Watch this week’s short video:

Hello everyone!
We’re now on the third episode of the series, and this week we’re stepping into very different territory.
If the first two episodes surprised you, this one might take you somewhere you didn’t expect at all — especially if you’ve never heard of this game before.

This week’s episode is about:

Original package cover (scanned from our archive)

Snatcher
Original Title: スナッチャー【suna^chā】
Published by ©Konami in 1988
For the NEC PC-8801mkIISR on 5.25″2D×5 floppy disks (original version)

Catch phrase: “A nightmare in the year 2042.” “A mysterious shadow creeps over Neo Kōbe City.”

Title screen — Cyberpunk Adventure by Konami

Released in 1988 for the PC-88SR, the adventure game Snatcher was an ambitious project by Hideo KOJIMA, who would go on to achieve worldwide recognition with the Metal Gear series.
It was his first full-fledged story-driven game, and strongly reflected his desire to create “a game that feels like a movie.”

Gillian and Mika — your first allies at JUNKER HQ

The pauses between lines of dialogue, screen transitions reminiscent of camera work, and compositions designed to build tension made the experience feel like playing through a sci-fi film — a level of presentation that was revolutionary for adventure games at the time.
The story is set in a near future where humanoid machines called “Snatchers,” indistinguishable from real people, operate in the shadows. It unfolds as a hard-boiled suspense in which an amnesiac protagonist crosses paths with an enemy whose true identity is unknown.

Snatcher internal schematic — who is truly human?

The underlying theme — the fundamental unease of not knowing who is truly human — resonates with today’s concerns over deepfakes and AI-generated content, giving the work new meaning even now.
At the time, adventure games were leading the way in narrative and visual evolution on the Japanese PC market, but Snatcher stood out even among them for its exceptional level of polish.

The neon-lit streets of Neo Kōbe City

By pushing the boundaries of storytelling and presentation beyond the constraints of the hardware, Snatcher earned its place as a landmark of Japanese adventure games.
The atmosphere, evoking the influence of sci-fi films such as Blade Runner, further adds to the work’s lasting appeal.

What did you think? Content like this — and the preservation work behind it — is made possible by your support.
We also have a Patreon if you prefer.

NPO Game Preservation Society

Credits

Gameplay and Description: Masatoshi TAKAHASHI (GPS)
Emulation Preparation: Takuya FUKUDA (GPS)
Video Editing: Jean MONSET (GPS)
Bitmap Assets: Oskar STROM
Package Scanning: Archive Division (GPS)
Database Information: Keigo MATSUBARA (GPS)
Curation: Joseph REDON (GPS)
Japanese–English Translation: Christopher S. SHIMMIN (PQ)

Special Thanks: John SZCZEPANIAK and all GPS supporting members

Watch this week’s short video:

Hello everyone!
Welcome back for the second episode of our weekly series. The response to our first video was encouraging, and we appreciate everyone who watched, shared, and left comments. For a small team working to keep game history alive, it really does make a difference.
This week’s episode goes in a completely different direction from the first — and that’s part of what we enjoy about this format. You never quite know where the history of games will lead. We hope you’ll find it as interesting as we did putting it together.

This week’s episode is about:

Original package cover (scanned from our archive)

Yume Tairiku Adventure (aka “Penguin Adventure”)
Original Title: 夢大陸アドベンチャー【yume tairiku adobeŋchā】
Published by ©Konami in 1986
For the MSX on ROM Cartridge

Catch phrases: “The definitive shooting + RPG!” “A speedy and powerful romantic adventure”

Title screen — the journey to the Dream Continent begins

A sequel to Antartic Adventure, released in 1983 by Konami Industry for the MSX.

The story follows a penguin on a quest to find a golden apple that can save a princess penguin from illness — a simple premise that belies the depth of what follows.

Like its predecessor, the player controls a penguin protagonist from a 3D third-person perspective, repeatedly reaching checkpoints within a time limit while avoiding obstacles, ultimately aiming for the goal.

Smooth 3D scrolling — impressive for MSX1 hardware

As its catch phrase suggests, advertisements pushed the RPG label to the forefront to capitalize on the genre’s massive popularity among gamers at the time.

Penguin Adventure represents a dramatic evolution over its predecessor — almost a new game entirely. Despite running on MSX1 hardware, the entire screen scrolls smoothly in 3D with depth. The detailed graphics make the most of the limited dot count and color palette, and the adorable dot-art animations of the penguin protagonist and enemies are full of personality — their expressions and every little movement are sure to warm the player’s heart.

