Buy Joe and Mac by Data East for Super Nintendo at GameStop. Find release dates, customer reviews, previews, and more. Joe and Mac are a pair of cavemen ninjas from the Data East arcade game 'Joe & Mac' (also known as 'Caveman Ninja' and 'Caveman Ninja: Joe & Mac'). While the arcade game itself lacked a story beyond enemy cavemen kidnapping women, their main goal is to rescue women being held captive by said enemy cavemen. Tier: 9-B Name: Joe and Mac Origin:Joe and Mac (Arcade) Gender: Male Age: Unknown.
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Joe & Mac: Caveman Ninja
DOS - 1991
Also available on: Genesis - Amiga
Description of Joe & Mac: Caveman Ninja
A great conversion from the hit arcade game of the same name, Joe and Mac: Caveman Ninja is a fun platform game starring to bumbling cavemen, Joe and Mac.
After their “cave-babes” were kidnapped by rival gangs of Neanderthals, the cavemen ninja decide to strike back. Armed with a variety of Stone Age projectile weapons, the two will fight their way,with your help, through six levels of jungle adventures, facing threats from nasty cavemen, angry bees, giant plants and more dinosaurs than you can shake a petrified stick at.
Joe and Mac begin the game armed with stone axes, but by cracking open eggs left by defeated pterodactyls along the way, the two could upgrade their arsenal. The caveman ninjas have mastered the art of combat, with fireballs, wheels, boomerangs and even powerful doppelgangers of themselves. For a more powerful blow, you could hold down the attack button to make Joe and Mac swing their arms around wildly, building up energy (at least until they got tired).
Regardless of the threats against them, Joe and Mac never lose their sense of fun. The game is peppered with funny little touches—from the goofy cartoon graphics to the comic sound effects. The combination of traditional platform gaming and silly antics made Caveman Ninja a favorite of many in the arcades, leading to a successful follow-up, Joe & Mac Return, in 1994, which unfortunately was never translated to the PC.
Highly recommended!
Review By HOTUD
Captures and Snapshots
Screenshots from MobyGames.com
Screenshots from MobyGames.com
Comments and reviews
Mauro2020-11-120 point DOS version
Sorry, which password must be entered?
MAce2018-07-221 point DOS version
The DOS version is arcade perfect, easily the best of all the ports. If you have a Roland MT-32 it even sounds better than the Arcade's Music. Amazing port for late 1991.
The Amiga version is total cr@p, it took another 1.5 years later to come out and even though by Amiga standards it normal, compared to even the Mega Drive port it is awful.
bub2018-03-031 point Game Boy version
A great game that takes me back to my childhood.
Umar2017-10-141 point
Very nice game
arcadeshow2016-08-06-3 points
what are the keys?
Kassiopeija2015-03-061 point DOS version
AWESOME! Just like the Arcade version. I wish I could insert coins into my PC now :)))
PS: Actually Mac is using bones for a starting weapon^^
SAOUL211982013-10-310 point DOS version
GREAT GAME THANKS
admin2013-10-302 points DOS version
Enter any code, game is cracked
Tetley2013-10-290 point DOS version
Cant play it no security codes in zip file
daria2013-09-040 point DOS version
This game was really funny, I played it a lot with my brother
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DOS Version
Genesis ROM
- Year:1994
- Publisher:TAKARA Co., Ltd.
- Developer:Data East Corporation
Amiga ROM
- Year:1992
- Publisher:Elite Systems Ltd., Motivetime Ltd.
- Developer:Data East Corporation
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| Joe & Mac | |
|---|---|
| Developer(s) | Data East (Arcade & SNES) Elite Systems (NES & PC) Eden Entertainment Software (MD/Genesis) Motivetime (Game Boy & Amiga) Flying Tiger Development (Nintendo Switch) Onan Games (Zeebo) |
| Publisher(s) | Data East (Japan & North America Arcade & Nintendo console versions) Takara (Genesis version) New World Computing (North America PC version) Elite Systems (North American Amiga version), (Europe all versions) Motivetime Ltd. (Amiga) Tec Toy (Brazil Mega Drive version) Flying Tiger Development (Nintendo Switch) G-Mode (Zeebo) |
| Composer(s) | Seiichi Hamada Seiji Momoi Seiji Yamanaka Matt Furniss (MD/GEN) Mark Cooksey (GB/NES) |
| Platform(s) | Arcade, Super NES, Genesis, Nintendo Entertainment System, Game Boy, Amiga, MS-DOS, Zeebo, Nintendo Switch |
| Release | 1991 (arcade, PC, SNES) 1992 (Amiga) December 1992 (NES) April 1993 (Game Boy) 1994 (MD/Genesis) |
| Genre(s) | Platform |
| Mode(s) | Single-player or Two-player |
Joe & Mac,[a] also known as Caveman Ninja and Caveman Ninja: Joe & Mac,[1] is a 1991 platform game released for arcades by Data East.[2] It was later adapted for the Super NES, Mega Drive/Genesis, Nintendo Entertainment System, Game Boy, Amiga, Zeebo, Nintendo Switch, and PC.
