HISTORY
Fast search
Tipo:
 
Romset:

King & Balloon (US) - MAME machine

713
kingball
King & Balloon (US)
1
Game
current
11
0
  Back to search
  Share this page using this link:
SHARE THIS PAGE

GAME SYSTEM CHD BIOS DEVICE PARENT CLONE MECHANICAL SCREENLESS

Main data
Romset and name:
kingball King & Balloon (US)
Short name:
King & Balloon
Manufacturer:
Namco
Year:
Genre:
Shooter
Category:
Shooter / Gallery
Serie:
-
Driver source:
galaxian/galaxian.cpp
Language:
English
Similar games:
Input / Controls
Players:
Up to 2 players (solo, 2 alternates)
Input:
Joystick 2 ways (horizontal)
Buttons / keys:
Coins:
Cabinet:
Cocktail, Upright
Free-play:
Not supported
Rankings
Average user rating:
AntoPISA BestGame:
50 to 60 (Not Good Enough)
MASH All-Time:
-
Video
Display:
768x224@60.606061 Hz, ruotato di 90°, CRT 15kHz
Orientation:
Vertical
Scrolling:
Unknown
Colors:
-
CPU:
Zilog Z80
Audio
Sound:
Audio chips:
4-Bit R-2R DAC, Discrete Sound, Speaker
Romset
First release:
Mame 0.34b1 released on aug-16 1998
Last release:
Mame 0.264 released on mar-26 2024
Clone of:
-
Clones:
Bios:
Not required
Use rom of:
-
Use sample of:
-
Previous romset:
None
New romset:
None
Files
Dump:
GOOD
Required files:
Status
OVERALL:
GOOD
Emulation:
Good
Graphic:
Good
Color:
Good
Sound:
Good
Cocktail:
Good
Protection:
Good
Save state:
Supported
Additional infos
  • History
  • Info
  • Score
  • PCB
  • Commands
  • Init
  • Driver
  • XML
  • Arcade Video game published 44 years ago:

    King & Balloon © 1980 Namco.

    The player controls two green men (likely soldiers in the king's army) with an orange cannon that fires at squads of descending balloons. You must protect the King and prevent him from being captured and carried away by one of the balloons. Unlike most shooter games, the player's cannon can be hit and destroyed any number of times; it is the King that must be protected. The game ends when the king is carried away three times.

    TECHNICAL
    Main CPU: Zilog Z80 (@ 3.072 Mhz)
    Sound CPU: Zilog Z80 (@ 2.5 Mhz)
    Sound Chips: Tone generator, discrete circuits, and a DAC for speech

    Players: 2
    Control: 2-way joystick
    Buttons: 1 (FIRE)

    TRIVIA
    King & Balloon was released by Namco in October 1980 in Japan and by GamePlan in December 1980 in the USA.

    King & Balloon is the first game from Namco to feature voices.

    Kevin Olkowski holds the official record for this game with 48900 points.

    UPDATES
    The voices differed between Japanese and U.S. versions. In the Japanese version, the abducted king yelled 'Help! Help!', but with heavy Japanese pronunciation, sounding more like 'Herupuu!'. In the U.S. version, the voice was redone as a more English-sounding 'Help!'.

    SCORING
    On single balloons, first score is in formation, second score diving or rising, third score is rising with King in tow.
    Red Balloons: 50, 100, 150
    Orange Balloons: 40, 80, 120
    Yellow Balloons: 30, 60, 90
    White balloons: 20, 40, 60

    On combination balloons, first score is first hit, second score is second hit, third score is third hit. First color is balloon color, second color is line/gondola color
    Red/White: 500, 1,000, 1,500
    Orange/Yellow: 400, 600, 1,000
    Yellow/Orange: 300, 500, 700
    White/Red: 200, 300, 500

    TIPS AND TRICKS
    • A player can easily top 100,000 or more on this game using two basic tactics: maximizing the points available, and ensuring the cannon is always best placed to destroy any balloon that grabs the king. Since all cannons are expendable, success often depends on their deliberate tactical destruction.
    • Keep an eye out for the giant balloon. These balloons are worth more point than regular balloons. Shooting it once makes it become a medium-sized balloon, and shooting it a second time reverts it back to being a normal balloon.
    • Giant balloons never appear by themselves - there will always be at least one small balloon on the screen at the same time. As soon as you see a giant balloon start to form, let a normal balloon destroy your cannon as soon as possible. This should give you enough grace time when you reappear to fire three shots at the giant balloon for 3000 points, and then position yourself correctly if there is a balloon attempting to abduct the king. It is possible to destroy 5 or 6 giant balloons by per level, gaining you around 20,000 points.
    • Try to keep the level going as long as possible unless you're down to your last 6 balloons - at this point giant balloons rarely from.
    • Just like Galaxian, the game only goes up to round 48. If round 48 is completed, the game will continue to work but will always report the level as 48.

