The Lost Games of SNK...

Tarma

Old Man
20 Year Member
Joined
Nov 7, 2001
Posts
7,137
I was browsing through some early issues of Edge magazine last night reading up on their reviews of classics such as Fatal Fury Special, Samurai Shodown, Pulstar, and Top Hunter among others.

Now back in the day Edge used to print a very comprehensive Release Schedule for new software on the formats of the time (SNES, MegaDrive, PC Engine etc.) including the AES and Neo CD.

So, I was looking at the release schedule for the Neo Geo in Edge Issue 2 (November 1993) and it looked something like this:

October Samurai Showdown
Undecided Art of Fighting 2
Undecided Top Hunter
Undecided Magician Lord 2
Undecided Reactor
Undecided Fatal Fury Special

The two titles that obviously caught my eye were Magician Lord 2 and Reactor.

I looked through the following months issues of Edge and both these games were continually listed.

Now, I've heard stuff in the past about the myth that is Magician Lord 2, but what's Reactor?
The only other info provided is that it would be a combat game...
Does this mean that Magician Lord may exist somewhere in proto format along with this Reactor game?

Anyone else heard of Reactor for either MVS or AES?

[ June 11, 2002: Message edited by: Tarma ]</p>
 

christopher belmondo

Fio's Quartermaster
Joined
Jan 19, 2002
Posts
494
Good question Tarma,would like to know my self about !
the rumour about magician lord 2 is so long there,but about this reactor game i hear the first time from you !

no idea what this could be,and i'm not new to the game hobby !

hope somebody know about !
 

Tarma

Old Man
20 Year Member
Joined
Nov 7, 2001
Posts
7,137
If I get time I'll scan the magazine and somebody can upload the image.

Edge are no fly-by-nights, they're one of the most respected magazines in the industry, so the info must have come from either SNK or a reliable source at the time of printing.
 

Scalpeur

Genam's Azami Sharpener
Joined
May 19, 2001
Posts
1,521
Well, I think this is a mistake.
I think the game your are dealing with is "Reaction" and not "Reactor".
I think so because both "Reaction" project and "Magician Lord 2" project were thought to release in 1995 and also because the 2 names are very close!(Reaction and Reactor) ;)
As a consequence, if the game you are dealing with is "reaction" than it seems it was the first name for Pulstar.
:)
 

Scalpeur

Genam's Azami Sharpener
Joined
May 19, 2001
Posts
1,521
or of course, the name "reaction" can be false and the other : "reactor" can be the true first name for Pulstar ;) .
 

Kazuya_UK

NeoGeoForLife.com,
20 Year Member
Joined
May 11, 2001
Posts
1,443
Look on the master list - Reaction is rumoured to have been the working title for Pulstar, as Scalpeur mentioned. I got confused with this when I made a prototypes screenshot page for my site until someone emailed me and pointed it out.
 

FeelGood

So Many Posts
No Time
For Games.
Joined
Aug 18, 2001
Posts
17,794
Bonus Question:
What was Blazing Star's original title?
 

SuperGun

Proto Hunter
20 Year Member
Joined
Nov 10, 2001
Posts
908
It is true what was said earlier. Reaction has come to be known as the original working title for Pulstar. It would also make logical sense as the game Pulstar is pretty much about testing a players reactions. It is R-Type-ish in gameplay which of course is a "surgical shooter". One in which firing at will and continuing endlessly is NOT permitted and gives no results. It takes a serious gamer with serious skills to beat games like Pulstar. A true test of ones reactions!

I would like to state however that when Reaction was first rumored...it was in Die Hard Game Fan magazine and it was thought to be the first "sonic" for the neogeo. In other words, it was going to be their "mascot" in a platformer type game. This of course proved to be false later on.

Lastly, as for Magician Lord 2...this is perhaps the most teasing title ever reported. Almost every magazine got that report and went with it. Truth is, someone who used to work for SNK (I will keep them anonymous for now) told me that the game is 100% completely false and invented. They did so on purpose during this time period merely to keep the neogeo hype and interest up. So sadly, their really never was nor will there ever be a magician lord 2.

Billy
 

Tarma

Old Man
20 Year Member
Joined
Nov 7, 2001
Posts
7,137
It maybe that Reactor/Reaction is a confusion over the beta title for Pulstar. However, as I said, Reactor was put down as a combat game, not a shoot 'em up.

This Reactor title was supposed to be a fighting game, not a shoot 'em up like Pulstar.

