Sweet Licks

Last updated
Sweet Licks
Sweet Licks promo flyer.jpg
North American promotional sales flyer
Developer(s) Namco
TOGO
Publisher(s) Namco
Designer(s) Yukio Ishikawa
Release
  • JP: April 1981
  • NA: April 1982
  • EU: 1982
Genre(s) Redemption
Mole-buster

Sweet Licks, known as Okashi Daisakusen [lower-alpha 1] in Japan and Choco-Kid in Europe, is a 1981 coin-operated redemption mole-buster arcade game developed and published by Namco. Players use a foam-covered mallet to whack the eight "Pyokotan" cake monsters that emerge from the colored holes placed on the machine. Points are awarded for hitting them, and the speed of the game increases until the time limit runs out. Hitting 40 Pyokotan will increase the timer by 15 seconds.

Contents

Designed by Namco mechanical designer Yukio Ishikawa, Sweet Licks was created in response to the growing number of "mole buster" arcade games in Japanese entertainment centers. The game was themed around cake and pastries to make it stand out from similar games and to attract women, since they often liked to eat desserts or sweets. It is the first arcade game to employ an LCD monitor, which kept track of the player's score and the countdown timer.

Sweet Licks was widely-successful, and is considered an influential and important game in the arcade industry for inspiring other manufacturers to create similar titles, becoming a large, growing market in later years. Critics praised the game for its light-hearted tone, simple gameplay and attractive cabinet design. The game made Namco more willing to create similar games later on, such as Gator Panic in 1989.

Gameplay

Sweet Licks is a redemption arcade game with a cake motif. [1] Players use a foam mallet to whack the eight "Pyokotan" that pop out of the various colored holes in the machine. [2] [3] The objective is to hit as many Pyokotan as possible before the countdown timer, displayed via an LCD screen on the cabinet, runs out. Hitting 40 Pyokotan will increase the timer by 15 seconds, allowing for additional points to be scored. [3] The Pyokotan move faster as the game progresses. [4] Once the timer runs out, the game will be over, and the player's performance will be determined by a flashing light on the machine.

Development and release

The Pyokotan are powered by a solenoid connected to the hardware, and a metal shaft to make them move up and down. Pyokotan mechanism.jpg
The Pyokotan are powered by a solenoid connected to the hardware, and a metal shaft to make them move up and down.

The first "mole buster" game was Mogura Taiji, released by TOGO, a manufacturer and designer of arcade electro-mechanical games, in 1975. [5] It became Japan's second highest-grossing electro-mechanical arcade game of 1976 and again in 1977, second only to Namco's popular arcade racing game F-1 in both years. [6] [7]

Sweet Licks was designed by Yukio Ishikawa, a mechanical designer for the Japanese game company Namco. [8] Namco, who was beginning to shift towards arcade video game production after hits like Galaxian and Pac-Man , began to notice arcade centers in Japan be flooded with "mole buster" games, where players used a foam mallet to hit plastic moles that popped out of the machine. [9] To capitalize on their popularity, Namco began work on a similar game with a unique motif to help it stand out from other similar games. [9]

Sweet Licks was originally designed by TOGO, who had originally named it Mole Attack. Namco purchased the rights to the game and reskinned it. [10] The game is themed around cake and pastries to help attract women, since women often liked to eat desserts or sweets. [9] [2] It used an LCD monitor to keep track of the player's score, being the very first arcade game to employ such a concept. [2] The eight Pyokotan are powered by an electro-mechanical magnet, consisting of a solenoid powered by the arcade hardware and a metal shaft to make them move up and down; this concept was used to reduce the failure rate of the machine. [2]

Sweet Licks was released in Japan in April 1981. [11] The machine measured 61 inches tall, 45 inches wide, and 43 inches deep. Namco's North American division presented the game at the 1982 Amusement Operator's Expo tradeshow, held in the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Chicago, Illinois, where it was renamed to Sweet Licks. [12] [1] The game was released in North America in April 1982. [13] It was re-released later that year in European countries as Choco-Kid, a title originally used on the artwork for the Japanese version.

