Bombing appears in the 1966 Senyo Kogyo catalogue. The only image is from a for-sale ad for the catalogue.
image from a for-sale ad for the 1966 Senyo Kogyo catalogue
2 helicopters, one red one white, are suspended from the ceiling of the game. They are attached on opposite sides of a rotating shaft. The gameplay appears to be that the player presses a button to drop a metal ball from the helicopter on to the playfield.
In this video from 長島温泉 (Nagashima Onsen) we can see Bombing being played at 10:44. The game center footage begins at 10:23 and runs to 10:59. It's mostly rides, but there is also a shooting gallery we only see the guns from, and a bowling alley. (does anyone know when this video is from?)
It's not a great angle, but we at least can see the ball dropping.
As always, if you have ANY more information or insights about the games discussed here, please leave a comment or send me an email (thetastates@gmail.com)
Time 80 is a popular arcade game where the player has to hit a number of pachinko jackpots in a limited amount of time. I have identified four artwork and cabinet variations of this game.
The first two have the iconic lion head prize dispenser, but different bezel art. The latter two have a stencil of a race car on the cabinet. One of the race car variants has a speaker grille.
This machine appears to have been copied by Play-Mate - プレイメイト by 新潟ジューク (Niigata Juke), but in all fairness there were already a number of similar games on the market since the 1960s.
The earliest appearance so far, with the original and more obscure artwork, was in March 1972.
Amusement 1972 – 03
We have scanned and shared two Universal corporate guides. In these documents, it lists Time 80 as 1970. That feels like a major discrepancy, and I wonder if that is one the project began and not when the game was released? Normally with a corporate document like that would I would defer to it, but in this case I am going to leave the year as 1972 until I can find further information.
If anyone has any corroborating evidence about Time 80 in 1970 or 1971, I would love to see it!
Excerpt from Universal corporate profile, approximately ~1981
If it was created in 1970, it was advertised as a new machine from Nihon Jidô Hanbaiki in 1972.
"Japan Vending Machine", which is always popular for its unique products, has released another hit product, "Time 80". It is a thrilling and interesting game machine that challenges the time suitable for the speedy era. After inserting 20 yen, you can play as fast as you want for 80 seconds. If you successfully get 10 balls in during that time, you will get a free caramel. It seems that another attraction for children has been added to the game, and it will surely be popular. <Specifications> Height 1670/m Width 670mm Depth 465/m Power AC100V40W Weight 55kg <Contact> Japan Vending Machine Co., Ltd. Headquarters 2-1 Nihonbashi-dori, Chuo-ku, Tokyo (Room 709, Daido Life Building) Tel: 03 (271) 4547~8 Osaka (office) 3-37 Satahira-cho, Moriguchi-shi, Osaka Tel: 06 (903) 0240
Time 80 does not appear in the 1972 machine directory, but does appear in the 1973 machine directory (which was printed at the end of 1972).
1973 machine directory
This is the most well-known version, with the sports car art and the lion-head dispenser.
In later versions, the lion head is gone, replaced by a rectangular slot. The cabinet now has a stencil of a race car.
I have no date reference for this specific cabinet, so I am assuming it is around 1973
In an advertisement from 1973, we can see an illustration of Time 80 with this stencil, blue cabinet, no speaker panel.
Amusement 1973 – 05
The off-white cabinet seems more obscure than this typical blue cabinet.
I am not considering the blue and off-white cabinets as separate games. But there is one more variation.
This version of Time 80 has a speaker grille
instead of the circular holes the grille here is horizontal lines. For the sake of the database, I am considering these to be the same machine.
this manufacturer plate is from the machine above, with the horizontal speaker grille. TAN 91-5539 日本自動販売機
Except for the very first version that we talked about, every Time 80 has the universal logo displayed front and center. This game would be followed up quickly by New Time 80.
Play-Mate is a game very similar to Time 80. It is basically a pachinko machine with a time limit, and if the player hits enough winning pockets it dispenses a prize.
I have no catalogue entries for this game so far, and I have not seen any advertisements within magazines. But this game feels somewhat ubiquitous as it can be seen in many arcade photos.
The earliest dated appearance of a playmate is from 1975, though I suspect it is actually from 1973 or 1974.
1975 特別機動捜査隊 (Special Mobile Investigation Team) ep741
On the blog G16 (archive) the author says that Play-Mate is by コパルマシン (Copal Machine), but I have been unable to find any corroborating evidence. I would not be surprised if this was made by Copal Machine, as they made a number of similar time pachinko games. The last Copal Machine I have documented with the date is from 1973, so there is a definite possibility Copal released these.
There are three different art variations that I have seen so far. The "Cupid" version does not seem to have the lion's head prize dispenser, that iconic piece that copies Time 80.
lion head
The third style of Play-Mate can be seen in this hotel arcade photograph:
Name: Let's Go! Bazooka [Let's Go Bazooka] - レッゴー・バズーカ
Year: 1969, ~1970?
Company: ホープ自動車 (Hope Motor Co — Hope Star)
There are two variants of this game. The one with the red back glass appears in the 1969 machine directory. In the ad copy there it is described as a new game, which is why I am placing it as a 1969 machine.
1969 machine directory
The ad does not mention the steering wheel, but I imagine it is used to tilt the playfield. when the ball goes under the tank standups, the players supposed to press a button to detonate it and score.
There is an alternate back glass, I referred to as the blue one, and I assume this is the later version of the game. The marquee no longer has the exclamation point. there is now art on the apron, but the cabinet has lost its cool strips. Also the large red button on the left and the lockdown bar is gone.
Further supporting evidence that this game came later is that it shares a similar cabinet as used in Baby Gang and Torpedo Shark, which we know were released in 1970. I do not have any more information, so for the time being I am labeling this one is being from approximately 1970.
The Bazooka coin door matches the coin door of Baby Gang, but Torpedo Shark has a slightly smaller coin door in this picture. But, in a November 1970 magazine Torpedo Shark has the smaller door, but in January 1971, there is an advertisement with the larger tour.
Baby Gang - ベビーギャング by ホープ自動車 (Hope Motor Co — Hope Star)
Torpedo Shark - 魚雷シャーク [シャーク] by ホープ自動車 (Hope Motor Co — Hope Star)
Robot Gun has the same coin door size as Torpedo Shark, along with the same handlebar controller. Let's Go Bazooka uses this style of handlebar in the second iteration.
Robot Gun - ロボットガン by ホープ自動車 (Hope Motor Co)
But it is important to stress this is not a guarantee that the blue version definitively came out in 1970, or even was the second version.
From the Taito 40th and bursary book, Crazy Ball is listed as from 1968.
Taito 40th book
This is another catching game, where the player uses the wheel to catch the balls that fall down the playfield towards them. Small metal balls are ejected into the playfield, and shot around by the large center spinner.
