Arcade Games That Were Never Ported to a Console.

[briskbc]

I was going through an old issue of Next Generation when I came to their Alpha section. They had a 3 page article on The Star Wars Trilogy arcade machine by Sega. Up until that moment I had forgotten the game completely. I have only played it once, on my honeymoon. I don't remember too much about it. What I do remember was carrying around a cautious sense of optimism that this game was going to make it to the Dreamcast. Even in the face of Sega's official "No!" concerning the issue. I didn't have a DC at the time but I would have bought one in a second had it been released.

Can anyone think of an arcade game that was begging to be ported to a console but never made it.

[GaijinPunch]

I have only played it once, on my honeymoon.


Not even going to comment. :)

While there are probably tons of them, the only few that come to mind are some shooters.

Dogyuun
Macross
Macross 2 (I think this is it)
Macross Plus

Only played 2 of the Macross games -- one of them was definitely worth a port. Not sure about Macross Plus.

[Arrrhalomynn]

I'm very sad Scud Race never got a converstion the the Dreamcast. I loved that game.

[Sotenga]

Aliens by Konami. That game ruled, and it was quite faithful to its source material too! Oh, and the arcade classic beat-em-up, Alien vs. Predator never made it to consoles either! What the hell is it with good Alien games not making it to our households?!? :angry:

[Zubiac666]

Denjin Makai 2/Guardians was also never ported to a home-console.
One of my fav beat'em up.

but I'm most pissed that they never released the "Undercover Cops"-port for SNES!
That's really a shame cause it was already finished and hell of a port.
I found the rom and it is easily the best side-scrolling beat'em up for SNES.
:angry:

[atomicthumbs]

I agree with this one...

No Star Wars Trilogy Arcade on the Sega Dreamcast.

http://members.fortunecity.co.uk/moviegames/starwarstrilogycab.jpg from 1998

AND

http://members.fortunecity.co.uk/moviegames/starwarscab.jpg from 1993 (32X aside)

*sniff, sniff*

Maybe 15 years from now they'll be included on a pre-order demo disc for Star Wars: Episode IX - Anakin Solo's Wacky Racers.

[YoshiM]

Black Tiger just SCREAMED to be put on a console. It was being made on the NES but it never came to be. Timber was another that would have been fun.

[maxlords]

Hmmmmmm.... Cadillacs & Dinosaurs and Punisher come to mind, as does Space Gun (which would have sucked without a good gun), Armed Police Batrider, and a few others I can't remember off the top of my head.

[youruglyclone]

Hmmmmmm.... Cadillacs & Dinosaurs and Punisher come to mind, as does Space Gun (which would have sucked without a good gun), Armed Police Batrider, and a few others I can't remember off the top of my head.

didn't punisher come out for the genesis?

but my biggest gripe was no love was shown for the wild west cowboys of moo mesa....oh yeah and bucky o'hare

[8-Bit Master]

Punisher was released for the Genesis and Bucky O'Hare was released for the NES. I think Konami's seminal X-Men beat 'em up should have been ported to something (Saturn possibly). I also wish (and I'm getting old here I know) that Anteater, Chameleon, and Circus Charlie were ported to the Colecovision. I think the arcade version of Willow by Capcom should have been ported to the SNES, or perhaps even now on the GBA. The version they made for NES was just so different. :o

[Ed Oscuro]

I also wish (and I'm getting old here I know) that Anteater, Chameleon, and Circus Charlie were ported to the Colecovision.

I see auctions for the MSX version of Circus Charlie all the time. Yeah, not quite the same, I know :) Maybe Opcode will do something about that eventually.

Also gotta agree with Sotenga on the Konami Aliens, and 8-Bit on X-Men. I don't think either game would've fared well on the Genesis (maybe the Super NES), and again there's the license issue. Darn shame, seeing how the Contra dudes made a cameo (um, sort of) in X-Men :)

[Hamsnibit]

Funny coincidence that I first played Star Wars Trilogy on my honeymoon too! Anyway I agree that game should have been put out for console I love it. Konami Aliens would have been great. Alien vs Predator was released for SNES btw.

[Sotenga]

Alien vs Predator was released for SNES btw.

