The A-Z of Namco's Classic Arcade Games: Part 2 (1986-1992) | Kim Justice

[@Kim_Justice]

What's your favourite out of this lot? Something more classic like Rolling Thunder or Pac-Mania? An adrenaline-packed bit of racing in Final Lap? Or one of the more obscure Japanese-only titles? Have a shout here in the comments, and thanks for watching :)

[@kevinrhea7332]

Rolling Thunder ! Someone needs to reissue a cheap collection already ! Thanks Kim ! Great video as always, cheers !

[@davidmartin3280]

Cosmo Gang: The Video for me! I played the hell out of the SNES port of it back when! Didn't see it in any of my local arcades around that time! It wasn't until MAME that I learned during the bonus stages that they we stealing energy! Great stuff!

[@Bakartridge2095]

rolling thunder has always been one of my favorite arcade games

[@josecalistro5581]

For me is Rolling thunder. The precursor to Shinobi?

[@JamesShow]

I am lousy at Pac Mania but I am always a sucker for that game and every port of it.

[@g04tn4d0]

Seriously, where do you get the energy to continuously pump out top tier content like this? 🐐😎🎉

[@AdamDoesntReadPinnedComments]

Omega-level rizz

[@ramrodbldm9876]

Get it out of your throat

[@tomkrawec]

Kim, you should be on the TV doing documentaries. You're fantastic.

[@ramrodbldm9876]

You need to quit being such a cornball. This man is not going to let you go down on him so commenting 100 times brown nosing on your knees isn't working. He won't even reply to you and say thanks lmaooooo 100+ comments and no replies 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@32mlucas]

Ordyne was released in arcades in Italy, it was my favourite game while holidaying in Italy during The 1990 world cup.

[@chrisgilson1436]

It was also released in UK as I remember playing it around late 80s at local arcade

[@michielkroder4031]

Sitting down with a hot beverage for this. Any serious arcade head of the 1980s has at least a few Namco favs.

[@djvoid1]

Can't go past Wolling Funder :) thanks Kim!

[@arcadianlhadattshirotsughW33Z]

Tower of Druaga has a lot of great follow ups like a heavily updated and expanded version on the pc engine cd (with an english patch) , Nightmare of Druaga on the ps2, and a surprisingly well made anime subtitled the Aegis and Sword of Uruk, my other favorites on this list have to be Burning Force, Phelios, and Valkyrie no Densetsu.. i had never heard of Mirai Ninja

[@skywalkerranch]

Kim knocks it out of the park once again.

[@ChibiFighter]

Kim this might be my favorite video series that you've ever produced and you've produced some amazing videos, I am such a die-hard fan of Namco especially during the 80s and I'm so happy to finally see someone really cover all bases for the arcade.

[@cartmann94]

The racing games (the Winning Runs and Final Laps) deserve to be given a Capcom Arcade Stadium treatment rerelease. The good news is that most of the other games on this list are available on the Arcade Archives. Especially Legend of Valkyrie.

[@TheHabitual77]

Nostalgia overload! My local laser quest has a bunch of these, including a two player final lap and Star blade. Looking forward to part 3

[@jamesbruce487]

Fantastic video, fantastic work. Greatings from Spain! After a hard day work, and after watching the european football match, the best is to watch a video with a beer! (I usually watch them in parts) In Spain it was the golden age of arcades in the 80s-90s

[@hv1225]

This was one of my favourite youtube channels before it doing content equivalent of reading through the phone book.

[@RetroRulzMyTown]

I should say when it comes to Wonder Momo, it's not only a Japan exclusive, but it's also FAR more popular than you'd believe. It got a port to the PC-Engine, Namco Museum Encore(both with translations to boot), even some revisits from stuff like her teamup with Bravoman in Namco x Capcom and cameos and appearances in Shifty Look's works. Helps that IN the realms of Japan, aside from the obvious like the fanservice and sentai appeal, it's known for having a robust soundtrack for its time with Wonder Momo's iconic theme playing when powered up. Can't say I'm a fan of the game myself, but I want to at least highlight more of its appeal for those who don't know.

