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DETAILED DESCRIPTION:
A NEO-GEO action game designed by Face Corporation. It was shown at the AOU Exposition in
Japan on February 22nd, 1994 right alongside Gururin. However, for some odd reason only Gururin
was released back then. The game has cute comical characters and colorful playfields. It plays
very similar to Capcom's Snow Brothers. It was dusted-off and picked up by SNK for release on
MVS format in 2001. So far, this is the only Neo-Geo un-released proto game that finally saw
an actual official release.
Zupapa is strikingly similar to Nightmare in the Dark (released) and Bang Bang Busters
(unreleased). Recent speculation suggests that its' sudden "out of the blue" release may have
actually been pre-empted. We haven't all the details yet, but it appears that it shares much
in common with the Shock Troopers 2 home cartridge release. The most significant thing about
this games release, was that it retained its' assigned product number for 7 years, which
subsequently served as a Rosetta Stone for deciphering NEO-GEO product codes.
INFORMATION TIMELINE:
-- February 1994 -- Zupapa is shown at the 1994 AOU show.
-- April 1994 -- Game Machine reports on the AOU Show and provides a screen shot of Zupapa.
-- May 1994 -- Dangeki-oh magazine has a short article with pictures of Zupapa at AOU.
-- May 1994 -- coin-op industry Japan Amusement Monthly has an article with a screenshot.
-- (?) 1994 -- an (unknown publication) has this article with screenshots.
-- July 1994 -- the NEOGEO Guide Book publishes an article with screenshots of Zupapa.
-- July 1994 -- Gamest Magazine runs a full page article with screenshots of Zupapa.
-- September 2001 -- SNK produces an offcial arcade flyer with screenshots of Zupapa.
-- October 2001 -- SNK mysteriously releases the 7 year old 1994 Zupapa on MVS cartridge.
-- November 2001 -- the software product number is revealed and confirmed to be NGM-070.
-- August 2022 -- emulated shots of the 1994 FACE version of Zupapa show it is safeguarded.
CURRENT STATUS: RELEASED
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