Reception

Sweet Licks performed well in arcades, being a surprise hit for Namco. It was mostly popular with families and women for its light-hearted tone, becoming a mainstay in Japanese amusement centers, and its success lead Namco to produce several similar redemption games in later years, such as Gator Panic (1989). It is considered an influential title in the arcade game industry for its unique concept inspiring other manufacturers to pursue a similar idea. [14]

Sweet Licks was liked by critics. Joystik magazine, who reported on the game's presence at the 1982 Amusement Operator's Expo tradeshow, labeled it as one of the stranger titles presented for its odd concept and bizarre gameplay, which they felt was "just too weird for words". [12] Cash Box praised the game for the colorful cabinet design, cheery nature and for attempting to appeal towards children and families, which they liked for standing out against other mechanical games at the time. [1] Advanced Computer Entertainment commented on the game's legacy and importance for the redemption game market, saying that its simplistic yet frantic gameplay helped make other companies take notice and produce similar machines, to a point where arcades in Japan began to see less of a focus on video games and more on similar "novelty" machines. [14] Julian Rignall of CU Amiga labeled it "the sicket machine" ever in his coverage on early 1980s electro-mechanical coin-op games, writing that its simply-yet-addictive nature, "brilliant" gameplay and overall cute design made it one of the definitive mechanical games of the era. [4]

In a 2012 retrospective article, Japanese news publication Livedoor News commended the game for its attempt at appealing towards women and families with its light-hearted tone and simplistic gameplay, a drastic comparison to the large wave of Space Invaders games that had flooded game centers a few years prior. [15] Livedoor also commented on the game's distinct arcade cabinet and its overall build quality, saying that it was well-designed and wasn't faulty like other mechanical games from the era were. [15] They also commented that the game would likely still be successful if it was released in the present time, due to redemption games finding more success in arcades in later years. [15]

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Japanese: おかし大作戦, English: Funny Sweets Battle

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amusement arcade</span> Venue where people play arcade games

An amusement arcade, also known as a video arcade, amusements, arcade, or penny arcade, is a venue where people play arcade games, including arcade video games, pinball machines, electro-mechanical games, redemption games, merchandisers, or coin-operated billiards or air hockey tables. In some countries, some types of arcades are also legally permitted to provide gambling machines such as slot machines or pachinko machines. Games are usually housed in cabinets.

<i>Pole Position</i> 1982 video game

Pole Position is a racing arcade video game released by Namco in 1982. It was licensed to Atari, Inc. for US manufacture and distribution. Pole Position is considered one of the most important titles from the golden age of arcade video games. It was an evolution of Namco's earlier arcade racing electro-mechanical games, notably F-1 (1976), whose designer Sho Osugi worked on Pole Position.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Namco</span> Japanese video game developer and publisher

Namco Limited was a Japanese multinational video game and entertainment company, headquartered in Ōta, Tokyo. It held several international branches, including Namco America in Santa Clara, California, Namco Europe in London, Namco Taiwan in Kaohsiung, and Shanghai Namco in mainland China.

<i>Galaxian</i> 1979 video game

Galaxian is a 1979 fixed shooter arcade video game developed and published by Namco. The player assumes control of the Galaxip starfighter in its mission to protect Earth from waves of aliens. Gameplay involves destroying each formation of aliens, who dive down towards the player in an attempt to hit them.

<i>Dig Dug</i> 1982 video game

Dig Dug is a maze arcade video game released by Namco in 1982. It was distributed in North America by Atari, Inc. The player digs underground tunnels to attack enemies in each level, by either inflating them to bursting or crushing them underneath rocks.

<i>Whac-A-Mole</i> Game of skill

Whac-A-Mole is an arcade game. It was created in 1975 by the amusements manufacturer TOGO in Japan, where it was originally known as Mogura Taiji or Mogura Tataki.

<i>Pole Position II</i> 1983 video game

Pole Position II is the sequel to racing simulation game Pole Position, released by Namco for arcades in 1983. As with its predecessor, Namco licensed this game to Atari, Inc. for US manufacture and distribution. Atari Corporation released a port as the pack-in game for its Atari 7800 ProSystem console launch in 1986. Pole Position arcade machines can be converted to Pole Position II by swapping several chips.

<i>Grobda</i> 1984 video game

Grobda is a 1984 multidirectional shooter arcade video game developed and published by Namco. It is a spin-off from Xevious, as the player's tank first appeared in that game as an enemy. It runs on Namco Super Pac-Man hardware but with a video system like that used in Mappy and The Tower of Druaga, and it also uses a DAC for the "Get Ready" speech sample at the start of each round.

