DK Jr. Japanese/Bootleg: Lotsa questions!

RareHero

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Hey guys, went to the Anaheim auction today, and got this Japanese DK Jr. which I'm pretty sure is actually a bootleg of some sort. I looked at the Japanese flyer and it doesn't show this cabinet...but rather a blue standard Nintendo cab.

OK, so the reason I bought this thing...the monitor. It's got a really nice monitor. However there are no real labels on it - so I'm not sure what kind of monitor it is. It's not a Sanyo...is it safe to say that this monitor doesn't have the color inverting thingie that Nintendo games normally have? That is - could I swap this monitor into another game w/ no problems?

If the cabinet is a bootleg, is it safe to say that the board is too? It's playing the Japanese version of DK Jr. The levels go Main-Springboard-Hideout-Chains...in order, never doubling back. It's got the Japanese designer names in the Top 5. However, the PCB doesn't have any Nintendo markings at all the ROMS have labels w/ big numbers on them (I saw that before on a bootleg Puckman). If this is a bootleg - would the pinouts be the same as a real Nintendo board, or different?

Here are some pics...you tell ME what's going on w/ this mofo!

Decent white cab:
Cab.jpg


Generic lookin' one-piece plexi for monitor & control panel:
Plexi1.jpg


Monitor:
Monitor.jpg


PCB:
PCB2.jpg
 
There is noting Nintendo about that. Someone shoved a DK JR. board and marquee in some other company's cabinet. Cool? Maybe.

Neat cab for sure.
 
If I were to guess, I'd say that's a generic kit cabinet they made so you could put any kit in it, it probably was never anything dedicated. The board is a bootleg, and also the monitor is a no-name type and doesn't have a frame that you'll easily be able to switch into another cabinet. Personally, I'd just leave it a DK Jr. and clean it up a bit. You could make it something else, but then you're stuck with a bootleg Jr. board, you might as well have all the bootleg stuff in the same cabinet, lol.
 
BTW, that's a bootleg board.

I say bootleg, but there has been talks on whether it is a bootleg or something else. It looks and is layed out exactly like a Nintendo PCB except:

1. Outputs regular video instead of inverted
2. Audio AMP on board
3. No Nintendo markings on the PCB
 
the monitor is a no-name type and doesn't have a frame that you'll easily be able to switch into another cabinet.

Yeah, the frame is HUUUGE....however, I have some extra frames from bad monitors. I suppose I could put this tube and chassis in a more normal frame.
 
you can make a easy jamma or other cab adapter for that board. no inverter or audio amp needed.

It looks like the standard nintendo pinout, but I would trace the wires and compare them to the nintendo classic pinout to make sure.
 
Since the plexi CPO/Bezel combo was cracked, scratched and hazy, I decided to just crack that part of it off. It has an actual metal control panel w/ holes for 3 buttons, and a perfect unscratched smoked plexi underneath! After cleaning the black soot off w/ a gallon of windex, I could then see what a beautiful monitor this game has! Stunning for a 25+ year old weirdo bootleg cab.

2600 - Do these screen shots give any clues as to whether it's a "Licensed" PCB or a bootleg? The sound FX/music are exactly like the original, even without the external sound board.

Nice pic!
Screenshot1.jpg


Japanese style title screen (Jr. instead of Junior...and just Nintendo instead of Nintendo of America"
Screenshot2.jpg


Full names for high scores instead of 3-initial style
Screenshot3.jpg
 
2600 - Do these screen shots give any clues as to whether it's a "Licensed" PCB or a bootleg? The sound FX/music are exactly like the original, even without the external sound board.

Only Nintendo knows that answer. When I say it's been talked about I mean BS'd about around the coffee table or on Internet Forums. We don't really even know if there was such a thing or at least I don't.
 
Only Nintendo knows that answer. When I say it's been talked about I mean BS'd about around the coffee table or on Internet Forums. We don't really even know if there was such a thing or at least I don't.

I've heard that some Crazy Kongs were officially licensed to Falcon for the UK...but that game had different sounds, graphics, and hardware. If that was the case - I suppose the "official" bootleg would be Crazy Kong Jr? ....who knows! :) Sure is interesting though.
 
Yeah, I've heard that too. What's interesting about your board is how the PCB is layed out. It really looks identical.
 
Yeah, I've heard that too. What's interesting about your board is how the PCB is layed out. It really looks identical.

I've got a spare Popeye PCB ...shall I pop it in and see if it works? Then I'd know if the pinout is the same.
 
I forget if the pinout is the same. I want to say it is different, but really don't recall. I wouldn't just throw another PCB in it. Since it is all wired up I'd just check the harness first.
 
I had a couple of those PCBs and I believe them to be bootlegs. Official Japanese PCBs are the same as the US but will have "(C) 1982 Nintendo" screened in white on them and have "of America, Inc." covered up with the green PCB screen (presumably so they wouldn't have to have differently screened PCBs to send to the US :)) and will have the Japanese ROMs.

This PCB is probably running code based on the Japanese DK Jr. code though (notice the different logo as seen on the Japanese flyer artwork, and as you mentioned the longer high score table entry).
 
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I've heard that some Crazy Kongs were officially licensed to Falcon for the UK...but that game had different sounds, graphics, and hardware. If that was the case - I suppose the "official" bootleg would be Crazy Kong Jr? ....who knows! :) Sure is interesting though.

Crazy Kong used Crazy Climber sound hardware (even though it's running mostly DK code). I only ever saw one Crazy Junior (that's what Falcon's DK Jr bootleg was called) and even though it's been 25+ years since I've seen it, my fuzzy memory seems to remember it having similar sounds to Crazy Kong. The colors were also a little different, and it did have the Japanese level order (when I played it, it was the first time I'd ever seen the Mario's Hideout level, since it's only the 3rd screen in). I believe the Crazy Junior board has a Falcon logo stenciled on it though, so if you had one of those, it should be obvious)
 
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