Author | Lightnews

Jonny @saturnjaguar.bsky.social · 11d

I'm happy to hear that it's been useful, thanks very much! 😁 I hope to make more stuff like this in the future.

Jonny @saturnjaguar.bsky.social · Aug 26

Within the latest batch of Coin Journal scans by @thestacks.ca, there are images of famous people we probably should've had a long time ago. Can YOU guess who they are without looking at the alts? #coinophistory #coinjournal

Tomonobu Itagaki around the release of "Dead or Alive" (1996).

From: Monthly Coin Journal, Vol. 21 No. 6 (June 1996), pg. 201

Satoshi Tajiri (right) standing next to a "Computer Space" (1971) cabinet for a video game history exhibit.

From: Monthly Coin Journal, Vol. 21 No. 6 (June 1996), pg. 443

Leonardo DiCaprio riding "Rail Chase the Ride" at Tokyo Joypolis.

From: Monthly Coin Journal Vol. 22 No. 12 (December 1997), pg. 405

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Reposted by Jonny

Play History @playhistory.bsky.social · Aug 20

By the way: We're still looking for more Origin of Game authors!

If you have a story about a game company's founding you want to tell, hit me up at the @gamingalexandria.bsky.social Discord. We want lots of varied views and unique research on the table!

Some upcoming will be really great too.

Play History @playhistory.bsky.social · Aug 18

The second in our new series on @gamingalexandria.bsky.social - Origin of Game!

This one was written by an excellent contributor with lots of details published for the first time in English! Please give it a read.

Gaming Alexandria @gamingalexandria.bsky.social · Aug 18

You love them - Tekken, Pac-Man, Mr. Driller - but do you know Namco? www.gamingalexandria.com/wp/2025/08/t... The latest in our Origin of Game series, how Namco was founded in Japan 70(!) years ago and became one of the most important video game companies! From Rocking Horses to...

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Jonny @saturnjaguar.bsky.social · Aug 18

Thank you!! 😁

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Jonny @saturnjaguar.bsky.social · Aug 18

Much appreciated!

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Jonny @saturnjaguar.bsky.social · Aug 18

My first ever written piece...I had a blast putting this together, and I wanted to contextualize as much of the company's early history as possible. Shout out to @playhistory.bsky.social for allowing me to write this, and for guiding me through the editing process!!! #namco #arcadehistory

Gaming Alexandria @gamingalexandria.bsky.social · Aug 18

You love them - Tekken, Pac-Man, Mr. Driller - but do you know Namco? www.gamingalexandria.com/wp/2025/08/t... The latest in our Origin of Game series, how Namco was founded in Japan 70(!) years ago and became one of the most important video game companies! From Rocking Horses to...

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Jonny @saturnjaguar.bsky.social · Jul 30

Very much possible, it's hard to track down portfolios/photos of devs so more digging would have to be done

Jonny @saturnjaguar.bsky.social · Jun 29

The most recent interview I can think of is from 2016 where he joined Masanobu Endo and Ken Sugimori on the history of Xevious. It's possible that he keeps a relatively low profile these days.

news.denfaminicogamer.jp/projectbook/...

「ゼビウス」がなければ「ポケモン」は生まれなかった！？———遠藤雅伸、田尻智、杉森建がその魅力を鼎談。ゲームの歴史を紐解く連載シリーズ「ゲームの企画書」第一回

不朽の名作『ゼビウス』はどのように企画されたのか!?　当時、”異質”といえるクオリティの『ゼビウス』にゲーマーたちは熱狂した。『ゼビウス』を愛し、ゲームクリエイターとなった株式会社ゲームフリークの田尻智氏と杉森建氏を迎え、制作者の遠藤雅伸氏と当時の熱狂や「ゼビウス星」の真相について語って頂いた。

news.denfaminicogamer.jp

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Jonny @saturnjaguar.bsky.social · Jun 29

Spent about the last 50 mins trying to ID as many of the devs as possible.

Front Row (L-R): Junichi Masuda, Satoshi Tajiri, Takenori Ota, Shigeki Morimoto

Back Row: ?, ?, Atsuko Nishida, Koji Nishino, Michiharu Nishihashi, Ken Sugimori, ? Motofumi Fujiwara, ?, ?

#vghistory #pokemon #gamefreak

Joey ‘Detchibe' W. @thestacks.ca · Jun 29

The Satoshi Tajiri interview goes into his design philosophy and has some photos from Game Freak's developer offices at the time.

Staff photo of Game Freak, featuring Satoshi Tajiri, Junichi Masada, Shigeki Morimoto, Koji Nishino, and others holding the company's works.

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Jonny @saturnjaguar.bsky.social · Jun 29

If I'm not mistaken, one of the last known installations was in 1992 within a Sega World in Adachi Ward. We didn't know about this one until @detchibe.bsky.social scanned one of the issues of Amusement Industry from that year.

From: Amusement Industry [アミューズメント産業] Vol. 21 No. 7 (July 1992), pg. 79

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Jonny @saturnjaguar.bsky.social · Jun 22

M2's recent cabinet recreation can be found in the upcoming Operation Night Strikers collection, where Night Striker had it's kaleidoscope light effect digitally recreated. (5)

www.youtube.com/watch?v=JYRX...

『オペ―レーション・ナイトストライカーズ』タイトーの大型筐体の傑作アーケードゲームが今、家庭用でよみがえる！【MC：長月あおい、湊みや】

YouTube video by 電撃オンライン

www.youtube.com

Jonny @saturnjaguar.bsky.social · Jun 22

Then there's Galaxy Force II's deluxe cabinet that rotated 335 degrees left and right, and moved forward and backwards by 15 degrees. (4)

www.youtube.com/watch?v=OtCJ...

