Namco System 1
Encyclopedia
The Namco System 1 arcade system board
was first used by Namco
in April 1987 and was a major enhancement to the previous Namco System 86
arcade system board. Due to its release date, it was originally called Namco System 87 according to the Namco Museum series.
Yokai Douchuuki
was the first game to use this board. The game's name translated to English as "Supernatural Creature Traveller's Journal" and was later renamed "Shadowland" for anglophone territories. Two months later, they released Dragon Spirit
, which was one of the most difficult vertical scrolling shooters ever seen for its release date. This was followed by Blazer
in July, which was one of the first games to use an isometric perspective, Quester
in September, which was similar to Arkanoid
but the only difference was that it had better graphics, Pac-Mania
in November, and Galaga '88
in December. Towards the end of the year, Namco developed a 16-bit arcade system board - the more powerful 68000-based Namco System 2
system board.
Video:
Sound:
Arcade system board
An arcade system board is a dedicated computer system created for the purpose of running video arcade games. Arcade system boards typically consist of a main system board with any number of supporting boards...
was first used by Namco
Namco
is a Japanese corporation best known as a former video game developer and publisher. Following a merger with Bandai in September 2005, the two companies' game production assets were spun off into Namco Bandai Games on March 31, 2006. Namco Ltd. was re-established to continue domestic operation of...
in April 1987 and was a major enhancement to the previous Namco System 86
Namco System 86
The Namco System 86 arcade system board was first used by Namco in 1986. It was succeeded by the more powerful Namco System 1 arcade board.-Namco System 86 Specifications:Processors:* Main CPU: Motorola 6809 @ 1.536 MHz...
arcade system board. Due to its release date, it was originally called Namco System 87 according to the Namco Museum series.
Yokai Douchuuki
Yokai Douchuuki
Shadow Land, known in Japan as , is an arcade game that was released by Namco in 1987. It runs on Namco System 1 hardware. This game was not released in the United States, likely because of its questionable content...
was the first game to use this board. The game's name translated to English as "Supernatural Creature Traveller's Journal" and was later renamed "Shadowland" for anglophone territories. Two months later, they released Dragon Spirit
Dragon Spirit
Dragon Spirit is a 1987 vertical scrolling shooter arcade game released by Namco and Atari Games . It runs on Namco System 1 hardware, and was later ported to the Nintendo Entertainment System, Amstrad CPC, Commodore Amiga, Commodore 64, DOS, Atari ST, Sharp X68000, TurboGrafx-16 and ZX Spectrum...
, which was one of the most difficult vertical scrolling shooters ever seen for its release date. This was followed by Blazer
Blazer (arcade game)
Blazer is an isometric perspective scrolling shooter arcade game that was released by Namco in 1987 only in Japan.-Gameplay:Alternating between a tank and a helicopter , you destroy enemies both on land and in the air.-Trivia:This game was dedicated to the late Shoko Tamako Sumie.Upon completion...
in July, which was one of the first games to use an isometric perspective, Quester
Quester
Namco Quester is an arcade game that was released by Namco in 1987 only in Japan and was released on the Wii Virtual Console on December 8, 2009 in Japan.-Gameplay:...
in September, which was similar to Arkanoid
Arkanoid
is an arcade game developed by Taito in 1986. It is based upon Atari's Breakout games of the 1970s. The title refers to a doomed "mothership" from which the player's ship, the Vaus, escapes.-Overview:...
but the only difference was that it had better graphics, Pac-Mania
Pac-Mania
is an arcade video game in the Pac-Man series, released by Namco in 1987 and distributed by Atari Games in the United States and Europe. It is a pseudo-3D interpretation of the classic maze game genre using an isometric view and features most elements of the original Pac-Man, as well as several new...
in November, and Galaga '88
Galaga '88
is a 1987 fixed shooter arcade game by Namco. It is the third sequel of Galaxian . It features significantly improved graphics over the previous games in the series, including detailed backgrounds, larger enemies and more ship details. Although it was well received, fewer units of this game were...
in December. Towards the end of the year, Namco developed a 16-bit arcade system board - the more powerful 68000-based Namco System 2
Namco System 2
The Namco System 2 arcade system board was first used by Namco in 1987 and was a major enhancement to the previous Namco System 1 arcade system board....
system board.