Shopping for items using fish as currency

The game design is equally refined. Stages span not just icy terrain but also water surfaces, mountain ranges, underwater areas, and even outer space, keeping the player’s curiosity engaged throughout. New additions include shops stocked with a variety of items and the use of “fish” as currency, all woven into the experience with excellent balance.

Players are drawn into a deeper layer of strategy as they figure out how to earn money efficiently and which items to prioritize as they push further into the game.

Stages range from icy terrain to outer space

The music deserves special mention. Making full use of three PSG sound channels, the soundtrack boasts an impressive number of tracks, every one of high quality. To this day, many praise the entire soundtrack as a collection of masterpieces perfectly fused with each game scene — a testament to its completeness.

The difficulty is accessible enough for anyone to reach the middle stages, but the latter half ramps up considerably, making for a robust and rewarding action game that offers a real challenge for those aiming to clear it.

What did you think? Content like this — and the preservation work behind it — is made possible by your support.
We also have a Patreon if you prefer.

NPO Game Preservation Society

Credits

Gameplay: Hirofumi IWASAKI (GPS)
Description: Masatoshi TAKAHASHI (GPS)
Emulation Preparation: Takuya FUKUDA (GPS)
Video Editing: Jean MONSET (GPS)
Bitmap Assets: Oskar STROM
Package Scanning: Archive Division (GPS)
Database Information: Keigo MATSUBARA (GPS)
Curation and Editing: Joseph REDON (GPS)
Japanese–English Translation: Christopher S. SHIMMIN (PQ)

Special Thanks: All GPS supporting members

Watch this week’s short video:

Hello everyone!
We’re excited to launch a new video series — one video per week, four per month — exploring the history of video games through its creators, landmark works, and hidden stories. Each episode is a chance to discover a game and the context that shaped it.
Every month, a new theme will be announced in the newsletter, with the possibility of expanding into other original formats such as articles, interviews, and more — all depending on your financial support.
If you haven’t supported us yet, now is the perfect time. Every donation — big or small — keeps the association alive, the preservation work going, and the content flowing.

This week’s episode is about:

Original package cover (scanned from our archive)

Portopia Renzoku Satsujin Jiken (aka “The Portopia Serial Murder Case” or “Portopia”)
Original Title: ポートピア連続殺人事件【pōtopia reŋzoku satsujiŋ jikeŋ】
Published by ©Enix in 1983
For the NEC PC-6001/mkII on Cassette tape (original version)

Catch phrase: “The definitive suspense adventure!”

Title screen — Author: Yūji HORII, Publisher: Enix

NB: Video and screenshots are for the PC-6001mkII version (side B of the original cassette tape). Unusually, both the PC-6001 and PC-6001mkII versions were included on opposite sides of the same tape.

When discussing the early days of Japanese adventure games, this is one title that can’t be overlooked.

Portopia is a serious mystery adventure developed essentially single-handedly by Yūji HORII, who would go on to give birth to the Dragon Quest series (known as Dragon Warrior in early Western releases). The player acts as a detective investigating a string of murders in the city of Kobe, alongside his subordinate Yasu.

The game employs a command input system which was popular at the time, in which the player would type commands like “interrogate” “search” and “investigate” for Yasu to perform.

Interrogating a suspect using the command input system

While the graphics were quite plain, the use of real place names and the conversations with Yasu effectively encouraged players to use their imaginations. It combined the experience of reading a dense mystery novel while giving the player agency within the plot, eliciting a feeling of tension and immersion different from modern adventure games that generally emphasize graphics.

Investigating real locations in Kyōto

It’s also said to be strongly influenced by Sierra On-Line’s Apple II game Mystery House, which had gained popularity in America a few years earlier.

At the same time, it set itself apart by employing an interface appealing to Japanese gamers and combined locales, interpersonal relationships and storytelling in a unique way.

The crime scene — a locked-room murder in Kōbe

Portopia was also compatible with the PC-6001mkII’s text-to-speech technology, which could read aloud parts of the characters’ dialogue on a compatible machine.

Although the voice itself was rather silly, it was an incredible innovation for the time.

What did you think? Content like this — and the preservation work behind it — is made possible by your support.
We also have a Patreon if you prefer.

NPO Game Preservation Society

Credits

Gameplay and Description: Masatoshi TAKAHASHI (GPS)
Emulation Preparation: Takuya FUKUDA (GPS)
Video Editing: Jean MONSET (GPS)
Bitmap Assets: Oskar STROM
Package Scanning: Archive Division (GPS)
Database Information: Keigo MATSUBARA (GPS)
Curation: Joseph REDON (GPS)
Japanese–English Translation: Christopher S. SHIMMIN (PQ)

Special Thanks: John SZCZEPANIAK, Yūji SATŌ (GPS) and all GPS supporting members