Today I'm starting a new weekly tradition called "Saturday Shmuplations" to highlight some of the greatest hits from our archive of over 500 translated interviews. The weekend is the perfect time to relax and revisit these long-form, deep-dive slices of gaming history!
Attention all Cyberbots: Fullmetal Madness fans! With thanks to @shmuplations.bsky.social you can now enjoy English story mode translations of the console exclusive characters. Have closed captions turned on. First up, Shade:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Lue...
Finally, if you'd rather read the text without the videos, I've made transcripts available over at my site:
rq87.flyingomelette.com/RQ/CB/1.html
If you’ve ever wondered why Devilotte’s Marvel Vs. Capcom assist involves an accidental self-destruct, it’s referencing part of her Cyberbots story mode!
And finally, the one you’ve been waiting for: Princess Devilotte de Death Satan IX!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=3PBd...
Second up, Chiyomaru and Tessan:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=2GMG...
Attention all Cyberbots: Fullmetal Madness fans! With thanks to @shmuplations.bsky.social you can now enjoy English story mode translations of the console exclusive characters. Have closed captions turned on. First up, Shade:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Lue...
Odd how the liner notes don't discuss where the inspiration for Mujoe's theme came from!
My Bomberman site updated with some guff after who knows how long. Want to read about the behind-the-scenes on the Bomberman Jetters anime? How about the minute differences between four unique ports of NES Bomberman? If not, that's all I got, sorry.
randomhoohaas.flyingomelette.com/bomb/
[lifeline] it is complete. the lifeline archive is up and public!!
please please please go check it out!! it has a ton of cool stuff about everyone's favorite Voice Action Adventure for PlayStation 2
heyoperator.neocities.org
Today we have an amazing interview from 1989 with Shigeru Miyamoto and Shigesato Itoi. Conducted shortly after the release of Mother, it's full of deep musings about realism, creative exhaustion, the moral panic over kids & gaming, and prescient visions of the future. shmuplations.com/itoimiyamoto/
Did you know there's a 3rd Fighter's History exclusive to the SNES and only released in Japan?
You can now enjoy its multiple endings completely in English thanks to Niz (he transcribes Japanese instruction manuals here setsumei.cloudfree.jp/index.html)
www.vgmuseum.com/end/snes/b/f...
I got nothing copyright-wise for that one... yet
If it's anything like my Injustice uploads, it'll get blocked in Russia. Everywhere else is ok
Bill Bull sprite
picture of Bill Craven
According to Akira Nishitani, Bill Bull from Final Fight was based on former Capcom USA VP of Sales & MarketingBill Craven.
xcancel.com/game7650/sta...
This week's Arcade Archives release is RAVE RACER. 31 years since its arcade debut, Namco's 3D racing sequel comes with two brand new courses, a slipstream mechanic, smooth drifting and a soundtrack of nothing but hot jams.
Dreamwidth post!
tepidsnake.dreamwidth.org/38146.html
learning about this new-fangled capcom arcade system from the guy from the street fighter 1 stage www.youtube.com/watch?v=m029...
For our final translation this month, we have a vintage interview with Masanobu Endo and Shigesato Itoi from 1985, shortly after Endo departed Namco and founded Game Studio. This is a "friendly banter" style interview with lots of witty, provocative assertions from Itoi. shmuplations.com/endoitoi/
Earnest Evans Collection is currently £34.99 on Switch and PS5, but only £15.99 on PS4.
For some reason, the price of the Earnest Evans Collection has recently increased on Switch and PS5. The PS4 and Steam versions haven't had their prices changed yet, the Steam version is even currently 20% off.
![A screenshot from The Cutting Room Floor's page on Space Gun, taken via Windows' Print Screen function. Shown are two alternate title screens for the game- Annihilator and Creatures Shock- both being displayed over a sinister green alien with giant prple eyes and horrid fangs.
According to Atsuchi Taniguchi, one of the game's producers, "Space Gun" was originally only a tentative title. During the location test phase, two different titles were proposed, only for the game to end up with the provisional title anyway.
