Money Puzzle Exchanger

Last updated
Money Puzzle Exchanger
Money Puzzle Exchanger arcade flyer.jpg
Developer(s) Face [lower-alpha 1]
Publisher(s)
  • Athena
    (Game Boy/PlayStation)
    GMF (Windows)
Producer(s) Kengo Asai
Designer(s) Starman
Programmer(s) Piggy
Artist(s) Atsuko Ishida
Mariko Sumiyoshi
Mutsuo Kaneko
Composer(s) Kennosuke Suemura
Norihiko Togashi
Platform(s)
Release
  • Arcade
    • WW: 17 January 1997
    Game Boy
    • JP: 29 August 1997
    Windows
    PlayStation
    • JP: 5 November 1998
Genre(s) Puzzle
Mode(s)
Arcade system Neo Geo MVS

Money Puzzle Exchanger [lower-alpha 3] is a puzzle game created on January 17, 1997 by Japanese video game developer Face for the Neo Geo MVS arcade system. [4] [5] [6] [7] Athena Co. Ltd. ported it to the Game Boy on August 29, 1997, and the PlayStation on November 5, 1998. The Japanese PlayStation version was made available by MonkeyPaw Games on the PlayStation Network's import store on November 16, 2010. It was later re-released as part of the Arcade Archives Neo Geo series for PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch on June 28, 2018. [8]

Contents

Gameplay

Arcade version screenshot. NEOGEO Money Puzzle Exchanger (Money Idol Exchanger).png
Arcade version screenshot.

Money Puzzle Exchanger has the same gameplay as Fujitsu’s earlier PC game Moujiya , but structured as a stacking game similar to the Magical Drop , Astro Pop, and Puzzle Bobble series, whereby players race to prevent a perpetually falling array of coins in different values from filling up the screen. Coins are combined (vertically and/or horizontally) to form higher valued coins; for example, five '1' coins will form a '5' coin, and two '5' coins will form a '10' coin, and so on, until two '500' coins are put together, at which point both disappear. Coins are arranged and colored to match denominations of the yen coins. Two bonus tiles allow for changes in gameplay. A green RU tile will rank up all coins of the same denomination; for example, all '10' coins will become '50' coins. A blue ER title will erase all coins of the same value. The game is won when any coin reaches the bottom of the opponent's screen. [9]

In the single player mode, one of two characters can be selected who attempt to beat up to seven idiosyncratically named characters with names like Debtmiser, Mightdealer, Eldylabor, and Cherrybeiter. In the two player mode, both players fight each other until victory. The quicker and more efficiently each player clears out their screen, the quicker the other player's screen will fill up. Since filled screens offer the most opportunity for chaining together large combos, the tide can turn very quickly.

There is also another single player mode called Solo Mode. Any character can be played in this mode. The aim in Solo Mode is to continually clear the screen from coins and try to keep the game going for as long as possible.

Characters

Development

The game is the one of the final and most well known video game titles developed by Face before it filed and declared for bankruptcy in 2000, just a year before the bankruptcy of the original incarnation of SNK, the latter affiliated company. The development team of the game mostly consisted of former Technōs Japan employees. Kengo Asai, the producer for the game is also involved in development of another Neo Geo titles, such as Voltage Fighter Gowcaizer , Savage Reign , The Last Blade , The Last Blade 2 , The King of Fighters '97 , The King of Fighters '98 , Real Bout Fatal Fury 2: The Newcomers , and Garou: Mark of the Wolves , as well as the cancelled Neo Geo titles, Dragon's Heaven (which tentatively was named DarkSeed) along with another SNK's video game titles, Samurai Shodown: Warriors Rage . The character designs for the game were done by then-wife of Masami Ōbari Atsuko Ishida (who also worked on Fatal Fury: The Motion Picture , Magic Knight Rayearth and The Brave Express Might Gaine ).

A soundtrack for the game was released featuring the talents of voice actresses Sakura Tange, Yukana Nogami and Machiko Toyoshima. Sakura Tange and Yukana Nogami would later voice Sakura Kinomoto (which also have green eyes like Sakura Mitsukoshi) and Meiling Li respectively in the anime adaptation of Clamp's Cardcaptor Sakura .

The game has extensive use of Engrish. Examples of phrases used include "Let's fight to computer!" and "You put the same kind of items. That's OK." Most of the characters names are portmanteaus of English words involving money or love. The character names (in game stage order) are: Exchanger, Coquetry, Cherrybeiter, Everyworker, Debtmiser, Eldylabor, Macker, and Mightdealer.

In the International arcade version the coins are made to look generic, while in the Japanese version of the game the coins are localized to look closer to their yen equivalents.

