What's the story with Data East's Tomahawk 777?

coinopper

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What do you know about this rare one? I never played it before, and after getting the MAME ROMs for 2 versions, I realized both are significantly different from each other. Twin Galaxies only has records for version 1, which IMO is much easier to play. The manual that someone posted on here a few years ago is for version 1 (https://forums.arcade-museum.com/threads/deco-tomahawk-777-owners-manual.480705/). All the videos I can find online are of MAME and not actual footage. There's very little sound f/x in MAME so I'm guessing the actual machine has more. After spending some time playing both versions, here's the notes I have on the differences between them:

 
I remember reading someone I think in the netherlands saved one off a beached cruise ship along with like 30 other games. I think it was at least 10-15 years ago. there was a thread and pics.

found the article I read, here is the link


here is another thread

 
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I had found that game and posted a picture to a Facebook group after going to buy games from an old operators with a few friends. Had to been like 5+ years ago now. I think Jeff had contacted me within an hour of my post about finding the game with an offer to buy it and sent me a link to show he had been looking for the game for years so I felt it was only right to let him get it and wasn't a game I was really after other then having awesome cabinet artwork. Was a pretty neat find for sure.
 
There's 2 different flyers - one for each version. Both mention "A Space Invaders Game With A Difference". Dillweed found this video on YouTube of gameplay on the original hardware and not MAME. The audio is very low, but you can hear some familiar Space Invaders f/x:


Neither flyer mentions the 800 point UFO, but the flyer for Version 5 (AKA "New Type") mentions you earn a free sub if you get the high score. "for longer playing time", which would have been a unique feature, had it been implemented! Alas, you don't get an extra sub for getting a new high score.
 
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It is indeed a rare one! I bought one probably 10 years ago or so.
It didnt have a marquee but i was able to find one a short time later.
 
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