There was even a really cool promotional cassette Sounds fuckin crisp and it even features an arrange version of the 1st theme ua-cam.com/video/bsiVHi22ZgI/v-deo.html
Great video; wasn't even aware of the SFC version. The GB version was so dang good. I remember picking this up at a secondhand store back in the day, primarily it was all I could afford, and ended up loving it. ...I can't be the only one who called it "Heeeenkaio Alien" when they were younger, right?
Heiankyo Alien also received an updated Steam release in 2017 from Mindware, which has released similar updates of several old Japanese computer games. Also, this release of Heiankyo Alien includes both a new game mode with new gameplay elements and adaptation of the old arcade version with working sound.
How interesting. Seeing the title I figured I was completely unfamiliar with but as it turns out I have the Vic-20 version. I had no idea that this was originally an Arcade game and that there were other ports. I had assumed it was a Vic-20 original.
I love this game! I as well mostly play the gameboy version and didn't know about two of these ports. These videos are why I am glad you have a Patreon so I can help you make more.
Thank you very much. I just wish I had the time to put more in yo my videos. Who knows, one day I may win the lottery, then I can quit my job and spend my time making better videos.
The GameBoy version is a real gem, I was telling some tourists in Osaka recently I recommended it as a pick up (but not at the price on sale there.) I was also lucky digging through the racks in a BOOK OFF in Suzuka City back in April, for just under 1000yen I found the Super Famicom version :)
Yeah, any place where tourist go is bound to have something like this at a stupidly inflated price. For a boxed copy in great condition I'd pay a max of 4000 yen.
The VIC-20 was a nice little computer. Sure it wasn't as powerful as it's direct descendant, but it was beloved all the same. It also had one of the most comprehensive basic manuals ever printed too! They really wanted to create a generation of coders with that thing!
Though I'm familiar with the game because of Jeremy Parish's coverage of it, I've never felt the pull to actually try the game though I do like maze-style arcade games. I probably should, since one of my best friends bought a copy of the Gameboy version 4 or 5 years back and said he really enjoyed it. Nichibutsu obviously had a license to release their Super Famicom port, but I wonder if Booby Kids was also a licensed pseudo-sequel or just a sort-of clone that maybe got them the chance to do their SFC version.
Nihon Busan a.k.a. Nichibutsu are (actually, were, since they sold their games catalog to Hamster) the owner and creators of both Heyankio Alien and Booby Kids so they would have little trouble obtaining the rights to porting their own games 😉.
I had the vfd version of the game in the uk it was called Earth Invaders by cgl. There is a real skill to playing the game because the play area is so small.
I love that Nichibutsu were among the first to take the time to port their own arcade games rather than farm them out. They also took care to not only port but enhance them, which was not very common either. In short, they cared and it showed. Thanks for the great video Mark!
Great history on this one= not familiar with the game at all, but I love to see gaming started. It's crazy to think of arcade games in the 1970's - what an amazing time it would have been!
This 1979 game seems to be odd, but pretty interesting! I never knew that Booby Kids was based up on that game, or the fact that it was an early maze chase game before Pac-Man came out! One of the most basic games, but a fun game to play!
this was one of those rare cases where the game boy port is the superior version not only in audio but style. don't know what they were thinking with the bland characters for the updated sfc port 🤣
@@RetroCore It is totaly different from the orignal Mr. Do game. ua-cam.com/video/rvm83fx7dhI/v-deo.html I only recently discovered this game. The gameplay, music is awesome. There are 4 ways to complete a level. Talk about strategy! I think that this is a hidden gem. It is hidden, because people (at least I did) assume this is just another name for Mr. Do Mr. Do's Castle was ported to the ColecoVision, MSX, Atari 2600, Atari 5200, Atari 8-bit family, Commodore 64, and X68000. The Atari, Commodore, and ColecoVision were published by Parker Bros.
As someone else already said, this may be the first game on your videos, that I haven't actually heard about... Ever ;) Anyway, at -79 I would have been 6 years old and don't have anything about the coinup-times from Finland at that time... From the video... I only count the VIC one as a proper version. And for the machine, that looks fantastic! The graphics bring me memories of Mattel's Aquarius and of course, Mattel's Intellivision ... I have have owned Aquarius back at the days, though no Mattel Intellivision....