Reception

Money Puzzle Exchanger was met with positive reception from critics since its release. Famitsu gave both the Game Boy and PlayStation conversions a positive outlook. [11] [12] However, public response for the Game Boy version was mixed; In a poll taken by Family Computer Magazine, the game received a score of 19.4 out of 30, indicating a middling following. [16] Video Chums regarded it as one of the most obscure puzzle games for PlayStation. [17]

AllGame 's Kyle Knight praised the overall audiovisual presentation and addictive gameplay but noted that its learning curve requires patience and practice. [10] MeriStation's Rubén Martínez stated that Money Puzzle Exchanger was reminiscent of Puzzle Bobble and Magical Drop , noting its difficulty curve, praising the multiplayer mode, anime-style visuals, soundtrack and addictive gameplay but criticized the lack of power-up items. [13] Reviewing the Nintendo Switch re-release, Adam Martinez of Nintendo Times commended the graphics and gameplay but felt mixed in regards to the sound design and criticized emulation issues with the interface. [14] Video Chums's A.J. Maciejewski also gave the Nintendo Switch re-release positive remarks to the money-based gameplay, audiovisual presentation and competitive play but criticized the lack of variations in multiplayer and additional modes. [15]

Notes

  1. ↑ Ported to PlayStation by Santos with additional work by C-lab. [1] [2]
  2. ↑ Co-published and co-distributed with SNK
  3. ↑ Also known as Money Idol Exchanger (Japanese: マネーアイドルエクスチェンジャー, Hepburn: Manē Aidoru Ekusuchenjā) in Japan.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Neo Geo (system)</span> Cartridge-based arcade system board and home video game console

The Neo Geo, stylized as NEO•GEO and also written as NEOGEO, is a ROM cartridge-based arcade system board and fourth-generation home video game console released on April 26, 1990, by Japanese game company SNK Corporation. It was the first system in SNK's Neo Geo family.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">SNK</span> Japanese video game company

SNK Corporation is a Japanese video game hardware and software company. It is the successor to the company Shin Nihon Kikaku and presently owns the SNK video game brand and the Neo Geo video game platform, and electronics. SNK's predecessor Shin Nihon Kikaku Corporation was founded in 1978 by Eikichi Kawasaki. In 1981, the name was informally shortened to SNK Corporation, which became the company's official name in 1986.

<i>Metal Slug</i> (1996 video game) 1996 video game

Metal Slug is a 1996 run and gun arcade video game originally developed by Nazca Corporation and released by SNK for the Neo Geo MVS. It is the first installment in the eponymous series. Set in 2028, players assume the role of Peregrine Falcon Strike Force soldiers Marco Rossi and Tarma Roving on a fight against the Rebel Army led by Donald Morden and overthrow his coup d'état to prevent a New World Order.

<i>Blazing Star</i> 1998 shooter video game

Blazing Star is a shoot 'em up video game developed by Yumekobo and published by SNK in 1998 for the Neo Geo arcade and home systems. It is a follow-up to Pulstar (1995) and features side-scrolling action similar to its predecessor and different ships with varying characteristics. It was made less challenging than its predecessor, and the graphic quality was improved upon.

<i>Twinkle Star Sprites</i> 1996 video game

Twinkle Star Sprites is a competitive vertically scrolling shooter arcade video game created by ADK and published by SNK in 1996. It was ADK's last production for the Neo Geo. Two players are each in separate, side-by-side, vertically scrolling levels. Combinations of shots and timed power-ups damage the other player. These attacks also serve as counters to the opponent's attack.

<i>Garou: Mark of the Wolves</i> 1999 video game

Garou: Mark of the Wolves is a 1999 fighting game produced by SNK, originally for the Neo Geo system and then as Fatal Fury: Mark of the Wolves for the Dreamcast. It is the eighth installment of the Fatal Fury series.

<i>Aero Fighters 2</i> 1994 video game

Aero Fighters 2 is a vertical-scrolling shoot 'em up arcade game released in 1994 by Video System. It is developed by SNK and released in Japan, North America and Europe. It is the second part of the Aero Fighters series followed by the third part Aero Fighters 3 and a spin-off Aero Fighters Assault. It was initially released as a cabinet token base game.

<i>Aero Fighters 3</i> 1995 video game

Aero Fighters 3, known as Sonic Wings 3 in Japan and Europe, is a vertical-scrolling shoot 'em up arcade game released in 1995 by Video System. The Neo Geo AES version was not released in North America, but the Neo Geo MVS and Neo Geo CD versions were released in North America. The game was later released for Nintendo Switch in 2018 by the eventual copyright holder for the game, Hamster Corporation.

