When we sit down at an arcade machine, the world seems to pause. Everything reduces to inserting a coin, grabbing the controls, and surviving until the "Game Over" slaps us in the face. But once the magic fades, even arcade machines can't escape the demands of reality... including export restrictions. Nostalgia Nerd's latest video on YouTube provides a solid introduction to the JAMMA standard, and also explains why every arcade machine had to leave Japan with a secret game.
The early years of arcades were basically a "Wild West" for their manufacturers, who used every kind of trick and design to attract the public and, of course, maximize profits. However, in 1985, the JAMMA standard (Japan Amusement Machine and Marketing Association) emerged, and within a few years, the whole world adopted it (most arcades were made in Japan, a detail that helped the process).
The benefits of JAMMA were enormous: with one board and an adapter, arcades under that standard could easily be transformed into new games, replacing titles that had lost popularity. The rest was as simple as changing the artwork... but beyond the commercial appeal of "generic JAMMA cabinets", they had to cross swords with Japanese laws in the early '90s. Why? Nostalgia Nerd explains:
Why Did Some Arcade Machines Have Secret Games?
One of the most curious aspects of this restriction is that a simple looping demo wasn't enough: even if the game wasn't available to the public, it had to function as a real game. In early 1990, Japan's Ministry of Industry updated its law on the control of electrical materials and devices to include arcades, which is now known as the "PSE law" or Denki Yōhin Anzenhō (PSE is similar to the "CE" mark in Europe). That update established that arcade machines had to include the PCB, the cabinet, the screen, and all the elements necessary for their correct operation.
After evaluation, arcades could only be exported in the same state they received approval. In other words, if the cabinets didn't have a game installed, they risked being classified as an unfinished product, blocking their sale. The so-called "JAMMA Test Boards" became the ideal solution to meet all requirements, and manufacturers installed different games on them.
Source: Beep! Game Center
Taito had its "Minivader", a reduced version of the classic Space Invaders. Sega packed "Dottori Kun", another downscale inspired by the game Head On, which was included as an extra in the Astro City Mini units. Konami used a much more advanced card with its "Mogura Desse", a "whack-a-mole" full of sound and color, while in other versions the game was "Target Panic". Finally, we come to Namco's "Battalion", the younger brother of Tank Battalion.
Only arcade operators and maintenance staff ever got to "enjoy" these titles, and as expected, they are especially rare today for two reasons: either they ended up in the trash, or they were repurchased by the manufacturer for installation in new cabinets.
More information: Beep! Game Center