In 1979 I was 4. I don't think I had any exposure to games at that point in time 😢 The VIC20 release is practically unknown in the English speaking world. I only found out about it via a Japanese site which mentioned the Commodore VIC1001, never knew that was the name of the Vic 20 in Japan.
I looked on Wikipedia if this was released in North America and it was, but it was known as Digger. Never played this game, but I would like to try the Super Famicom version.
Shame you couldn't find the Japanese computer ports but very good video! Also, like you, I wasn't aware of the recent Windows port. Do you have any racing games down the line?
Hmm.... Racing games. It's been a while since I did one of those. I'll take a look around to see what options there are. A lot of racing games seem to be exclusive or just have one port.
Where did you find out about the VIC-20 and Gakken versions. I looked on both Wikipedia and MobyGames, but they were no mention of either ports. They did however mention the NEC PC-8001 and Apple II versions, which as you brought up, are just missing, they're nowhere online. I reckon I should bring them up to the Lost Media Wiki, but those numb nuts are more interested in labelling cancelled or unfinished video games as "lost games" rather than video games that were released and available at one point, but are now lost, which IMO, are a lot more interesting. They also like hunting down private sex and suicide tapes, so yeah, real classy bunch they are. I love lost media, but don't go anywhere near Lost Media Wiki. Also, Nichibutsu didn't make the original Arcade version? That's news to me!
The Vic 20 version was only released in Japan. Which is probably why many don't know about it. It's also just called Alien. I can imagine many people thinking it was a game based upon the Alien movie. Sadly the Apple II and Japanese PC versions are impossible to find. 😭
GET. IN. THE. HOLE. O_x Gameboy version is great fun, what a classic remake. Even it's music is sokid, for a gameboy game. And wow I did not know this was on the vic 20! Neat.
![Heiankyo Alien [Game Boy] 1990 Promotional Cassette Tape | Full rip](/img/n.gif)
The music from the gameboy version is SO FREAKING GOOD!
Yooo I just discovered this game last month and I 1000% agree with you
I agree. Great use of stereo as well.
There was even a really cool promotional cassette
Sounds fuckin crisp and it even features an arrange version of the 1st theme
ua-cam.com/video/bsiVHi22ZgI/v-deo.html
I completely agree.
The Game Boy port is amazing, a real hidden gem. I didn't even know about the SFC version. Gonna have to track down a copy now.
Jeez, that particular sound effects unlocked a memory alright. Yes, the VIC-20 version I remembered a lot.
Jeremy Parish will love this one!
Your increasing my gaming knowledge yet again this week, never seen this before, love it.
Glad to hear it!
It's a good thing the Super Famicom version exists since we currently don't have sound emulation for the arcade version
I did concidered dubbing over the SFC audio on to the PC footage but I thought that was cheating since I don't know if it is 100% correct.
@@RetroCore Interesting
Great video; wasn't even aware of the SFC version. The GB version was so dang good. I remember picking this up at a secondhand store back in the day, primarily it was all I could afford, and ended up loving it. ...I can't be the only one who called it "Heeeenkaio Alien" when they were younger, right?
It is a tricky name to pronounce even for someone who speaks Japanese. Or at least I think so. 😅
Heiankyo Alien also received an updated Steam release in 2017 from Mindware, which has released similar updates of several old Japanese computer games. Also, this release of Heiankyo Alien includes both a new game mode with new gameplay elements and adaptation of the old arcade version with working sound.
Nice to know. Thanks for the information.
How interesting. Seeing the title I figured I was completely unfamiliar with but as it turns out I have the Vic-20 version. I had no idea that this was originally an Arcade game and that there were other ports. I had assumed it was a Vic-20 original.
I love this game! I as well mostly play the gameboy version and didn't know about two of these ports. These videos are why I am glad you have a Patreon so I can help you make more.
Thank you very much. I just wish I had the time to put more in yo my videos.
Who knows, one day I may win the lottery, then I can quit my job and spend my time making better videos.
Another interesting game included in Nichibutsu arcade classics. Sooner os later, I'll got a copy for my collection.
Thanks for the show!❤
You're welcome 👍
Waiting for Jeremy to pop up in three... two... one...
As in Jeremy Parish?
@@mypkamax Yep!
The GameBoy version is a real gem, I was telling some tourists in Osaka recently I recommended it as a pick up (but not at the price on sale there.) I was also lucky digging through the racks in a BOOK OFF in Suzuka City back in April, for just under 1000yen I found the Super Famicom version :)
Yeah, any place where tourist go is bound to have something like this at a stupidly inflated price.
