Monday, 24 April 2023

1978 Ninja Gun - ニンジャガン by 関西精機 (Kansai Seiki - Kasco)


Name: Ninja Gun - ニンジャガン
Year: 1978 
Company: 関西精機 (Kansai Seiki - Kasco)


The earliest appearance of Ninja Gun I've seen is in a 1978 issue of Coin Journal,
Coin Journal 1978-11

    

Japanese flyer

English flyer







This game was obviously made for export, something Kasco did for a number of their games.







More shots of the game:






A different copy of Ninja Gun, this one is in Japan.  You can tell it was made for overseas because of the English instructions, and the NAA plaque above the coin return slot.


The inside features an elaborate diorama.  Ninjas are controlled by electromechanical motors.


Sunday, 16 April 2023

1972 Go Back Go - ゴー・バック・ゴー by タイトー (Taito)


Name: Go Back Go - ゴー・バック・ゴー
Year: 1972
Company: タイトー (Taito)


Go Back Go has you use a wheel to rotate a trio of forks left and right to catch a falling ball.  




In the Taito history book, Go Back Go is listed as being 1972.  Since the flyer uses タイトー, it must be after they changed their name.

Taito 40th anniversary book


The game appears to be based on a German game

280 Meilen Racing Flip by JDO Apparatebau




I do not know when this game was released.  An auction house says 1950s, an owner quipped 60s, and a videomaker said 70s.  I think it's safe to say this way probably around 1970, or late 1960s based on the cabinet build.  Go Back Go swaps the solid wood look for the more stylish late 60s wood paneling.

Go Back Go swaps the dual launchers for a single launcher, and replaces the center handle with a steering wheel.  Those changes make Go Back Go a much more attractive machine.


Similar to what they did with Football, Taito added a side vendor.

1974/1975 machine directory




Saturday, 15 April 2023

1977 Super-Scope [Oriental Super-Scope] - スーパースコープ by オリエンタル興業 (Oriental Kogyo)


Name: Super-Scope [Oriental Super-Scope] - スーパースコープ
Year: 1977
Company: オリエンタル興業 (Oriental Kogyo)


Super-Scope is a classic rotary merchandiser game, where you press a button to time a pusher arm to see if you can knock prizes off.  

Super-Scope is a game with a messy history.  As with most Oriental Kogyo machines, this is a modified design of a foreign machine. But not quite, as their version comes after the Bonanza. There is also a variant called Jungle Treasure!  This article covers all of them.


The original Super Scope was imported by リバーストン (Riverstone) in 1974.  (see Game Machine article further below)

Super Scope - スーパースコープ [import, 1974] by Nuversions & リバーストン (Riverstone)

From an old home video of a UK arcade, we have the original Super-Scope:






We see this version in Japan in 1974 when リバーストン (Riverstone) held an exhibition to showcase arcade machine.  The easiest 2 differences are the marquee shape, and the lack of front arm rest.

Game Machine 1974-09-30

The full article:

Game Machine 1974-09-30


Bonanza produced their version:

1975 Super-Scope - スーパースコープ by ボナンザ (Bonanza)

This one seems to be identifiable by the two front coin slots / coin returns.  These do not exist on the later model we see being sold in the 1977 Sega catalogue.


 

In 1975 Riverstone is advertising the new Bonanza version of Super-Scope.

Game Machine 1975-06-01
ad by リバーストン (Riverstone)


This next articles mention that in 1975 ボナンザ (Bonanza) sued オリエンタル興業 (Oriental Kogyo).  In March 1975, Bonanza hired Oriental Kogyo to make Super-Scope.  If Oriental wanted to sell them they would have to pay a 50k yen licensing fee.  Oriental sold many copies without paying the fee to Bonanza.


Game Machine 1980-04-15

The payment was reduced to $8 million yen.

Game Machine 1980-11-15


The Oriental Super-Scope, as indicated by the sticker on the right near the front,  was made by オリエンタル興業 (Oriental Kogyo).  It does not have coin slots on the front facing outward.

