Information on Mr. Kougar.

[coleco1981]

So I picked up that ATW board that recently was posted in the FS section - Mr. Kougar. I built an adapter and installed it in my artic cabaret (cool eh?). The game is very odd but I'm starting to like it. You jump on platforms, pick up pellets, and try to also capture these bananas with fairies that you randomly unlock. Its wild.

I'm interested in learning more about this game but there really isn't much information out there. There is only 1 person in VAPS that has (had) this board and he is from japan. The seller said he bought it from some dude in japan. So you would think its a Japanese game right? But it was released by Artic USA. I got in contact with the 'Shoutime' on twitter who confirmed he still has his board. He also has some instruction cards:

Mr. KOUGAR (Japan) by ATW

Mr. KOUGAR (Japan) by ATW (Single Screen Action Copied Instructions Copied Manual) in the Arcade PCBs collection on CollectedIt.com. Collected by Shou Time last updated on 12/24/2017.

collectedit.com

So it would appear as though Mr. Kougar was the last game artic ever published based on the release year. I assume it was a kit? Anyone ever see what the artwork may have looked like?

I only have a flyer to go off of.

Mr. Kougar - ATW USA (Video Game, 1982) - USA

The Arcade Flyer Archive (TAFA) presents Mr. Kougar, a coin-operated Video Game by ATW USA (USA, 1982)

flyers.arcade-museum.com

I'd love to have some artwork made up. Anyone see further info in some old arcade op mags?

 

[thegleek]

 

[coleco1981]

Yeah saw this playthrough video before I decided to buy the pcb. It shows what appears to be 2 variants of the game. The first video shows the 1983 version, then at min 28ish it shows the 1984 version which has a different looking Mr Krougar. I have the 1984 ver.

 

[Laschek]

I own a bootleg version called "Troopy".

 

[famicom]

This game looks fun

 

[highscoreheroes]

The Artic games were typically Taiwanese in origin if I'm remembering right. Artic/ATW had a licensed USA branch for distribution here tho. I have no idea who actually developed their games and whether they were developed in-house or if they were done by Japanese companies and licensed (or bootlegged).

Usually the games I associate with Artic are Mr. Kougar, Mars, and Devil Fish, alongside the various boots you find in their cabs (typically games like Red Clash, Red UFO or the Galaxian hardware Pac-Man bootleg).

EDIT: And New Sinbad 7, apparently. I always forget that one.

ATW - Performance with Dependable Quality - ATW USA (Video Game, 1982) - EU

The Arcade Flyer Archive (TAFA) presents ATW - Performance with Dependable Quality, a coin-operated Video Game by ATW USA (EU, 1982)

flyers.arcade-museum.com

It should be noted also maybe that one of Artic's games is currently undumped and largely unknown- "Polar Explorer".

Polar Explorer - ATW USA (Video Game, 1982) - USA

The Arcade Flyer Archive (TAFA) presents Polar Explorer, a coin-operated Video Game by ATW USA (USA, 1982)

flyers.arcade-museum.com

 

[coleco1981]

Wow I guess if some people can't even find rom dumps of these games - the chances of finding the artwork is next to none. Come on you hoarders - get your ROM burners out and do some dumps!

I'd really like to start collecting old op mags - articles about no name companies that may uncover pictures and stuff. KLOV has pictures of most games but it would be nice to help fill in the blank on some of these rare titles.

 

[bottlejunkie]

Is it weird that I get a hint of a Joust vibe from watching this game?

 

[highscoreheroes]

Wow I guess if some people can't even find rom dumps of these games - the chances of finding the artwork is next to none. Come on you hoarders - get your ROM burners out and do some dumps!

I'd really like to start collecting old op mags - articles about no name companies that may uncover pictures and stuff. KLOV has pictures of most games but it would be nice to help fill in the blank on some of these rare titles.

When you're getting down to games from these kinds of companies (the late 70s/early 80s "fly by night" joints that were bankrupt and gone before the mid-80s even rolled around in most cases) there's two major factors that get in the way: lack of information and lack of interest. Games like the Artics, Omnis, Orcas, Falcons, etc.- not only were they produced in far lower numbers, but they also weren't exactly preserved to the same extent as any of the more common/classic titles. They have a general tendency to mysteriously vanish sometimes, also. There's plenty of "ID this cab" threads that end up being Artics and no further followup, so who knows where a lot of these go. Mars is next to impossible to find, I've never seen a Mr. Kougar cab, and I barely know what a Devil Fish looks like aside from the marquee.

I love the Artic games and all the weird boot stuff that's out there, but even as a fan I struggle to find info and pictures. There's literally nothing on Polar Explorer beyond the flyer itself, but the weird artwork of a man in a snowsuit surrounded by little alien creatures makes me think of some bastardized Taiwanese cartoon version of John Carpenter's The Thing.

 

[coleco1981]

What is odd (or perhaps not), I've have seen 3-4 artic cabs, 2 EME cabs, and 2 omni cabs for sale - in the last 5 years. I suspect it has something to do with my location in new england. artic was in wolburn, ma and omni was a distributor out of RI.

I pass on them simply because I know I will never find the parts to properly restore them. I couldn't pass up on the mars/devilish cabaret though, its a pretty damn cool cab!

 

[ArcadeTechGW]

Remember, a brochure is not proof of a game or product.

There was a GPS receiver (Altair by Ashtech) that had the most beautiful display.

The brochure was stunning.

Yet there isn't a single copy in the field. It was never manufactured.

Maybe this one was, but I can call up several products with flyers that never were.

 

[OldTymeToys]

My son and I got into this game on the ArPiCade. We play the 1984 version and the movement in the game is so frustrating! Also, I swear every time you group the enemies together and then try to collect a power up for max points, it turns into another enemy! It feels like a rushed, low budget game IMO... but we can't get away from it!!

 

[coleco1981]

Bumping my own thread from years ago. Picked up another artic cabaret. It has lady bug installed. Love these artic cabs!

Still looking for artwork on Mr Krougar..

 

[Tornadoboy]

Still looking for artwork on Mr Krougar..

it'll come to you in your dreams...

 

[HudsonArcade]

Interesting... it's got slightly different gfx hardware than normal Galaxian / Scramble since the gfx roms is x8 instead of x16.

 

[Scott C]

I'd really enjoy seeing all of these in a row. The Artic Mars mini is still on my list after playing it many years ago. That actual game went to Todd Tuckey. It was so much more than Scramble.

Scott C.