Japan's EXCELLENT Namco Ports on Sharp X68000

[@colonelsandwich641]

Galaxian 2 and Mappy are what you'd consider Doujin soft, being unlicensed fan projects made just for fun like you said. There's a good amount of neat Doujin titles on the X68k too, including a couple other ports of Namco titles like Grobda and Hopping Mappy (titled "Tiny Hopping Mappy")

[@novelezra]

COTTON on the Sharp X68000 has one of the coolest features that *ANY* retro computer has. A dancing keyboard. Because the keyboard lit up, COTTON had it 'dance' to the music in what is probably the first instance of such a thing.

[@jonniefast]

neat 🥺🥹

[@Retrogamingmaverick]

The x68000 did not fuck around. My mind was blown out of the goddamn world as soon as I saw the marble madness port.

[@CreeperDudeBro]

7:04 As a certified Namco Nut™ I can actually explain why the game feels slow at the start for you. In the original Japanese release of Pac-Mania in arcades, there were 4 extra levels at the start of the game's worlds, and the game's default difficulty is set to Normal, whereas Atari Games' version released in America defaults to Hard to make the game faster, and cuts 1 level each from the worlds on the first time through them. Also a fun fact, the loading screen for Pac-Mania uses music that was used in the High Score table only the American version has, the Japanese version just has a single high score with no initials for it. And the loading screen uses a flyer's artwork for the game, with all those amazing quotes! This is what playing a game like Pac-Mania since you were 3 on the GameCube does to someone.

[@reptilez13]

There's so many amazing x68k games. It was essentially a Genesis crossed with an arcade board, and many arcade games were deved on it. Early high end computer gaming.

[@KonaKonaKaabisteru]

X68000 was so ahead of it's time - so many excellent arcade ports. My faves lean into Konami's SHMUPS, including Nemesis Kai-remakes for MSX's Nemesis 2 - then there's original Castlevania Chronicles too... There's so much more excellent ports to talk about on this system, here's hoping you cover more in the future!

[@werpu12]

It basically was a high end graphical workstation which never made it to the west, it could have had quite an impact add a decent ui on top and a laserprinter and you have an Amiga 5 years ahead of the Amiga at a workstation price doing workstation things and gaming. Too bad sharp never saw its potential and sold it only in japan! I am not even sure if there was a comparable workstation in the west which came close. SGI yet was to start (which would be the closest) and literally all other workstations basically only did black and white or limited colors, the closest would be the Amiga but Commodore failed to sell it to the business people and the Amiga was subpar in the graphical department compared to this machine (but also way cheaper)

[@Isaacfess]

The Framemeister returns! Strange little console, it's really cool how arcade ports evolved over the future.

[@thewingedavenger1007]

FrameRater is my channel of choice for all Bosconian-related coverage!

[@retrojamm07]

This is amazing! I hope you can cover other amazing X68000 ports and games. I heard Sega has lots of them (Fantasy Zone is my fav!).

[@zeeke.tv_4842]

Frame just wanna let you know you are my favorite youtuber of all time. I subscribed years ago now and I've thoroughly enjoyed all your videos and have learned so much from them.

[@FrameRater]

Wow, thanks! =D

[@Danyplaysboblox]

Hey there, the Mappy version you reviews is N.Kei version, there is another version of Mappy that plays close to the arcade, which is Mappy: Yopino version. At the end, they’re both similar but different

[@Dasan1111]

NO Genpei Toumaden?! That's was the best among X68 Namco ports.

[@zusk8556]

I used to only know it as the computer that had the original version of Castlevania Chronicles, but I've been binging videos of this system ever since I saw the early Thunder Force games on it. Its library looks insanely good

[@MrVenom1974]

Thanks for the video. These are really awesome acrade ports! Bosconian is a pure masterpiece!

[@ChaseMC215]

Galaxian 2, although unofficial, looks fun to play

[@DIASTCartoons]

That bootleg Galaxian had me shocked when the aliens dropped. Also, Cherry Pepsi is so nostalgic to me now. I was listening to that around the time I found your channel.

[@kitestar]

There is also a bespoke “mini” for the sharp 68k which not only has built-in roms, but also allows for USB loading

[@cybershroom9240]

Whats the name of it?

[@kitestar]

@@cybershroom9240 the sharp 68k Z

[@Gatorade69]

​@@cybershroom9240The X68000 Z Mini. Though last I heard they were only available in Japan and were sold out.

