Do! Run Run update

[tbbk]

Ok, here is a brief update on my Do! Run Run. You know the one that I insist is dedicated, but everyone else insists is a Gyruss conversion, or some other conversion (except that the cabinet is slightly a bit different than Gyruss, and is plywood and laminate, not particle).

I spoke to someone at the auction who saw my machine on ebay and actually contacted the former CEO of Universal.

He got this information. Wild Ride and Do! Run Run were available dedicated in very limited numbers in cabinets built by SNK, which were imported from Japan. They were not just conversion only.

I can't remember the guys name I talked to, but it he was eating lunch with all of us at the pizza place. The same guy who does the Kareoke.

So, anyway, I KNEW that machine was dedicated.

 

[WadeLanham]

You just met some guy and you can't even remember his name, and he says it's true so you believe it and offer it as some sort of proof?

I'm not saying it's not true, I don't know anything about Do! Run Run or your game so I have absolutely no opinion one way or the other.

I'm just saying that it's hard to put a lot of faith into the word of what is essentially "someone off the street". Now if you personally talked to the confirmed former CEO of Universal, that would be different.

Same goes for HUO. I personally take it with a grain of salt (disregard the claim) unless the actual private buyer's receipt accompanies the game. I know of people who have HUO games and they have their original receipt to prove it. *THAT* is a HUO game.

Wade

 

[tbbk]

Well, he was a friend of Mongo, and he brought up the game, not me. So I have little reason not to believe him, especially since he is a Universal collector.

 

[KIGuy]

I'm going to take a shot in the dark HUO = Home Use Only?

 

[WadeLanham]

Good guess! HUO = Home Use Only.

 

[rwaelde]

It actually is my friend rshackleford. He is VERY knowledgeable about Universal games. He also has a super rare game called Turbo Sub by Entertainment Sciences. He has contacted all the people who worked at that company too.


I would stake my reputation on him. Not that I really have a reputation to stake.

P.S. He wasn't the Karaoke guy. That was Mongo's friend.

 

[shacklefurd]

Thanks Ryan!

Here is an Email from the CEO I offer as proof.

Dear Jason,

I was the CEO at Universal USA from 1980 to 1983. The parent company, Universal Co., Ltd., no longer uses that name and is now known as Aruze Corp. It is still based in Tokyo and its principal shareholder and president is Kazuo Okada. It primarily manufactures and operates pachinko machines. It also owns a chain of hotels.

Recently, Aruze briefly purchased the assets and intellectual property rights of SNK Corp. However, Mr. Kawasaki of SNK managed to get the rights back and now operates under the name of Playmore Corp. in Japan. There is a U.S. office in California under the name SNK NEO GEO USA. By the way, I was also the president of SNK Corporation of America from 1986 to 1992.

I believe that Universal shut its Santa Clara office in the late eighties. I'm sure they sold off their game inventory to their distributors before closing. I suppose the only remaining Universal games still around would be in the hands of operators.

I am unaware of any game of the title "Mrs. Dynamite" nor of any lazer game called "Adventure Mr. Do". I do not believe either game was ever sold in the U.S.

You may want to contact RePlay Magazine for old articles and pictures pertaining to Universal USA.

Best regards,
Paul Jacobs


I have talked in person to Mr. Jacobs and several Universal Games (Do run run, Wild Ride) were sent out from the factory in SNK Cabs. Mr. Do was also licensed to Eastern Micro Electronics Inc. for east coast distrabution and can be found in a dedcatied EME cab.

 

[WadeLanham]

I don't consider that absolute proof (like I would require for a HUO game), but it's proof enough for me for this topic.

Like I said, I don't know anything about the games in question. Seems reasonable to me.

Wade

 

[KrK]

I think I stumbled across his website today!

I was searching Google with the term "Arcade Death" and I found this page about Turbo Sub and Bouncer with pictures of rows of Star Wars Cabs and the like.

 

[shacklefurd]

Not my webpage. Sounds like ionpool.net. My cousin and I have a lot of info on Entertainment Sciences. Our websight is offline for now. I have manged to get a working Turbo Sub going. To my knowledge no one has provided proof of a working Bouncer a few are supposed to exisit.

 

[yuppicide0138]

If anyone knowledgable in this thread ever comes back, I'd love to see if someone has any more information on Jumping Jack (Universal, 1984). It's my favorite game and I wish there was stories, or any more info about it.