[@TruculentSheep]

It also uses the same game-as-theatrical-reenactment conceit as Super Mario Bros. 3, interestingly enough.

[@ChibiFighter]

Shockingly the PC Engine port also plays better too, way less delay in the controls.

[@alexandreturcotte6411]

I have played Rompers and Splatterhouse. (On an emulator arcade who didn't asks for money and an actual Namco compilation respectivly). I did knew of Splatterhouse a lot (Thanks Derek from SSFF fame, among other people), but I never knew about Rompers before playing it. I can confirm both are a good time (even if I didn't got far in either).

[@joedent3323]

Absolutely Brilliant! Cheers Kim :)

[@TheSecondIDare]

Your videos are fantastic. Great work.

[@alanchiz]

Some interesting ones I hadnt heard of. Always interesting to get the full story of the actual arcade cabinets, which you can often miss just playing them through MAME

[@Unquestionable]

Been playing Project X Zone during my downtime at work lately, a crossover strategy RPG/beat'em up sort of, and I adore when it uses the more obscure stuff which doesn't get referenced enough by their parent companies. Tons of Namco stuff as their company is one of the big representatives in the title so it's great to see a lot of the origins of those characters in this video.

[@sadgenius]

Galaga '88 will always exist in the Roller City in Southend of my heart (next to New Zealand Story and Arkanoid II The Revenge of Doh)

[@Aboveup]

Valkyrie no Densetsu is one of Namco's most beloved games in Japan, and it's for a very good reason. That game goes so hard, and it's a shame how underrated it is everywhere else.

[@ynotwalk7391]

i don't think it's underrated so much as unknown

[@Mateus_Carvalho]

There's a reason the Valkyrie gets called up for crossovers and has her gear usually just sitting there on Soul Calibur.

[@danboid]

Excellent video Kim! Assault is in my top 10 arcade games ever and maybe SplatterHouse would be in my top 20. I missed out on Metal Hawk at the time which looks like fun and the arcade version of Marvel Land looks much better than the MD version I'd played as a kid. I wish I'd got to visit Wonder Eggs, which is the best name for an amusement park or arcade ever.

[@whackman47]

Just got a notification for this just as I’m going to bed. Great bedtime viewing and will rewatch tomorrow.

[@FezTheSpaceBiker]

Fun Fact about Namco's Film division: To my knowledge Namco Films only produced two films; Mirai Ninja's adaptation and, weirdly enough, Troma's Sgt. Kabukiman NYPD.

[@mustaffaleak9247]

Awesome as usual. I've watched this over several days - as I usually do since I've the attention span of a gnat with serious ADHD issues. Nevertheless, very enjoyable. I appreciate all the hard work. Looking forward to part 3.

[@jamesw3546]

Another awesome video. Love the reference to The Day Today, too. 😆

[@anactualmotherbear]

Great episode as always.

[@IanWitts]

1:01:59 My OCD went into overdrive when the opening move to the second level on Souko Ban Deluxe happened! 😂 Brilliant video, Kim. Thank you.

[@jessragan6714]

Despite all the extra bells and whistles, the late 1980s output of Namco didn't have the timelessness of its early 1980s output. Also, Namco's stuff starts to feel indistinguishable from Taito's in the late 80s and early 90s. You mentioned Mirai Ninja (Legend of Kage), but there's also Youkai Dochuki (Bonze's Adventure) and Cosmo Gang (Attack of the Lunar Loonies). Half the time you don't know where Taito ends and Namco begins. Anyway, great series of reviews! I should have mentioned that when you posted the first one... my apologies.

[@mrbedford]

Looking forward to this, seems I've missed a few videos these last few weeks, and as always i'm sure it's a BANGER!

[@roryhession]

Kim as always brilliant vid - I didn't think anyone else had seen Blazer!