Perhaps, this is even why the name was changed from Reaction to Pulstar, and that the Reactor title just never passed proto stage.
 

aria

Former Moderator
Joined
Dec 4, 1977
Posts
39,546
Originally posted by EvilWasabi:
<strong>Bonus Question:
What was Blazing Star's original title?</strong><hr></blockquote>


"Success Joe in Space"
 

SuperGun

Proto Hunter
20 Year Member
Joined
Nov 10, 2001
Posts
908
for the record...here are some of the other "working titles" that over the years have come to be "falsely interpreted" as possible protos.

Pulstar = Reaction
Soccer Brawl = Cybernetic Soccer = Power Kick Soccer
Sengoku = Battle World
Ghost Pilots = Ghost Fighter
Mutation Nation = Dream Over
Breakers = Crystal Legacy
Legend of Succes Joe = Tommorrow's Joe = Boxing
League Bowling = Bowling
Neo Drift Out = Drift Out '94
Ganryu - Musashi Ganryuki
 

aria

Former Moderator
Joined
Dec 4, 1977
Posts
39,546
Originally posted by SuperGun:
<strong>for the record...here are some of the other "working titles" that over the years have come to be "falsely interpreted" as possible protos.
<hr></blockquote></strong>

Very true: World Heroes was supposed to be titled "Overrated" <img src="graemlins/smirk.gif" border="0" alt="[Smirk]" />
 

Loopz

Formerly Punjab,
Joined
Aug 16, 2001
Posts
12,871
Metal Slug 4 was also code named Environmentally Friendly Recycled Korean Crap.
 

MarrymeMai

Frenzy Football Player
Joined
Jan 3, 2002
Posts
985
All the proto titles are cooler than the final titles. "Dream Over." Now THAT'S just kickin'. "Mutation Nation" sounds corny.
 

Liquid Snake

I am untouchable
20 Year Member
Joined
Nov 22, 2000
Posts
11,183
Originally posted by Bobak:
<strong>[/qb]

Very true: World Heroes was supposed to be titled "Overrated" <img src="graemlins/smirk.gif" border="0" alt="[Smirk]" /> </strong><hr></blockquote>

LOL
 

Herzog Drei

Ace Ghost Pilot
Joined
Sep 13, 2001
Posts
1,300
Honestly,in one german magazine 'reactor' was stated as one of the titles for 'King of fighters'(94??)!! <img src="graemlins/spock.gif" border="0" alt="[Spock]" />

As for 'Magician lord 2'-that title was even rumored to be FINISHED by ADK!!

As long as one of the games doesn't surface,i wouldn' bother thinking about them!!

IF there is ANYTHING that far as it could be released,you can count on !Arcade! & co. to release it somwhere,sometime!! <img src="graemlins/smirk.gif" border="0" alt="[Smirk]" />

If not-then forget about it!!
 

SamuraiShogun

Morden's Lack,
Joined
Nov 13, 2001
Posts
373
Does anyone remember the old Chips and Bits ads in magazines?Around the thime of the CD release,there were several games that were to be released,that they had prices for anyway.
Now I know that C&B isn'tm exactly the most reliabe of sources,but at the time it was pretty tantalizing.
The titles I remember are:
King of the Athletes
Shinryu Senki
Firm Guy (terrible name)
There wre more,I'll have to see if I can find an old Gamepro mag or something.
 

BIG BEAR

SHOCKbox Developer,
20 Year Member
Joined
Dec 14, 2001
Posts
8,230
Originally posted by MarrymeMai:
<strong>All the proto titles are cooler than the final titles. "Dream Over." Now THAT'S just kickin'. "Mutation Nation" sounds corny.</strong><hr></blockquote>

Hahah.. That one "stuck out" to me as I read as well!! What a cool title name "DREAM OVER"
Damn! Why did'nt they go with it??
That's SNK for ya..
-BB
 
Joined
Nov 23, 2001
Posts
2,699
Originally posted by christopher belmondo:
<strong>Good question Tarma,would like to know my self about !
the rumour about magician lord 2 is so long there,but about this reactor game i hear the first time from you !

no idea what this could be,and i'm not new to the game hobby !

hope somebody know about !</strong><hr></blockquote>

I was once offered the Magician Lord 2 prototype by Maro Ulm for 1800 Deutsch Marks.

That´s 2 years ago! I wonder who purchased it!
 

Neo Bomber Man

Miracle Seller, , ,
Joined
Aug 19, 2000
Posts
2,836
Originally posted by EvilWasabi:
<strong>Bonus Question:
What was Blazing Star's original title?</strong><hr></blockquote>

Was is Pulstar Blast or Pulstar 2? I forget.
 

jbeedham

yeah he did that, ,
Joined
Jan 12, 2001
Posts
833
Magician Lord 2 would be cool but better yet would be a Samurai Shodown 5!
 
Top