Gameplay[edit]
The game stars the green-haired Joe and the blue-haired Mac, cavemen who battle through numerous prehistoric levels using weapons such as boomerangs, bones, fire, flints, electricity, stone wheels, and clubs. The objective of the game is to rescue a group of women who were kidnapped by a rival tribe of cavemen. The game features a health system by which the player loses health over a period of time, apart from during boss battles.[3] A two-player mode is available, and in some versions both characters are capable of damaging each other.
The original arcade version and Amiga, Mega Drive/Genesis, MS-DOS and Zeebo ports have the distinction of allowing the player to select between different routes at the end of boss battles. Also, after defeating the final boss, the players can choose between three exits – each one leading to a slightly different ending sequence.
Ports[edit]
The game has been ported to various systems, some of which drop the name Caveman Ninja, referring to the game simply as Joe & Mac.
A Super NES version was developed and published in 1991 by Data East.[4] In December 1992, a version for the NES was released. It was developed by Elite Systems and published by Data East.[5] A Game Boy version, released in North America and the United Kingdom in April 1993,[6][7] was developed by Motivetime and was also published by Data East.[8] Finally, in late 1993, another version was developed by Eden Entertainment Software and published by Takara for the Sega Genesis and TecToy for the Brazilian Mega Drive in early 1994.[9]
The Mega Drive/Genesis version is considered a close match to the arcade version.[10] The Super NES version is a reworked game which features an overworld map used to choose the levels (unlike in other versions where all of them have to be played), which were longer, plus some bonus stages (either in the levels or out in the world map). Some of the weapons are missing and can no longer be charged up. The final boss is also different, and there are only two endings. The NES and Game Boy versions lack the option of choosing levels or endings. Both feature variants of the arcade boss.
The Japanese version of the game includes a beginning scene in which cavemen enter a hut and emerge while dragging cavewomen by their hair. The scene was removed from the US release, with Data East stating, 'We didn't want kids to see [the Japanese display] and think it was okay.'[11]
Reception[edit]
| Reception | ||||||||||||||||||||
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The One reviewed the arcade version of Caveman Ninja in 1991, calling it 'A cutesie 'jumpy-jumpy' game which uses some good graphics and neat comic touches to overcome the unoriginal gameplay', recommending it as being 'worth a try'.[18]
Skyler Miller of AllGame criticized the NES version for its 'unresponsive controls,' writing that, 'Jumping and simultaneously throwing your weapon, an important move, is often hard to perform.' Miller also wrote, 'Although the graphics are above average for the NES, they vary from level to level.'[5]GamePro wrote that the NES version was colorful but that the graphics 'are prehistoric,' criticizing the 'flat backgrounds and sprites'. GamePro also criticized the music, described as 'rock-splitting clinks and clanks.'[19]
Super Play praised the SNES version for its colorful graphics, but also wrote, 'The snag is that there isn't a lot to hold your interest. [...] the appeal starts to flag after a few minutes. The collision detection is annoying as well, tending to give baddies the benefit of the doubt in any clash of heads. I'm afraid this, coupled with the awkward controls, soon saw me adopting a 'couldn't care less' attitude towards the game.'[17]
Brett Alan Weiss of AllGame praised the Genesis version's graphics and sound effects, and wrote, 'This game features some of the best music ever on a 16-bit system.' Weiss criticized the game's two-player mode, writing, 'With two players, you might help each other out of a jam from time to time, but you also slow each other down.'[9]Sega Visions praised the Genesis version's 'bright colors and bouncy sounds,' but criticized its controls.[10]GamePro, reviewing the Genesis version, noted similarities to the SNES version and praised the 'entertaining' two-player mode. However, the magazine concluded, 'It's fun, but this style of game is gradually going the way of the dinosaur.'[20]
British television program Bad Influence! gave the SNES version 4 out of 5.[15] Tony Dillon of CU Amiga wrote that the game 'is a lot of fun to play. Not as complete or polished as Zool, but still a great platform game. Controls are responsive, the graphics are good and the sampled sound is excellent, but I couldn't help feeling that in these times of epic Amiga games, this one is just a little too limited.'[15]
Huw Melliar-Smith of Amiga Action wrote that the animation of the game's enemies 'is pretty good. Not spectacular, but good nonetheless. As Joe & Mac are the focus of attention, perhaps a little more effort might have gone into their creation.' Melliar-Smith praised the multiplayer option as being superior to single-player mode, and also complimented the sound effects, but called the music 'repetitive and not particularly creative.' Melliar-Smith also criticized the unresponsive controls, writing, 'It is the gameplay that is most disappointing.'[12] Dave Paget of Amiga Format praised its 'clear graphics and well-drawn backdrops,' but wrote that the game 'is a bit shallow, your cavemen amble along and the levels are linear and allow no exploration.'[13]