[The two sets of bolded text link to tweets made by Atsuchi Taniguchi that are no longer available due to the account being suspended / inactive.]](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:pgtmk5quqw2klvs54dtyepll/bafkreiczmqwpncelqmuyw7aptwygadgz5ovthntbp6fupfw4vxpn2qahlm)
A screenshot from The Cutting Room Floor's page on Space Gun, taken via Windows' Print Screen function. Shown are two alternate title screens for the game- Annihilator and Creatures Shock- both being displayed over a sinister green alien with giant prple eyes and horrid fangs. According to Atsuchi Taniguchi, one of the game's producers, "Space Gun" was originally only a tentative title. During the location test phase, two different titles were proposed, only for the game to end up with the provisional title anyway. [The two sets of bolded text link to tweets made by Atsuchi Taniguchi that are no longer available due to the account being suspended / inactive.]
Taito's ultra-violent rail shooter Space Gun has two alternate titles hiding in the game's data- Annihilator and Creatures Shock.
tcrf.net/Space_Gun_(A...
The tweets linked on TCRF sadly no longer exist, but at least they were paraphrased- Space Gun was only meant as a tentative name, but it stuck!
Back to our shmup roots, this week we have a super in-depth Esprade interview with art director Junya Inoue! I've wanted to do this one for a long time and it didn't disappoint: tons of fascinating lore on the characters and world design. Plus concept art! shmuplations.com/esprade/
The few select people who have played the underrated Phantom 2040 (SNES/Genesis) can finally rest because I figured out the game's over 20 ending variations and how to trigger them.
I made a FAQ which will hopefully help millions of present and future gamers
gamefaqs.gamespot.com/genesis/5863...
Capcom Bishoujo Senshi Comic Anthology Vol. 3 (Dec. 10, '96), pg. 108
Street Fighter Alpha 2 comic by Terazou, from a 1996 Comic Gamest compilation.
I don't normally post when the YouTube archive of my stream goes up, but I think this one is maybe worth a look! I talk for 5 hours about undumped, non-existent and lost arcade games, and despite some tech glitches I don't think I did a bad job~ Sources, too!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0aB...
Finally, we translated this fun collection of Magic Sword developer commentary from 1990. The real star here is the enemy concept art, accompanied by lore that should deepen the enjoyment of your next playthrough or 1CC attempt. shmuplations.com/magicsword/
As usual, I was remiss in updating the wider world about our December work, which I'd like to take a moment to do here. The big star was this in-depth Yuji Horii interview from 2000, which covers the early development of Dragon Quest and his PC and game journalism work. shmuplations.com/yujihorii/
a pixel art remake of the Super Mario Bros. 2 select player screen. Mario, Luigi, Toad, and Princess Peach stand on a wooden stage floor with red and gold curtains on the side. The words "Please Select Player" are at the top of the screen and "Extra Life... 5" at the bottom.
pixel art of Mega Man, Yuko from Valis, Nutroll, and Inborn Correctional Institute guards (from Nutroll's comic) Text basically says this, but with less detail.
For the first time in 2026, THE NEWNESS IS ON!
New sprites based on Super Mario Bros, Mega Man, Valis, and Nutroll added to the galleries and screenshot makers!
www.scrollboss.illmosis.net/blog/?p=3778
Character bio for Nicotine, which is one of many character bios to mention eyes being poked out.
...such as including a running gag about eye poking, of all things.
Instruction manual front cover for Samurai Shodown II.
Back cover of Samurai Shodown II.
Hack, slice, dice and Julien fry your way to victory with this AI-free English manual scan of SNK’s Samurai Shodown II, for Neo Geo CD! The SNK English editor got their hands on this one...
rq87.flyingomelette.com/RQ/NG/MS/SS2...
Nintendo store page image showing that Earnest Evans Collection is £15.99 for Switch. It is not currently compatible with Switch 2.
Earnest Evans Collection is now up on the UK Nintendo store. £15.99. Don't buy it if you only have a Switch 2. I like the image they used of Annet on the store page. What's she thinking? "Yeah, most of the games I'm in aren't the best...sigh".
