The A-Z of Namco's Classic Arcade Games: Part 3 - 3D Heaven (1993-1999)

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  • Опубліковано 18 жов 2024

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  • @Kim_Justice
    @Kim_Justice  3 місяці тому +40

    Hopefully you've enjoyed this big old Namco arcade series! What's your favourite from this lot of mostly 3D titles? Is there anything fun here that you've discovered? Thanks for watching :)

    • @RetroRulzMyTown
      @RetroRulzMyTown 3 місяці тому +1

      Ah yes, the Sony era. Honestly hard for me to rank my favorites, but I absolutely have all time favorites here. Numan Athletics and Mach Breakers first off is a game that's been turned into a yearly event in my friend group, never getting old for them ever since I showed it to them. Ridge Racer is hands down one of my favorite racing series of all time, and one I'm always up for a challenge in. Tekken needs absolutely no introduction, loved it ever since I played 5 back in Maryland. Outfoxies being the inspiration of my beloved Duck Game and Smash Bros can't be understated and the game being a blast today only shows how long lasting the formula is. Gotta also give some honorable mentions to Armadillo Racing, Pac-Man Arrangement, Soul Calibur and Lucky & Wild though rest assured, I love EVERY game in the lineup. But the spotlight I want to focus on is Mr. Driller, being a game I have SUCH a history with, I'm planning on making a retrospective on it down the line. There's even an incredible story about the creator that has yet to reach English shores, and I want to bring it to life some day.

    • @starlightwitch12
      @starlightwitch12 2 місяці тому +2

      Time Crisis II! That game was my favorite, I play that in a local mall arcade.

    • @philharmonic2251
      @philharmonic2251 2 місяці тому +1

      Just any of their light gun games. Time Crisis, point blank, vampire night, ninja assault, ghoul panic - they're unrivalled in the genre. Only Sega come close with HotD and the virtua cop series, but I'd still always take the namco titles. And they all got ps1 or ps2 ports as well! But that arcade guncon recoil was never effectively replicated at home sadly.
      Seeing prop cycle also unlocked some long forgotten local bowling alley memories!
      Fantastic series of videos, yet again! Your work is always appreciated!

    • @mamehaze
      @mamehaze 2 місяці тому

      I think either Tinkle Pit or Outfoxies; not 3D games but both really benefit from the era they were released in.
      btw for quite a few of these Namco videos you've mentioned that certain games were only released in Japan when they did have export versions, Outfoxies is one of them. The parent set in MAME is an export version, it's easy to see if you compare it to the Japanese releases which have Japanese text down the side. I've had a few people comment on videos on my channel over the years telling me games weren't released outside of Japan even when we know they've been dumped from genuine cabinets, found on location so I guess there's some misinformation around being used as a primary source.
      It's actually surprising how many Namco titles did see distribution outside of Japan, for example finding a version of Armadillo Racing with full English texts was quite the turn-up because until then it was thought to be just too wacky to see any kind of export release. I suspect Namco's direct role in a number of arcades outside of Japan meant releases often did exist, just not in high numbers. Many are also difficult to find these days due to the huge custom cabinets, which often too up too much space to keep around, and became costly to maintain, so that probably hasn't helped.

    • @raggersragnarsson6255
      @raggersragnarsson6255 2 місяці тому

      Absolutely. Quite a few games I never seen in my old arcades in my home town, of which there were quite a few as it was a seaside holiday resort of sorts up until the late 80s. I need to search Mame for a lot of them. I have fond memories of Ridge Racer and Daytona. I shall be seeking them out particularly, along with all of the others to add to my collection, thank you as always. Mame rules and long may it last.

  • @SeanSeanson
    @SeanSeanson 2 місяці тому +2

    Such an insane run of form. Great video as always Kim!

  • @corneliussmiff2773
    @corneliussmiff2773 3 місяці тому +8

    My fond memories of arcades as a kid has alot to do with many Namco games at the time. We are talking circa 1993 - 1997. Time Crisis was my fav all time arcade game, it is nearly impossible to find a cabinet out in the wild these days. Kim, also a massive thank you for finally fixing a two year itch. I could not for the life of me remember the name of 'Numan Athletics' and I didn't even know it was a Namco game. I just remember playing it as a kid and have spent numerous rabbit hole evenings trying to find it for the past few years. 'Niagra Falls Jump Olympic Arcade Game' Just wasn't cutting it in a Google search. THANK YOU! Ridge Racer was the first Namco game I rememeber seeing and thinking "wow, the future is here". Good to see a nod to SimDrive and FullScale, I remember an arcade in Skegness having one of the latter at one point and it blew my 9 year old mind. If it was nearing the time to back to the seaside, on my way home from school on the days leading up to it, I would speed walk humming and beeping the Ridge Racer tune as if I was the car and then randomly cry "Somebody's right on your tail!". Sorry for the novel, but it's so hard to understate how much of an impact Namco arcade games had on me as a child.