Namco System 1 specifications
Processors:- Main CPU: MotorolaMotorolaMotorola, Inc. was an American multinational telecommunications company based in Schaumburg, Illinois, which was eventually divided into two independent public companies, Motorola Mobility and Motorola Solutions on January 4, 2011, after losing $4.3 billion from 2007 to 2009...
6809 @ 1.536 MHz - Sub CPU: MotorolaMotorolaMotorola, Inc. was an American multinational telecommunications company based in Schaumburg, Illinois, which was eventually divided into two independent public companies, Motorola Mobility and Motorola Solutions on January 4, 2011, after losing $4.3 billion from 2007 to 2009...
6809 @ 1.536 MHz - Sound CPU: MotorolaMotorolaMotorola, Inc. was an American multinational telecommunications company based in Schaumburg, Illinois, which was eventually divided into two independent public companies, Motorola Mobility and Motorola Solutions on January 4, 2011, after losing $4.3 billion from 2007 to 2009...
6809 @ 1.536 MHz - MCU: HitachiHitachi, Ltd.is a Japanese multinational conglomerate headquartered in Marunouchi 1-chome, Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan. The company is the parent of the Hitachi Group as part of the larger DKB Group companies...
HD63701 @ 1.536 MHz
Video:
- Video resolution 288×224 (horizontal) or 224×288 (vertical)
- Variable-sized display window
- 24-bit RGB palette
- 3 scrolling 512×512 tilemap layers (64×64 characters)
- 1 scrolling 512×256 tilemap layer (64×32 characters)
- 2 fixed 288×224 tilemap layers (36×28 characters)
- 127 variable-sized sprites (up to 32×32) displayed at once
Sound:
- Yamaha YM2151Yamaha YM2151The YM2151, aka OPM is an eight-channel four-operator sound chip. It was Yamaha's first single-chip FM synthesis implementation, created originally for the Yamaha DX series of keyboards....
FM sound chip - Custom 8-channel wavetable stereo PSGProgrammable sound generatorA Programmable Sound Generator is a sound chip that generates sound waves by synthesizing multiple basic waveforms, and often some kind of noise generator, and combining and mixing these waveforms into a complex waveform, then shaping the amplitude of the resulting waveform using...
- 2-channel DACDigital-to-analog converterIn electronics, a digital-to-analog converter is a device that converts a digital code to an analog signal . An analog-to-digital converter performs the reverse operation...
List of Namco System 1 arcade games
- Yokai DouchuukiYokai DouchuukiShadow Land, known in Japan as , is an arcade game that was released by Namco in 1987. It runs on Namco System 1 hardware. This game was not released in the United States, likely because of its questionable content...
(aka Shadowland) (1987) - Dragon SpiritDragon SpiritDragon Spirit is a 1987 vertical scrolling shooter arcade game released by Namco and Atari Games . It runs on Namco System 1 hardware, and was later ported to the Nintendo Entertainment System, Amstrad CPC, Commodore Amiga, Commodore 64, DOS, Atari ST, Sharp X68000, TurboGrafx-16 and ZX Spectrum...
(1987) - BlazerBlazer (arcade game)Blazer is an isometric perspective scrolling shooter arcade game that was released by Namco in 1987 only in Japan.-Gameplay:Alternating between a tank and a helicopter , you destroy enemies both on land and in the air.-Trivia:This game was dedicated to the late Shoko Tamako Sumie.Upon completion...
(1987) - QuesterQuesterNamco Quester is an arcade game that was released by Namco in 1987 only in Japan and was released on the Wii Virtual Console on December 8, 2009 in Japan.-Gameplay:...
