Remember That One Time That Stern Electronics Pitted Hayao Miyazaki and Lupin the 3rd Against Dirk the Daring?
Ah, the 80s. A great time for video gaming. And it really opened the door to all sorts of possibilities, with technology that we never really thought possible.
1983 was a magical year, as Cinematronics was able to implement laser-disc technology into video games with the awesome Dragon’s Lair. Utilizing animation from legendary Disney animator Don Bluth, the adventures of Dirk the Daring would resonate with millions — and continues to be a big favorite today, what with Arcade1Up and New Wave Toys re-releasing mini-cabinets for use in the home. Not to mention Digital Leisure licensing Dragon’s Lair Trilogy to pretty much everyone.
But Stern Electronics wasn’t looking to be outdone, and decided to jump into the laser-disc fray themselves with an unexpected favorite — Cliff Hanger.
The game tells the tale of a hero who attempts to rescue a fair princess from an evil count, using his physical prowess to save the day. But here’s what you may not realize — it’s actually based on a much bigger story, and one from a masterful storyteller just getting his start in the genre.
That storyteller is the legendary Hayao Miyazaki, who went on to work on such fare as Spirited Away and Howl’s Moving Castle. His very first movie was an adventure featuring the memorable Monkey Punch “hero” Lupin, titled The Castle of Cagliostro. It made its debut back in 1979 and would serve as a huge starting point for the wave of anime that would come years later, including the unforgettable Akira.
Cliff Hanger used animation from the Cagliostro film, along with the separate Lupin release The Mystery of Mamo. It would have players pushing directions and buttons, like with Dragon’s Lair, or having to deal with a death animation — only for Cliff Hanger to return and say, “Caught ya, I’m still around!” (At least, until you ran out of lives.)
The game…wasn’t perfect. It had a less than smoother operating system than Dragon’s Lair, and also had jitters with some of its gameplay segments. But it was still fascinating, and served more purpose than Stern Electronics would realize.
While it wasn’t entirely a best-seller, it would serve well in the gaming lexicon. It had a brief starring role in the film The Goonies (when Chunk was briefly playing it before hopping over to watch the opening police chase); it had a Starcade devoted episode where the winner actually got their own Cliff Hanger arcade game (watch it below); and, most importantly, it boosted the importance of Lupin the 3rd in the United States.
Over time, The Castle of Cagliostro became a cult classic, eventually prompting Discotek Media to release a Blu-Ray of the film (which, yes, I bought). There was actually talk at one point to include Cliff Hanger as a bonus playable game, but due to the lack of rights, they weren’t able to get the job done. But the fact they tried speaks volumes, showing just how much love there was for the game.
Cliff Hanger couldn’t quite hang with Dragon’s Lair in terms of popularity, but it did open a door for popularity for Lupin, who continues to go strong today — even with the tragic passing of Monkey Punch a few years ago. People are still discovering The Castle of Cagliostro as a Miyazaki favorite today; and The Mystery of Mamo is getting its fair share of love as well. So it succeeded in ways that Stern probably didn’t realize.
I love this idea, possibly even more than the game. But, hey, if I ever come across a cabinet again, you know I’m gonna be all over it. Like Lupin with his cash.
Enjoy the gameplay footage below, and have a great weekend!
