Jeremy Parish

NES Works #095: 1943 & Bump'N Jump (Patreon)

Published:

2022-07-06 13:28:50

Imported:

2024-04

Tags:

1943 bump'n jump capcom data east nes nes works nintendo video

Content

Capcom's NES port of 1942 has long been one of my go-tos for "easy examples of badly made NES software." Sadly, they had to go and redeem themselves here with the sequel, whose only real flaw is that the sheer amount of firepower required to survive the action demands the use of a rapid-fire input feature. I'm assuming Capcom made 1943 in cahoots with Nintendo as a scheme to sell more NES Advantage controllers (never mind that the Advantage didn't exist in Japan).

Also this episode, the curiously archaic but nevertheless enjoyable Bump'N Jump, a game that has the same title as an arcade game in its U.S. release (Bump'N Jump), but whose Famicom title (Buggy Popper) differed from the arcade game's (Burnin' Rubber). What does it mean? I don't know! I guess the fuel mechanic made it a different game altogether according to some peculiar logic, but only in Japan. Look, I don't understand how this stuff worked, I just make videos about old games.

Files

1943: The Battle of Midway & Bump'N Jump retrospective: Flight risks | NES Works #095

Remember 1942? That really bad top-down shooter? Capcom would prefer you didn't. And, to wash that bad memory from our collective mind, we have its sequel, 1943: The Battle of Midway, simultaneously a sequel and a heartfelt apology for that previous misstep. Although this arcade adaptation fails to carry over the multiplayer element from the original 1943 coin-op, it makes up for that shortcoming by introducing a permanent skill-upgrade system. One of the better vertical shooters for NES! Meanwhile, Vic Tokai inexplicably publishes Data East's upgraded NES conversion of Bump'N Jump... well, kind of. In Japan, the home port of Bump'N Jump shipped as "Buggy Popper," which suggests it was meant to be a separate game entirely from the arcade game (alias "Burning Rubber"). Anyway, it's super dated. But still kinda fun? Production note: NES footage captured from @Analogue Nt Mini. Arcade footage captured from MiSTer FPGA. Special thanks to @New Wave Toys and @MiSTer Addons. Video upscaled to 720 with XRGB Mini Framemeister. Video Works is funded via Patreon (http://www.patreon.com/gamespite) — support the show and get access to every episode up to two weeks in advance of its YouTube debut! Plus, exclusive podcasts, eBooks, and more!