  • @thegaminghellyoutubething
    @thegaminghellyoutubething 2 місяці тому +7

    thank you for providing sources, it means a lot to little sites like mine and other resources, although i'm just happy to spread the love for the numan athletics games~ incidentally, just barely two weeks ago, tinkle pit got an arcade archives release so it's a lot more available now!
    although again, some of these games mentioned as japan-only do have dumped boards for nebulous 'world' versions, specifically the outfoxies and mach breakers (mach breakers even has some text differences, removing the 'numan athletics 2' title!)

    • @RetroRulzMyTown
      @RetroRulzMyTown 2 місяці тому

      @@thegaminghellyoutubething You and me both. Numan Athletics is just SO good.

  • @Aragorn7884
    @Aragorn7884 3 місяці тому +9

    Lucky & Wild is one of those games MADE for the Arcade 🥰

  • @martyboy700
    @martyboy700 3 місяці тому +6

    Been waiting on this - thanks for dropping it on a Sunday when I have time to watch it in one go.

  • @skywalkerranch
    @skywalkerranch 3 місяці тому +6

    Excellent stuff, Kim. Thanks once again for all your efforts in making this.

  • @Unquestionable
    @Unquestionable 2 місяці тому +1

    Have to say I appreciate all these great retrospectives on all this classic arcade titles, really makes my day better when I watch one. A local amusement park used to have a Lucky & Wild machine that I thought was the coolest multiplayer experience.

  • @YadonTheCat
    @YadonTheCat 3 місяці тому +12

    "A new ghost called kinky"
    PARDON?!?

  • @glenaitken9403
    @glenaitken9403 3 місяці тому +4

    I used to work on the Ridge Racer full scale car model at Clarence Pier Arcades in Portsmouth in '94/'95. I remember thinking i'd broken it when it buckled when an exceedingly large gentleman got in it. Good times.

    • @wrena79
      @wrena79 2 місяці тому

      I remember that cab. Couldn't miss it obviously. Also went on to work at Clarence pier! Little later mind.

    • @whatamalike
      @whatamalike 2 місяці тому +1

      There used to be one at the old arcade in Meadowhall shopping center, Sheffield.
      Was mega impressive right up until the day it shut down in 2007 or 8, even if a corner of the screen was blacked out 😅

  • @angelriverasantana7755
    @angelriverasantana7755 3 місяці тому +1

    I would have waited an eternity for this!! Especially when I get to see games like the Tekken games, Outfoxies, Point Blank and the MLB Great Sluggers game

  • @emanuelepolloni4002
    @emanuelepolloni4002 3 місяці тому +5

    I “love” how Namco never made a collection of their 3d arcade games. Like I know that Arcade1Up released cabinets that include them, but I don’t have 600€ to spend on buying a single one of them and the space in my house where to put it

  • @GYTCommnts
    @GYTCommnts 2 місяці тому

    Outstanding work! Each of these episodes makes me remember a lot of games and Arcades adventures and get to know gems that I didn't have the chance to enjoy, but now I can with the wonders of emulation.
    Thank you for your excellent work!

  • @TheBeird
    @TheBeird 2 місяці тому +1

    Damn I remember Prop Cycle! I only played it the once, on my 12th birthday I think. Knackered me out but it was a lot of fun. The memories that come back watching vids like these, goddamn

  • @Carls493
    @Carls493 2 місяці тому

    Thank you so much for this entire Namco coverage!

  • @joseagripino8664
    @joseagripino8664 2 місяці тому

    Kim, thank you so much for your service. This video is, as usual, freaking amazing!

  • @ciaranmccarthy
    @ciaranmccarthy 2 місяці тому

    Just back from the twinkle pit and see there's a new Kim Justice video, nice!

  • @twankistevenson3884
    @twankistevenson3884 2 місяці тому +1

    Banger after banger after banger.. thanks for the effort again

  • @JumpingSpiderDesign
    @JumpingSpiderDesign 2 місяці тому

    Hooray for Prop Cycle! This and GTI Club (?) were my favourite sit down cabinets at Time Zone. Similar vibes to Pilot Wings 64. Thanks for the excellent videos, Kim!

