
Back in 1981, Epoch released the Cassette Vision console in Japan. It would go on to sell an impressive 400,000 units, securing around 70% of the market and making it the most successful product of its kind in that country until the arrival of the Nintendo Famicom in 1983. It would also spawn the Cassette Vision Jr, Super Cassette Vision and Super Lady Cassette Vision.
Only 12 games were ever released for the Cassette Vision, including Galaxian (which isn't based on Namco's game as you might expect, but instead on Moon Cresta by Nihon Bussan), Monster Mansion (a clone of Donkey Kong), PakPak Monster (a clone of Pac-Man) and Astro Command (inspired by Konami's Scramble).
Because of its Japanese origins and low number of games (and the fact that its successor, the Super Cassette Vision, is both more powerful and has a more extensive library) the Cassette Vision has never been playable via emulation – until now.
The emulator has been created by Neko-Daimyou NekoNeko, and you can see it in action in the video above, playing the games Kikori no Yosaku, Galaxian, Battle Vader, PakPak Monster, Monster Mansion and Astro Command.
[source twitter.com]
Comments 2
If I'm recalling correctly, that tree chopping game was actually one of SNK's very earliest arcade titles, and they lost the game (everything - there is no known archive of the arcade version), meaning the conversion to this console is the last existing remnant of the original.
I think. These memories are half faded from something I read somewhere. I think it was in the SNK compilation which had VGHF info in it.
EDIT:
Not quite accurate:
https://snk.fandom.com/wiki/Yosaku
The port seen in the video was unauthorised, and it had an official port as a secret minigame on NGPC.
I love how dinky and primitive this is. I'd love to have the technical knowledge to poke under the hood and seeing what it was capable of with 40 years hindsight and coding knowledge. Fascinating.
Man that space invaders game looks very difficult.
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