<i>Last Resort</i> (video game) 1992 video game

Last Resort is a horizontally scrolling shooter by SNK released as an arcade video game in 1992. It was also released for the Neo-Geo and Neo Geo CD systems, SNK Arcade Classics Vol. 1 for the PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable, and Wii, as well as ACA Neo-Geo for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.

<i>Burning Fight</i> 1991 video game

Burning Fight is a beat 'em up arcade game released by SNK in 1991 for the Neo Geo MVS system. Introduced to capture a share in the then-popular beat 'em ups market, it was meant to compete with Technōs' Double Dragon, the leader of the genre at the time. Three years after its release in the arcades and on the Neo Geo AES, it was released on Neo Geo CD as the only other home version.

<i>Ghost Pilots</i> 1991 video game

Ghost Pilots is a vertically scrolling shooter arcade video game released in 1991 by SNK. It has elements similar to Capcom's 194X series, but the player controls a seaplane.

<i>Zed Blade</i> 1994 video game

Zed Blade is a horizontally scrolling shooter arcade video game developed by NMK and originally published by SNK on September 13, 1994. It is the only game created by NMK for the Neo Geo arcade platform. In a science fiction setting, players choose one of three characters to attempt to overthrow an army of enemies led by the on-board supercomputer at the automated Yggdrasil space station and seize full control of it once again.

<i>Puzzled</i> (video game) 1990 video game

Puzzled is a falling-block puzzle video game developed and published by SNK that was released for Neo Geo arcade hardware in 1990, the Neo Geo home console in 1991, and the Neo Geo CD in 1994. The game was ported to mobile phones in 2005, then was re-published by D4 Enterprise on the Wii Virtual Console in June 2011, and it is also one of the twenty games that came pre-loaded on the Neo Geo X console released in 2012. It was also ported in August 2017 to Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4 as part of Hamster Corporation's ACA Neo Geo series.

<i>Gururin</i> 1994 video game

Gururin is a puzzle arcade video game developed by Face, with the assistance of Minato Giken, and originally published by SNK on May 25, 1994. It was the first game to be created by Face for the Neo Geo platform and it was not released on the Neo Geo AES (home).

<i>Prehistoric Isle 2</i> 1999 video game

Prehistoric Isle 2 is a 1999 scrolling shooter arcade video game co-developed by Saurus and Yumekobo and published by SNK. It is the sequel to the original Prehistoric Isle, which was developed and released earlier in 1989 by SNK. In the game, players take control of helicopters to shoot at dinosaurs while rescuing people. Although first launched in arcades, the title has since been re-released through download services for various consoles. It received mixed reception since its initial arcade release and garnered less success than its predecessor.

<i>Super Sidekicks</i> (video game) 1992 video game

Super Sidekicks is a 1992 soccer arcade video game developed and published by SNK. It is the first installment in the eponymous series and the second soccer game released for Neo Geo MVS, succeeding Soccer Brawl (1991). Featuring an arcade-style approach to soccer compared to other games released at the time, the title allows players to choose any of the available game modes with AI-controlled opponents or other human players with the team of their choosing. Its gameplay uses a simplified two-button configuration.

<i>Super Sidekicks 2: The World Championship</i> 1994 video game

Super Sidekicks 2: The World Championship is a 1994 soccer arcade video game developed and published by SNK. It is the second installment in the Super Sidekicks series and the third soccer game released for Neo Geo MVS, preceding the original Super Sidekicks (1992). Featuring an arcade-style approach to soccer as its predecessor, the game allows players to choose any of the available game modes with AI-controlled opponents or other human players with the team of their choosing. Its gameplay uses a simplified three-button configuration.

<i>The Ultimate 11: SNK Football Championship</i> 1996 soccer arcade video game

The Ultimate 11: SNK Football Championship is a 1996 soccer arcade video game developed and published by SNK. Despite the international name, it is the fourth installment in the Super Sidekicks series, preceding Super Sidekicks 3: The Next Glory (1995). Featuring an arcade-style approach to soccer much like its predecessors, the game allows players to choose any available game mode to compete with AI-controlled rivals or human players with their preferred team. Although first launched for Neo Geo MVS, the game was ported to Neo Geo AES, in addition of being re-released on download services for various consoles. The title received positive reception from critics but proved to be less popular than its previous iterations. It was followed by Neo Geo Cup '98: The Road to the Victory (1998), which is a remake of Super Sidekicks 3 and served as the final entry in the Super Sidekicks saga.

<i>Magical Drop II</i> 1996 video game

Magical Drop II is a 1996 puzzle video game developed and published by Data East for the Neo Geo arcade and home platforms. It was later ported to Neo Geo CD, Super Famicom, and Sega Saturn. It is the second entry in the Magical Drop series. In the game, the player takes control of one of several characters, battling against computer-controlled opponents before facing the villainous Empress in a final encounter. Gameplay is similar to its predecessor Magical Drop (1995) albeit with improvements; the objective is to clear the screen of constantly advancing colored 'drops' via a character placed at the bottom of the playfield, which can grab drops and make them disappear by putting them as a column of three or more drops of the same color. Two players can also participate in a competitive versus mode.