The earliest date we see so far is 1977, appearing in a Sega price list.

Sega price list from 1977


 

 






"Oriental Super-Scope" sticker visible


A different version of this machine briefly appeared on YJA:
 
Jaguar Treasure by ボナンザ (Bonanza) [presumed]

I wish there were additional photos, but this is all that was shared.  The marquee is different, but remember the "Oriental Super Scope" plaque near the front right?  That appears modified on this machine as well.
 
detail of Jaguar Treasure by ボナンザ (Bonanza) [presumed] 

 
 
detail from Super-Scope [Oriental Super-Scope] - スーパースコープ by オリエンタル興業 (Oriental Kogyo)

If it was the "Oriental Super-Scope" plaque we would be able to see it in our single Jaguar Treasure photograph.

 

I believe that this is another Bonanza version because of the design of the marquee.


here are 2 large cats on either side of a diamond on the Clean Sweep marquee:

1976 Clean Sweep - クリーンスウィープ by ボナンザ (Bonanza) & ツムラ (Tumura)

I think Tumura might have just been distributing Bonanza machines, BUT Tumura did have a strong tiger theme in their branding and I wonder if the large cats reflect their influence in any way?


for example, we have the Tumura tiger surrounded by 2 jaguars. 

1975 Little Harness Derby Jaguar X-V - リトル ハーネスダービージャガーX・V by ツムラ (Tumura)

the dual jaguars are instantly comparable to Jaguar Treasure

Bonanza and Tumura both liked to use large swooping text effects like this.  Not the easiest trick in the mid 1970s!



Note that these 3 companies were not known for devising original machines.  Little Harness Derby Jaguar X-V seems to be based off the design of Exciting Race, release a year earlier:

1974 Exciting Race - エキサイティング・レース by アムコ (Amco) & ダックス (Ducks)

 

Friday, 14 April 2023

PAN-ロンド (Pan-Rondo) [import, 1964] by NSM-Löwen & Sanko Trading & エスコ貿易 (Esco Trading)

 

Name: PAN-ロンド (Pan-Rondo)
Year: imported & modified 1971, originally from 1964
Company: NSM-Löwen & Sanko Trading & エスコ貿易 (Esco Trading)


The original:

1964 Rotomint Bingo Royal by NSM-Löwen (archive)


If you zoom in on the Pan Rondo label you can see the original lines of the Rotamint were painted over.




The earliest appearance I have seen of this machine is the 1972 machine directory, which came out late 1971.
All of the ad copy for acknowledges it was a design from Europe.  The main flyer is from Sanko Trading and they list themselves as 輸入総発売元 (Importer and distributor) and I presume they attached the new graphics and converted it to medal / yen play.
Esco Trading has advertisements selling it, and the Sanko Trading flyer has Esco stamped as the distributor. The only advertisements I've seen are from Esco Trading.





1972 coin machine directory, which came out in late 1971


Thursday, 13 April 2023

1972 Tropicana - トロピカーナ by 太東貿易 (Taito Trading)


Name: Tropicana - トロピカーナ
Year: 1972
Company: 太東貿易 (Taito Trading) 


The earliest appearance I've found of Tropicana is in a 1972 issue of Amusement magazine.  It is not mentioned in any of the Taito books that I have seen.  I think that is because it wasn't designed by Taito, but a machine they imported and redid the appearance of.  This was probably one of the final machines before Taito changed their name from 太東貿易 to タイトー.

Tropicana is a new art package, but appears to be the same game as Star-Match and Bingomat, both machines by NSM-Löwen in 1971.  I am unable to see any differences between these two besides the name.

1971 Star-Match by NSM-Löwen (archive)



from the 1973 machine directory, which was published in October 1972.

The stand was an optional feature when ordered.

Since it is a new name and new artwork, I am not listing this one as an "import", but it is a grey area.

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