We saw in the previous article (and even the one before) that in 1980, GGI's strategy rested mainly on the not-so-legal trade in more or less faithful versions of Galaxian. I thought I had covered the subject, but I came across new information about this chapter.
Of course, I could have simply edited the previous articles (I sometimes do). But there seemed to be enough material for a new article. So here we go again with GGI, Galaxian and the year 1980!
Space Invaders Galactica
In the previous article, we came across a game called Space Invader Kamikaze, or simply Kamikaze (assuming they are the same game). We had met it once in the Czech Republic and another time sold by Karateco. That game was a bootleg of the famous Galaxian and, in all likelihood, brought only a few cosmetic changes.
Well, in a listing published on Yahoo Auctions, we make a new discovery of the same kind, once again linked to GGI: Space Invaders Galactica, also called simply Galactica.
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The game is housed in an official Space Invaders (Taito) cocktail cabinet.
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The machine comes with the official "Service Instructions and Parts Catalog" manual for TT Space Invaders Color.
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But two other items catch our attention.
First, there is the game's manual.
We only have access to the cover here, but it reads "Space Invaders Galactica" and "G.G.I". Here, we are not talking about a merely probable or presumed involvement of GGI. This is not just a name stamped at the bottom of a flyer, as you would do for a secondary reseller. GGI is mentioned right in the middle of the manual's cover. It is explicitly the company that produces Space Invaders Galactica.
Then, also supplied with the machine, we have an instruction card, that is, a sticker meant to be put on the machine to give players the main instructions.
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On the instruction card, the name Space Invaders Galactica becomes simply Galactica.
Something about this instruction card is striking. Its design is identical to that of two instruction cards we came across in the previous article.
In effect, this would mean that GGI published two games called Galaxian Part 2 and Galaxian Part 3.
In the Yahoo Auctions listing, the game unfortunately doesn't work. However, Space Invaders Galactica is one of the games emulated by MAME.
If we compare Space Invaders Galactica with the original version of Galaxian, there is nothing very exciting to see. It is simply the same game, apart from a change to the attract mode text. Specifically, the texts "We are the galaxians" and "Mission: destroy aliens" have been replaced with "Space Invaders Galactica".
There is another difference, again a minor one: the ship, originally called Galaxip, is now called Spacip. Spacip is the name given to the ship in the game Spacian, the version of Galaxian that ran on Space Invaders hardware. We saw it in the first article about GGI. Of the 46 versions of Galaxian (running on Galaxian hardware) listed by MAME, Galactica is absolutely the only one to name its ship Spacip (and I checked every version one by one...). If any further confirmation were needed, this is one more sign that Spacian was developed by GGI.
One last thing about Space Invaders Galactica. In the early versions of MAME, this game was named Galaxian Part 1. It was later renamed Space Invaders Galactica. That was a logical decision, since that is the title that appears in the game. But why was it named Galaxian Part 1 at first? Unfortunately, this is explained nowhere, but my hypothesis is that it may have been the name that appeared on the marquee (the sticker at the top of upright arcade cabinets) of the game MAME had access to. It was not unusual for the name of the game displayed on an arcade cabinet to differ from the name of the game inside it. I put forward this hypothesis because a game was indeed sold under the name Galaxian Part I. This name is mentioned (alongside Galaxian Part II, for good measure) in the magazine Cash Box (page 80).
So it is a mere detail, but perhaps Space Invaders Galactica was sold under the name Galaxian Part I in the United States.
Spacian, the first of a series?
Spacian deserves a little more attention, because there are still things to say about it. We know that one or more copies of Spacian currently work and circulate in Japan. However, Spacian is not among the games emulated by MAME.
Another game shares the same characteristics as Spacian. That one is emulated: Space Missile, also called Space Missile - Space Fighting Game by MAME.
Space Missile
Obviously, Space Missile is Spacian with planes in place of the aliens. Since Spacian's code is not available, we cannot make a direct comparison with that of Space Missile. Still, one serious clue lets us link them. Once again it is the name of the ship that tells us: in Space Missile, it is also called Spacip. That name connects Space Missile and Spacian.
But Space Missile has one more surprise in store: another game shares exactly the same code. This time, we head to Brazil!
Galactica
Once again, a game called Galactica (or Galactica - Batalha Espacial, if we include the subtitle on the title screen).
It is a game that is far from obscure. But it isn't known in Japan. Nor in Europe, or the United States. It was in Brazil that Galactica was sold. In reality, Galactica is simply the Portuguese version of Space Missile. The company that sells it is Taito. Taito do Brasil!
Taito do Brasil is a fascinating company. I was about to launch into a short biography of it, but I realized that some important details don't match from one source to another. Let's not get carried away, and set that idea aside for now :)
Let's just remember that Galactica by Taito do Brasil (like its English equivalent Space Missile) has strong potential to be linked in one way or another to GGI.
To sum up, the clues are:
- the reuse of the name Spacip in Space Missile
- the name Galactica, the same as another game sold by GGI
- the graphics depicting planes. They are very similar to those of a game I associate with GGI and which we will see in the article on the year 1981. That game is called Kamikaze (again!).
