Hong Kong 97 (video game)

Last updated

Hong Kong 97
Hong Kong 97 cover.jpg
The cover for the release contains cut images of Bruce Lee and Deng Xiaoping.
Developer(s) HappySoft
Publisher(s) HappySoft
Designer(s) Kowloon Kurosawa [1]
Platform(s) Super Famicom
Release
Genre(s) Bullet hell [2]
Mode(s) Single-player

Hong Kong 97 [lower-alpha 1] is an unlicensed shoot 'em up video game developed and published by HappySoft, a doujin game developer, for the Super Famicom. It was released in Japan in 1995, being sold as cartridges[ citation needed ] and floppy disks. Designed by the Japanese game journalist Kowloon Kurosawa, who said the game is a satire of the video game industry, Hong Kong 97 was made in seven days with the help of his friend.

Contents

The game takes place in China in 1997, during the handover of Hong Kong from the United Kingdom. Facing an increased crime rate due to immigration from Mainland China, the Hong Kong government hires Chin, a super-powerful relative of Bruce Lee, to kill the entire population of China. At the same time, the deceased Tong Shau Ping is resurrected by a secret project conducted by the Chinese government as an "ultimate weapon". [lower-alpha 2] After defeating Tong Shau Ping, the game is repeated indefinitely until Chin dies. Hong Kong 97 sold around 30 copies due to its underground bootleg release, and it has since gained a cult following for its notoriously poor quality. In retrospect, it is considered by critics and journalists to be among the worst games ever made.

Gameplay

Chin (bottom) firing at incoming enemies. The background uses the former logo for Asia Television. The player's score, shown in Chinese characters, is displayed at the top. SFC Hong Kong 97.png
Chin (bottom) firing at incoming enemies. The background uses the former logo for Asia Television. The player's score, shown in Chinese characters, is displayed at the top.

The player controls Chin, who must shoot and evade the Chinese populace moving downwards from the top of the screen. When shot, the enemies explode in mushroom clouds, leaving behind a flashing corpse and items for instant death or temporary invincibility. After a while, cars start appearing from the sides, moving horizontally across the screen as obstacles. After thirty enemies have been defeated by the player, the final boss, the "ultimate weapon" Tong Shau Ping [lower-alpha 2] appears. He is depicted as a large, severed, floating head that will attempt to land on top of the player. Once he is defeated, the game repeats itself. The game shows static photos as the background, which alternate between pictures of Maoist propaganda, Guilin, the logo for Asia Television, the logo for Chinese Coca-Cola, or Mao Zedong in monochrome.

Sporadically, a syringe appears as a power-up, which grants Chin temporary invincibility. Rotating green disks will also appear that can instantly kill Chin. The player has no health points: if Chin is hit by anything other than the syringe, the game is immediately over, unless he is under invincibility. The game over screen contains the superimposed words "Chin IS DEAD!!" in English and grammatically incorrect Chinese "陳死亡" (pinyin :Chén sǐ wáng) [lower-alpha 3] over a still graphic image of an unknown corpse, dated to 1992. [4] The game then goes to the credits (listing the Embassy of Canada as a cooperation partner) and back to the title screen.

Upon turning on the game, the first three measures of the chorus of an upbeat rock-style rendition of "I Love Beijing Tiananmen" can be heard, which loops indefinitely throughout the game. The game has no other music or sound effects. It can be played in English, Japanese or traditional Chinese.

Plot

Hong Kong 97 begins with a short cutscene which places the game around the transfer of sovereignty over Hong Kong in 1997. People from Mainland China (described in the English script as "fuckin' ugly reds" and in the Japanese script as "dirty people spitting sputum" [5] ) started immigrating to Hong Kong, causing a large increase in the crime rate. As a countermeasure, the Hong Kong government (represented in-game by Governor Chris Patten) hires Chin (portrayed by Jackie Chan), an unspecified relative of Bruce Lee, to "wipe out" all 1.2 billion of the "red communists" in China. Meanwhile, a secret project in Mainland China has succeeded in resurrecting Tong Shau Ping as the "ultimate weapon".

