Splattered Ink
April 10, 2013 11:14 AM Subscribe
“All I can say is, we had no good taste, no good decorum, and no good style. There almost wasn’t anything that was off limits.”
Gameological speaks to the minds behind Data East's Tattoo Assassins.
Yessssss.
Also, MAME runs a proto of this game if anyone is interested in experiencing it for themselves.
posted by griphus at 11:29 AM on April 10, 2013
Also, MAME runs a proto of this game if anyone is interested in experiencing it for themselves.
posted by griphus at 11:29 AM on April 10, 2013
MetaFilter: Everybody shot fire out of their asses. Everybody vomited.
posted by jbickers at 11:41 AM on April 10, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by jbickers at 11:41 AM on April 10, 2013 [1 favorite]
“What’s in the past is in the past,” said the co-writer and producer of the Back to the Future movie trilogy.
posted by ckape at 11:52 AM on April 10, 2013 [3 favorites]
posted by ckape at 11:52 AM on April 10, 2013 [3 favorites]
The lead programmer on this game, Kevin Martin, left DE/Sega shortly after this project in disgust and decided to start his own company, a web-hosting firm.
Pair.com is now one of the largest out there and Kevin is a much happier guy. Living well is the best revenge, right? Although I'm sure Kaminkow will find a way to say he should get credit for that as well.
Kevin also created the PAPA HQ outside Pittsburgh, where he keeps a Tattoo Assassins on display. I figure it serves some kind of portrait-of-Dorian-Gray-like purpose.
posted by JoeZydeco at 11:54 AM on April 10, 2013 [1 favorite]
Pair.com is now one of the largest out there and Kevin is a much happier guy. Living well is the best revenge, right? Although I'm sure Kaminkow will find a way to say he should get credit for that as well.
Kevin also created the PAPA HQ outside Pittsburgh, where he keeps a Tattoo Assassins on display. I figure it serves some kind of portrait-of-Dorian-Gray-like purpose.
posted by JoeZydeco at 11:54 AM on April 10, 2013 [1 favorite]
Fuckin' plate of beans fatality at 2:51!
It's a hunk rather than a pile of brown; a turkey.
posted by duomo at 12:13 PM on April 10, 2013
It's a hunk rather than a pile of brown; a turkey.
posted by duomo at 12:13 PM on April 10, 2013
While mentioned in the article, Joe Kaminkow basically WAS Data East (later Sega) pinball. On the whole, they were less beloved than the Bally/Williams pins of the era, but more than a few great pins came out of there, including Back to the Future (mentioned in the article), Time Machine, and Jurassic Park.
Of course, Data East became Sega, then Sega became Stern, and up until this year, they were the only ones still making new machines for a large audience.
posted by SpiffyRob at 1:20 PM on April 10, 2013
Of course, Data East became Sega, then Sega became Stern, and up until this year, they were the only ones still making new machines for a large audience.
posted by SpiffyRob at 1:20 PM on April 10, 2013
They were less beloved than Bally/Williams because of exactly the reasons the article points out -- Data East spent as much money and effort securing big-name licensed properties as they did actually designing the tables.
From 1985 to 1992, Williams had a long string of hits with Rollergames and T2 being the only licensed themes, and I can't imagine Rollergames cost them more than $50 and lunch to acquire. Around '92-'93 was when Bally and Williams began to go after licenses in a big way, starting with the sublime Addams Family table that set sales records, and all of a sudden Data East couldn't rely on just name recognition to draw players because their competition was doing it too.
It's not that Kaminkow was bad at pinball design -- Data East tables were certainly playable -- but I'd take any random Pat Lawlor or Steve Ritchie table over anything DE put out.
As for Tattoo Assassins, it wasn't the only Mortal Kombat knockoff of its era. Strata put out Time Killers, which sent limbs and heads flying with ridiculous ease (including the possibility of winning a match without your arms), followed by Bloodstorm, which borrowed the fatality and stage fatality theme liberally and added a leg-removing combo and umpteen secret codes as well. (And, yes, some characters could win a fight without arms OR legs.)
posted by delfin at 3:05 PM on April 10, 2013 [1 favorite]
From 1985 to 1992, Williams had a long string of hits with Rollergames and T2 being the only licensed themes, and I can't imagine Rollergames cost them more than $50 and lunch to acquire. Around '92-'93 was when Bally and Williams began to go after licenses in a big way, starting with the sublime Addams Family table that set sales records, and all of a sudden Data East couldn't rely on just name recognition to draw players because their competition was doing it too.
It's not that Kaminkow was bad at pinball design -- Data East tables were certainly playable -- but I'd take any random Pat Lawlor or Steve Ritchie table over anything DE put out.
As for Tattoo Assassins, it wasn't the only Mortal Kombat knockoff of its era. Strata put out Time Killers, which sent limbs and heads flying with ridiculous ease (including the possibility of winning a match without your arms), followed by Bloodstorm, which borrowed the fatality and stage fatality theme liberally and added a leg-removing combo and umpteen secret codes as well. (And, yes, some characters could win a fight without arms OR legs.)
posted by delfin at 3:05 PM on April 10, 2013 [1 favorite]
Hardcore Gaming 101 has an exhaustive history of Mortal Kombat in their latest update
posted by fallingbadgers at 5:44 PM on April 10, 2013
posted by fallingbadgers at 5:44 PM on April 10, 2013
This has been downloaded and is SO going on the MAME cabinet.
EPIC party material.
posted by twidget at 5:55 PM on April 10, 2013 [1 favorite]
EPIC party material.
posted by twidget at 5:55 PM on April 10, 2013 [1 favorite]
“All I can say is, we had no good taste, no good decorum, and no good style. There almost wasn’t anything that was off limits.”that is how you make art, yes
i am not "punk"
posted by This, of course, alludes to you at 2:04 PM on April 11, 2013
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posted by phaedon at 11:22 AM on April 10, 2013