The PC-Engine Unrelease List
Here's a short release list that I compiled from several Japanese magazines
documenting some PC-Engine games that went unreleased, or went through some
sort of change before being released. Since I don't have many PCE magazines
after 1992, I've just concentrated on the years of 1990-1991, a very exciting
and explosive time in the PC-Engine's life.
The months represent the status of games mentioned in the "release date
undecided" sections of the magazines in those respective months. Fate?
means the eventual fate of the game, as far as I know. A blank box means the
game was not mentioned in that issue, and an equals sign means it had an identical
listing to an earlier mention. If there are any errors, please let me know!
| Jan-Mar. 1990 |
Jul. 1990 |
Jan. 1991 |
May-Jun. 1991 |
Oct. 1991 |
Fate? |
Maker |
| Wardner no Mori |
(CD) |
= |
= |
= |
cancelled |
NEC Avenue |
| 3D Golf |
|
|
|
|
? |
NEC Avenue |
| Rainbow Islands (CD) |
|
= |
= |
= |
released mid-1993! |
NEC Avenue |
| Meikyuu Jima (Kickle Cubicle) |
= |
Meikyuu Jima Special "3/'91 Release" |
= |
|
cancelled |
IREM |
| Momotarou Densetsu III |
|
|
|
|
cancelled? released as Momotarou Densetsu
Gaiden? |
Hudson |
| Yuurei Kimi (The Ghost) |
|
|
|
|
? |
Ask Kodansha |
| Strider Hiryu (SG) |
= |
(PC/SG bi-compatible) |
= |
= |
made the transition from SG->PCE
Hu->CD. Released on ACD in 1994. |
NEC Avenue |
| Omega Fighter |
= |
|
|
|
? |
UPL |
| Blade Land |
= |
|
|
|
? |
Nihon Soft Hanbai |
| Time Cruise [very different
from 'II'] |
= |
= |
|
cancelled/evolved into Time Cruise II |
released as Time Cruise II |
FACE |
| Space Fantasy Zone |
(CD) |
= |
= |
= |
cancelled |
NEC Avenue |
| |
Forgotten Worlds (Card) |
= |
= |
(CD)2M |
released on SCD |
NEC Avenue |
| |
Hellfire (Card, CD) |
= |
Hellfire S (CD) (Released 4/12) |
|
released on CD |
NEC Avenue |
| |
Horror Story (CD) |
= |
= |
= |
released |
NEC Avenue |
| |
Doraemon 2 |
= |
|
Doraemon: Nobita no Dorabian Night (?) |
released on Card and CD |
Hudson |
| |
Galaxy Force (Card) |
= |
= |
Galaxy Force II |
cancelled |
NEC Avenue |
| |
Splendid Saga |
= |
= |
|
cancelled |
NCS |
| |
Dasshutsu (Escape) |
|
|
|
released as Die Hard? |
Nihon Bussan |
| |
|
Chameleon Eyes: Mitsubayashi no Meikyuu
(Maze of the Secret Grove) |
Circus Lido (Released 4/6) |
|
released |
Uni Post |
| |
|
Meiyaku no Teigi (Definition of a Pledge) |
= |
= |
? |
Human |
| |
|
A game planned by Mr. MTJ (Title TBA) |
Magical Puzzle Popils |
= |
cancelled |
Tengen |
| |
|
Marble Madness |
= |
= |
cancelled |
Tengen |
| |
|
Peter Pack-Rat |
= |
= |
cancelled |
Tengen |
| |
|
Dirty Dirty |
|
|
? |
Hudson |
| |
|
Survival Runner |
|
|
cancelled |
Home Data |
| |
|
Crying Dragon |
|
|
cancelled |
Asmik |
| |
|
Golf |
|
|
cancelled |
Intec |
| |
|
|
Dragon Breed |
= |
cancelled |
IREM |
| |
|
|
Zero Wing (Card) |
(CD) |
released on CD |
Naxat |
| |
|
|
Madou Senshi ("Evil Guide"
Fighter) / Seirei Senshi [same surtitle as Spriggan] (Card) |
|
cancelled |
Naxat |
| |
|
|
Chiki Chiki Grand Prix |
|
cancelled |
Hudson |
| |
|
|
TV Sports Baseball |
= |
cancelled |
Victor |
| |
|
|
F-1 Circus International (CD) |
|
released as F-1 Circus Special? |
Nihon Bussan |
| |
|
|
Bonanza Brothers (Card) |
= |
released on SCD |
NEC Avenue |
| |
|
|
Gain Ground (Card) |
= |
released on SCD |
NEC Avenue |
| |
|
|
Super Cluster "10/91 Release" |
|
released as Spiral Wave? |
Media Rings |
| |
|
|
|
Branders |
? |
IGS |
| |
|
|
|
Hunter |
? |
Intec |
| |
|
|
|
Cocoron |
cancelled |
Sur de Wave |
| |
|
|
|
Chuka Taisen 2 |
released as Gokuraku Chuka Taisen |
Taito |
| |
|
|
|
Mummy Head |
? |
Taito |
| |
|
|
|
Laugh of God |
released as God Panic |
Teichiku |
| |
|
|
|
Dino Force |
cancelled |
Uni Post |
| |
|
|
|
Title TBA (Shooting) |
released as Terraforming? |
Right Stuff |
It may be interesting to some that besides the released Darius Plus, three
other PCE games had originally been programmed/intended as PC-Engine/SuperGrafx
bi-compatible: Daisenpu, Out Run, and Forgotten Worlds (info taken from a Famitsu
issue.)