The Chinese translation of the game refers to Chin as "Mister Chan" (Chinese :陳先生; pinyin :Chén xiānshēng), alluding to the fact that a picture of Jackie Chan, taken from the 1984 film Wheels on Meals , was used to depict the character. The back of the insert of the game notes that Chin is a heroin addict. [6]

Development

In January 2018, Kowloon Kurosawa finally broke his silence on the development of the game to the South China Morning Post . [1] He stated that his goal was to make the worst game possible as a mockery of the game industry. Since Kurosawa did not have much programming skill, he had an Enix employee help him out, with the game being made in two days. He later asked a friend with basic knowledge of English to translate the story into this language, as well as an exchange student from Hong Kong to translate it into Chinese. Kurosawa took the music, an audio clip from "I Love Beijing Tiananmen", from a second-hand LaserDisc he got in Shanghai Street, and the main character sprite, depicting Jackie Chan, was taken from a movie poster of Wheels on Meals , a 1984 Hong Kong martial arts film. [1] [7]

With the game completed, Kurosawa used a game backup device that could copy Super Famicom games onto floppy disks, which he found whilst wandering through the computer malls of Sham Shui Po. Due to game backup devices being illegal in Japan at the time, Kurosawa could only advertise his game through articles written under pseudonyms for underground gaming magazines. He set up a mail-order service to sell the game on floppy discs and cartridges, for ¥2,000 – ¥2,500 ($20–$25 in USD). It sold only about 30 copies, despite him having printed several hundred copies of the insert, which he later threw away. He eventually forgot about the game, until he became aware that it was gaining some unwanted attention in the late 2000s. Eventually, his Facebook account was discovered and was bombarded with questions about the game. [1] In 2023, Kurosawa made the game freely available to download from his personal website. [8]

Reception

In an advertisement in the underground magazine Game Urara [9] for another HappySoft title, The Story of Kamikuishiki Village , Hong Kong 97's poor quality is acknowledged, with the advert referring to the game as "dreadful" and "incomprehensible". It also claims that bootleg copies of the game were widely sold in Hong Kong and Bangkok. [10]

In retrospective reviews, Hong Kong 97 was met with overwhelmingly negative reception, with many calling it one of the worst video games ever made. [lower-alpha 4] The game has garnered a "so bad, it's good" cult following in Japan, Thailand and Taiwan, [3] and in the West after it became the subject of an Angry Video Game Nerd YouTube video. [4]

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Japanese: 香港97 (Hon Kon 97); Chinese :香港97; pinyin :Xiānggǎng Jiǔqī; Cantonese Yale :Hēunggóng Gáuchāt
  2. 1 2 Tong Shau Ping is a depiction of Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping, who was still alive at the time of development; he died on 19 February 1997, a few months before the handover of Hong Kong, the game's backdrop. [3]
  3. ↑ "Chén sǐ wáng" (陳死亡) can be interpreted as either "Chin is dead", or as a proper name, "Dead Chin".
  4. ↑ [1] [2] [3] [7] [4] [11]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chen (surname)</span> Surname list

Chen ( ) is a common Chinese-language surname and one of the most common surnames in Asia. It is the most common surname in Taiwan (2010) and Singapore (2000). Chen is also the most common family name in Guangdong, Zhejiang, Fujian, Macau, and Hong Kong. It is the most common surname in Xiamen, the ancestral hometown of many overseas Hoklo.

<i>Infernal Affairs</i> 2002 Hong Kong action-thriller film

Infernal Affairs is a 2002 Hong Kong action thriller film co-directed by Andrew Lau and Alan Mak. Jointly written by Mak and Felix Chong, it stars Andy Lau, Tony Leung, Anthony Wong, Eric Tsang, Sammi Cheng and Kelly Chen. The film follows an undercover Hong Kong Police Force officer who infiltrates a Triad, and another officer who is secretly a spy for the same Triad. It is the first in the Infernal Affairs series and is followed by Infernal Affairs II and Infernal Affairs III.

<i>Drunken Master</i> 1978 Hong Kong martial arts film

Drunken Master and also known as Drunken Master The Beginning Chinese: 醉拳; lit. 'Drunken Fist and Jui Kuen' is a 1978 Hong Kong martial arts comedy film directed by Yuen Woo-ping. The film features much of the same crew as Yuen's Snake in the Eagle's Shadow released earlier the same year, including lead actors Jackie Chan, Yuen Siu-tien, and Hwang Jang-lee; although narratively unrelated, Drunken Master bears similarities to Snake in the Eagle's Shadow in its story and style.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tung Ping Chau</span> Island in Hong Kong