[@roartjrhom4932]

Really, really love these videos! Thank you so much. 🙏🙏🙏

[@TruculentSheep]

Excellent video, with plenty to look up and try on both MAME and Arcade Archive.

[@jamestillett3002]

I have most of those Games Thanks to Hamsters Arcade Archives on the PS4/5

[@bartdunbar5108]

Galaxian 3 and starblade are my favorites, great video

[@Debagio]

Yay, thank you for part 2 Kim! ❤

[@mentazmic]

Super World Stadium '92 actually adds the real NPB teams, it's huge

[@richardgadberry8398]

Starblade. Brings back memories of the old Family Fun Center in Auburn, Washington.

[@big_ry82]

Lot of games here inhave not heard of/played. Thinks for bringing them to my attention. Going to be busy adding them to my steamdeck.

[@racejase979]

“Oh, bloody hell!” 😂😂❤

[@YiyiOta]

Superb video as ever Kim. Thanks so much for all the work you put in!

[@Vancegeoffmen2]

For what it’s worth, the pc engine port of Wonder Momo handles a bit better than the arcade version and graphically a near 1:1. I had played the port first, and was taken a back of how frustrating the arcade version was. Fun stuff.

[@ZEUSDAZ]

Nice video buddy.

[@David-no7zi]

Ah Kim you have made my weekend, thank you!

[@mattw8332]

Oooh Dragon Spirit! I think I had that as part of a compilation package for the Sinclair ZX Spectrum around 1990. 🤔 Not enough Baseball games! 😜

[@SeanONeill-ef5vb]

Obviously Rolling Thunder stands out but didn’t realise the sequel was an arcade game. Just thought it was a console sequel. I did enjoy the Suzuki 8hr racing game

[@Chimpdonger]

Great video Kim, i think you are onto something here with these arcade histories, more please !! x

[@RespectTheLogos3]

These British giants have not been covered fully: Argonaut Software (Starglider, Star Fox, Croc and Harry Potter) Creative Assembly (FIFA, Total War and Alien: Isolation) Rare (Donkey Kong, GoldenEye, Banjo-Kazooie, Conker and Sea of Thieves) Probe Entertainment (Primal Rage PS1 port and Die Hard Trilogy) Climax Studios (Licenced games from Hot Wheels to Robot Wars. Also original game Sudeki.) Rebellion Developments (Comics, Pinball and Sniper Elite) The Sales Curve (SCI) (Speccy ports of arcade titles, Carmageddon and Conflict: Desert Storm) Hewson Consultants (Uridium and Paradroid) Denton Designs (Frankie Goes to Hollywood and Speccy ports of arcade games) Criterion Games (RenderWare, Burnout and Black) Elite Systems (Speccy ports of arcade titles) Frontier Developments (Elite Dangerous to Planet Coaster)

[@EpicallyCasual]

*settles in for the next hour and a half*

[@SRDhain]

Rolling Thunder,Pac Mania & Splatter House. All three had great music, which mattered when you wanted to put another credits' worth of coinage in, to try and get further / finish the game

[@MrBillybobyeah]

I remember the smaller 6 player Galaxian 3, such a great and unique experience

[@kumquatqueen5975]

The tank's evasive roll in Assault reminds me a lot of the Starfox 64 tank.

[@jaynotmusic]

Great vid Kim

[@stylepartner5123]

Thanks for this Kim. Have a great weeekend

[@FaTBoYs_GaMInG_N_NoNsEnSe]

Let's Go Kim Awesome Video much love have a wonderful day

[@AuberaunPsychology]

I'm pretty sure the audio in Winning Run is messed up in MAME, I believe the cars actually sound pretty much the same as an older Indycar in the actual cabinet to my memory

[@mandlecreed02]

Also : at 54:17 - is that a very young Joe Lo Truglio of Brooklyn 99 fame sat at the Galaxian 3 cab on the far right? 😅

[@mandlecreed02]

Isn't Valkyrie No Densetsu somehow linked to Xandra's Big Adventure/Whirlo on the SFC/SNES? I'm SURE it is. Imma go info hunting 😅 great video as always!

