| Toy Pop | |
|---|---|
 Advertising flyer | |
| Developer(s) | Namco |
| Publisher(s) | Namco |
| Designer(s) | Takefumi Hyodoh |
| Artist(s) | Hiroshi Fuji |
| Composer(s) | Junko Ozawa |
| Platform(s) | Arcade, Sharp X1 |
| Release |
|
| Genre(s) | Multidirectional shooter |
| Mode(s) | Single-player, multiplayer |
Toy Pop [lower-alpha 1] is a multidirectional shooter arcade game that was released by Namco in 1986. The game was later rereleased as part of Namco Museum Vol. 1 for the original Sony PlayStation in 1995.
Toy Pop is a top-down multi-directional shooter that can be played both single-player or with two players simultaneously. The players venture through 44 floors (the game uses the toy-themed term "Box" as opposed to "Floor", to fit with the game's setting) collecting four gold hearts contained in jars on each floor in order to advance. Along the way, the players must open gift-wrapped containers concealing either weapons or score-increasing bonus items; these various weapons are used to defeat several different varieties of enemies (Heitai, Cars, Tanks, Domdoms, Trumps, Osaru, Robots and occasionally the evil wizard Mahou), with many typically vulnerable to only one type of weapon. On the 44th floor, the players battle the evil witch Majyo, who can only be defeated by finding all eight gold hearts scattered around the room.
Toy Pop was developed by Namco and produced by Takefumi Hyodoh. [1] He had previously directed Battle City (1985), a well-received sequel to Tank Battalion (1980). [2] This led him being transferred to a higher-ranking development department within the company and assigned to produce a new arcade game. [1] Hyodoh, who hadn't taken the position of a planner before, struggled to adapt and worked slower than usual. [1] Nonetheless, he created a prototype named Space Alamo where players fought enemy aliens in an open-world, science fiction-inspired setting, similar to Namco's previous game Warp & Warp (1981). [2] Hyodoh's colleague, Yoshiro Kishimoto, suggested making it a fantasy game with characters and visuals that appealed to young girls. [2] He took his suggestion and turned the game into one based around fairy tales and Christmas, making its characters toys and renaming it Toy Pop. [2] The characters and artwork were created by Hiroshi Fuji, the artist and character designer for Valkyrie no Bōken , while the in-game sprites were drawn by Hiroshi "Mr. Dotman" Ono. [2] Its ragtime-inspired soundtrack was composed by Junko Ozawa. [3]
Toy Pop was released to arcades in Japan in April 1986, using the same hardware as Libble Rabble (1983). [4] A conversion for the Sharp X1 was produced by Dempa Shinbunsha in 1989. [5] Toy Pop did not garner much attention until 1995, when it was ported to the PlayStation through the compilation Namco Museum Vol. 1 , alongside six other Namco arcade games from the early 1980s. [6] [7] The PlayStation version uses the original source code running through a JAMMA emulator, making it a near-perfect conversion. [8] Toy Pop is also included in Namco History Vol. 1 (1997), a similar compilation released for Windows in Japan. [9] In 2009, the game was digitally re-released for the Wii Virtual Console in Japan. [10] In 2022, the game was digitally re-released for the PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch internationally.
In Japan, Game Machine listed Toy Pop as being the country's twentieth most popular arcade game of May 1986. [12]
A theme based on Toy Pop is featured in Pac-Man 99 , as special DLC.
Pac-Man, originally called Puck Man in Japan, is a 1980 maze action video game developed and released by Namco for arcades. In North America, the game was released by Midway Manufacturing as part of its licensing agreement with Namco America. The player controls Pac-Man, who must eat all the dots inside an enclosed maze while avoiding four colored ghosts. Eating large flashing dots called "Power Pellets" causes the ghosts to temporarily turn blue, allowing Pac-Man to eat them for bonus points.
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.
Galaga is a 1981 fixed shooter arcade video game developed and published by Namco. In North America, it was released by Midway Manufacturing. It is the sequel to Galaxian (1979), Namco's first major video game hit in arcades. Controlling a starship, the player is tasked with destroying the Galaga forces in each stage while avoiding enemies and projectiles. Some enemies can capture a player's ship via a tractor beam, which can be rescued to transform the player into a "dual fighter" with additional firepower.
Dig Dug is a maze arcade video game developed by Namco in 1981 and released in 1982, distributed in North America by Atari, Inc. The player controls Dig Dug to defeat all enemies per stage, by either inflating them to bursting or crushing them underneath rocks.
Xevious is a vertically scrolling shooter arcade video game developed and published by Namco in 1982. It was released in Japan and Europe by Namco and in North America by Atari, Inc. Controlling the Solvalou starship, the player attacks Xevious forces before they destroy all of mankind. The Solvalou has two weapons at its disposal: a zapper to destroy flying craft, and a blaster to bomb ground installations and enemies. It runs on the Namco Galaga arcade system.
Mappy is an arcade game by Namco, originally released in 1983 and distributed in the United States by Bally Midway. Running on the Namco Super Pac-Man hardware modified to support horizontal scrolling, the game features a mouse protagonist and cat antagonists, similar to Hanna-Barbera's Tom and Jerry cartoon series. The name "Mappy" is likely derived from mappo (マッポ), a slightly pejorative Japanese slang term for policeman. The game has been re-released in several Namco arcade compilations. It spawned a handful of sequels and a 2013 animated web series developed by cartoonists Scott Kurtz and Kris Straub.