Yes, but that was an entirely different game from the arcade title, unfortunately. There are actually quite a few game with the AvP title... isn't one of them an FPS?

[Dire 51]

What about Konami's four player Simpsons arcade game? I think Acclaim had the home rights to the Simpsons tied up for severalyears... maybe that's why it never showed up.

[buttasuperb]

Yea I wish that Simpsons game woulda got ported somewhere, fantastic game.

And it is a shame AvP never was ported either, as that is one of the best games of all time, imo.

[Retsudo]

I remember a furturistic fighting game called Bloodstorm I use to play in the cades. Never seen it on a console. It was something like Time Killers.

[Sotenga]

I remember a furturistic fighting game called Bloodstorm I use to play in the cades. Never seen it on a console. It was something like Time Killers.

That's because it was the much-improved sequel to Time Killers. Okay, so it just screamed "Mortal Kombat ripoff," but it actually had some fun innovations here and there, and I would have liked to see it come to some system... probably not the SNES, Nintendo would have censored everything they could find...

And I also wish there was a home version of The Simpsons... DAMN ACCLAIM... :angry: :angry: :angry:

[LazingBlazers]

Great 1000 Miles Rally.

Would have made a good console game.

[Dire 51]

...and on the subject of Accalaim and their rights to home versions of different licenses, maybe that's why Konami never ported the X-Men arcade game home either. I'm pretty sure Acclaim release a couple of X-Men games for the 16-bit systems and so did Sega... and come to think of it, so did Capcom. Maybe Acclaim, Capcom and Sega had the rights to release X-Men games for home systems and Konami didn't.

What I wouldn't give to find out the real reasons why Konami never released these particular games for home consoles...

[NintendoMan]

I with the star wars trilogy as well!

Some games I am glad come to home consoles are the shooting games like virtua cop, time crisis, house of the dead, and confidential mission, as well as silent scope. I say these because gun games aren't made very often these days on home consoles.

[Spoony Bard]

Dolphin Blue. I finally got to play it in an arcade after months of wanting to play, and its amazing. Metal Slug on current hardware is the only way to describe it.

[Queen Of The Felines]

Zookeeper. :(

Kristine

[Kid Fenris]

Bucky O'Hare was released for the NES

It's not the same game as the arcade beat-'em-up. The NES title is a side-scrolling action-shooter, and a surprisingly good one, at that. Some of the Treasure team worked on it while they were still with Konami.


Yea I wish that Simpsons game woulda got ported somewhere, fantastic game.

And it is a shame AvP never was ported either, as that is one of the best games of all time, imo.

Agreed on both counts. It's too bad that Capcom's AvP license apparently expired seconds after they made the arcade game. The only signs of it since then are Linn Kurosawa's cameos in Street Fighter backgrounds, and what's-her-face from Cannon Spike, who's Linn in everything but name.

BloodStorm was actually planned for the Saturn and PlayStation, and EGM ran some ugly screenshots in mid-1995. Perhaps there's a proto somewhere.

One of my favorite arcade-only releases is ESP Ra.De, a spectacular shooter from the Cave stables. And because Cave doesn't port anything but Donpachi derivatives, ESP Ra.De will never come to a home console. A pity, as the Dreamcast could've handled a perfect conversion.

And I'd really like to play Dolphin Blue.

[autobotracing]

MY favs




KI 2
sega super GT
sega initial d racing 2
dance maniax

[Jorpho]

Wasn't Aliens vs Predator released on the SNES? And I think X-men and The Simpsons were released on the PC. In fact, wasn't there a TG16 port of The Simpsons?

[Spoony Bard]

Wasn't Aliens vs Predator released on the SNES? And I think X-men and The Simpsons were released on the PC. In fact, wasn't there a TG16 port of The Simpsons?
There was an AvP game on the SNES, but its a different beat-em-up I'm fairly certain.

[maxlords]

Punisher was released for the Genesis...

Sort of. It's an adaption, but it's not the same game and not nearly as good!

[IntvGene]

My nominations:

Strike Force
Sinistar (2600 proto exists)

And in case anyone really wants to try home versions, there was a DOS release of the Simpsons, and Atari ST and Amiga versions of Black Tiger.