Tung Ping Chau is an island in Hong Kong, part of Hong Kong UNESCO Global Geopark. It is also known as Ping Chau (平洲). Tung is prepended to the name at times so as to avoid possible confusion with Peng Chau, another island in Hong Kong with an identically pronounced name in Cantonese. Administratively, the island is part of the Tai Po District in the New Territories.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eason Chan</span> Hong Kong singer and actor

Eason Chan Yick Shun is a Hong Kong singer and actor. He is one of the most popular and influential singers in both Cantopop and Mandopop. Besides holding the record for winning the "Ultimate Male Singer – Gold" award and "My Favorite Male Singer" award at the "Ultimate Song Chart Awards Presentation" in HK, he is also holding the record for being nominated for and winning prestigious Golden Melody Awards "Best Male Mandarin Singer" in Taiwan. Chan was ranked sixth in the 2013 Forbes China Celebrity Top 100 List. Chan was the most-streamed artist in Hong Kong on the Spotify music streaming platform from 2016 to 2021. Since joining UMG, Chan has amassed over 75 billion streams across various platforms by 2023. He is No.3 on the list of Spotify Global Top Mandopop Artists of the Year, 2023.

<i>The Bund</i> (TV series) Hong Kong TV series or program

The Bund is a Hong Kong period drama television series first broadcast on TVB in 1980. It is praised as "The Godfather of the East" and spawned two sequels, two remakes, and a film adaptation. The theme song, which shares the same Chinese title as the series and was performed by Frances Yip, also became a memorable Cantopop hit.

<i>All for the Winner</i> 1990 Hong Kong film

All for the Winner is a 1990 Hong Kong comedy film, directed by Jeffrey Lau and Corey Yuen, and starring Stephen Chow. It was the first movie ever in Hong Kong to cross the HK$40 million(HK$41,326,156.00) mark in the Hong Kong box office. It was a parody of God of Gamblers (1989), and due to its success it spawned a sequel, God of Gamblers II (1990), which featured characters from the original God of Gamblers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chan Kam-lam</span>

Chan Kam-lam, GBS, JP is a former member of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong representing the Kowloon East constituency. He is also a core member of the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong (DAB), the largest pro-Beijing party in Hong Kong.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grand Bauhinia Medal</span> Hong Kong award

The Grand Bauhinia Medal is the highest award under the Hong Kong honours and awards system; it is to recognise the selected person's lifelong and highly significant contribution to the well-being of Hong Kong. The awardee is entitled to the postnominal letters GBM and the style The Honourable. The award was created in 1997 to replace the British honours system, following the transfer of sovereignty to the People's Republic of China and the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. The list was empty because no one was awarded from 2003 to 2004. Bauhinia, Bauhinia blakeana, is the floral emblem of Hong Kong.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chan Siu Ki</span> Hong Kongese footballer

Chan Siu Ki is a former Hong Kong professional footballer who currently plays as a striker for Hong Kong First Division club Eastern District. He is the all-time top scorer for the Hong Kong national team with 40 goals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chan Wai Ho</span> Hong Kong footballer

Chan Wai Ho is a former Hong Kong professional footballer who currently plays as a centre back for Hong Kong First Division club Eastern District.

The Lutheran Church—Hong Kong Synod is a confessional Lutheran church body in Hong Kong. The LCHKS has nearly 40 congregations. The LCHKS grew from the China mission of The Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod (LCMS), which was established in the early 1900s. Many of the LCHKS parishes and schools are listed below.

Guangdong-Hong Kong Cup 1989–90 is the 12th staging of this two-leg competition between Hong Kong and Guangdong.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Keith Chan Siu-kei</span> Musical artist

Keith Chan Siu-kei is a Chinese pop song lyricist and record producer from Hong Kong. Since 1984, he has written over 3,000 Cantonese and Mandarin songs and won numerous awards from various Internet media in Hong Kong and Mainland China, including Best Chinese Lyrics Awards and Best Chinese Song Awards. His work can be found in albums released by many Hong Kong singers, including Jacky Cheung, Hacken Lee, Andy Lau, Aaron Kwok, and Gigi Leung.

<i>Hollywood Hong Kong</i> 2001 film by Fruit Chan

Hollywood Hong Kong is a 2001 Hong Kong film directed by Fruit Chan, with screenplay written by Kei To Lam. The film was selected to compete for the Golden Lion at the 58th Venice International Film Festival. It is the second instalment of his "Prostitute trilogy" which Chan directed from 2000–02. The other two movies in the trilogy are Durian Durian (2000) and Three Husbands (2018).