David Upchurch of The One Amiga called the plot and gameplay 'uninspired.' Upchurch also wrote, 'The colour palettes are garish, and it's often hard to pick out the sprites from the backgrounds. Worse still, everything's so sluggish - the so-called Ninjas amble around like they've been drugged and getting them to do anything quickly (pretty essential for a game like this) is near-impossible. Difficulty-wise, it's paradoxically very hard and very easy.' Upchurch criticized the unresponsive controls, but praised the sound.[16]
Stuart Campbell of Amiga Power criticized the game for using 'the kind of options screen that you'd have to be a professional semaphore operator to penetrate. I had to spend almost five minutes reading the manual just to work out how to select which of the two pointlessly-complicated joystick modes I wanted to use [...] and I still haven't quite got to grips with how to toggle the music and sound effects.' Campbell also criticized the game for 'some of the cheap 'n' nastiest-looking graphics seen on the Amiga in recent memory.' Campbell criticized the game's poor control system and its 'fairly short and tedious' levels, and concluded that the game was 'a lump of crap.'[14]
Total! gave the Game Boy version 75%, praising the graphics, but criticizing the collision detection. The magazine also criticized the backgrounds, which caused the main character of Joe to blend into the environment, creating confusion regarding his location.[7]Nintendo Power positively wrote about the Game Boy version, 'Good graphics and animation rival those of the NES and Super NES versions,' but negatively wrote, 'Background blur while walking is severe, making it difficult to see approaching enemies.'[6]
Legacy[edit]
The game was followed by various sequels. The Japanese version of the SNES game Congo's Caper was presented as a sequel called Tatakae Genshijin 2: Rookie no Bōken and featured a new protagonist. The title duo would later return in Joe & Mac 2: Lost in the Tropics, which added light role-playing aspects to the series. An arcade sequel titled Joe & Mac Returns eschewed the scrolling action of the original games in favor of gameplay similar to another Data East series, Tumblepop.
Joe and Mac appear in a German Mario comic, titled Super Mario: Verloren in der Zeit.
An updated version of the game has been announced for release exclusively for the Intellivision Amico.[21]
Apple Arcade Mac Games
Possible reboot[edit]
In November 2009, Golgoth Studio announced plans to reboot the Joe & Mac series, following their completion of a Toki remake.[22] No further information has been released as of 2018.
Notes[edit]
- ^Known in Japan as Joe & Mac: Caveman Combat (Japanese: ジョー&マック 戦え原始人, Hepburn: Jō ando Makku: Tatakae Genshijin)
References[edit]
- ^'[1].' AtGames. Retrieved on April 19, 2019.
- ^Caveman Ninja at the Killer List of Videogames
- ^'[2].' Hardcore Gaming 101. Retrieved on August 04, 2012.
- ^'Joe & Mac (SNES) Overview'. AllGame. Archived November 14, 2014.
- ^ abc'Joe & Mac (NES) Review'. Skyler Miller. AllGame. Archived November 16, 2014.
- ^ ab'Joe & Mac'. Nintendo Power. Nintendo of America. April 1993. pp. 64–67, 106. Retrieved September 3, 2017.
- ^ abc'Joe 'n' Mac (Game Boy)'. Total!. February 1993. p. 61. Retrieved April 17, 2018.
- ^'Joe & Mac (Game Boy) Overview'. AllGame. Archived November 14, 2014.
- ^ abc'Joe & Mac (Genesis) review'. Brett Alan Weiss, AllGame.
- ^ ab'Joe and Mac'. Sega Visions. February 1994. p. 82. Retrieved June 16, 2016.
- ^Strauss, Bob (April 10, 1992). 'Japanese video games get tailored for the States'. Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved December 18, 2019.
- ^ abMelliar-Smith, Huw (February 1993). 'Joe & Mac Caveman Ninja'. Amiga Action. Europress: 26–27.
- ^ abPaget, Dave (February 1993). 'Joe and Mac: Caveman Ninja'. Amiga Format. Future plc. p. 89. Retrieved May 19, 2016.
- ^ abCampbell, Stuart (February 1993). 'Joe & Mac Caveman Ninja'. Amiga Power. Future plc: 69.
- ^ abcDillon, Tony (December 1992). 'Joe & Mac Caveman Ninja'. CU Amiga. EMAP. p. 56. Retrieved May 19, 2016.
- ^ abUpchurch, David (February 1993). 'Joe & Mac Caveman Ninja'. The One Amiga. EMAP: 54–55.
- ^ ab'Joe and Mac (SNES) review'. Super Play (November 1992).
- ^Cook, John (April 1991). 'Arcades: Caveman Ninja'. The One. No. 31. emap Images. p. 87.
- ^'Nintendo Pro Review: Joe & Mac (NES)'. GamePro. May 1993. p. 40. Retrieved September 3, 2017.
- ^'Joe & Mac (Genesis)'. GamePro. March 1994. p. 54. Retrieved October 28, 2016.
- ^'Intellivision® Reveals Initial Details For The Upcoming Amico™ Home Video Game Console!'. PR Newswire.
- ^'Golgoth to resurrect 'Joe & Mac' series' Mark Langshaw, www.DigitalSpy.com (November 7, 2009). Retrieved January 4, 2015.
External links[edit]
- Joe & Mac: Caveman Ninja at MobyGames
- Caveman Ninja at the Killer List of Videogames
- Joe & Mac Returns at the Killer List of Videogames
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