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TheRedEye The Internet's Frank Cifaldi
Joined: 26 Aug 2003 Posts: 4192 Location: Oakland, CA
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Posted: Fri Dec 17, 2004 7:51 pm Post subject: |
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That's a bannable offense you bastard.
Good thing you're a junior detective. |
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KingMike
Joined: 04 Nov 2003 Posts: 898
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Posted: Sat Dec 18, 2004 12:39 am Post subject: |
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Ichiban Crush wrote: |
DTMC: US publisher mostly involved in American (maybe European) developed titles but ported a few games from Japan. Best known for Lester The Unlikely, Ranma 1/2 Hard Battle, and the unreleased Moon Crystal. Possibly went out of business shortly after Ranma 1/2 was released (around that time, DTMC was no longer listed as a Nintendo licencee). Not much else known about these guys.
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Though wasn't Holy (aka Fire) Striker released after that (Ranma 1/2 around fall 1993, FS around spring 1994? |
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Ichiban Crush Vaporware Detective Extraordinaire
Joined: 04 Nov 2003 Posts: 578 Location: 33.884906 | -84.053758
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Posted: Sun Dec 19, 2004 6:52 am Post subject: |
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Holy/Fire Striker went unreleased in America, or so I believe.
If it was released, it certainly went under my nose o_O |
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KingMike
Joined: 04 Nov 2003 Posts: 898
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Posted: Sun Dec 19, 2004 6:57 pm Post subject: |
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So, it was never released? No wonder I couldn't find a cart. The ROM out must be a beta or something.
Looked it up, and found it listed on GameStop.
But, admittably, that's a pretty odd box shot (disproportionate SNES logo, no publisher logo?). FuncoLand must've kept a promo box shot on file.
(though there are several released games still listed with a promo version of the boxes, some very strange ones, like the Ys3 one with the game title screen as boxart :P)
I remember EGM (at least in their "SNES Buyer's Guide" sub-mag) reviewed it.
Ugh, need to check that games exists, before I say stuff. |
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Li Wang SnHX WiIYrd
Joined: 29 Aug 2003 Posts: 798
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Posted: Sun Dec 19, 2004 7:20 pm Post subject: |
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KingMike wrote: |
(though there are several released games still listed with a promo version of the boxes, some very strange ones, like the Ys3 one with the game title screen as boxart ) |
This = Where? |
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Ichiban Crush Vaporware Detective Extraordinaire
Joined: 04 Nov 2003 Posts: 578 Location: 33.884906 | -84.053758
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Kid Fenris
Joined: 17 Sep 2003 Posts: 300
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Posted: Sun Dec 19, 2004 11:08 pm Post subject: |
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Digital Press has it listed as a U.S. release with a "4" in the rarity column.
And here's another auction, with a photo of the cartridge. That box art looks wonderfully horrid.
For what it's worth, I think I've seen loose Fire Striker carts at flea markets a few times. Perhaps I should have bought one. |
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KingMike
Joined: 04 Nov 2003 Posts: 898
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Posted: Mon Dec 20, 2004 5:04 am Post subject: |
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Li Wang wrote: | KingMike wrote: |
(though there are several released games still listed with a promo version of the boxes, some very strange ones, like the Ys3 one with the game title screen as boxart :P) |
This = Where? |
Here
Urh. On second thought, it's probably better described as a BAD mock-up. Not as exciting. |
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Ichiban Crush Vaporware Detective Extraordinaire
Joined: 04 Nov 2003 Posts: 578 Location: 33.884906 | -84.053758
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Posted: Mon Dec 20, 2004 8:28 am Post subject: |
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and here I've been playing the Japanese ROM all this time like a SUCKER ;_; You know, I might have to look for a complete copy of this. DTMC one of those fly-by-night companies that is starting to get my interests going.
Let me see... I do know it was sometime not too long after Ranma 1/2 that they faded away. Could be why this game didn't get much attention. I'm starting to speculate a whole lot here...
Because speculation is fun! |
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Richter Belmont
Joined: 16 Jan 2004 Posts: 285 Location: Murfreesboro, TN
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Posted: Mon Dec 20, 2004 8:39 pm Post subject: |
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Kid Fenris wrote: |
...For what it's worth, I think I've seen loose Fire Striker carts at flea markets a few times. Perhaps I should have bought one. |
Yes, I've seen Fire Striker before. We had a copy at K*B Toys, when I used to work there. I remember being intrigued because it was a 4 player game.
I never got around to buying it though... wish I had now. |
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KlarthAilerion Staff
Joined: 26 Aug 2003 Posts: 673 Location: New Orleans, LA
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Posted: Tue Dec 21, 2004 7:16 pm Post subject: |
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Fire Striker was released on SNES in the US in October, 1994. Ranma ½: Hard Battle was released on SNES in the US in November, 1993.
There was a second Ranma game planned for release on the SNES in the US as well. The name escapes me right now.
Also, you can always try www.vgrebirth.org for information on when a game was released, releases in other countries, box text, etc. Not always a complete source, but still.. |
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Ichiban Crush Vaporware Detective Extraordinaire
Joined: 04 Nov 2003 Posts: 578 Location: 33.884906 | -84.053758
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Posted: Wed Dec 22, 2004 3:51 am Post subject: |
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Well I knew it was sometime after Ranma 1/2 that DTMC wasn't around, I had no clue Fire/Holy Striker was released in America until now o_O. 1995 sounds about right actually, I know it was sometime that year I called Nintendo's old 800 customer service line to check on something regarding the Ranma game and they told me DTMC was no longer listed as a licencee of Nintendo.