<i>Gods of Honour</i> Hong Kong television series

Gods of Honour is a Hong Kong television series adapted from the 16th-century novel Fengshen Bang, a Chinese vernacular classic written by Xu Zhonglin and Lu Xixing. The series was first aired on TVB Jade in Hong Kong in 2001. It starred Benny Chan, Chin Kar-lok, Irene Wan, Michelle Ye, Dickson Lee, Yuen Wah, Kingdom Yuen and Winnie Yeung in the lead roles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bernard Chan Pak-li</span> Hong Kong politician

Bernard Chan Pak-li is a Hong Kong politician with the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong. Outside politics he is involved in the pharmaceuticals industry.

Yoshihisa "Kowloon" Kurosawa is a Japanese businessman, essayist, and nonfiction writer from Tokyo, Japan. He is best known for being the designer of Hong Kong 97 on the Super Famicom, which is considered to be one of the worst video games ever made.

<i>The Story of Kamikuishiki Village</i> 1995 video game

The Story of Kamikuishiki Village is a satirical Japanese doujin resource management strategy game developed by HappySoft and published by Aum Soft that was released for PC-98 on June 29, 1995. Kamikuishiki Village satirises the Aum Shinrikyo cult and the 1995 Tokyo subway sarin gas attack orchestrated by the cult; a common misconception is that the game was produced by the cult as propaganda, whereas The Story of Kamikuishiki Village actually portrays Aum and the sarin gas attack negatively, mocking its members and showing footage of 'humiliating' media coverage.

<i>City Vibrance</i> Hong Kong art exhibition

City Vibrance: Recent Works in Western Media by Hong Kong Artists was an art exhibition held at the Hong Kong Museum of Art from 27 March to 2 May 1992. It showcased the work of a broad cross-section of contemporary Hong Kong artists using a wide range of art media.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Shamdasani, Pavan (20 January 2018). "Developer of world's worst video game, Hong Kong 1997, ends silence to reveal its strange genesis and beg gamers to drop it". South China Morning Post . Hong Kong. Archived from the original on 21 April 2018. Retrieved 30 April 2018.
  2. 1 2 Gault, Matthew (12 November 2019). "The True, Secret History of the Creepiest Cult Game Ever Made". Vice . Retrieved 21 March 2020.
  3. 1 2 3 Plunkett, Luke (21 August 2012). "Racism, Violence & Madness Make This Awful Hong Kong Game One to Remember". Kotaku . New York City: Univision Communications. Archived from the original on 19 January 2018. Retrieved 19 January 2018.
  4. 1 2 3 Lamy, Corentin (9 February 2018). "Laid, raté et raciste: l'invraisemblable épopée du "pire jeu vidéo du monde"" [Ugly, failed and racist: the incredible epic of the "worst video game in the world"]. Le Monde (in French). Retrieved 25 February 2019.
  5. ↑ 1997年がやってきた。大陸から薄汚い人民が痰を吐きながら大挙して押し寄せてくる。
  6. ↑ "Scan of Hong Kong 97's insert" (in Japanese). Retrieved 20 January 2020– via Internet Archive.
  7. 1 2 Wells, Adam (16 September 2018). "Awful Game Has Enduring Legacy Despite Creator's Wishes". Kotaku Australia . Surry Hills: Univision Communications . Retrieved 25 February 2019.
  8. ↑ McFerran, Damien (18 December 2023). "Why Not Download One Of The Worst SNES Games Ever This Festive Season?". Time Extension . Hookshot Media . Retrieved 18 December 2023.
  9. ↑ Beschizza, Rob (14 January 2020). "Japan's "Filthiest Underground Gaming Magazine" enters the Internet Archive". Boing Boing . Retrieved 16 January 2021.
  10. ↑ "The Story of Kamikuishiki Village Magazine Advertisement". Game Urara. Vol. 4. Core Magazine. 1995. pp. 190–191.
  11. ↑ Lima, Diego (22 July 2018). "Os 10 piores games da história que você precisa conhecer" [The 10 Worst Games In History You Need To Know]. IGN Brazil (in Portuguese). São Paulo: Ziff Davis . Retrieved 25 February 2019.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.