[link1110]

Here's one: According to MAME, Gradius 2 was released to american arcades as "Vulcan Venture" but that was never brought to american consoles.

[KJN]

And I think X-men and The Simpsons were released on the PC. In fact, wasn't there a TG16 port of The Simpsons?
I know there was a PC version and a Commodore 64 version of The Simposons but they (or at least the C64 version) were only released in the US.

One game I used to play alot and wanted a home version of back then was Psychic 5 (http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?letter=P&game_id=9140).

[Raccoon Lad]

as does Space Gun (which would have sucked without a good gun.

Space Gun is on the Sega Master System


I would have loved to see a home port of Snap Jack

[SoulBlazer]

Kind of late to the thread, but....

The arcade version of TRON!

And even better if it had the joystick with it!

[portnoyd]

*sniff*.... Juno First. :( :( :( :( Unless it has been ported, and I don't know about it.

dave

[Kroogah]

Capcom Bowling/Coors Light Bowling. And The Simpsons. The only arcade cabinets I actually want to own.

I'm also pissed about Dance Maniax not getting a home release, and Guitar Freaks/Drummania stopping after 4th/3rd. They just released 10th/9th in the arcade.

[CRV]

*sniff*.... Juno First. Unless it has been ported, and I don't know about it.

Though they're not consoles, it was ported to the MSX1 computers in Japan (and probably Europe).

[Ze_ro]

Oh man, there are TONS of great games that never made it out of the arcade... some of my choices:

Major Havoc (Anyone want to make a Vectrex port?)
WWF Wrestlefest (Best wrestling game ever)
Alien Vs. Predator (Still one of my favorite arcade games)
Planet Harriers (I was really hoping for a Dreamcast or Gamecube port)
Bosconian (Or is there a version I don't know about?)
Bubble Symphony and/or Bubble Memories (are there PSX versions?)
Pandora's Palace (A NES version would probably work)
Both of Capcom's Dungeons & Dragons games (There was a Jap Saturn version, but were there any NA versions? A GBA port would kick ass)
FixEight (No one knows this game, but it's probably my #1 favorite arcade game. MAME doesn't do it properly, but it's like Out Zone (In fact, I think it's a sequel))
Knights of the Round (Was there a SNES version of this?)
2 on 2 Open Ice Hockey (Although I seem to remember a PC version...)
Port Man (This would make a good ColecoVision game)
Ripcord (I was looking forward to a ColecoVision version when I was a kid, but it never came out)
T-Mek (Alright, there's a 32X version.... but I want more. I really wanted a Jaguar version, but had to settle for Hover Strike instead :( )
Tempest (Yeah, I know there's 2000... but this really should have been available on home systems MUCH sooner)
Undercover Cops (Would have been good on the SNES)
Zoo Keeper (Or is there one?)

--Zero

[Dire 51]

Wasn't Aliens vs Predator released on the SNES? And I think X-men and The Simpsons were released on the PC. In fact, wasn't there a TG16 port of The Simpsons?

AvP did come out on the SNES, but it was by Activision, and aside from being a beat-em up and the license, had little in common with the arcade game. Having played them both, I can definitely say that the SNES version is inferior - not because it's on the SNES, but because it isn't very good.

If there was a TG16 port of the Simpsons arcade game, I've never seen it. In fact, I honestly don't think there was one. I do recall it being released for the C64, as other people here have confirmed, but I don't think X-Men was... there were a few other X-Men games for the C64, but none of them were remotely like the arcade.


Bosconian (Or is there a version I don't know about?)

You can get it on the PS1 Namco Museum Volume 1.


Both of Capcom's Dungeons & Dragons games (There was a Jap Saturn version, but were there any NA versions? A GBA port would kick ass)

I wished for a NA version, but it never happened.


Knights of the Round (Was there a SNES version of this?)

Yep.


Tempest (Yeah, I know there's 2000... but this really should have been available on home systems MUCH sooner)

It's available for the PS1 on Midway's Atari Collection Volume 1.

[CRV]

Undercover Cops (Would have been good on the SNES)

It came out for the Super Famicom.

[hu6800]

I liked these arcade machines alot..

MACH 3
Cosmik Kruiser
century Eagle

I agree..........
They should release a perfect port of TRON with a replica of the controller
for a home system... screw the tron 2.0 crap.
Id buy it if they did.

