NAMCO SYSTEM 1

The 'Namco System 1' 16-bit arcade system board was first used by Namco in April 1987 and was a major enhancement to the previous Namco System 86 arcade system board.
''Yokai Douchuuki'' was the first game to use this board. The game's name translated to English as "Supernatural Creature Traveller's Journal" and was later renamed "Shadowland" for anglophone territories. Two months later, they released ''Dragon Spirit'', which was one of the most difficult vertical scrolling shooters ever seen for its release date. This was followed by ''Blazer'' in July, which was the first 16-bit game to use an isometric perspective, ''Quester'' in September, which was similar to ''Arkanoid'' but the only difference was that it had better graphics, ''Pac-Mania'' in November, which was the last arcade title in the ''Pac-Man'' series, and ''Galaga '88'' in December. Towards the end of the year, Namco developed another 16-bit arcade system board - the more powerful 68000-based Namco System 2 system board.

Contents

Namco System 1 specifications

List of Namco System 1 arcade games

Namco System 1 specifications

Processors:

★ Main CPU: Motorola 6809 @ 1.536 MHz

★ Sub CPU: Motorola 6809 @ 1.536 MHz

★ Sound CPU: Motorola 6809 @ 1.536 MHz

★ MCU: Hitachi HD63701 @ 1.536 MHz
Video:

★ Video resolution 288×224 (horizontal) or 224×288 (vertical)

★ Variable-sized display window

★ 24-bit RGB palette

★ 3 scrolling 512×512 tilemap layers (64×64 characters)

★ 1 scrolling 512×256 tilemap layer (64×32 characters)

★ 2 fixed 288×224 tilemap layers (36×28 characters)

★ 127 variable-sized sprites (up to 32×32) displayed at once
Sound:

★ Yamaha YM2151 FM sound chip

★ Custom 8-channel wavetable stereo PSG

★ 2-channel DAC

List of Namco System 1 arcade games

★ ''Yokai Douchuuki'' (aka ''Shadowland'') (1987) - Namco's first 16-bit game

★ ''Dragon Spirit'' (1987)

★ ''Blazer'' (1987)

★ ''Quester'' (1987)

★ ''Pac-Mania'' (1987)

★ ''Galaga '88'' (1987)

★ ''World Stadium'' (1988)

★ ''Berabow Man: Chouzetsu Rinjin'' (aka ''Bravoman'' or ''Beraboh Man'') (1988)

★ ''Marchen Maze'' (1988)

★ ''Bakutotsu Kijuutei - Baraduke II'' (1988)

★ ''World Court'' (1988)

★ ''Splatterhouse'' (1988) - the first game to get a parental advisory disclaimer

★ ''Face Off'' (1988)

★ ''Rompers'' (1989)

★ ''Blast Off'' (1989) - sequel to ''Bosconian''

★ ''World Stadium '89'' (1989)

★ ''Dangerous Seed'' (1989)

★ ''World Stadium '90'' (1990)

★ ''Pistol Daimyo no Bouken'' (1990)

★ ''Souko Ban Deluxe'' (aka ''Boxy Boy'') (1990)

★ ''Puzzle Club'' (unreleased prototype) (1990)

★ ''Tank Force'' (1991) - sequel to ''Tank Battalion''