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Thread: The Goonies - an unreleased NES title - why?

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    Strawberry (Level 2) Immutable's Avatar
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    Default The Goonies - an unreleased NES title - why?

    Could these be the possible reasons why the first Goonies game was unreleased for the NES? -

    1) the hardware - the original Goonies game used a different circuit board from anything the US was using at the time. Perhaps, Konami was compelled to avoid creating a US version of this Famicom board (lack of time?) and released the mediocre sequel instead.

    2) the undead sprites - Nintendo (of America) was very strict about the content of their earliest releases for the NES. Perhaps it was Konami's inability to alter the undead sprites that kept the company from releasing the game in the states.

    If you have anything to add or debate, feel free to chime in this thread.




    Also, if anyone is interested in a repro of the first Goonies, send me a PM.

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    ServBot (Level 11) davidbrit2's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Immutable View Post
    mediocre sequel
    Are you on the drugs? Goonies II is one of the best movie license games out there. Though the first one is certainly good, and worth picking up if you're into Famicom collecting.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Immutable View Post
    Could these be the possible reasons why the first Goonies game was unreleased for the NES? -

    1) the hardware - the original Goonies game used a different circuit board from anything the US was using at the time. Perhaps, Konami was compelled to avoid creating a US version of this Famicom board (lack of time?) and released the mediocre sequel instead.
    Also, if anyone is interested in a repro of the first Goonies, send me a PM.
    It could probably have been converted to the common CNROM no problem.
    Which they'd probably have to do as (not until later) Nintendo didn't permit third-party NES PCBs. (I know Konami was one to later on do so.)

    Not interested in the repro. I don't even the see the point in reproing a (last I knew) $5 game with little/no Japanese text. :P

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    ServBot (Level 11) tom's Avatar
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    Maybe they didn't get the US publishing rights due to Datasoft's version of The Goonies already being out there

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    Strawberry (Level 2) Immutable's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by davidbrit2 View Post
    Are you on the drugs?
    I'm taking immuzations for a third world country trip, so that would be a yes.

    Quote Originally Posted by SparTonberry View Post
    It could probably have been converted to the common CNROM no problem.
    Which they'd probably have to do as (not until later) Nintendo didn't permit third-party NES PCBs. (I know Konami was one to later on do so.)

    Not interested in the repro. I don't even the see the point in reproing a (last I knew) $5 game with little/no Japanese text. :P
    The Goonies repro does use the CNROM board. Good call.

    The game completely lacks Japanese text.

    Quote Originally Posted by tom View Post
    Maybe they didn't get the US publishing rights due to Datasoft's version of The Goonies already being out there
    That's probably the best explanation I have heard so far.

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    I wouldn't say underrated for the simple fact that everyone I know loved it in 1987 and 1988. I got it for Christmas of '87 and talked about it with my best friend Vinnie over the phone (he had moved to NJ from Staten Island). We traded codes and stories, and eventually we both beat it over the course of a couple of months or so.

    Why did it take us so long? Well, no internet meant we had to rely on mags and word of mouth only. Another huge factor is that we also got Metroid that same Christmas, and that took even more of our time. That Christmas was also legendary, as I got 8 NES games and three SMS games. Craier yet is 1988 eclipsed it, although I can't say it was better.

    All in all though, it was a colossal epic adventure. Totally a top 10 ever NES game.

    Edit: forget my entire post. I completely misread it, having thought it instead said "The Goonies II - an underrated NES title - why?" Lol!

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    Here's why I think Goonies didn't happen on the NES:

    1. Konami of America couldn't afford or didn't want to pay the license fee required to Warner Bros. to use their property. This is very likely also why King Kong 2 Ikari no Megaton Punch was never localized. Konami didn't want to pay Universal for the license. (in that case though, the game was substantially better than the film on which it was loosely based)

    2. Nintendo of America had at the time a clause in third party licensing agreements that they could only produce five titles for the NES a year. The five games Konami produced on the NES for 1987 were:
    Rush'n Attack
    Contra
    Double Dribble
    Castlevania
    Gradius

    Now assume your Konami. Would it really have made sense to replace one of those games on a game based on a two year old film?