Pac-Land is a 1984 side-scrolling arcade platform game developed and released by Namco. It was distributed in North America by Bally Midway, and in Europe by Atari Games. Controlling Pac-Man, the player must make it to the end of each stage to return a lost fairy back to its home in Fairyland. Pac-Man will need to avoid obstacles, such as falling logs and water-spewing fire hydrants, alongside his enemies, the Ghost Gang. Eating large flashing Power Pellets will cause the ghosts to turn blue, allowing Pac-Man to eat them for points.
Rally-X is a maze chase arcade video game developed in Japan and Germany by Namco and released in 1980. In North America, it was distributed by Midway Manufacturing and in Europe by Karateco. Players drive a blue Formula One race car through a multidirectional scrolling maze to collect yellow flags. Boulders block some paths and must be avoided. Red enemy cars pursue the player in an attempt to collide with them. Red cars can be temporarily stunned by laying down smoke screens at the cost of fuel. Rally-X is one of the first games with bonus stages and continuously-playing background music.
The Tower of Druaga is a 1984 arcade action role-playing maze game developed and published in Japan by Namco. Controlling the golden-armored knight Gilgamesh, the player is tasked with scaling 60 floors of the titular tower in an effort to rescue the maiden Ki from Druaga, a demon with eight arms and four legs, who plans to use an artifact known as the Blue Crystal Rod to enslave all of mankind. It ran on the Namco Super Pac-Man arcade hardware, modified with a horizontal-scrolling video system used in Mappy.
Namco Museum is a series of video game compilations developed and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment for home video game consoles. The first title in the series, Namco Museum Vol. 1, was released for the PlayStation in 1995. Entries in the series have been released for multiple platforms, including the Game Boy Advance, PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable, Nintendo DS and Xbox 360. the latest being Namco Museum Archives Vol. 2, released in 2020.
Dragon Spirit is a 1987 vertical-scrolling shooter arcade game developed and published by Namco. In North America, it was distributed by Atari Games. Controlling the dragon Amul, the player must complete each of the game's nine areas to rescue the princess Alicia from the demon Zawell. Similar to Namco's own Xevious, Amul has a projectile weapon for destroying air-based enemies and a bomb for destroying ground enemies. It ran on the Namco System 1 arcade board.
Genpei Tōma Den is a side-scrolling hack and slash produced by Namco that was released as a coin-operated video game in 1986 in Japan. It runs on Namco System 86 hardware. Over a decade later, the game was released in America and Europe in the video game compilation Namco Museum Vol. 4 under the title of The Genji and the Heike Clans for the PlayStation.
Namco Classic Collection Vol. 1 is a 1995 arcade game compilation developed and published by Namco. It includes three of the company's most well-known games from the early 1980s — Galaga (1981), Xevious (1983), and Mappy (1983) — alongside brand-new "Arrangement" remakes of these games that have updated gameplay, visuals, and sounds. The arcade originals are also modified slightly to end after a certain number of rounds. Super Xevious (1984) is also playable. It ran on the Namco ND-1 arcade system, being one of the first games to utilize it.
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.
Cutie Q is a 1979 block breaker/video pinball hybrid arcade game developed and published by Namco in Japan. The player controls a set of paddles with a rotary knob, the objective being to score as many points possible by deflecting a ball against blocks, ghosts, spinners and other objects on the playfield. It was designed by Shigeru Yokoyama, with spritework done by Toru Iwatani. It is the third and final game in the Gee Bee trilogy.
Rolling Thunder is a run and gun video game produced by Namco. It released in 1986 as a coin-operated arcade video game using the Namco System 86 hardware. It was distributed in North America by Atari Games. The player takes control of a secret agent who must rescue his female partner from a terrorist organization. Rolling Thunder was a commercial success in arcades, and it was released for various home computer platforms in 1987 and the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1989. The original arcade game has been included in various classic game compilations as well. It influenced later arcade action franchises such as Shinobi and Time Crisis, which borrowed mechanics such as taking cover behind crates.
Namco Museum Vol. 1 is a 1995 arcade video game compilation developed and published by Namco for the PlayStation. The collection includes seven arcade games developed by the company that were originally released in the 1980s, such as Pac-Man, Galaga and Pole Position. The compilation features a 3D open-world virtual museum that the player can interact with, the games being housed in themed rooms with exhibits, such as promotional flyers, cabinet artwork and instruction cards. Players can also view Namco product catalogs, promotional pamphlets and front cover scans of the company's Japanese press literature.
Pro Baseball: Family Stadium, released as Pro Yakyū: Family Stadium in Japan and R.B.I. Baseball in North America, is a 1986 baseball video game originally developed and published by Namco for the Family Computer (Famicom). In North America, it was published by Tengen for arcade and Nintendo Entertainment System platforms as R.B.I. Baseball. It is the first game in the Family Stadium and R.B.I. Baseball franchises. The game was a critical and commercial success in Japan and North America.
Hiroshi Ono was a Japanese video game artist. He spent most of his career at Namco and later Bandai Namco, designing pixel art and cabinet artwork for their arcade video games. Because of his focus and expertise on pixel art, he was nicknamed Mr. Dotman and The Wizard of Dot Art.