[@stonecodfish2365]

John Linneman is that you? Furry av, used the word bespoke.. it's gotta be you.

[@kitestar]

@@cybershroom9240 sharp 68k Z

[@misterzygarde6431]

I am genuinely impressed with the Sharp X68000. I definitely imagine it could go toe to toe with the SNES and Genesis.

[@net_news]

not with SNES... lacks mode 7.

[@SmeddyTooBestChannel]

​@@net_newslook up Geograph Seal and the SEGA super scaler ports. the system is powerful enough to do 3d games without even directly needing something like Mode 7. just bitmap-based shit.

[@mortenera2294]

​@@net_news It could do it in software

[@net_news]

@@mortenera2294 sure but it takes cpu resources.

[@cawleygamma]

It’s more powerful than a SNES, the benefit of it being a computer so significantly more expensive but with faster CPU, custom chips and more RAM. Compare the ports of Final Fight or Street Fighter II and the Sharp is effectively giving you the arcade experience. Look at other titles like Geograph Seal to see it surpass the SNES even with custom chips in the cart.

[@Chihiro_Fujisaki]

A framerater vid at 5:30pm is exactly what I’m in the mood for right now 😎

[@RetroRulzMyTown]

Oh yeah, it's about time that the most underrated system with the most overlooked ports showed up. Bosconian's port alone is nothing short of perfection!

[@Skrillerwolf]

The x86 games look so cool. I can't imagine how crazy expensive this would be to collect for, glad the emulation is good! Definitely want to check this out

[@GlassStoneDoor]

Good video, I hope to see more video on retro computers! Also, which Sharp X68000 emulator were you using when you recorded the gameplay footage?

[@FrameRater]

RetroArch, though for one game I used XM6 Pro-68k. Overall compatibility is hit and miss, many games have issues trying to boot. It's possible I was doing something wrong though.

[@TheRealJPhillips]

Nice video. I started emulating The X68000 maybe a year ago. Interesting system with some wild and interesting games

[@EMHMarkIX]

At 1:39 - that disk from 8-bit Guy's video showing it's "floppiness" is not a 5.25" disk but 8".

[@FrameRater]

I couldn't find much footage of people deliberately "flopping" these things, I don't have any myself to demonstrate.

[@eddiehimself]

The X68000 had such a futuristic design, the 5.25" floppy drives look like they could easily be slot-loading CD drives.

[@EntranceJew]

These reviews are pretty acute. Bosconian and Rally-X are my favorites I'd catch on the old Plug 'n' Plays. Not being able to grind into a turn is one of the biggest detriments a Rally-X port could lack, it's one of the few games where the joystick adds a lot in a way that you don't get with pac-man or the sort.

[@TheHumanVoiceBox]

I don’t have time to watch this right now, so will just comment and like, great video

[@robertvelasquez823]

If you catch it, you can see a model of an X68000 to replace the computer on the arcade version of the Mappy game.

[@ClexYoshi]

Tempest 2000 and Robotron 64 come to mind as sort of arcade evolution titles from the 90's.

[@axelprino]

That Galaxian 2 is something I wouldn't mind being ported to modern systems and turned into an official sequel, looks really fun.

[@belstar1128]

most of The games you showed were already older when the x68000 came out .but it handles 16 bit arcade games well too.

[@LVPB]

Great video 👍

[@Vulpas]

I think I remember that Xevious music being in the Earthbound arcade... Interesting.

[@turdcalzone7636]

Truly aesthetic physical design, wow.

[@thedungeondelver]

Question for the uninitiated (well, I've known about the 68000 for decades but never looked much in to it): was there anything to do with the system other than play games? I know huOS existed, but were there any serious apps or anything for it, or was this just more like a console, but with a GUI and keyboard.

[@colonelsandwich641]

It was very often used as a workstation, iirc many of Capcom's CPS1 games were literally developed using X68k hardware. It would also explain why X68k ports of many Capcom arcade titles are nearly perfect (aside from minor hardware differences)

[@belstar1128]

yea it had a lot of basic office applications too. but i do think people wanted more compatibility between the systems for documents so the x68000 was abandoned. in the west they made systems that were just as powerful and expensive. but gaming companies ignored them since gaming in the west was seen as for kids only so only the cheaper systems got support .