[@gmo6854]

Fantastic stuff

[@remka2000]

Valkyrie no Densetsu ! It's been a looooong time 😅 There is a Pc Engine version that is pretty faithful to the arcade too.

[@sanny87]

Thank you for the excellent content.

[@KasumiRINA]

47:20 Sophitia cosplays this Valkyrie in SoulCalibur... 2, I think? The third unlockable costume.

[@while_coyote]

I love these videos

[@stuntpope]

I'm really suprised Namco had no beat em ups around this time (or ever, thinking about it) Everyone and their mothers wanted some of that Double Dragon/Final Fight money

[@billiondollarman3847]

GALAXIAN 3!! NAMCO went All out Huge!👾👾👾🕹️

[@djackmanson]

Babe wake up, Kim Justice just released another 84 minute doco.

[@hardkoregamer1981]

Kim are you going to do a video on retro vector arcade games?

[@jasonrockley3724]

Awesome. Cheers Kim. Gonna pick up a couple of boozes and get stuck in later.

[@mamehaze]

Blast Off feels somewhat unfinished. If you're holding the start button and insert a credit during the attract mode, it breaks the game, giving you an invalid stage to play on. Apparently that can be reproduced on the PCB too, not just MAME (although I haven't personally verified it)

[@mamehaze]

MAME does have a pretty good emulation of the original Cosmo Gang btw, it's done using MAME's internal artwork system and clickable / movable parts. The gameplay is basically intact even if you're playing it with a mouse.

[@ynotwalk7391]

i still find it bizarre how far ahead sega was when they released their super scaler games

[@heavysystemsinc.]

The port of Starblade on Tekken makes it worth the admission price alone, even if you don't like fighting games cause it's just so fun and stays at a locked 60fps. I'd say the only downside is analog controller aiming. I do wish there was option to use something different, like a mouse maybe.

[@heavysystemsinc.]

Also I will slightly disagree with your assessment of Golly Ghost being the 'top' Namco ticket gun game. I think that title belongs to Quick and Crash. I can't tell you how many quarters I threw into that machine, caring not even about the tickets or redeeming them, but for the sheer chasing of the high score (best time) and the absolutely amazing magic trick of the final target being a cup that shatters into a dozen pieces when you shoot it. In reality, it was a big solenoid that flips with one side being a tub housing broken pieces of a coffee cup, and the other side is a real coffee cup...it spins so fast from the cup to 'no cup there' that it violently tosses the pieces all over the cabinet and feels like you just destroyed that thing with your light gun. So satisfying and when coupled with the time and 'crack shot' style game play (It's akin to Duck Hunt, except you get a total amount of bullets for the entire 5 stages...you run out of bullets, you immediately end the game), it's just...man, it's so fun.

[@thegaminghellyoutubething]

you mention that youkai dochuuki, ordyne, phelios and tank force were all japan-exclusive but all absolutely had, at the very least, english-language boards produced (your footage is from the english version of phelios- the japanese version has jp text and voices) and some are included with the arcade archives releases, although not all (tank force has a world-only four-player revision not released in japan, and youkai dochuuki's aca release has an english revision with the original title- shadowland is a name that appears in the namco museum series and other materials, and iirc a board exists using that name on the title screen, but not for the aca version) obviously those boards alone aren't bullet-proof evidence, but this came up as a subject of discussion when cosmo gang the puzzle came out on arcade archives as it had an english rom but wikipedia (and probably some fan wikis) always had it listed as japan-only. i've found it's definitely better to err on the side of caution before declaring an arcade game japan-only, especially since, depending on how strict you are with the definition, some arcades would just import them (and ignore the warning screen) and arcade history is spottily-documented as it is also, bakutotsu kijuutei's arcade archives version has the game set to two lives by default and not one but i'm still a little unsure if that's the intended behaviour. aca does tend to be more accurate than mame in some aspects (the controls for wonder momo were messed up in mame until recently, the aca version had them correct) anyway, i still think adding sources lists to your videos would be extremely helpful for viewers, there was a brief mention of a fan wiki referenced but i think having that kind of thing available is useful for everyone