[The Collector]

What about Carnevil? I know alot of people say it sucked, but I liked it :D

[goatdan]

I'm very sad Scud Race never got a converstion the the Dreamcast. I loved that game.

I know that this is a few days late, but HECK YEAH! We had that game at the CEC I worked at, and I got really, really good at it. It wasn't a great arcade machine because it took so long to get decent at, but it would've been the perfect home console port for the Dreamcast.

I would agree with the person that said Killer Instinct 2 wholeheartedly. KI was one of the best-selling SNES games, why didn't Nintendo try to cash in on this series again? I know that the N64 got KI Gold, but they should have also got KI2.

[KJN]

Bubble Symphony and/or Bubble Memories (are there PSX versions?)

Bubble Symphony was released on both Saturn and Playstation. Although it's called Bubble Bobble 2 in europe for some reason.

With all these compilations being released someone really should dig up Marble man (http://www.toadstool.net/games/marble/marbleman/), unreleased sequel to Marble Madness.

Oh and there havent been a home version of I, Robot (http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?letter=I&game_id=8172) has it?

[TheRedEye]

Only one mention of Major Havoc, and NO mention of Mad Planets? You guys disappoint me.

[thunderkid]

My pick would have to be Jambo Safari. Even though it ran on Naomi/Dreamcast hardware, sega never released it.

[oesiii]

*sniff*.... Juno First. :( :( :( :( Unless it has been ported, and I don't know about it.

dave


There's also a good port of Juno First on the Atari 8bit computers which were my gaming 'console' of choice back in the day :)

So with the MSX and Atari versions you could actually easily play this game on an Xbox or Dreamcast through emulation 8-)

[opcode]

I also wish (and I'm getting old here I know) that Anteater, Chameleon, and Circus Charlie were ported to the Colecovision.

I see auctions for the MSX version of Circus Charlie all the time. Yeah, not quite the same, I know :) Maybe Opcode will do something about that eventually.


Yep, there is a MSX version of Circus Charlie available, but honestly I don't think it is worth too much. Maybe I could offer it as an Opcode club exclusive... ;) :roll:

Eduardo Mello

[metal_head]

I really really wanted to see "Daytona 2" on the Dreamcast.......

[Ze_ro]

With all these compilations being released someone really should dig up Marble man (http://www.toadstool.net/games/marble/marbleman/), unreleased sequel to Marble Madness.

Damn, I'm still hoping the rom will be released for MAME one of these days... this is what MAME is all about!


Oh and there havent been a home version of I, Robot (http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?letter=I&game_id=8172) has it?

I was thinking of this one too, but considering the headache Atari had with the arcade version, I can't imagine they would have made a home version. Somehow, I get the feeling it would have made a very nice Lynx game (Hell, the system has tons of unusual arcade ports already, and it handled Steel Talons and Hard Drivin', so it should be able to handle I, Robot).

--Zero

[D_N_G]

MegaZone by Konami early 80's

[Sotenga]

Did they ever port Mortal Kombat to a home system? If so, did they keep the violence?

...

Just checking to see if you were paying attention. ;)

Seriously, Sammy's Zombie Raid would have been a great light gun game for the Genesis or SNES... maybe even the Playstation. It's a very obscure game, but it's a solid shooter, and it even predated House of the Dead. In fact, had more people known of ZR, Sammy could have sued Sega for the remarkable similarities between the two games. ZR is in my market arcade, which I've told you about countless times. :)

[ArnoldRimmer83]

I agree with Konami's Aliens, Simpsons, and X Men beat em ups. I was very disappointed Simpsons wasn't ported to Snes or Genesis. Instead we had Acclaim using the license to make horrible games.

Sega's Spiderman arcade game is another I would've loved. Not sure how well the Genesis would've handled a port of that one though.

And finally Major Havoc. Can someone explain to me why the hell this game hasn't been included on ANY arcade compilations? Seriously this game is long overdue for being ported to home consoles.

edit: Forgot about Capcom's Willow arcade game. The Nes adventure game was decent, but I would've liked to have the platformer available. A Snes or Genesis port would've been great, but by then the movie's hype was already over unfortunately.