    That is what I believe is the bigger reason why Goonies didn't happen on NES. But it did come to North America anyway, as it was in fact a Nintendo Play Choice 10 title.
    check out my classic gaming review site: http://satoshimatrix.wordpress.com/

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    I thought it was only on the VS system? isn't the playchoice just a hacked rom like mario 3 ?

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    Quote Originally Posted by Satoshi_Matrix View Post
    2. Nintendo of America had at the time a clause in third party licensing agreements that they could only produce five titles for the NES a year. The five games Konami produced on the NES for 1987 were:
    Rush'n Attack
    Contra
    Double Dribble
    Castlevania
    Gradius
    That is what I believe is the bigger reason why Goonies didn't happen on NES. But it did come to North America anyway, as it was in fact a Nintendo Play Choice 10 title.
    Contra was 1988, the last 1987 game was Top Gun. But I see your point.

    Indeed, PlayChoice 10 was an NES with a time limit.

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    Key (Level 9) Satoshi_Matrix's Avatar
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    and RGB.
    check out my classic gaming review site: http://satoshimatrix.wordpress.com/

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    Quote Originally Posted by Satoshi_Matrix View Post


    Would it really have made sense to replace one of those games on a game based on a two year old film?
    Time might not be a major factor - there is at least one counterexample. "Star Wars" for the NES was released on the console over a decade after the film's theatrical release.

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    If The Goonies was not released for licensing issues, wouldn't the the vs. Goonies arcade game have been subject to the same issues? The five title limit seems like the more probable culprit.


    Quote Originally Posted by Immutable View Post
    Time might not be a major factor - there is at least one counterexample. "Star Wars" for the NES was released on the console over a decade after the film's theatrical release.
    You know you can't compare the popularity of The Goonies to Star Wars. But it's also interesting to note the recent Ghostbusters games being released this long after the first film. So the point is, they should make a new Goonies game for the Xbone.

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    Eh, it would probably be just another boring licensed 3D platformer, like, say, A Series of Unfortunate Events. I never got around to playing the Ghostbusters game (one of these days...), but at least it looked like it was trying to do something vaguely original.
    "There is much pleasure to be gained from useless knowledge." --Bertrand Russel (attributed)

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    Once I get a famicom converter, this game is probably going to be the first one I'll get.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Jorpho View Post
    Eh, it would probably be just another boring licensed 3D platformer, like, say, A Series of Unfortunate Events. I never got around to playing the Ghostbusters game (one of these days...), but at least it looked like it was trying to do something vaguely original.
    Yeah, I'd love to see Goonies on the Super Nintendo instead. Now that would be impressive.

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    I did stumble upon this just now – not that the US Gold game was particularly good.
    "There is much pleasure to be gained from useless knowledge." --Bertrand Russel (attributed)

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    Quote Originally Posted by The Dord View Post
    Once I get a famicom converter, this game is probably going to be the first one I'll get.
    I'm waiting for my copy right now as I won a fami converter in a raffle a bit back. The worst part is waiting the 6 weeks or so for the slow boat to arrive.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Jorpho View Post
    I did stumble upon this just now – not that the US Gold game was particularly good.
    Is that real? The graphics look amazing for 1987. The only machine that could have done that at the time would have to have been the Amiga. I would love to play it.

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    Seriously? Look at the title – it's a remake from 2011.

    The website seems to be down, but it's on archive.org, and the download is still up.

    There is also a remake of MSX Goonies.
    http://goonies.jorito.net/
    "There is much pleasure to be gained from useless knowledge." --Bertrand Russel (attributed)

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    Quote Originally Posted by Jorpho View Post
    Seriously? Look at the title – it's a remake from 2011.

    The website seems to be down, but it's on archive.org, and the download is still up.

    There is also a remake of MSX Goonies.
    http://goonies.jorito.net/
    Ha, I figured that. I saw the video the other day at work with a crappy phone with a cracked screen, so don't shoot me.

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