Namco's Tenkomori Shooting PCB shmup review-Updated 9/15/05

[PC Engine Fan X!]

I finally got a Namco 1998 produced Tenkomori Shooting PCB. It is the original Japanese version and is easy to figure out what to do if you can't read/understand Japanese by playing it.

There does exist an all-English text language version of Tenkomori that goes by the official title of "Tenkomori Variety Shooting". (It has been shown a few times at the 2002, 2004 & 2005 California Extreme shows in the past.)

Tenkomori Shooting PCB is based on Namco System 12 hardware. It is a vertical screen-oriented shmup or Tate shmup. Namco has not ported any console version of Tenkomori to this day and remains as a bona-fide geniune arcade shmup experience not to be missed! On the PCB itself, there are some interesting outputs and connections including a USB port (although I'm not sure what they are for). There is an even smaller edge connection interface to the left of the standard Jamma edge connector (what it's for...again, I'm not sure). There's an on-board back-up "coin-type" battery rated at 3.5v that saves high scores of each mini shmup game along with that respective player's intials. Keep in mind, the critera for saving the high scores for the mini games are set based on a single player who completes each one in the shortest time possible. The graphics of the Tenkomori gaming engine looks like it could of been ported over to the PSX console platform with no problem.

If you have played Namco's previous arcade/PSX ports of Gun Bullet (aka Point Blank here in the USA), then you'll be familiar with the setup structure that makes up the Tenkomori gaming interface. There is a simple background story involving three monkey siblings: one monkey gets kidnapped by an evil witch (or bitch I'd say) and placed in the highest portion of the castle. The other two monkeys set out to rescue their younger brother. In order to rescue their younger brother, the two monkey siblings have to complete various mini shmup-based games to advance to the next higher "floor" of the witch's castle until they eventually reach the "top floor".

By achieving a pre-determined goal by the CPU, and completeing it allows one to advance to the next higher floor. If a shmupper or a pair of shmuppers fail to achieve a pre-determined goal (within a certain time limit...all mini games are timed which results in for some furious & frantic button mashing) after a certain number of tries, the CPU lowers the numeric goal for that particular mini shmup game until it is finally beaten. On each floor, one is given a choice to choose between one of four different mini shmup games to play to try to meet or exceed the goal set by the CPU. If one achieves the goal set by the CPU, the word "Success" appears on-screen...and if one fails, then a heart is subtracted from your lifeline. You have up to five hearts in your lifeline, once they are all gone, then it is truly game over. The shmupper is given the chance to "continue" once the game is over.

Some of the mini shmup games do look familiar to those earlier released Namco arcade games of the early 1980's-1990's like: Xevious, Time Crisis and Galaga. Some mini shmup games are hyper-fruity & hilarious Japanese styled shmup games...you have to see & play them to believe them. There's even a cool Time Crisis inspired mini shmup game to drool over!

You'll be in for some crazy & whacky shmup madness that makes up the world of Tenkomori Shooting. Invite a chump or enemy along and you both will be cooperating together to defeat the "evil witch" and rescue your kid monkey brother from her clutches!

Eventually, when one or both monkeys reach the top floor, it's a "battle to the death" to rescue their kid monkey brother from the evil witch. You fight a huge Golem boss that is made up of castle bricks with the witch inside controlling it. Defeat it with 300 shots in the time limit given by the CPU and you beat the game.

There are three difficulty settings to choose from, however, by choosing the Very Hard setting, does one get to play the "true" story based shmup game that the background story is based on.

Easy setting -- only 4 floors before reaching top of castle...

Hard setting -- 6 floors before reaching top of castle...

Very Hard setting -- 9 floors before reaching top of castle...

Upon defeating the evil witch, one is treated to the Namco developement staff ending credits. Tenkomori's ending credits is indeed interactive (but I'm not going to spoil it for you...you'll have to play Tenkomori and find out for yourself)... ^_~

New scoring info related to Tenkomori --

If you play the same mini game throughout the entire gaming session of Tenkomori and still have remaining hearts (your lifeline), the CPU give you bonus points for remaining lives + "playing same stage" special bonus. There are several criteria for gaining extra bonus points in Tenkomori but I would have to play it more to find out how they are triggered.

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[PC Engine Fan X!]

It is with pleasure that I present to my fellow shmuppers, a shmup review of the rare Namco Tenkomori Shooting PCB for all to enjoy!

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[Dave_K.]

Thanks for the review! The USB looking plug and connectors on the System 12 borad are for JVS cabinets, which also means this game may be able to output 31khz high resolution as well as stereo sound).

What is the replayability of the game? Just how much fun is it?

[PC Engine Fan X!]

Thanks for the review! The USB looking plug and connectors on the System 12 borad are for JVS cabinets, which also means this game may be able to output 31khz high resolution as well as stereo sound).

What is the replayability of the game? Just how much fun is it?

The replayability factor is high because you have to play another game to see if you can beat the "top" score for that particular mini shmup game...if you do, then the CPU stores your intials + score for all to see.

The average shmupper's ass will get kicked when playing a gaming session of Tenkomori, it's the addictive factor of "getting kicked in the balls" and getting up again to try to beat the current mini shmup game...but sometimes you almost achieve your goal (oh so close...nice try but no cigar mentality) but the CPU won't accept it forcing you to try again & again.

Gameplay & mechanics of Tenkomori Shooting: it's how fast can you "rapid-fire" tap your fire button during a Tenkomori mini shmup gaming session type of game play is what Namco presents to the virgin Tenkomori player whose never played it before. Play along with a pal and it's gonna be a furious battle to win. Can you do it?

And just how many mini shmup games are present in Tenkomori Shooting for one to try out? The answer to that question is up to an amazing 23 different mini shmup or shmup inspired games to choose from!

The control scheme is a 8-way digital joystick with a single fire button for each player (for a total of two joysticks altogether) is the standard setup for a Tenkomori Shooting PCB.

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[PC Engine Fan X!]

Here's some new info that is listed in the original post of Tenkomori shmup post...check it out. It's at the very bottom of the 1st post.

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~