    PORTS
    • CONSOLES:
    [JP] Sony PlayStation (oct.30, 1997) "Namco Museum Encore [Model SLPS-01050]"
    Microsoft XBOX 360 [US] (nov.4, 2008) "Namco Museum - Virtual Arcade [Model 21022]"
    [EU] Microsoft XBOX 360 (may.15, 2009) "Namco Museum - Virtual Arcade"
    [AU] Microsoft XBOX 360 (june.4, 2009) "Namco Museum - Virtual Arcade"
    [JP] Microsoft XBOX 360 (nov.5, 2009) "Namco Museum - Virtual Arcade [Model 2RD-00001]"
    [US] Nintendo Wii (nov.16, 2010) "Namco Museum Megamix"

    • HANDHELDS:
    [US] Sony PSP (aug.23, 2005) "Namco Museum Battle Collection [Model ULUS-10035]"
    [EU] Sony PSP (dec.9, 2005) "Namco Museum Battle Collection [Model UCES-00116]"
    [JP] Sony PSP (feb.23, 2006) "Namco Museum Vol.2 [Model ULJS-00047]"
    [KO] Sony PSP (nov.8, 2007) "Namco Museum Vol.2"

    • COMPUTERS:
    [JP] MSX (1984)
    [EU] MSX (1984) by Bug-Byte
    [JP] PC [MS Windows, CD-ROM] (dec.24, 1998) "Namco History Vol.4"

    • OTHERS:
    [US] Arcade (2018) "Pac-Man's Pixel Bash"

    CONTRIBUTE
    Edit this entry: https://www.arcade-history.com/?&page=detail&id=1282&o=2
    Informations provided by © Alexis Bousiges
    Informations provided by Contribute to the translation
  • Informations provided by
    Informations provided by / © Copyright of Fujix
  • Informations provided by
  • Informations provided by
  • Informations provided by Fabricio Coroquer, revisited from the work of
    NOTICE: The short version was discontinued in November 2019
  • Informations provided by Contribute
  • Informations provided by
  • Informations provided by
Dip-switches:
Cheats:
Ports:
Devices refs:
VideoSnaps:

If you notice any inaccuracy or error, please report

Data updated on march 26 2024


Image removal
You're proposing to remove this image from the web site.
Please indicate below the reason for the request and will be evaluated
as soon as possible.

Reason:
E-mail:
(optional)
Resource reporting
You can report links for further information, images, video or other url about this game.
Carefully fill out the fields below in such a way as to minimize the time required for the integration of this information in the page.
Link:
Resource type:
Title:
Notes:
E-mail:
(optional)
Game initialization (gameinit)
These data are used to solve any problems starting the game in Mame.
The specified text will be sent to the site ProgettoSnaps by AntoPISA and integrated with the existing one.
Updates are scheduled on a monthly basis so except in special cases you may not immediately see the changes.
Romset:
kingball
Title:
King & Balloon
Text:
E-mail:
(optional)
Share page
Report this game to a friend, with optional additional message.
Game:
King & Balloon (US)
Recipient:
Message:
From:
Create e new list
You can create a new private list, visible only to you, that will allow you to group, view or do other operations on your favorite games.
Title:
Notes:
 

You can create a list using an existing file. In this case, please indicate below.

Import from:
Trascina qui un file
XXXXXXXX
Format:
Export to a file
You can export this list of games on a file so that it can be used by external programs

Title:
Format:
Emulator:
Games path:
Images path:
Release:
 
This option will add all bioses and devices to obtain a working set (no missing files)
Other options
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NOTE: You will be prompted to download the file. If this don't occurs, check the popup blocker options of your browser and add this site to the exception list