The second Ranma game was going to be Ranma 1/2 Anything Goes Martial Arts, but that one was going to be localized by Toho of America. Unlike the first game, Viz did no sort of advertising or promotion for this game. I have reason to believe they didn't want to actually get involve after the whole Hard Battle thing fell through. Toho themselves had an ad for the game, but it didn't cross promote anything from Viz.
A favorite legend of wai-wai-animu-okama^_^ fanboys is that Takahashi Rumiko (the creator of Ranma 1/2) actually had something to do with the cancelation of the American version of the game. While there's a little bit of evidence to back that theory, if I had to take a stab, I'd say it was a probably a business decision on Toho of America's behalf. They probably felt it wouldn't have been worth a release with the next gen systems coming out and too many other companies coming out with crap that was basically riding on Street Fighter 2/Mortal Kombat's coattails.
But thanks for the site Klarth, I have that bookmarked now. |
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DavidDurica
Joined: 02 Dec 2003 Posts: 166 Location: Boynton Beach, FL
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Posted: Tue Dec 28, 2004 12:14 am Post subject: |
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Ichiban Crush wrote: | A favorite legend of wai-wai-animu-okama^_^ fanboys is that Takahashi Rumiko (the creator of Ranma 1/2) actually had something to do with the cancelation of the American version of the game. While there's a little bit of evidence to back that theory, if I had to take a stab, I'd say it was a probably a business decision on Toho of America's behalf. They probably felt it wouldn't have been worth a release with the next gen systems coming out and too many other companies coming out with crap that was basically riding on Street Fighter 2/Mortal Kombat's coattails. |
I've always heard it was she disliked the asstastic voices in the US version of the 2nd one. All of them set off my bullshitometer.
Shame, though, as the 3rd game is actually pretty good, as far as SFII knock-offs go. It always amazes my friends when I'm all WAHHH TAG BATTLE ON THE SFC!!!! |
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Ichiban Crush Vaporware Detective Extraordinaire
Joined: 04 Nov 2003 Posts: 578 Location: 33.884906 | -84.053758
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Posted: Fri Dec 31, 2004 9:36 am Post subject: |
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I always heard the same thing regarding the ass job they did on voices. What backs up that claim is that Takahashi is noctoriously protective of her work, and is also apparently a video game buff herself (Can't confirm that one but I've heard a few sources claim that). Also, the fact that Viz didn't really do much in terms of publicizing for Ranma 1/2 AGMA raises some eyebrows. But even then, DTMC was responsible for the shitacular voices for Hard Battle, but it was Toho localizing the third game.
And had the crapjob that was done with Hard Battle have that much influence on any other Takahashi-franchised titles coming to America, Toho would probably have never even considered localizing the third game to begin with. On top of that, we probably would have never got the two InuYasha games that came out over here despite it's popularity. It's very possible that Viz/Shogakukan/Takahashi ceased any future relations with DTMC over how poorly they handled Hard Battle, but that's about all I see that could have happened. There may be more to the story, but since there's hardly any info on DTMC themselves, it's hard to track. I think it was just a case of Toho not wanting to loose money over something that probably wouldn't have sold that well.
And to be honest, I was mildly dissappointed with the third game anyway. I have a complete copy of it, and yeah, it's pretty good for a SF2 knockoff, but the scrollrate was kind of shoddy when compared to Hard Battle, and the tag feature was kind of slow when tagging out. If I had the choice between having Super Battle/AGMA or the Ranma RPG localized, I'd choose the RPG hands down. We had plenty of fighters to compensate back in the day, but hardly any good pre-FF6/ChronoTrigger RPGs. And I really thought the Ranma RPG was better than a lot of the crap Enix put out back in that time. |
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Kitsune FURRY
Joined: 20 Nov 2003 Posts: 318 Location: Mexico
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Posted: Fri Dec 31, 2004 7:14 pm Post subject: |
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...
Want to know what should've never been ported? STREET COMBAT.
I'm surprised Takahashi even let that crap get released in Japan... |
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Richter Belmont
Joined: 16 Jan 2004 Posts: 285 Location: Murfreesboro, TN
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Posted: Sun Jan 09, 2005 8:16 am Post subject: |
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Street Combat... dear heaven.
I remember seeing promos for that in EGM, and the screenshots alone were enough to keep me far, far away.
Why is it that (especially back then) companies thought they were going to do so great by "Americanizing" games, when they knew they were just taking a big smelly dump on a game that was fine, or at least, more tolerable, to begin with? |
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Ichiban Crush Vaporware Detective Extraordinaire
Joined: 04 Nov 2003 Posts: 578 Location: 33.884906 | -84.053758
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Posted: Mon Jan 10, 2005 4:45 am Post subject: |
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I dunno, I never played the Americanization myself. I own the first Ranma fighter for SFC, but I never played Street Combat to compare. >> I'll have to soon though for my panel. I'm not looking forward to that.
Trust me, had they just released the game in it's original form, it would have tarnished the series' reputation worse than Hard Battle did. (HB at least won some Ranma fans despite the fact the game was buttshit) Perhaps it's fitting; VIZ probably didn't want anything to do with that shitty game. |
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