(1987) - Pac-ManiaPac-Maniais an arcade video game in the Pac-Man series, released by Namco in 1987 and distributed by Atari Games in the United States and Europe. It is a pseudo-3D interpretation of the classic maze game genre using an isometric view and features most elements of the original Pac-Man, as well as several new...
(1987) - Galaga '88Galaga '88is a 1987 fixed shooter arcade game by Namco. It is the third sequel of Galaxian . It features significantly improved graphics over the previous games in the series, including detailed backgrounds, larger enemies and more ship details. Although it was well received, fewer units of this game were...
(1987) - World StadiumWorld StadiumWorld Stadium is a series of baseball arcade games that were released by Namco in the late 1980s and 1990s in Japan.* World Stadium 1988 Namco System 1* World Stadium '89 1989 Namco System 1...
(1988) - Berabow Man: Chouzetsu Rinjin (aka Bravoman or Beraboh Man) (1988)
- Marchen MazeMarchen Mazeis an arcade game that was released by Namco in 1988. It runs on Namco System 1 hardware, and was later ported to the Sharp X68000 and TurboGrafx-16 platforms. It is based on the story by Lewis Carroll titled Alice in Wonderland. In fact, there is a rumored English version of the game titled "Alice...
(1988) - Bakutotsu Kijūtei (1988) - sequel to BaradukeBaradukeis a scrolling shooter arcade game that was released by Namco in 1985. It runs on Namco Pac-Land hardware but with a video system like that used in Metro-Cross and Dragon Buster.-Gameplay:...
- World CourtWorld Court (arcade game)World Court is a tennis arcade game that was released by Namco in 1988 only in Japan....
(1988) - SplatterhouseSplatterhouseis a beat 'em up arcade game developed and published by Namco. It is also subsequently the title of the entire series of games released in home console and personal computer formats....
(1988) - the first game to get a parental advisory disclaimer - Face OffFace Off (arcade game)Face Off is a hockey arcade game that was released by Namco in 1988 and later on the Wii Virtual Console on October 27, 2009, only in Japan. It runs on Namco System 1 hardware....
(1988) - Rompers (1989)
- Blast OffBlast OffBlast Off is a vertical scrolling shooter arcade game that was released by Namco in 1989 only in Japan. It is the sequel to Bosconian, which was released 8 years earlier.-Description:...
(1989) - sequel to BosconianBosconianis a free-roaming multi-directional scrolling shooter arcade game that was developed by Namco and released in 1981. In contrast to the more linear shooter games of its time, Bosconian allows the player's ship to freely move across open space that scrolls in all directions. The game also features a... - World Stadium '89 (1989)
- Dangerous SeedDangerous SeedDangerous Seed is a vertical scrolling shooter arcade game that was released by Namco in 1989 only in Japan. In 1990, a Sega Mega Drive version was also developed and released only in Japan....
(1989) - World Stadium '90 (1990)
- Pistol Daimyo no Bōken (1990)
- Souko Ban DeluxeSouko Ban DeluxeBoxy Boy, known in Japan as Souko Ban Deluxe is an arcade game released by Namco in 1990. It is based on the Sokoban game series by Thinking Rabbit.-Gameplay:...
(aka Boxy Boy) (1990) - Puzzle ClubPuzzle ClubPuzzle Club is the title of an unreleased prototype of an arcade game, developed by Namco in 1990.-Gameplay:The player has to line up tiles in rows by sliding them around horizontally or vertically.-Technical information:...
(unreleased prototype) (1990) - Tank ForceTank ForceTank Force is a multi-directional shooter arcade game that was released by Namco in 1991. It is the sequel to Battle City, released 6 years earlier, which is a sequel to Tank Battalion, released 11 years earlier than Tank Force...
(1991) - sequel to Tank BattalionTank BattalionTank Battalion is a multi-directional shooter arcade game that was released by Namco in 1980. It was later ported to the Japanese Famicom and Game Boy, but for unknown reasons was retitled Battle City...