A big scoop
on SuperGrafx Strider! Arcade Strider too!
Simply
put, photos of SGX Strider never existed! |
The pictures above and below come from several sources, including
PCE and Famicom magazines. Several of them claimed that the screenshots that
went along with the articles for SuperGrafx Strider were from the arcade version,
but they seemed too different from the released arcade game to be plausible.
Then, while looking through an October 1988 issue of Marukatsu Famicom
(see here), I found an article on the (similarly) unreleased Famicom Strider
game, and it also had a couple of preview screens of arcade Strider, which
would be released the following year. These AC preview screenshots were obviously
arcade beta pics because, not least, of the different gradient life bar compared
to the flat green life bar of the arcade final.
At least this puts to rest the screenshot debate: If a magazine
uses pictures of Strider that mysteriously has an orange gradient lifebar,
they are using stock photos from the Beta Arcade Version.
This means that we are quite without photographic proof of
a SGX Strider game once again.
I've translated some text and captions from three PC-Engine magazines
that did reports on Strider for the SuperGrafx. The articles were posted on
this forum page: Lost
Levels Online
The pictures below come from this Strider fansite: http://www.lscmainframe.net/features/supergrafx/index.html
Thanks!
 |
[From Sept. 90 issue] "Strider
Hiryu"
Daimakaimura was proof of the graphical merits [of the SGX]. Without
a doubt, there is nothing left but this (Strider.)
Sale day tentative
Price tentative
Action
8M (only for SG)
Surprising action
Lost World (Forgotten Worlds), Daimakaimura, etc. are high-definition
(distinguished?) games by Capcom in the field of action games; they
furthered development with this masterpiece [?]. The motion of the
hero was frightfully above that of similar action games up till
then. The PC Engine version will make an appearance only for SG,
and the number of animations of action should be able to be converted
satisfactorily. However, I hope that so many animations are preserved
without bogging down the speed of the game.
^ Hiryu's motion is the highest selling point of
this game. [?]
<- Such diverse action as can be seen in this slope [of the mountain].
|
 |
The backgrounds cannot be beat, either.
In this game, the beauty of the backgrounds adds charm to the flow
of the animation. The exotic backgrounds have enthusiastic fans
even now. If it appears on SG, it is possible to carry out the similar
transplant of such beautiful backgrounds by taking advantage of
the characteristics of BG2 -- the second scrolling layer. However,
screens of such high quality surely consume a lot of game memory.
-> He fights under such backgrounds.
-> He can reach the tops of towers...
<- And do battle on these towers. This is such diverse action
where the hero grabs, climbs, flies, bounds, and flips.
*The screens on this page are from the Arcade version.
|
|
[From Jan. 91 issue]
Are SG games being withdrawn?
"Strider Hiryu", which was announced
as exclusive software simultaneously with the announcement of the
SuperGrafx, has been changed into a PC-Engine/SG bi-compatible format.
This is probably good news for PC-Engine users, but something to
stop the hearts of SGX users. With this announcement, the lineup
of games developed for the SGX by NEC Avenue has been ended. ['nakunaru'
can mean 'lost' or 'died/dead']
But of course, the SuperGrafx will still be supported in a dual-format
game, maintaining high-quality play. Incidentally, "Strider
Hiryu" is one of the few HuCard games scheduled to have 8 Megabits.
