Black Tiger (video game)
| Industry | Video games |
|---|---|
| Founded | May 30, 1979 |
| Founder | Kenzo Tsujimoto |
| Headquarters | Osaka , Japan |
| Products | Video games, arcade games |
| Website | www |
Black Tiger, released in Japan under the title , is a 1987 platform video game created and distributed by Capcom for arcade systems.
Plot
The narrative follows a barbarian warrior who embarks on a quest to overthrow three demonic dragons dominating the realm, with the goal of reclaiming the kingdom's lost grandeur.
Gameplay
This side-scrolling title incorporates eight-directional scrolling mechanics, reminiscent of Bionic Commando. Players navigate the barbarian through eight distinct stages, confronting various foes and formidable bosses. By rescuing imprisoned "wise men," players earn rewards, chiefly "Zenny coins," which serve as the game's currency to acquire enhanced weapons, armor upgrades, keys to unlock treasure chests, and restorative potions. Concealed throughout the levels are items that grant additional coins, superior armor, full health restoration, extra lives, time extensions, or bonus points. The character's vitality can be augmented up to four times by achieving specific score thresholds. Secret dungeons offer opportunities for accumulating extra points and valuable items.
The Japanese edition presents a heightened difficulty level, featuring falling rock hazards, increased prices for in-game items, higher score requirements to boost vitality, and bosses that cannot be avoided by crouching tactics.
Development
Originally slated for an October 1986 launch, Black Tiger experienced delays due to programming challenges. During its conversion process, it became part of a $2 million agreement between U.S. Gold and Japanese arcade game specialists.
Ports
- Versions for Amstrad CPC, Amiga, Atari ST, and ZX Spectrum were released in 1989 by Europe-based U.S. Gold. A Commodore 64 port followed in 1990, developed by Softworx.
- The arcade original is featured in collections such as Capcom Classics Collection: Remixed for the PlayStation Portable and Capcom Classics Collection Vol. 2 on PlayStation 2 and Xbox. It was also offered as the first complimentary title in Capcom Arcade Cabinet on both PlayStation Network and Xbox Live Arcade in 2013, and is included in Capcom Arcade 2nd Stadium.
- The arcade version became available on the Wii's Virtual Console service in Japan (December 2010), the PAL territories (January 2011), and North America (January 2011).
- The game SonSon II for the PC Engine draws heavy inspiration from Black Tiger, designed with a younger demographic in mind.
- Included among 32 titles in Capcom Arcade 2nd Stadium, Black Tiger was re-released in July 2022.
Reception
In October 1987, Game Machine listed Black Tiger as the sixth highest-grossing table arcade game in Japan.
The game garnered generally favorable critiques. In 1990, Computer and Video Games ranked its Atari ST, Amiga, and Commodore 64 adaptations within the top twenty games on these platforms.
External links
- Articles with short description
- 1987 video games
- Amiga games
- Amstrad CPC games
- Arcade video games
- Atari ST games
- Cancelled Nintendo Entertainment System games
- Capcom games
- Commodore 64 games
- Hack and slash games
- Multiplayer and single-player video games
- Platformers
- PlayStation Network games
- Romstar games
- U.S. Gold games
- Video games developed in Japan
- Video games scored by Tamayo Kawamoto
- Virtual Console games
- Xbox 360 Live Arcade games
- ZX Spectrum games