ADK'S LAST UNRELEASED NEOGEO GAME - DANCE RHYTH MIX
In 1998 Konami pioneered an innovative gaming sensation by creating a new
genre with the introduction of the "Bemani" style of games. Best known for the
Dance Dance Revolution series, these games involved a gameplay premise which required
the players to perform certain functions at certain times for gameplay to progress
forward. These games forced the players to manage both speed and accuracy along with
good timing. Several companies soon followed suit with their own clones of this type of
gameplay. Andamiro and Sammy were among them.
ADK had long since been thought to be out of the NEOGEO and arcade gaming scene.
The last title they released for the Neo Geo was Twinkle Star Sprites in 1996. However,
ADK seemed to have jumped on board the Bemani craze with a rhythm game of their own
at some point in the past. It is uncertain as to when this game was designed, but the
pictures here were posted on September 30, 2003. It is unknown why the game was canceled.
Perhaps the location test was poor or maybe Konami threatened legal action. Hopefully,
someone out there held onto the beta test cartridge and perhaps maybe someday it will surface.
Looking at the pictures, it is clear to see that the control scheme is not standard.
The joystick has been replaced with a lever that can be moved UP and the 4 action buttons
are not color coded correctly. (RED, YELLOW, GREEN, BLUE is the NEOGEO standard)
SNK was repurposing the NEOGEO hardware for use in other applications such as
photo booths and gambling machines. Because of the unique control scheme evident in
the pictures of Dance Rhyth Mix, it is logical to conclude that the game was intended
to be a utility cartridge. As such, similar to V-Liner and Jockey Gran Prix, it
would have been assigned a non sequential software product number, and was therefore
not official NEOGEO software.
INFORMATION TIMELINE:
-- November 1996 -- ADK releases their final NEOGEO title Twinkle Star Sprites.
-- 1996-1998 -- The NEOGEO MVS hardware is used for NEO PRINT photo machines.
-- 2001-2002 -- The NEOGEO MVS hardware is used in casino / pachinko machines.
-- September 2003 -- Dance Rhyth Mix is photographed at its location test.
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