[@wraithcadmus]

An absolute beast of a machine, not just with excellent ports, but used by Capcom to develop CPS1 arcades (e.g. Street Fighter 2). It was of course also five times the cost of other contemporary home micros like the A500, not that they shared any markets.

[@Sinn0100]

This is pretty neat. Everyone that covers the Sharp X68000 typically goes straight into either Capcom arcade games or occasionally they cover Konami titles. Very seldom do we see Namco's games on Sharp's stupidly powerful computer (for the time). Have you played Galaga '88 or '89? I ask because it reminds me of Galaxian 2. It's another fleshed out remix of sorts that allows better movement, power-ups, and much a sleeker graphical presentation. You also change levels with different backgrounds. You can play Galaga '88/'89 on the PC Engine/Core Grafx/TG-16 and arcade. One thing, while I love Galaga '88 I do not like the ship design. The original Galaga had a much cooler looking ship.

[@daveraschke]

man i haven't heard of that since that game sack video.

[@rgm4646]

Wonderful video! but I might be bias since i was a Namco employee in my 20s :)

[@cybershroom9240]

I'm surprised you didn't cover the amazing Galaga 88 port from the sharp, it has an arrangement mode that crossovers IPs like Mappy, Rally X, and Xevious enemies into the bonus stages. I say least look up the soundtrack and hear the credits

[@FrameRater]

I didn't know about that, I actually planned to include Galaga '88 but it just froze on the boot screen for me.

[@cybershroom9240]

Weird you couldn't get it to boot, but I can't say I've tried emulating it I only came across it for the exclusive soundtrack @@FrameRater

[@tidepoolclipper8657]

Konami (especially with the Sharp Castlevania not only later on showing up in Castlevania Chronicles albeit with inferior sound quality, but also being modified into a separate arranged mode) Dempa, and Koei would be good to take a look at.

[@ShadowXeldron]

Do any of these games have MIDI support? If they do then you can connect a MIDI synthesiser for better audio quality.

[@andysanchez3]

Japanese computer history is so fascinating

[@Geno746]

I never knew this about Xevious but you can lower the games difficulty by defeating a specific enemy the Zolbak. I learned that from an episode of Game Center when he played with Sakurai.

[@FrameRater]

Wow, I need to try that for myself.

[@FaithyJo]

Yeah, Framerater! ❤

[@jonothanthrace1530]

The X68 has such a weird case, I wonder why it was like that.

[@valcrist7428]

How does this Computer did not win against the IBM PC and Machintosh/Apple? This was the most decent gaming PC and probably the best Micro Home Computer during those times. So advanced and capable.. Buying this in the late 80's and still kicking in the early 2000s..

[@FrameRater]

Not sure, they might've been expensive to produce. Never left Japan.

[@ericp631]

It wasn't good at professional tasks, didn't use a common os, never left Japan, and a 486 absolutely destroys this thing. The thing about PC architecture is constant advancement/upgradability. Some piece of integrated custom chipset can come out and blow people away and the next year Intel/amd come out with that year's line that blows away your unupgradable piece of kit. This thing was a beast when released, but obsolete fairly quickly. That's why the PC won the micro wars.

[@Sonicfoxtrot]

I heard a lot of capcom's arcade games were developed with X68000 computers. That's why those versions ended up pretty much arcade perfect. Not sure how true that is though.

[@inklingex4433]

Did you know the Capcom CPSI board was exactly based upon the SHARP X6800? Not just that but there were several arcade PCBs in the late-80's that were being X6800 too. Also lmao that unofficial Galaxian port goes on crack at the end!

[@Highretrogamelord]

Really great video! Really fun to watch! Question though: Would you be interested in making a video about Sharp X68000 doujin games? For example Bishoujo Senshi Super Moon Fighter/Bishoujo Senshi Super Moon Fighter X.

[@FrameRater]

I've never heard of these games, what are they?

[@Highretrogamelord]

@@FrameRater If you mean doujin games, they are homebrew/Indie games that were big on Japanese home computers (the PC-88 also had a massive doujin scene for example). If you mean the Bishoujo Senshi Super Moon Fighter games, they are Sailor Moon fighting games.

[@MrJans3n]

@@Highretrogamelord If we're talking X68000 Doujin games, you can't not mention Cho Ren Sha 68K. One of the finest shmups ever made

[@Knuxfan24]

Did not realise the version of Bosconian on there had such a glow up. Makes me resent the fact that the game always gets ignored even more now!