  • @TheShedcade
    @TheShedcade Місяць тому

    Top Stuff Kim, have watched a lot of your stuff over the years on my personal channel. Controls Tip : if you are having trouble with driving games then a fairly cheap wheel that only does 180 degrees steering like the 458 Italia one works really well and for Alpine Ski Racer 1 & 2 an analog flightstick works really well for those type of games too.

  • @mvchikolo
    @mvchikolo 3 місяці тому +1

    Looking forward to this. Thanks in advance, Kim! 👏

  • @tobybridson
    @tobybridson 2 місяці тому

    Enjoyed that, Thankyou Kim really good work.

  • @mandlecreed02
    @mandlecreed02 3 місяці тому +1

    Ridge Racer is my fave arcade racer of all time, been looking forward to this video landing ^_^

  • @1974chappers1974
    @1974chappers1974 2 місяці тому +1

    Awesome work Kim., thank you.

  • @speakertreatz
    @speakertreatz 2 місяці тому

    Nice 1 Kim, I've been going back over your series of gaming documentaries and Best Of/Worst Of lists over the last two weeks, hoping for a new one so perfect timing

  • @cartmann94
    @cartmann94 2 місяці тому

    So many memories here.
    My first driving experience was playing Ridge Racer at one of the local bakerys in town.
    I enjoyed going to the TimeOut chain of arcades (which were also owned by Namco) and playing Suzuka 8 hours and later Prop Cycle.
    And not without talking of all the times i rented and played the Ridge Racer games and Tekken 3 at home.

  • @shkeni
    @shkeni 2 місяці тому

    great retrospective! so many memories

  • @ChibiFighter
    @ChibiFighter 2 місяці тому

    Thank you for this amazing coverage of Namco Kim, such a fantastic series of Videos

  • @gmo6854
    @gmo6854 2 місяці тому

    Excellent stuff this has rescued my Sunday. Cheers Kim

  • @Rwirwi1
    @Rwirwi1 2 місяці тому

    Thanks Kim.. really enjoyed this 👍🏻

  • @krissymarklewis1793
    @krissymarklewis1793 2 місяці тому

    Nice vid Kim, There a fair few titles there I couldn't remember the names of.

  • @josecalistro5581
    @josecalistro5581 2 місяці тому

    Every time you talk about a super world stadium game I start to laugh!Thanks for another great video.!

  • @ThePerradox
    @ThePerradox 3 місяці тому

    This has been an amazing video series Kim, brilliant work!

    • @ThePerradox
      @ThePerradox 3 місяці тому

      Tinkle Pit would make a great name for a piano bar. 😅

  • @lilwyvern4
    @lilwyvern4 2 місяці тому

    There's a lot of games in this list which I regret never playing, especially Prop Cycle. Every time I saw it, I always saw somebody else playing it, so I moved on to other things with the intent to circle back around, but inevitably I ran out of tokens by then.
    But man, Techno Drive has that cyber-Shibuya aesthetic that permeated a few games around the turn of the millennium. Jet Set Radio had it, as well as a little-known fighter called Slap Happy Rhythm Busters. (Yes there are more, but I'm getting senile) It's one I never get tired of.

  • @simpleexplodingmaybe
    @simpleexplodingmaybe 2 місяці тому

    I know the graphics and environmental cabs are huge but its the sound of this arcade era that really sets me going. I’m outside Metroland ignoring all the rides and pumping in pound coins all over again.

  • @BURRITO44
    @BURRITO44 2 місяці тому +1

    Awesome

  • @simplesimonhadapie
    @simplesimonhadapie 2 місяці тому

    Fantastic work as always Kim. I loved mach breakers which I came across a month back while going through roms and it's a superb track and field game that I wish got a home port.
    As for Tekken Vs virtua fighter it's namcos every time

  • @anactualmotherbear
    @anactualmotherbear 2 місяці тому

    Another great list of games!

  • @IanWitts
    @IanWitts 2 місяці тому

    Unbelievable content as ever. Even the grind through the quiz games and baseball games!
    It's funny, as I'm a few years older than you and whilst I do have fond memories of games like Time Crisis and Tekkan 3, I think the lines between the arcades and the consoles were already starting to blur. I appreciate (for example) Time Crisis came out a couple of years after the arcade on the PlayStation, but when my mate showed it to me I was blown away - he basically had the arcade machine in his room! I appreciate the fidelity wasn't as good, but that didn't really matter and Soul Calibur (as you mentioned) was actually better than the arcade and at that point the arcade stopped being special. Well, for me it did!

