$200/100/50 for answer about Beatmania,HipHopMania,PopNMusic,Guitar Freaks,Drummania

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$200/100/50 for answer about Beatmania,HipHopMania,PopNMusic,Guitar Freaks,Drummania

Subject: Beatmania, HipHopMania, PopNMusic, Guitar Freaks, and Drummania historical question.

A research question came across my desk that I can't answer... a question with a bounty that has already been provided to me to hand over to you.

The question is about Konami interactive games like HipHopMania, which has a U.S. flyer that shows a 1997 copyright date:

http://www.arcadeflyers.com/?page=thumbs&db=videodb&id=2400

And some of the other games have flyer dates from 1998 or 1999.

The question is whether or not any of these games were actually in the U.S. in 1997 or 1998 (or even 1999) or if they were just Japanese phenomenons. Even if Konami didn't build or import any themselves, did anyone else?

Other than flyers... did anyone here have one of those, or has a receipt for one or took a photo for one at a trade show, etc...

If someone can show the games actually existed here (and not just a flyer), it would be very interesting. It's also worth cash:

$200 if you can document a 1997 date for any of these 4 games (probably possible only for HipHopMania...)

$100 if you can document a 1998 date.

$50 if you can document a 1999 date.

There is a 1/2 bounty ($100/$50/$25 for any U.S. magazine ads from 1997 or 1998 or 1999). Ads count for 1/2 since they might not really show any were actually here. Newspaper articles may count at the full rate or 1/2 rate depending on the coverage (and count for $0 if it is just talking about Japan or is unclear).

'Document' means something more substantial than simply "Yes, I remember".

Even if you can't show the above and claim a bounty, any info is appreciated.

Offer Expires Wednesday (6 days from now). There might be multiple bounties available if multiple people come up with good info (or not, depending on the info).

Time to dig through some of those old magazines?
 
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http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/interaction-stations-1086421.html


Here is a UK review from April 1999

Here is a US review from

March 1999

http://www.wired.com/culture/lifestyle/news/1999/03/18416



Quote from 03.12.99


"Shawn Theriot, arcade technician at Nevada's Buffalo Bill's casino, says the Hip Hop Mania machine is doing well. But he's not so sure about the prospects for Dance Dance Revolution. "It's bigger in Japan," opined Theriot, "because they're not as afraid to make fools out of themselves as we are.""
 
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http://cheats.ign.com/objects/012/012681.html

IGN is saying 1999 release date for us, jp, and uk, for Beatmania:Complete mix.

Also not sure about these but release dates as follows(from various Wikis):
* beatmania( 1997 )
* beatmania 2ndMIX( 1998 )
* beatmania 3rdMIX( 1998 )
* beatmania completeMIX( 1999 )
* beatmania 4thMIX: The Beat Goes On( 1999 )
* beatmania 5thMIX: Time To Get Down( 1999 )
* beatmania completeMIX2( 2000 )
* beatmania ClubMIX( 2000 )
* beatmania CORE REMIX( 2000 )
* beatmania featuring DREAMS COME TRUE( 2000 )
* beatmania 6thMIX: The UK Underground( 2001 )
* beatmania 7thMIX: Keepin' Evolution( 2002 )
* beatmania THE FINAL( 2002 )
 
Well, I think the fact that we have an arcade game entitled "HipHopMania" is proof that it made it to the states, as the game was called "BeatMania" in Japan.

But it doesn't look like anyone will get a $200 reward, as this site:

www.bemanistyle.com (these games were referred to as 'Bemani' games)

Says that:

Beatmania was released in Japan in 12/97:

http://www.bemanistyle.com/gameinfo/game.php?game_id=77

It was renamed HipHopMania and released in the US in 2/98:

http://www.bemanistyle.com/gameinfo/game.php?game_id=99
 
Also, as far as I can find, there was no official release of Beatmania in the US other than on Playstation 2, although I think some have found their way here, or the HipHopMania's were 'upgraded' to the 'cooler' Japanese version.

As for your other choices:

PopNMusic: US release Q1 '99
http://www.bemanistyle.com/gameinfo/game.php?game_id=186

Guitar Freaks: US Release Q2 '99
http://www.bemanistyle.com/gameinfo/game.php?game_id=154

Drummania: The only US release of this title was supposed to be the DrumMania v4 Rock X Rock. They were supposed to be doing location testing of this and the latest Guitar Freaks version in late Summer 2007, but that hasn't been confirmed.
http://www.bemanistyle.com/index.php/news/gf-dm-test-loc-in-the-us-385
 
Not sure on that one. I know there is someone in seattle with a couple of these. I think he went up to Canada to grab one. I'll see if I can get any more answers
 
IGN and BemaniStyle are not quite authoritative enough since the dates are not backed up with any citations.

The wired article seems a little more interesting since the 3/12/99 article mentions the machine doing well in a particular Vegas casino.
 
Another tidbit.

This web article dated 06/11/98 references hiphopmania being at UK "test sites"

http://www.ntk.net/1998/11/06/

"Jap import"DJing" game BEAT MASTER (PSX) starting to appear here,
rumoured to require special "turntable" controller. Or check
out HIPHOPMANIA arcade version in some UK arcade test sites
(oh alright then, we mean Namco Wonderpark)...
oh, and
HALF-LIFE (Sierra, PC) may be "best PC game ever" according
to - ironically - about 50% of those who've played it"
 
This is fun.