*The screenshot on this page is from the Arcade
version of "Strider Hiryu". It has become bi-compatible.
|
 |
[From Sept. 91 issue]
PC-Engine/SG bi-compatible format (tentative)
"Strider Hiryu" has many fans by virtue
of its stylish action and tempo. The charm of this game is in the
fine motion of the hero Hiryu. The PC-Engine version will be a full
conversion from the arcades, although the characters [have] become
somewhat smaller. Moreover, on the SG, flickering decreases compared
with the PC-Engine. The demonstration scenes after a stage is cleared
are also due to be reproduced as-is. Since development is liable
to be delayed, the release will probably be pushed to next year.
Development status is at 20%.
^ Hiryu faces a gorilla robot. [He's not as tough
as he looks!] or [He's no pushover!] (Dictionaries are no help.)
^ Stylish action with Hiryu atop various mechanisms. That is the
charm of this game.
|
|
Here is what I make of it all:
Games magazines can't be trusted to keep their information straight, so let's
take it all with a grain of salt.
SG Strider was announced at the same time as the SGX's announcement
in 1989. At any rate, NEC Avenue had a license for it and Daimakaimura, and
began some sort of development on both titles. I don't think magazines saw SG
Strider in action because the writer of the Sept. 1990 article was speculating
on how feasible the conversion would be, and wrote his hopes for smooth, fast
animation.
In January 1991, the shocking announcement is made that Strider will
be a PCE/SG bi-compatible game, like Darius Plus was. This obviously shows NEC
Ave's lack of confidence in the SGX, and thus the SGX-only version is killed
off.
Then in Sept. 1991, Strider still stands at just 20% completed. The
article writer describes how Strider will play differently when on a regular
PC-Engine or on a SuperGrafx. This could be speculation (drawing from experience
with Darius Plus), a first-hand witness, or (more likely?) quoting from NEC
Avenue's press releases.
And here is the original Japanese text:
[From Sept. 90 issue]
| ストライダー飛竜
大魔界村でグラフィックの再現率のよさを実証済み。やっぱりつぎはこれしかないよね。
発売日未定
価格未定
アクション
8M(SG専用)
とんでもないアクション
ロストワールド、大魔界村など、高画質のゲームをたてつづけに開発してきたカプコンが、アクション面を追求した傑作。そのすさまじいほどの主人公の動きはそれまでのアクションゲームの常識を越えていた。PCエンジン版はSG専用で登場とのことで、アクションの動画数は問題なく移植できるはず。ただし、動画数が多くても動きが重くなってしまうようなことにはならないでほしいものだ。
↑飛竜の動きがこのゲームの最大のウリ
←こんな斜面まで登場する多彩なアクション
背景も負けてない
このゲームは、アクションに対する動画の流れに加え、背景の美しさが魅力。そのエキゾチックな背景は、今でも熱狂的なファンを持つ。SGならば、BG2画面という特性をいかし、こうした美しい背景をそっくり移植することが可能だ。ただし、クオリティの高い画面が大量のメモリを食うというのを覚悟しなければならない。
→こんな背景下で戦う
→塔の上まで登れる始末
←そして塔の上での対決。登ったり飛んだり跳ねたり回転したりと多彩きわまりないアクション
*このページの画面は業務用のものです。
|
[From Jan. 91 issue]
| SG専用ソフト撤退へ?
スーパーグラフィックス発表と同時に専用ソフトとしての制作が発表された「ストライダー飛竜」が、PC/SG両対応に変更された。PCエンジンユーザーにとっては朗報が、スーパーグラフィックスユーザーにとっては心中穏やかならぬものがあるのではないだろうか。これでNECアベニューの制作予定でスーパーグラフィックス専用というライナップはなくなる。しかしもちろん、スーパーグラフィックスならばよりクオリティの高いプレイができる両対応という形でサポードしていくとのこと。ちなみに「ストライダー飛竜」は数少ないHuカードソフトで、8メガの予定だ。
↑これは業務用の「ストライダー飛竜」の画面。両対応になった。
|
[From Sept. 91 issue]
| PC・SG両対応Huカード(未定)
派手なアクションとテンポのよいゲーム展開で多くのファンを持つ「ストライダー飛竜」。主人公の飛竜の動きは細かく、自分の思った通りに動かせるのがこのゲームの魅力だ。PCエンジン版はキャラクタが多少小さくなるが、業務用からの完全移植になる。またSGではPCエンジンに比べ、ちらつきが少なくなる。ステージクリアのデモもそのまま再現される予定だ。開発は遅れぎみで、発売はやはり来年になってしまう。
現在の開発状況20%
↑ごりら形ロボットに向かっていく飛竜。こんな奴敵じゃないっスよ!
↑いろいろな仕掛けに飛竜の派手なアクション。これがこのゲームの魅力だ。
|
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