#micrographicimage

Throwback Thursday

Spelunker

When it comes to gaming habits, the Japanese tend to be a little xenophobic, as immensely popular titles Western titles tend flounder on the sales charts. This has not always been the case, however, as there have been a few foreign titles to find acceptance in the past. Computer games like Lode Runner and Boulder Dash found substantial success, to the point where Japanese companies licensed and remade them several times. One of the most curious of these is Spelunker, programmed by Tim Martin and initially published by MicroGraphicImage, then later by Brøderbund. It's a strange case, because it did not find any huge success in its home county of America - it was popular at its release in the mid-80s, but no one really remembers it - but rose to the realm of a video game cultural icon in Japan. This isn't because it's a misunderstood classic or anything. Heavens no, Spelunker is terrible. But it's a fascinating case of how an extremely frustrating game with little (initial) redeemable value somehow became a success for the most bizarre reasons.