For a boxed copy in great condition I'd pay a max of 4000 yen.
The VIC-20 was a nice little computer. Sure it wasn't as powerful as it's direct descendant, but it was beloved all the same. It also had one of the most comprehensive basic manuals ever printed too! They really wanted to create a generation of coders with that thing!
I never had a VIC 20 myself but a friend of mine did. I had the Commodore Plus 4 which was basically a beefed up C16 in a nicer case.
the VIC-20 was my first ever machine, and still have a couple today that I probably use more than any of my other (far too many) micros of that era
@@RetroCore Commodore made lovely things, even while Jack Tramiel was doing his damndest to ruin the company.
It’s been zero days since the last mention of Heiankyo Alien on this channel.
Really? Must be on everyone's mind 😁
It's revolutionary for the time
It sure was. Especially concidering it came before Pacman.
Funny art style on Super Famicom. Guy dressed up in wizard's robes, digging hole to trap the aliens😄
I thought he was a famermer at first 🤣
Though I'm familiar with the game because of Jeremy Parish's coverage of it, I've never felt the pull to actually try the game though I do like maze-style arcade games. I probably should, since one of my best friends bought a copy of the Gameboy version 4 or 5 years back and said he really enjoyed it. Nichibutsu obviously had a license to release their Super Famicom port, but I wonder if Booby Kids was also a licensed pseudo-sequel or just a sort-of clone that maybe got them the chance to do their SFC version.
Nihon Busan a.k.a. Nichibutsu are (actually, were, since they sold their games catalog to Hamster) the owner and creators of both Heyankio Alien and Booby Kids so they would have little trouble obtaining the rights to porting their own games 😉.
I had the vfd version of the game in the uk it was called Earth Invaders by cgl. There is a real skill to playing the game because the play area is so small.
@@GloryYoshi2020-TheBritishMF yeah, eventually in the UK we got both. CGL did a lot of vfd games
Indeed.👍
Oh a new Battle of the Ports. Nice!
I love that Nichibutsu were among the first to take the time to port their own arcade games rather than farm them out. They also took care to not only port but enhance them, which was not very common either.
In short, they cared and it showed.
Thanks for the great video Mark!
Very enjoyable, as always.
Glad you enjoyed it
Great history on this one= not familiar with the game at all, but I love to see gaming started. It's crazy to think of arcade games in the 1970's - what an amazing time it would have been!
It would have been amazing to see a TV you could control!
On the Game Boy, the sound is soothing to the ear, even sounds nicer than Super Nintendo.
I agree. The GB sound on this game is very well done.
This 1979 game seems to be odd, but pretty interesting! I never knew that Booby Kids was based up on that game, or the fact that it was an early maze chase game before Pac-Man came out!
One of the most basic games, but a fun game to play!
this was one of those rare cases where the game boy port is the superior version not only in audio but style. don't know what they were thinking with the bland characters for the updated sfc port 🤣
Amiga and Speccy saved from another scutching this week then.
Yep. Actually, I'm surprised there wasn't an ports to the speccy at least. Maybe there's a knock off version on the Speccy?
I love trap ' em ups. My favorite is Mr Do's Castle
Mr. Do is a classic.
@@RetroCore It is totaly different from the orignal Mr. Do game. ua-cam.com/video/rvm83fx7dhI/v-deo.html I only recently discovered this game. The gameplay, music is awesome. There are 4 ways to complete a level. Talk about strategy! I think that this is a hidden gem. It is hidden, because people (at least I did) assume this is just another name for Mr. Do
Mr. Do's Castle was ported to the ColecoVision, MSX, Atari 2600, Atari 5200, Atari 8-bit family, Commodore 64, and X68000. The Atari, Commodore, and ColecoVision were published by Parker Bros.
I like the Game Boy version Mark. The music is really enjoyable for sure. Now I'm off to play it. 8^)
Anthony..
Yes, the music is really good on the GameBoy version.
As long as the port is solid and plays faithfully, I can forgive a misacted resolution. And all of them featured here look really solid.
Yep, they mostly play how the should.
:44 Yeah if you want sound, you need to get the version included with Heiankyo Alien 3671.
It that the windows release?
As someone else already said, this may be the first game on your videos, that I haven't actually heard about... Ever ;)
Anyway, at -79 I would have been 6 years old and don't have anything about the coinup-times from Finland at that time...