For these reasons, I don't think Taito do Brasil borrowed the game without permission and then modified whatever suited it. On the contrary, it appears we are dealing with a collaboration between Taito do Brasil and GGI. But maybe I'm getting carried away again. Let's stay cautious on this question.
More games?
We go from surprise to surprise. Why stop there?
Initially, I hadn't planned to discuss these games as potential candidates for sale by GGI. In the end, it would be a shame to ignore them, even if the clues remain thin.
T.T Spacian Part-2
But here things are reversed. Spacian was Galaxian on Space Invaders hardware. Spacian Part 2 is Space Invaders on Galaxian hardware.
To be honest, Spacian Part 2 is Galaxian, but with the enemy sprites replaced by those of the Space Invaders aliens. The Galaxip sprite is replaced by that of the laser cannon. The flag sprite is taken from Moon Alien (Nichibutsu).
The logo on the title screen is Taito's. It is the same logo as in the version of Galaxian produced by Taito (under official license from Namco). There are many Galaxian bootlegs that carry the Namco or Midway logo. So it would be bold to conclude from the presence of this logo that the game was produced by Taito. But you never know.
Spacian Part 2 is one of about fifteen versions of Galaxian that include the code modified by Artic. That is, enemies can attack in groups of 6 and there are 8 flagships starting from level 3. Here, the enemies move horizontally faster than in the original. However, neither the laser cannon's speed nor that of the shots is modified.
In the end, the game is quite difficult because the opponent is favored by its speed. But you can't deny that this version with the invaders has a certain charm. In any case, I'm under its spell.
Spacian Part 2 shares exactly the same code as 5 other bootlegs:
- Galaxian III
- Kamakazi III
- Super Galactic Wars
- Super Galaxians
These bootlegs are not really different from one another. They have exactly the same gameplay. Apart from Spacian Part 2, they all have the original game's graphics. Some vary in their color palette.
Everyone will form their own opinion on the likelihood that a game whose name contains the word "Spacians" or "Kamakazi" (Kamikaze?) could be linked with GGI. These are by no means proof. Let's call them clues.
Links with Taito?
Taito is decidedly very present in this investigation. Let's recap:
- Galactica was discovered in a Space Invaders cocktail cabinet with an official Taito manual.
- GGI and Taito do Brasil (a Taito subsidiary) potentially worked together on the game Galactica - Batalha Espacial.
- In the name T.T Spacian Part-2, "T.T" stands for "Table Top". This is a designation used by Taito (and only Taito) in the titles of its games sold in cocktail format.
- T.T Spacian Part-2 bears the Taito logo on its title screen.
Once again, these are not proof, but there is a body of clues suggesting that GGI and Taito knew each other in 1980. We will see later that the two companies went on to work together to market certain games.
Taking stock
Over two articles, we've seen a cascade of bootleg names, all related to Galaxian. Some are unquestionably linked to GGI. For others, it is only a hypothesis with little substance.
We are nearing the end of the article, and it is time to summarize all the versions of Galaxian that can more or less be attributed to GGI (the last ones on the list being the least likely, in my opinion):
- Space Missile
- Galactica - Batalha Espacial
- Space Invader Kamikaze
- Kamikaze Part 2
- Kamikaze Part 3
- Space Invaders Galactica
- Galaxian Part 2
- Galaxian Part 3
- Galaxian Part 4
- T.T Spacian Part-2
- Fantastic Spacians
- Galaxian III
- Kamakazi III
- Super Galactic Wars
- Super Galaxians
That's a lot...
GGI's strategy
Let's now tackle the real question. If you had the patience to read this article and the previous one, you have probably asked yourself this obvious question: what's the point of producing a multitude of bootlegs?
The differences between Space Invader Kamikaze and Space Invaders Galactica are insignificant, for example. Why bother changing a word here or a sprite there? Why not make a single Galaxian bootleg and produce as many as possible around the world?
I struggled with this question for a long time. And yet the answer may have been there already in the previous article! Let's go back to the very beginning of 1980 and the Spacian advertisement (page 10) by the company Turtle, and look at the text on the left.
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"We are actively looking for new ideas!
① We are soliciting your new ideas about video games.
② We develop software for microprocessor-based games.
③ We are at your disposal for any consultation or request concerning video games."
Here is my interpretation:
Conclusion
Behind this accumulation of more or less different bootlegs, we can make out a certain continuity with what GGI did before with its Breakout clones. It doesn't merely copy Galaxian, and seems to have developed a genuine activity of creating and adapting software for the arcade market.
We conclude (once again!) the year 1980 with the same observation: GGI is more dynamic than ever and appears where you don't necessarily expect it. Allow me, from here on, to put back the conclusion of the previous article:
"But this is nothing compared to what comes next. In 1981, GGI will continue to grow its activities in the arcade business, including in legitimate trade (with a worldwide hit) and in more obscure circuits. And above all, new partners will appear, which will help us better understand just how far its network really extended. There will be an enormous amount to tell."
Will we manage to write that article someday?
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