Here is a contest on August 6th, 1999 at Southern Hills Golfland in Stanton, California.

crowd.jpg


http://www.bemani.konami.com/news06aug99_hhmwest.html
more photos at the link
 
Ok last post :)

Here is a list of all the arcades that had hiphopmania in 1999, perhaps one of them is still around and kept purchase records. Long shot I know, but I don't know how important exact info is to your customer.

ARIZONA
Golfland Sunsplash 155 W. Hampton, Mesa AZ
TEL: (480) 834-8318


CALIFORNIA
Yogi's Amusement 515 W. Chapman, Anaheim CA
TEL: (714) 750-6845
Open: Sun - Thu 11am - 11pm, Fri - Sat 11am - 12am

El Monte Golfland 1181 N. Durfee, El Monte CA
TEL: (626) 444-5163
Open: Sun - Thu 10am - 11pm, Fri - Sat 10am - 1am

Palace Park 3405 Michelson Drive, Irvine CA
TEL: (949) 559-8336 FAX: (949) 261-1414
Open: Sun - Thu 11am - 10pm, Fri - Sat 11am - 1am

Westwood Arcade 10965 Weyburn, Los Angeles CA
TEL: (310) 443-4316
Open: Sun - Thu 10am - 11pm, Fri - Sat 10am - 12am

San Diego Family Fun Center 6999 Clairmont Mesa Blvd, San Diego CA
TEL: (619) 560-4212

Nickel City 1711 Branham Lane, San Jose CA
TEL: (408) 448-3323
Open: Mon - Sun 10am - 12am

Southern Hills Golfland 12611 Beach Blvd, Stanton CA
TEL: (714) 895-5613 FAX: (714) 895-4550
Open: Sun - Thu 10am - 11pm, Fri - Sat 10am - 1am

Golfland USA 855 El Camino Real, Sunnyvale CA
TEL: (408) 245-1322
Open: Sun - Thu 10am - 11pm, Fri - Sat 10am - 1am

Castle Amusement Park 500 Polk Street Riverside, CA
TEL: (909) 785-4140
Open: Sun - Thu 10am - 10pm, Fri - Sat 12am - 11pm

Camelot Golfland 3200 Carpenter Ave. Anaheim, CA. USA

Pak Mann Arcade 1775 E. Colorado Pasadena, CA.
TEL: (626) 449-2834

Upland Family Fun Center 1500 W. 7th St. Upland, CA.
TEL: (909) 981-5251

Westwood Arcade 10965 Weyburn Los Angeles, CA.
TEL: (310) 443-4316

Xscape Arcade UCLA Ackerman Student Union 308 Westwood Plaza Los Angeles, CA.
TEL: (310) 206-0833


FLORIDA
Grand Prix Race-O-Rama 1801 NW 1st Street, Dania FL
TEL: (954) 921-1411 FAX (954) 923-2604
Open: Arcade: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week



HAWAII
Fun Factory 2382 Kuhio Ave, Honolulu HI
TEL: (808) 922-8540 FAX: (808) 922-8540 (call first)
Open: 7 days 10am - 2am



ILLINOIS
Enchanted Castle 1103 S. Main Street, Lombard IL
TEL: (630) 953-7866 FAX: (630) 953-2453
Open: Sun - Thu 11am - 10pm, Fri 11am - 12am, Sat 10am - 12am



NEVADA
Harvey's Casino State Line Rd & Hwy 50, Lake Tahoe NV
TEL: (775) 588-2411
Open: All night

Circus Circus 2880 Las Vegas Blvd South, Las Vegas NV
TEL: (702) 734-0410

Monte Carlo 3770 Las Vegas Blvd South, Las Vegas NV
TEL: (702) 730-7777

Buffalo Bill's I-15 at Stateline CA/NV Border, Primm NV
TEL: (702) 382-1212 FAX: (702)679-7436
Open: Sun - Thu 8am - 10pm, Fri - Sat 8am - 12am
 
Well, I think the fact that we have an arcade game entitled "HipHopMania" is proof that it made it to the states, as the game was called "BeatMania" in Japan.

HipHopMania definitely came out in the US, but name changes alone are not good proof for the existence of other US BEMANI releases. Many of the games were renamed and released in English for other Asian countries. Drummania became Percussion Freaks, Keyboard Mania became Keyboard Heaven, Para Para Paradise became Para Para Dancing, etc. These could pretty easily be confused for US releases since many US arcades imported them rather than the Japanese originals.

I don't have much specific proof other than having been actively interested at the games at the time, but I think HipHopMania is the only one that has a shot at potentially having been released before 1999. I've heard Pop'n Music had an extremely limited US release, but my source is pretty unreliable and could easily have been confusing it with the Asian version, which again has English on its cabinet and in-game. I've heard that a tiny handful of Drummania cabinets were produced for the US (the number I heard was 5) but I've seen no confirmation of that anywhere either.

I wonder why this person is willing to pay for the information. Writing a book about the beginnings of rhythm games, maybe?
 
$200/100/50 for answer about Beatmania,HipHopMania,PopNMusic,Guitar Freaks,Drummania

I can definetely win some cash on this.
I own the marquee for one of the games.
How can I submit proof without someone ripping off my pictures or videos?
 
A marquee isn't prove of time... UK coverage is interesting, but isn't US coverage...

Regarding the others, will take a closer look at the posts (and several PM) received. HipHopMania does appear to be (likely) the first one here...

Re: the Bemani style site. We knew about that already. It actually pretty impressive how many people are into that site. A different generation of gamer for the most part.

Lots of PM about 1999 dates. I think the most interesting part is the HipHopMania original, not the 'Complete Mix'.
 
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