SPOTLIGHT ON:

DECO CORPORATION

NEOGEO DEVELOPER DATA EAST MADE 7 GAMES!
GAME 1: SPIN MASTER / MIRACLE ADVENTURE

Data East signed on as a third party developer for the NEOGEO in 1993. In July, they had released a Sega Genesis / Mega Drive game called "Dashin' Desperados". And in December they released their first NEOGEO title using the 2 main characters from that game. It was known as Miracle Adventure in Japan and Spin Master overseas. It was well received by NEOGEO home system owners because the system was pretty devoid of action/adventure platformers.

GAME 2: WIND JAMMERS / FLYING POWER DISC

Their second release was a rather unique title as well. An action intense sports game that tested players reflexes. It was similar to Tennis or Hockey. (in essence a throwback to PONG) It was a very popular game for quick 2 player head to head competition.

An interesting ARTICLE on DATA EAST's first 3 NEO-GEO titles.

GAME 3: FIGHTER'S HISTORY DYNAMITE / KARNOV'S REVENGE

The original Fighter's History was a jamma board released by Data East in 1993. It was so similar to Street Fighter that Capcom tried to sue them in court. This was a direct sequel to the original with several enhancements. The title change here was made during the uncertainty of the pending lawsuit.



THREE TITLE SCREENS FOR ONE GAME?

GAME 4: DUNK DREAM / STREET SLAM / STREET HOOPS

An excellent 3 on 3 basketball game with great graphics, sounds, voice, and music. Also the first and only basketball themed game for the NEOGEO, because Sammy's Dunk Star from 1991 went unreleased. A year later in 1995, a sequel entitled HOOPS was made, but it was sadly not on NEOGEO hardware.

Data East considered releasing this game independantly, rather than through SNK. In the end, they did not, but they did with the sequel HOOPS a year later on their new MLC system.

(MLC stood for Mother-Less Cartridge which was literally a cartridge shaped and sized PCB with a JAMMA connector)


GAME 5: MAGICAL DROP 2 / CHAIN REACTION 2

A puzzle game concept originally developed in 1994 by Russian game designer (RUSS LTD.) The First release was a stand alone jamma board and the game was called Chain Reaction. This sequel on NEO-GEO hardware was a big success on MVS at arcades and on HOME as well. A great 2 player competitive game.

GAME 6: MAGICAL DROP 3 / CHAIN REACTION 3

Chain Reaction was so successful that yet another sequel soon followed. However, it would sadly be the final DATA EAST release on NEOGEO hardware. An interesting easter egg found in the game is a special mode that can only be seen and selected when the game is in HOME JAPAN mode.

Data East would actually go on to file a lawsuit in late 1997 against another NEOGEO developer, FACE Corporation, for their game Money Idol Exchanger / Money Puzzle Exchanger!

GAME 7: GHOST LOP / GHOST ROPE

This game went unreleased and is one of the KEY protos featured on the main page of this site. It is a puzzle game with some action elements thrown in for good measure. It is a cross between an Arkanoid and Magical Drop and with a Halloween theme attached.


DATA EAST developed 7 games for the NEOGEO and released 6.

EPILOGUE...

INSERT TEXT LINE HERE:

"THANK YOU DATA EAST!"

CLICK HERE TO READ ABOUT THE OTHER NEOGEO PROTOS

NEOGEOPROTOS.COM HAS BEEN THE NUMBER ONE RESOURCE FOR PICS AND INFO SINCE 1999!