<i>Magical Drop III</i> 1997 video game

Magical Drop III is a 1997 puzzle video game developed and published by Data East for the Neo Geo arcade and home platforms. It was later ported to Sega Saturn, PlayStation, Neo Geo Pocket Color, Game Boy Color, Windows, and Zeebo. It is the third entry in the Magical Drop series. In the game, the player takes control of one of several characters, battling against computer-controlled opponents. Gameplay is similar to previous entries albeit with further additions; the objective is to clear the screen of constantly advancing colored 'drops' via a character placed at the bottom of the playfield, which can grab drops and make them disappear by putting drops as a column of three or more of the same color. The player can also participate in a board-style adventure mode, while two players can play against each other in a competitive versus mode.

References

  1. ↑ CRV (August 24, 2010). "Santos (2)". Game Developer Research Institute. Archived from the original on March 22, 2019. Retrieved 2020-04-07.
  2. ↑ CRV (June 19, 2008). "C-lab". Game Developer Research Institute. Archived from the original on February 17, 2020. Retrieved 2020-04-07.
  3. ↑ "マネーアイドルエクスチェンジャー(状態：外箱状態難)". Suruga-ya.jp (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 2020-04-07. Retrieved 2020-04-07.
  4. ↑ "Title Catalogue - NEOGEO MUSEUM". SNK Playmore. 2010. Archived from the original on 2018-08-28. Retrieved 2020-04-07.
  5. ↑ Lloret, Alberto (January 30, 2020). "Neo Geo, el Rolls Royce de las consolas, cumple 30 años". Hobby Consolas (in Spanish). Axel Springer SE . Retrieved 2020-08-21.
  6. ↑ "Overseas Readers Column - Data East Files Copyright Lawsuit Against Face". Game Machine (in Japanese). No. 545. Amusement Press, Inc. 15 July 1997. p. 22.
  7. ↑ "Overseas Readers Column - Face Co. Goes Bankrupt". Game Machine (in Japanese). No. 565. Amusement Press, Inc. 1 June 1998. p. 22.
  8. ↑ Chris Moyse (2018-06-29). "Battle wages and waifus with Money Puzzle Exchanger for PS4, Xbox One and Switch". Destructoid . Retrieved 2019-07-05.
  9. ↑ McCarthy, Caty (3 July 2018). "The Switch's Secret Best Puzzle Game is This Retro Gem From Neo Geo". US Gamer . Gamer Network. Archived from the original on 2020-11-21. Retrieved 2019-07-05.
  10. 1 2 Knight, Kyle (1998). "Money Puzzle Exchanger (Arcade) - Review". AllGame . All Media Network. Archived from the original on 2014-11-17. Retrieved 2020-07-20.
  11. 1 2 "NEW GAMES CROSS REVIEW: マネーアイドルエクスチェンジャー (ゲームボーイ)". Famitsu (in Japanese). No. 455. ASCII. 5 September 1997. p. 34. Retrieved 2021-02-18.
  12. 1 2 "NEW GAMES CROSS REVIEW: マネーアイドルエクスチェンジャー (PS)". Famitsu (in Japanese). No. 517. ASCII. 13 November 1998. Archived from the original on 2015-11-16. Retrieved 2021-02-18.
  13. 1 2 Martínez, Rubén (22 July 2018). "Money Puzzle Exchanger, Retro Análisis". MeriStation (in Spanish). PRISA. Archived from the original on 12 August 2018. Retrieved 2020-07-20.
  14. 1 2 Martinez, Adam (12 July 2018). "Money Puzzle Exchanger (ACA NEOGEO) Review". Nintendo Times. Archived from the original on 2020-10-29. Retrieved 2021-02-18.
  15. 1 2 Maciejewski, A.J. (10 July 2018). "ACA NeoGeo: Money Puzzle Exchanger Review - A highly underrated puzzler returns". Video Chums. Archived from the original on 9 June 2020. Retrieved 2020-07-20.
  16. ↑ 超絶 大技林 '98年春版: ゲームボーイ - マネーアイドルエクスチェンジャー (Special) (in Japanese). Vol. 42. Tokuma Shoten Intermedia. 15 April 1998. p. 530. ASIN   B00J16900U.{{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
  17. ↑ Maciejewski, A.J. (7 October 2014). "Top 10 Obscure PlayStation Puzzle Games - Here are some real noodle-scratchers". Video Chums. Archived from the original on 2020-10-24. Retrieved 2021-02-18.
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.