3DS「3D ギャラクシーフォース２」　Galaxy Force 2

YouTube video by gmmmcm

www.youtube.com

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Jonny @saturnjaguar.bsky.social · Jun 22

We can't forget about OutRun! As you navigate the sharp turns, the screen follows your movement by tilting left and right. (3)

www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_t_...

【プレイ動画】 3DS版アウトラン

YouTube video by beafcurry

www.youtube.com

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Jonny @saturnjaguar.bsky.social · Jun 22

After Burner probably has the most iconic deluxe cabinet of all time, and here it is recreated for the 3DS. As the screen turned left and right, the cabinet itself rolled up and down. (2)

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q9Or...

3DS 3D アフターバーナーII

YouTube video by 3DS Burners

www.youtube.com

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Jonny @saturnjaguar.bsky.social · Jun 22

@gamesack.net's video on M2 reminded me of a form of preservation that I think goes overlooked: cabinet recreations. Many of SEGA's 3DS arcade ports have an option that recreates the experience of playing on their deluxe cabinets (and in 3D too). Here are a few examples in this thread (1)

3D After Burner II for the Nintendo 3DS (2013) had an option that allowed players to experience a recreation of the game's "Double Cradle" cabinet.

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Jonny @saturnjaguar.bsky.social · Jun 20

It's well known that Pokémon creator Satoshi Tajiri and artist Ken Sugimori collaborated on "Game Freak", the doujin gaming magazine from the 80s. After reflecting upon their love for video games, I now wonder if Red's design was inspired by the M.C. of Game Center Arashi? #vghistory #pokemon

The cover for Vol. 17 of Game Center Arashi (ゲームセンターあらし) by Mitsuru Sugaya, published in 1983. The protagonist, Arashi Ishino, wears a red cap, a red jacket with white sleeves and blue jeans.

Key art of "Red" from Pocket Monsters Red/Green (1996). He also wears a red cap, a red jacket with white sleeves and blue jeans.

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Jonny @saturnjaguar.bsky.social · Jun 18

There's def enough interest in retro stuff from folks around my age and younger, so it's important to keep those flames going. At the same time, I believe there's room for proper documentation and broader conversations to start taking charge of things.

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Jonny @saturnjaguar.bsky.social · Jun 18

Totally agree here (though personally I feel like I'm a Zillennial lol). I'd love to see more contextual pieces or resourceful tools that supplement nostalgia, which hopefully should give everyone (fans and learners) something new to look at.

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Jonny @saturnjaguar.bsky.social · Jun 14

Nostalgic bonus points for using the horse from the old Nakamura Seisakusho logo. N.S. was Namco's original name from 1955-mid 70s.

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Jonny @saturnjaguar.bsky.social · Jun 6

Some examples of historical documents that were shown off include models (such as the helicopter and an unused truck), a photo of a prototype deluxe cabinet, and photos of SimDrive and Ayako Saso from a company newsletter. (3)

Wireframe and complete models for the helicopter and an unused truck. More textures appear on the bottom left corner of the second page.

A photo of a prototype deluxe cabinet and PCBs taken by Sasaki during development.

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Jonny @saturnjaguar.bsky.social · Jun 6

Artist Kenji Sasaki showed off his portfolio featuring some familiar landscapes. Also, a photo of a beach town seen in a 1993 Hawaiian calendar served as the inspiration for the game's beach area. (2)

Concept art that resembles the streets and skyscrapers seen at the beginning of the game.

Concept art showcasing the start of the tunnel sequence.

The end of the tunnel sequence and the beginning of the beach area.

A Hawaiian calendar that Sasaki owned featuring a beach town that strongly resembles the one seen in the game.

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Jonny @saturnjaguar.bsky.social · Jun 6

During the developer Q&A stream for Ridge Racer's Arcade Archives release, a treasure trove of development materials and historical documents were shown off! It's truly wonderful to see all of these items well preserved after all these years. (1) #arcadehistory #coinophistory #namco

Concept art of the deluxe cabinet featuring the name "Winding Road", designed by Naotaka Yoshimatsu (吉松尚孝).

Concept art of the Full Scale cabinet featuring the name "SimDrive", also by Yoshimatsu.

Concept art featuring some unused scenes and an early course layout.

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Jonny @saturnjaguar.bsky.social · Jun 2

Within the flyer for the SEGA R360, there are specs which suggest that the machine is compatible with a Laserdisc player. I wonder if SEGA planned on releasing pure motion simulator content similarly to the offerings of Taito's D3bos? #arcadehistory #coinophistory #sega #taito

Laserdisc specifications worth noting from the official R360 flyer:

Screen: VIDEO input (Laser Disk connection possible), equipped with VIDEO SELECTOR.

Sound: Audio input x 2 (Laser Disk connection possible).

Image from: Sega Retro

The official flyer for Taito's D3bos: a 360° motion simulator where players ride within an enclosed sphere. This machine played video content. Riders could experience the heights of acrobatic skiing, tilting within a roller coaster, traveling in a dune buggy, and flying through space.

Image from: The Arcade Flyer Archive

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Jonny @saturnjaguar.bsky.social · May 21

While I've yet to find the actual source of Clip #2, I realized that the existing footage was screen recorded from a post by Sakutosero on Twitter (this clip was provided to them by a mutual.) It was originally encoded in 60fps! (4)

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Jonny @saturnjaguar.bsky.social · May 21

The second part features coverage from Sega's April '88 "New Product Launch" event featuring Galaxy Force 1! This is a rare version of the game that was quickly replaced by the update "Galaxy Force 2" a few months later. Interviewed here is legendary Sega employee Hisashi Sizuki (鈴木久司).

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