  • @pj3352
    @pj3352 3 місяці тому +1

    Kimmy yay! Gonna watch while munching my roast dinner

  • @peng9179
    @peng9179 3 місяці тому

    I loved Air Cmbat, the arcade unit was so cool.

  • @neilyringworm
    @neilyringworm 2 місяці тому

    Love it Kim, great stuff as usual

  • @CorporalDanLives
    @CorporalDanLives 2 місяці тому

    OHHHHH YES I've been waiting for this one!!!!

  • @lilliputmoss
    @lilliputmoss 3 місяці тому +1

    I managed to get my hands on a Full Scale RR cab when one was still in the Trocadero, I'm pretty sure it was gone only months later.

    • @VirtuaIceMan
      @VirtuaIceMan 2 місяці тому

      Trocadero was Sega World, when I went to London the Ridge Racer Full Scale was actually in a separate Namco arcade. Amusingly as we played a game the attendant asked what sort of music we'd like, we said rock and they said it only has techno (on the real car stereo!)

  • @Naedlus
    @Naedlus 2 місяці тому +2

    Dumb nitpick, but Sephiroth was also a part of the arcade release for Ehrgeiz as an unlockable, used by holding down a button or something during character selection (source: surprised arcade rats back in the day when they seen me doing Final Meteor with the man in black)
    Edit: Just got to the part about Tekken 3, and had a wave of nostalgia wash over me. Tekken 3 was where the series finally "clicked" for me. Before I picked it up for the PS1, I was Soul Blade/Edge for superior fighting play in 3d (it was one of my first two PS1 games, along with Jet Moto.) Even picked up Tekken 1 and 2 after that, and unlocked everything in them, but, finding that they still felt "pat your head and rub your belly," in comparison to pt. 3. No regrets, because it was awesome to honestly claim "I've completed Tekken 3, even the cinema mode," at the time.
    Yet another edit: Oh, oh my, Soul Calibur... if picking up Soul Blade for the PS1 spoiled me for 3D fighters, picking it up for the Dreamcast before I had tried it in the arcades revealed to me we were in a new era. The mere fact that the DC version had characters with four fingers and thumbs, while the short time I later spent with the arcade shocked me with their two fingers and a thumb models. When I had played that arcade game, I realized, I had finally entered the era where the home offerings could be the superior option in all ways.
    Why not another edit!: Konami execs must have apoplectic about not being able to get the Golgo 13 license to go with their Silent Scope series.

  • @joedent3323
    @joedent3323 2 місяці тому +1

    Cheers Kim!

    • @david-ledbury
      @david-ledbury 2 місяці тому

      Yes, nice one, Kim! I remember first encountering Ridge Racer at Megabowl in Poole, it was the fact that it featured a tunnel that made it appear to be such an adventurous 3d advancement for me. A pound a go was big money in those days, mind...

    • @joedent3323
      @joedent3323 2 місяці тому

      LLLLLEEEEEDDDDBBBBUUUURRRYYYY! You Love it!
      @@david-ledbury

  • @evanhanley6437
    @evanhanley6437 3 місяці тому

    Tekken and Soul Calibur will always be my favourite fighting series's ever!

  • @tomenza
    @tomenza 2 місяці тому +1

    "waggeling their joysticks and fingering their buttons" 😂

  • @sadgenius
    @sadgenius 2 місяці тому

    Loads of Cybercycles cabs in Southend back in the day - didn't know it was lesser known Namco racer :-)

    • @sadgenius
      @sadgenius 2 місяці тому

      That being said, it could have been 1 ;-)

  • @bombjack1984
    @bombjack1984 2 місяці тому

    Ah, the memories of trying to play MAME racing games with the keyboard 😆

  • @bjornh1527
    @bjornh1527 2 місяці тому

    Being a Dreamcas fan Soul Calibur is my favourite here, but I get really interested in Aqua Rush! Personally I consider Quarth/ Block Hole to be the best puzzle game ever, so anything with similarities peaks my interest!

  • @bombjack1984
    @bombjack1984 2 місяці тому

    The Outfoxies looks like it would have been perfect for the Saturn. Reminds me a lot of Elevator Action Returns.