<i>Valkyrie no Densetsu</i> 1989 action-adventure arcade game

Valkyrie no Densetsu is a 1989 action-adventure role-playing arcade game developed and published in Japan by Namco. It is a follow-up to the Family Computer game Valkyrie no Bōken (1986). Players control the warrior maiden Valkyrie and her lizard-like companion Kurino Xandra as they set out to drop a mythical item called the Golden Seed into the Northern Fountain to replenish the dying crop fields of Xandra Land. Gameplay involves defeating enemies and collecting gold to purchase magical spells and weapons in shops.

<i>Metal Hawk</i> 1988 video game

Metal Hawk is a 1988 multidirectional shooter arcade video game developed and published by Namco. Assuming control of the titular attack helicopter, the player is tasked with using a machine gun and air-to-surface missiles to destroy enemies and earn a certain number of points before the timer runs out, all while avoiding collision with ether enemy projectiles and obstacles. The Metal Hawk can change its altitude to allow it to either rise higher in the air or lower towards the ground. It runs on the Namco System 2 arcade board.

<i>Gee Bee</i> (video game) 1978 video game

Gee Bee is a block breaker/video pinball hybrid arcade game developed and published by Namco in 1978. The player controls a set of paddles with a rotary knob, with the objective being to score as many points as possible by deflecting a ball against bricks, pop bumpers and other objects in the playfield. It was developed by Toru Iwatani, known as the creator of Pac-Man and Pole Position. Outside Japan, it was published by Gremlin Industries.

<i>Golly! Ghost!</i> 1991 video game

Golly! Ghost! is a 1991 light gun shooter arcade game developed and published by Namco. It employs a diorama which is controlled by the game's driver board to open and close mechanical doors which are connected to solenoids, much like the moveable items on a pinball table. The diorama has five 24-volt globe lights that come on only during gameplay to light up the rooms - and they are all on when the game is being played during the shooting scenes, and off for the cutscenes, title screen, and high scores. The globes are not individually controlled, and are either all on or off; the driver board powers the diorama unit's solenoids and lights via several connectors on the driver board and the guns also plug into the driver board via another small connector. In 2012, the game was adapted into a webcomic for Namco Bandai's ShiftyLook webcomic service.

<i>F-1</i> (arcade game) 1976 video game

F-1 is a 1976 electro-mechanical arcade racing game developed and published by Nakamura Manufacturing Company (Namco), and distributed in North America by Atari, Inc. The player uses a steering wheel to control a Formula One racer, which must avoid collision with other vehicles. The game uses a miniature diorama with small, plastic cars to represent the player's car and opponents on a physical, rotating track, while also featuring a projector system and lighting tricks to create the illusion of racing.

<i>Speed Race</i> 1974 video game

Speed Race is a 1974 arcade racing video game developed and manufactured by Taito and released under the titles Racer and Wheels in North America by distributor Midway Manufacturing in 1975. Designed by Tomohiro Nishikado, the gameplay involves the player using the attached steering wheel to maneuver a car alongside a fast vertical scrolling road. The objective is to score points by driving past other cars without colliding with them; more points are awarded for driving faster. Players must do this under a 90-second time limit, which ends the game when it runs out. The gameplay concepts were adapted from two earlier driving electro-mechanical games: Kasco's Mini Drive (1958) and Taito's Super Road 7 (1970).

Electro-mechanical games are types of arcade games that operate on a combination of some electronic circuitry and mechanical actions from the player to move items contained within the game's cabinet. Some of these were early light gun games using light-sensitive sensors on targets to register hits, while others were simulation games such as driving games, combat flight simulators and sports games. EM games were popular in amusement arcades from the late 1940s up until the 1970s, serving as alternatives to pinball machines, which had been stigmatized as games of chance during that period. EM games lost popularity in the 1970s, as arcade video games had emerged to replace them in addition to newer pinball machines designed as games of skill.

<i>Periscope</i> (arcade game) Shooting gallery arcade game

Periscope is an electro-mechanical arcade shooting submarine simulator. Two companies developed similar games with the name. The first, initially called Torpedo Launcher, was designed by Nakamura Manufacturing Co. and released in Japan in 1965, as the first arcade game Masaya Nakamura built. Sega Enterprises, Ltd. also built and released Periscope in Japan in 1966, as one of its first produced arcade games.

