Joe & Mac

Data East

Company type	Private (former)
Industry	Video games
Founded	1976 in Japan
Defunct	2003
Fate	Bankruptcy
Headquarters	Japan

Joe & Mac, also identified as Caveman Ninja and Caveman Ninja: Joe & Mac, is a run and gun platform game created by Data East for arcade machines in 1991. Subsequently, it was ported to platforms including the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, Sega Genesis, Nintendo Entertainment System, Game Boy, Amiga, Zeebo, Nintendo Switch, and IBM PC compatibles.

Gameplay

Players assume the roles of Joe, distinguished by green hair, or Mac, with blue hair—prehistoric cavemen navigating through ancient-themed stages armed with weapons such as boomerangs, bones, fire, flint, electricity, stone wheels, and clubs. The objective centers on rescuing women abducted by a hostile tribe. The game employs a health system where players gradually lose health during normal play but not during boss encounters. A cooperative two-player mode is available, with some versions permitting friendly fire between characters.

The arcade version and its adaptations on Amiga, Mega Drive/Genesis, MS-DOS, and Zeebo allow players to select paths after defeating bosses. Upon overcoming the final boss, players choose from three different exits that lead to distinct ending sequences.

Ports

The title has been adapted for numerous platforms, occasionally under the names Caveman Ninja or simply Joe & Mac.

In 1991, Data East developed and published the Super NES edition. The NES version followed in December 1992, developed by Elite Systems and published by Data East. April 1993 saw the release of a Game Boy version developed by Motivetime and also published by Data East. A Sega Genesis iteration was launched in January 1994, developed by Eden Entertainment Software and published by Takara, with Brazilian distribution of the Mega Drive version handled by Tec Toy.

The Mega Drive/Genesis port closely resembles the arcade original. The Super NES version introduces an overworld map for stage selection, features extended levels, bonus stages, fewer weapon types, alterations to the final boss encounter, and offers only two possible endings. Conversely, the NES and Game Boy versions omit level selection and multiple endings but include modified versions of arcade bosses.

The Japanese edition contained a contentious introductory scene showing cavemen dragging cavewomen by their hair; this sequence was removed from the US release to prevent negative reception.

A compilation named Joe & Mac Retro Collection was announced in June 2025 for launch on contemporary consoles in 2026.

Reception

In 1991, The One reviewed the arcade edition of Caveman Ninja, describing it as "a cutesie 'jumpy-jumpy' game that leverages appealing graphics and humorous touches to offset its derivative gameplay," ultimately recommending it as "worth a try."

Skyler Miller from AllGame criticized the NES version for its "unresponsive controls," highlighting difficulties when jumping while throwing weapons. He characterized the graphics as average among NES titles. GamePro described the NES port as colorful but featuring "prehistoric" visuals with flat backgrounds and subpar music.

The SNES version received praise from Super Play for its vibrant graphics but was noted to have limited appeal due to awkward controls and frustrating collision detection. Brett Alan Weiss of AllGame complimented the Genesis version's visuals, sound effects, and soundtrack but pointed out issues with its two-player mode. Sega Visions appreciated the bright colors and audio of the Genesis port but was critical of its controls. GamePro lauded its engaging two-player gameplay.

The British television show Bad Influence! awarded the SNES edition a score of 4 out of 5. Tony Dillon from CU Amiga regarded it as enjoyable with responsive controls, attractive graphics, and excellent sound quality despite being somewhat limited compared to other Amiga releases.

Huw Melliar-Smith of Amiga Action praised enemy animations and multiplayer features while complimenting sound effects; however, he criticized repetitive music tracks and unresponsive controls. Dave Paget from Amiga Format valued clear graphics and backgrounds but found gameplay excessively linear.

David Upchurch of The One Amiga described both story and gameplay as uninspired, criticizing garish colors, background sprites, unresponsive controls, and difficulty level while acknowledging good sound design. Stuart Campbell from Amiga Power criticized complex menu navigation, poor graphics quality, control problems, and brief levels.

The Game Boy version received a 75% rating from Total!, which praised its graphics but noted issues with collision detection and confusing backgrounds. Nintendo Power highlighted good visuals comparable to NES and SNES versions but mentioned significant background blur that impaired visibility. In 2018, Complex ranked Joe & Mac at number 69 on their list of "The Best Super Nintendo Games of All Time."

Legacy

The original game led to the creation of multiple sequels. In 1993, Joe was featured in the Game Boy puzzle game Franky, Joe & Dirk: On the Tiles, alongside Franky from Dr. Franken and Dirk the Daring from Dragon's Lair. The Japanese Super Nintendo title Congo's Caper was promoted as a sequel under the name Tatakae Genshijin 2: Rookie no Bōken, introducing a different main character. The primary pair made a comeback in Joe & Mac 2: Lost in the Tropics, which integrated mild RPG mechanics. An arcade sequel, Joe & Mac Returns, departed from the original’s side-scrolling action style and adopted gameplay similar to Data East’s Tumblepop series.

Additionally, Joe and Mac appeared in a German Mario comic titled Super Mario: Verloren in der Zeit.

Possible reboot

In November 2009, Golgoth Studio revealed intentions to revive the Joe & Mac series following their work on a remake of Toki. However, no further information emerged, and the reboot was ultimately canceled after Golgoth Studio ceased operations in 2017.

Remake

In November 2022, French publisher Microids launched a remake called New Joe & Mac – Caveman Ninja, developed by Mr. Nutz Studio, available on both consoles and PC.