Buster Bros. (Arcade)

Buster Bros.
Also known as: Pomping World (JP), Pang (INT) Developer: Capcom Publishers: Capcom (NA), Mitchell (INT) Platform: Arcade (Capcom Mitchell hardware) Released internationally: December 1989 This game has a hidden developer message. This game has hidden developer credits. This game has unused graphics. This game has unused text. This game has regional differences.

Buster Bros. a.k.a. Pomping World a.k.a. Pang a.k.a. Loony Goony Pop-Balloony is an action game about popping evil balloons that are terrorizing the landmarks and cities of Earth.

And if you think that's some acerbic reinterpretation of the game's plot, it isn't.

Programmer Messages

The first message, from Masatsugu Shinohara, is stored in the main CPU at 0x10160 and is copied to RAM FAD0 to FB3F during the game's boot-up sequence.

 MADE IN JAPAN. 
 POMPING WORLD  
  CAPCOM 1989.  
                
 Programed By   
  M.SHINOHARA   

The second message, which translates to "Let's live according to our dreams" and was written by a currently unknown programmer, is stored after the credits text at 0x22C0E:

 OMOINO MAMANI IKIYOO ... By M.K 

(Source: Original TCRF research)

Unused Graphics

Early	Used

There's an early looking Power Wire icon in the object graphics ROM that was thankfully redrawn. That thing does not look like a power-up.

Unused HUD elements for a results screen. These graphics, coupled with an unused text string at 0x206E0, point to what seems to be a scrapped bonus stage:

SHOOT THE BALL
FOR 15 COUNT !!

Regional Differences

INT	NA

Apart from the different titles, the only noticeable difference is that Mitchell is missing from the North American credits sequence.

(Source: Original TCRF research)