligns with the 10 shots the game description mentions.

 

 

 

There is also a game called チャレンジャー (Challenger) released by 中村製作所.

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. (They promote their history, but they do have many significant gaps!)  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. 

 

from the Namco Elemecha Encyclopedia

from "Namco Museum"

 

This next publication describes Challenger as a "card game".

 

ザ・ナムコ・グラフィティ1 完全保存版！ NG総集編&特別編集号 (1994)

I was using this page as an example of how poorly documented the earliest Namco machines are, but one important thing to note here about Challenger:

For the description it says カードゲーム (card game). I hope one day we can figure out what machine it is.