[@oldschool9247gaming]

6:13 literally one of the things you collect in mappy is a sharp x68k lol

[@MaxOakland]

Did this use the same 68000 chip as the first Macintosh or is the name a coincidence?

[@Gatorade69]

Almost everything used a Motorola 68000.

[@belstar1128]

at last the cpu but the mac had bad graphics and sound for the time

[@Hamburgaga]

A lot of shmups had the best ports on that system in my opinion, expecially graphically

[@goatbone]

More Sharp X68000 please

[@gracekim1998]

Ooo never heard of this 😮

[@eddiehimself]

Interesting how that copy of Bosconian has a box price of 6800 yen lol.

[@BigBillKelly-x2z]

I love the 68000, an amazing machine for arcade ports but unfortunately it hasn't got many good original games.

[@werpu12]

My guess is because its core market was being a games development machine for the arcades, you can consider the capcom cps1 games being original games because they were developed on this system and the cps1 basically is this system! But thats generally a problem with it, the library is mostly shmups and other arcade ports not really original games. The only good original which comes to my mind is Castlevania, which stems on this system and later was ported to the other systems. Either way it was brutally expensive so it basically was the NeoGeo of home computers!

[@tarstarkusz]

1:42 Either you have TINY hands or that is an 8" floppy.

[@RadiaUmbra]

now you basically have to do a version for Capcom

[@morrowlterraslove]

Sucks you didn’t mention about Galaga 88

[@FrameRater]

iirc I couldn't get it to work :(

[@nintendonicholas9141]

Is it fair to say that the X 68,000 is a 80s and 90s equivalent of a modern gaming PC?

[@FrameRater]

I believe that's accurate.

[@belstar1128]

Yea but the strange thing is that its its own platform there not nothing like that today its only pc and mac now. linux doesn't count because its an os.

[@TheExplorers249]

There almost like the arcade originals. 😭

[@goatbone]

kei sounds like kay

[@Mohammed1000real]

x68000 is good but the price is not worth it.

[@stevethefishdotnet]

I found you on Odysee and watched this vid on there. There is no longer a sync, so you have to manually upload your content to Odysee now.

[@gamingguy9006]

It is n kay

[@tarstarkusz]

There is a recent port of Xevious to the Amiga platform and it requires an AGA Amiga to pull it off. Any of the X68000 can play Xevious. The X68000 should have been released in America with an English language OS and ROM. If they did it right, this could easily have taken out the Macintosh. The Mac only became color in 1987 and they were a fortune and in some ways, a lesser machine to the x68000. The one thing it does lack though is the 3.5" disks. Though, to be fair, the Mac IIs have a 800k disk, not the 1.44 of later on.

[@ericp631]

The primary market for computers in the US, especially back then was professional. It's ability to play games well wouldn't mean anything.

[@tarstarkusz]

@@ericp631 Wrong. There were multiple separate and distinct markets. There was the big business market, this is where the 2 computers being sold into it were PCs and Macs. There was the educational market, which could be further broken down, which primarily were populated by Apple II, Macs and PCs, in that order. Then there was the home market, which consisted in the US primarily as Apple II, Commodore and Atari (including the Amiga and ST). Then there was the small business market which was primarily Apple II and custom (or highly customized) computers. There were other markets too, but most were pretty small. Plus, sound and graphics were important to some markets outside of playing games.

[@ericp631]

@@tarstarkusz I didn't say there wasn't different markets. I was talking about the size of those markets. And the home/gaming market for PC's in the US at that time was incredibly small. The PC gaming market doesn't explode until the '90's when this thing is obsolete. Mac's dominated (and still do)the publishing field, a place were no one cares about xevious.

[@tarstarkusz]

@@ericp631 Again, you are wrong. The best selling computer of all time was a games computer (the C64). This thing was not obsolete in the early 90s. Macs dominate graphics because of their monitors and color matching hardware, or at least that used to be the case. What is your point anyway? You are clueless.

[@ericp631]

@@tarstarkusz the c64 was a product that was sold all over the world, not just the the US. And yes the c64 initially sold well, but then it crashed with the rest of the burgeoning home market in the early 80's. Now other regions, such as Europe, had adopted the home micro concept than the US. And all that had to do with the video game console. The console was an idea introduced here and that influenced how people thought, why spend thousands of dollars on a home computer if all I want to do is play games when the Nintendo does exactly that at a fraction of the price. Thus home adoption rates for computers was very slow. All you need to do is look at the data.