Tenkomori Shooting....!

Dragon1952 · Post by **Dragon1952** » Fri Nov 09, 2007 5:54 pm

I have a Namco TENKOMORI SHOOTING pcb and I love it! However, mine is in Japanese text, therefore a Japan version. Is there a World or US version that tells the story and guides the player that is in English? If so, is it a chip change or can this be done by dip switch (or jumper)?

Can anyone help me bring mine up to a Western world standard?

rtw · Post by **rtw** » Fri Nov 09, 2007 7:49 pm

Dragon1952 wrote:I have a Namco TENKOMORI SHOOTING pcb and I love it! However, mine is in Japanese text, therefore a Japan version. Is there a World or US version that tells the story and guides the player that is in English? If so, is it a chip change or can this be done by dip switch (or jumper)?

Can anyone help me bring mine up to a Western world standard?

There is a world version, it's very rare, if you need the instructions
just try it in MAME.

It's not possible to do a 'simple' upgrade as there are no EPROMS.

rtw

Fighter17 · Post by **Fighter17** » Fri Nov 09, 2007 8:08 pm

PC Engine Fan played the English version of the game at CAX before. He'll talk about it soon I believe.

Dragon1952 · Post by **Dragon1952** » Fri Nov 09, 2007 8:35 pm

My need is based upon the desire to open, a year from now, a major entertainment center in California that will have the most incredible "shooting game" section filled with CAVE/RAIZING/PSIKYO/NAMCO/TOAPLAN games and other great shooters from various era's.

Without an English version, this game will not get the popularity that I feel it deserves. Most everything else that I have been collecting and saving for this project are okay with the text. However, there are a few others that I need to convert or obtain as well....!

PC Engine Fan X! · Post by **PC Engine Fan X!** » Fri Nov 09, 2007 8:49 pm

Thanks Fighter17 for the kind words...

For dragon1952,

Yes, there does exist such a USA version PCB of "Tenkomori Variety Shooting" PCB with all-English text for all the mini games and ending story but it's considered very rare in that Namco of America was planning a possible USA PCB release for it but it was never officially released for reasons only they would know themselves...

-------------------------------------
The basic premise of the monkey characters and the evil witch (or bitch I'd say) shown on the main title screen goes like this:

Older brother and sister monkey have to rescue their little kid bro from the clutches of an evil witch -- will they make it time or will kid brother die at the hands of this witch-bitch?
-------------------------------------

If you look at the end credits of your Japanese version of Tenkomori Shooting PCB, you'll find a lone Namco staff member with an American name who did handled the English text translation for the uber-rare USA region version of Tenkomori Variety Shooting PCB...

I've only seen this uber-rare USA Tenkomori Variety Shooting PCB with full-sized USA marquee placed inside a generic arcade upright cabinet at the San Jose based California Extreme shows back in 2002, 2004, and 2005. Since then, at both 2006 & 2007 CAX shows, Tenkomori Variety Shooting has been a "no-show"...

My theory is one of two possibilities:

1.) The Tenkomori Variety Shooting PCB that was shown at CAX was a prototype version...

2.) Or it was an actual arcade PCB kit but Namco of America decided that it wasn't worth it to have a bonafide release for the USA arcades...hence the extremely low production number of it...perhaps it's the only one in existence to this day (with actual USA marquee). ^_~

Namco of Japan did not produce very many Japanese Tenkomori Shooting PCB kits to begin with and thus is an obscure arcade shmup title as it stands...

I, myself, do have the same Japanese region version of Tenkomori Shooting PCB as you do and love it -- reminds me of Namco's Gunbullet/Point Blank arcade light gun series but in mini arcade shmup themed games format to try your best at..... ^_~

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

Dragon1952 · Post by **Dragon1952** » Sat Nov 10, 2007 5:48 am

PC Engine Fan....

Who actually brought the "Tenkomori Variety Shooting" game to the
California Extreme Show?

-Bridget- · Post by **-Bridget-** » Sat Nov 10, 2007 6:37 am

Dragon1952 wrote:My need is based upon the desire to open, a year from now, a major entertainment center in California that will have the most incredible "shooting game" section filled with CAVE/RAIZING/PSIKYO/NAMCO/TOAPLAN games and other great shooters from various era's.

Without an English version, this game will not get the popularity that I feel it deserves. Most everything else that I have been collecting and saving for this project are okay with the text. However, there are a few others that I need to convert or obtain as well....!

Boy do I ever wish someone would come up with a concept like that for the CHICAGO area.....

Bah, stupid city with it's lack of these games......

HayakawaKen · Post by **HayakawaKen** » Sat Nov 10, 2007 8:14 am

Actually I can verify that I have played a US/World version of the game here in San Antonio actually! Diversions Game Room on San Pedro had the board set up in a cabinet sometime between 2001-2003, and I played it frequently until it quietly dissapeared. I'm not sure what became of the board however, as they did sell off a lot of machines at the time, and just now closed 2 of their locations, selling the games within as well, so for all I know it could be lost forever. I definately remember an english storyline and instructions though.

Dragon1952 · Post by **Dragon1952** » Sat Nov 10, 2007 1:36 pm

Thanks! I will have to look into this!

Nice to see that there are other shooting game fans here in SA!

PC Engine Fan X! · Post by **PC Engine Fan X!** » Sat Nov 10, 2007 6:30 pm

Dragon1952 wrote:PC Engine Fan....

Who actually brought the "Tenkomori Variety Shooting" game to the
California Extreme Show?

On this particular Tenkomori Variety Shooting cabinet, there's a sticker on it saying: "This Game belongs to J.J. and Mark" -- meaning it belongs to the two guys who are in charge of putting on the once-a-year California Extreme show... ^_~

I, personally, would like to know more about it and what's the true story behind as to how they managed to acquire it in the first place (complete with full-sized USA marquee -- looks to be the genuine article and not some custom "one-off" job either).

It's safe to assume that it's not for sale at any price despite it's super-rarity cult status -- I'd be willing to pay some serious $$$ for it to compliment my Japanese region Tenkomori Shooting PCB..... ^_~

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

Dragon1952 · Post by **Dragon1952** » Sat Nov 10, 2007 8:19 pm

Did you take any pictures of it? I would love to see them!

PC Engine Fan X! · Post by **PC Engine Fan X!** » Sat Nov 10, 2007 8:43 pm

Dragon1952 wrote:Did you take any pictures of it? I would love to see them!

I got some mini DV footage of it in action...if you want a DVD-R of it, that can be arranged. ^_~

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

Dragon1952 · Post by **Dragon1952** » Sat Nov 10, 2007 9:48 pm

I am just curious of it's dedicated look with the full-sized marquee and so forth.

Fighter17 · Post by **Fighter17** » Sat Nov 10, 2007 10:14 pm

I would be interested in that DVD also.

Dragon1952 · Post by **Dragon1952** » Sat Nov 10, 2007 10:58 pm

I still wonder if there is a mystery jumper somewhere on that board that does the trick???

rtw · Post by **rtw** » Sun Nov 11, 2007 9:55 am

Dragon1952 wrote:I still wonder if there is a mystery jumper somewhere on that board that does the trick???

There is not, the program code is different.

rtw

Dragon1952 · Post by **Dragon1952** » Mon Nov 12, 2007 4:22 am

PC Engine Fan,

Yes, I would appreciate that DVD-R!

Thanks for the effort on this and I will keep you informed of my progress finding any of these additional materials.

shmups.system11.org

Tenkomori Shooting....!

Tenkomori Shooting....!

Re: Tenkomori Shooting....!

Whose the owners of USA Tenkomori PCB shown at CAX?