[@Kim_Justice]

Adding source lists is definitely something I need to do more of, yes - as a matter of fact, I found the info about Puzzle Club on a certain GamingHell website. So thanks for that :) specifically www.gaminghell.co.uk/Megapanel.html

[@thegaminghellyoutubething]

@@Kim_Justice this is why it's important to source things, i hadn't considered that the megapanel / puzzle club connection info was taken from my website, and had i not brought this up i wouldn't have been credited. thank you for adding the links but please be a bit more considerate in the future. other sites and people can make videos like these more infomative and i'm all for that, as long as credit is given where it's due. thank you.

[@AnthonyFlack]

Super World Stadium is the Collaterlie Sisters of baseball games.

[@DiAL033]

Marchen Maze: I wonder whether they meant Märchen (german for fairy-tale) here, or if marchen means sth different in japanese and it's just a coincidence

[@lilwyvern4]

It takes some cojones to release a 28 player, full motion arcade game. That's saying nothing about the sheer quantity of classics on display, but just imagining how completely nonviable that is in today's world, it's sort of refreshing to see that level of ambition revisited. Would've certainly loved to have tried it myself.

[@thomas-ol3ni]

Wasn't Dragon Spirit a Taito game?

[@BenGoodsonModular]

What's the first game you think of when you think of Namco? For me, it's Ridge Racer.

[@Northlander72]

Pac Land, probably. I have been around since some of the earliest arcade games were released because I'm old, but I think it was around the time of Pac Land that I started paying attention to which company made what. More so since I generally preferred the stuff made by Capcom or Taito rather than Namco, and it was only when I started picking up the Namco collections on the PS1 when I also started to take note of Namco as a company that made great games. That being said, the very first game I ever played of Namco's was probably Dig Dug. Which I guess would be my favorite early gen Namco game.

[@Zumii]

Time Crisis

[@JuliusHowe]

I think this might be my first ever first comment

[@VBrancoPT]

Good ol' Namco.

[@sailorpacmoon2563]

You haven't done namco classic collection vol 1 and 2.

[@Kim_Justice]

They'll be in part 3. :)

[@jessragan6714]

Masunobu Endo is my favorite marijuana strain.

[@125scratch2]

17:46 That's Ki

[@peterthx]

RE: Final Lap - the sequel to Pole Position was Pole Position II. Final Lap would be Pole Position III.

[@derekchapman5167]

1:24 of entertainment and the only fault I could pick out of it all was the pronunciation of "beta", that being "bee-ta" and not "bay-ta"; for that reason I consider myself to be a massive twat. Keep up the good work!!

[@jbmaru]

Well that first game came out about 5 years before Earnest Evans...

[@Kim_Justice]

I didn't word that great, I meant that Earnest Evans may have been influenced by Genpei Touma Den.

[@jbmaru]

@@Kim_Justice Oh I see, thank you for the reply.

[@THENAMEISQUICKMAN]

How dare you say Wonder Momo is lousy?! She does the heckin' MGM lion roar with a yawn when you put a credit in! THAT IS ENOUGH TO EARN FIVE OUT OF FIVE. WE WILL BE HAVING WORDS. YOU'RE GONNA SEE FOR THE WONDER MOMO SLANDER. ... okay, yeah, the game is pretty mediocre. But I love it anyway lol.

[@joedent3323]

16:53

[@CondemnedToBeMe]

❤❤❤❤

[@Mando5]

❤

[@SeanSeanson]

Lets gooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

[@marc_ordonez]

Jej, la voz es igual a la de Hermes del juego god of war 3 (voz en inglés del juego)