  • @goodoljaelencole2272
    @goodoljaelencole2272 3 місяці тому

    Thank you for making this video series. I have a deep admiration for PAC-MAN and classic Namco and it's a shame that most of their back catalogue has been pretty much abandoned ever since their merge with Bandai in 2006. Now, a large majority of their game output is just licensed anime games. Let me preface this by saying that while those sorts of games are not a personal interest of mine, I won't disregard other's enjoyment of those games and series. The thing that bothers me is that because of this huge focus on developing licensed anime games, it's left a bevy of Namco's classic catalogue IPs in limbo. Characters like Dig Dug, Mappy, Gil, and others from Namco's Arcade lineup of the 80s/ 90s have been left to rot in obscurity in favor of these licensed games. I wish that Bandai Namco could focus some of their efforts into revitalizing and bringing some new light into those IPs that have been pretty much laying dormant for decades at this point. Maybe find a way to integrate the characters and Worlds into the PAC-MAN series at least? I don't know, I just don't want to have to wait for the next Namco Museum or whatever for those games and characters to receive recognition again.

  • @STR82DVD
    @STR82DVD 2 місяці тому

    Fantastic!!!!

  • @mateuszpawowski8139
    @mateuszpawowski8139 2 місяці тому

    33:58 That's way too relatable

  • @corsegerspwnd
    @corsegerspwnd 3 місяці тому

    Great content.

  • @chrisg7613
    @chrisg7613 2 місяці тому

    I remember that air combat cab in a Blackpool arcade around 1999 might have been the same one that had the almighty ridge racer full scale. My dad would always moan about the price of the ridge racer cab "should be 20p" 😂

  • @ViegasSilva
    @ViegasSilva 3 місяці тому

    Cyber Sled arcade version was released for the Wii Virtual Console in Japan.

  • @mrdsjenzie
    @mrdsjenzie 2 місяці тому

    beat ridge racer, last arcade game i went on was prop cycle

  • @nosferadu
    @nosferadu 2 місяці тому

    Kim, looks like you're playing these with the keyboard. You should play arcade games (at least racing titles) with an analog controller like a joystick.

  • @seppackynewman7802
    @seppackynewman7802 2 місяці тому

    Thanks for all your work Kim. Amazing Video as always!

  • @ThrashAD720
    @ThrashAD720 2 місяці тому

    You should review every Baseball game ever.

  • @TruckerJenkins82
    @TruckerJenkins82 3 місяці тому

    The final great arcade era

  • @0svvan0
    @0svvan0 3 місяці тому

    if I won the lottery, I wouldn't tell a soul.
    but real ones would know when I showed up towing a Lucky & Wild cabinet.

  • @LordTeaboBaggins
    @LordTeaboBaggins 2 місяці тому

    I remember playing Numan Athletics at a resort in the early 90s. And I gotta say- it’s criminal to name a game Numan Athletics and not have Gary Numan as one of the playable characters.
    0/10 do not recommend
    EDIT: Fun fact- in Tekken 3, the moves for King were motion captured by none other than the Murder Grandpa himself, Minoru Suzuki

  • @SomeOrangeCat
    @SomeOrangeCat 2 місяці тому

    Actually the PSX port of Cyber Sled had BETTER graphics than the arcade. You got the option of fully texture-mapped graphics over the flat-shaded polygons.

  • @ralfvanbogaert3451
    @ralfvanbogaert3451 2 місяці тому

    Why are you playing racers with digital controls?

  • @blackcurtains4710
    @blackcurtains4710 2 місяці тому

    Looks like SONY themselves ripped off DIRT DASH 35:42 with Rally Cross on the PS1. The pixelated mud and dark unforgiving terrain taken straight from the arcade. As for RAVE RACER and ALPINE RACER. Oh boy 41:42 and 33:41 the memories of people playing those at, what is now called, Leigh Delamere services Westbound M4 UK is late 90s nostalgia to the max.

    • @blackcurtains4710
      @blackcurtains4710 2 місяці тому

      I spoke too soon. 52:54 SONY ripped off NAMCO again. This time Alpine "Surfer" arcade with Cool Boarders PS1.

  • @scottl.1568
    @scottl.1568 2 місяці тому

    I'll be the judge of this 😅

  • @jabrondestoroyah
    @jabrondestoroyah 2 місяці тому

    We love Kim Justice up in this mf

  • @johnmc3862
    @johnmc3862 2 місяці тому

    Good man Kim!

  • @summerlaverdure
    @summerlaverdure 3 місяці тому

    no mention of the magic edge hornet? i know that emulation is obviously impossible and due to cost it was only in a few locations, but its still cool
    excellent video otherwise

  • @bombjack1984
    @bombjack1984 2 місяці тому

    Ehrgeiz is pronounced more like Air-Gites (rhymes with kites).