<i>Submarine</i> (arcade game) 1978 video game

Submarine is an electro-mechanical arcade game that was released by Namco in 1978, and was licensed to Midway for US manufacturing and distribution in September 1979.

<i>Shoot Away</i> 1977 video game

Shoot Away is a 1977 electro-mechanical (EM) light gun shooter arcade game developed and published by Namco. Players use the shotgun-shaped light guns to fire at clay pigeons, represented as flying white dots on a projector screen. There are two that must be shot down in each round, and players only get two bullets to hit them. Bonus points are awarded for shooting the pigeons as soon as they appear, or by destroying both of them with a single bullet. The game was a critical and commercial success, maintaining a presence in arcades into the 1980s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arcade game</span> Coin-operated entertainment machine

An arcade game or coin-op game is a coin-operated entertainment machine typically installed in public businesses such as restaurants, bars and amusement arcades. Most arcade games are presented as primarily games of skill and include arcade video games, pinball machines, electro-mechanical games, redemption games or merchandisers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Namco Funscape</span> Arcade and entertainment complex in County Hall, Westminster, Central London, England

Namco Funscape, formally known as Namco Funscape County Hall, was a Namco amusement arcade located on the ground to basement levels of County Hall, South Bank, London. Originally opened as Namco Station in August 1997, it operated as one of the capital's leading family and corporate entertainment centres for 25 years, closing permanently in August 2021 due to redevelopment plans blocking a lease renewal.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "New Equipment - Lighthearted Game". Cash Box. 24 April 1982. p. 39. Retrieved 18 February 2020.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "おかし大作戦 (1981)" (in Japanese). Bandai Namco Entertainment. 2005. Archived from the original on 8 September 2019. Retrieved 19 February 2020.
  3. 1 2 "Sweet Licks promotional sales flyer". Namco America. 1982. pp. 1–4. Archived from the original on 25 March 2019. Retrieved 19 February 2020.
  4. 1 2 Rignall, Julian (May 1990). "Arcades". CU Amiga . No. 3. United Kingdom. p. 87. Retrieved 18 February 2020.
  5. ↑ "70s Amusement Machine History" (PDF). Japan Amusement Machine and Marketing Association (JAMMA) (in Japanese). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-09-11. Retrieved 14 May 2021.
  6. ↑ "本紙アンケー 〜 ト調査の結果 (アーケードゲーム機)" [Paper Questionnaire: Results of the Survey (Arcade Game Machines)](PDF). Game Machine (in Japanese). No. 65. Amusement Press, Inc. 1 February 1977. p. 2.
  7. ↑ "結果ベスト3" [Best 3 Results](PDF). Game Machine (in Japanese). No. 90. Amusement Press, Inc. 15 February 1978. p. 2.
  8. ↑ "『ワニワニパニック』開発者からグループ会長にまで上り詰めた男が語る、ナムコ激動の40年。創業者・中村雅哉との思い出、バンダイ経営統合の舞台裏【バンダイナムコ前会長・石川祝男インタビュー：ゲームの企画書】". Den Famicogamer. 14 September 2018. Archived from the original on 14 January 2020. Retrieved 19 February 2020.
  9. 1 2 3 Namco Elemecha Daihyakka booklet. Japan: Victor Entertainment. 24 July 1996.
  10. ↑ "Joint Venture by Namco and Togo Japan" (PDF). Japan: Amusement Press. Game Machine. 1 June 1987. p. 22. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 June 2020. Retrieved 30 June 2020.
  11. ↑ "弊社商品の保守対応終了について" (PDF). Bandai Namco Entertainment. January 2016. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 July 2018. Retrieved 19 February 2020.
  12. 1 2 Philips, Scott (September 1982). "Video Debut: Report On The Amusement Operator's Exposition". Vol. 1, no. 1. Joystik. pp. 30–31. Retrieved 18 February 2020.
  13. ↑ Manufacturers Equipment. Cash Box. 20 November 1982. p. 63. Retrieved 18 February 2020.
  14. 1 2 "Sweet Licks". No. 29. United Kingdom: EMAP. Advanced Computer Entertainment. February 1990. p. 23. Retrieved 18 February 2020.
  15. 1 2 3 Shimizu, Sasha (18 June 2012). "【懐かしいゲーム特集】「おかし大作戦」". Livedoor News (in Japanese). LINE Corporation . Retrieved 19 February 2020.
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.