From the video... I only count the VIC one as a proper version. And for the machine, that looks fantastic!
The graphics bring me memories of Mattel's Aquarius and of course, Mattel's Intellivision ...
I have have owned Aquarius back at the days, though no Mattel Intellivision....
In 1979 I was 4. I don't think I had any exposure to games at that point in time 😢
The VIC20 release is practically unknown in the English speaking world. I only found out about it via a Japanese site which mentioned the Commodore VIC1001, never knew that was the name of the Vic 20 in Japan.
@@RetroCore hmmm, I wasn't aware of any Japanese only VIC-20 games.. I need to go a-hunting
great stuff
Thanks.
I looked on Wikipedia if this was released in North America and it was, but it was known as Digger. Never played this game, but I would like to try the Super Famicom version.
Yeah, I think I mention that on the video 😊
Shame you couldn't find the Japanese computer ports but very good video! Also, like you, I wasn't aware of the recent Windows port.
Do you have any racing games down the line?
Hmm.... Racing games. It's been a while since I did one of those. I'll take a look around to see what options there are. A lot of racing games seem to be exclusive or just have one port.
Another one I've never heard of. Overhead loderunner
Yep, in a way it is.
This is probably the only game you’ve made a video on I don’t think I’ve ever heard of in my life 😂😂😂😂😂
If you read the comment section of last week's video you'd know it all too well 🥴
@@diskyboy86 I didn’t do that so there you go
Hopefully they'll be more in the future 😊
Somewhere, off in a quiet corner, Jeremy Parish sheds a tear.
Very strange game. I played the Sega version, though...I didn't know it was that popular 😊
I have to confess that I've never seem the Sega/Gremlin release.
I was really expecting a 2D side-scroller, like Ninja Spirit, but with Aliens.
To say that my expectations were subverted, is really not enough 😐
The title does give the impression of a shooter, as does the artwork.
@@RetroCore Now that you mentioned it, the artwork really look like Galaga's
so Doraemon: Meikyuu Daisakusen for PC-Engine/TurboGrafx need to say thanks to this game huh.
Yep, it sure does.
heard the name but never seen the game until now ....... this could be cool on mobile these days
I'm surprised the isn't a knock off version on mobile.
I wonder if the Gameboy and supernes versions inspired the author of the manga Gintama 🤨
Missing: Famicom (on Neo Heiankyo Alien), 3671
different game
@@RetroCore It's literally got a port of the original game, c'mon...
I never knew that. But at least the Vic 20 version is covered. No English language site mentions that one 👍
@@RetroCore yeah, Neo Heianakyo Alien is a homebrew port from 2017. I wouldn't blame you for not knowing about it ot thinking it's a different game.
My fave port is the Gamboy one. 😂
Where did you find out about the VIC-20 and Gakken versions. I looked on both Wikipedia and MobyGames, but they were no mention of either ports. They did however mention the NEC PC-8001 and Apple II versions, which as you brought up, are just missing, they're nowhere online. I reckon I should bring them up to the Lost Media Wiki, but those numb nuts are more interested in labelling cancelled or unfinished video games as "lost games" rather than video games that were released and available at one point, but are now lost, which IMO, are a lot more interesting. They also like hunting down private sex and suicide tapes, so yeah, real classy bunch they are. I love lost media, but don't go anywhere near Lost Media Wiki. Also, Nichibutsu didn't make the original Arcade version? That's news to me!
The Vic 20 version was only released in Japan. Which is probably why many don't know about it. It's also just called Alien. I can imagine many people thinking it was a game based upon the Alien movie.
Sadly the Apple II and Japanese PC versions are impossible to find. 😭
@@RetroCore I'm guessing the Apple II version was Japenese exlcuisve too. I looked for it under both the names of Alien and Digger, but found nothing.
you forgot the steam version
the SuperFami version sounds very PCE-ish
It's probably because it's emulating the Arcade version.
Never heard before 😱weird game
It is a weird game but also part of gaming history.
I Remember EGM saying of the Gameboy version in their review, something like “this is the worst named game ever”
EGM was a turd of a magazine anyway 😁. Game Fan was the American magazine of choice back then.
GET. IN. THE. HOLE. O_x
Gameboy version is great fun, what a classic remake. Even it's music is sokid, for a gameboy game. And wow I did not know this was on the vic 20! Neat.