Johnny Turbo Returns?!

[KingDrool]

This is so strange...

LINK

Flying Tiger Entertainment has announced that it is bringing some of Data East's most beloved arcade titles to the Switch.

Over 20 titles are coming to Switch, PS4, Xbox One and Steam, with the only confirmed game so far being the 1990 fantasy action release Gate of Doom (also known as Dark Seal). Games are expected to sell for $7.99 each on the eShop.

The really weird part of all of this is that Flying Tiger is using Turbo Technologies Inc. mascot Johnny Turbo to promote this range of games.

The apparent connection here is that Flying Tiger was founded by Johnny Brandstetter, the brand manager for the TurboGrafx-16 (PC Engine) in North America. The character of Johnny Turbo was based on Brandstetter, and we assume that since TTI's collapse in the '90s and Hudson Soft's purchase by Konami in more recent years, he's retained the rights to the character.

[Punch]

It's obvious that JT is using his powers to enhance the arcade feel on those data east games...

I'm glad that he isn't bitter about his time at TTi anymore.

[SignOfZeta]

...yeah, that ought to move millions of units.

[Black Tiger]

Proof that he never got the joke.

[crazydean]

What are these "worst mascot" lies?

[Necromancer]

Ha!  Maybe he thinks it's so bad it's good.....  or that lulz press making fun of him reusing Johnny Turbo is better than the no press he'd otherwise get.

[NightWolve]

What are these "worst mascot" lies?

Johnny Turbo resurrected for a new generation, why, I never thought I'd live to see the day! Brings a tear to my eye... *sniff*

Johnny on Twitter?!?!? WHAT?!

https://twitter.com/ItsJohnnyTurbo



Too bad it's a dead account, he lost the will to fight on since 2 years ago.

[Gredler]

How can we not assume this means he's working towards license deals to release turbob and pce games on the switch? Data east is what his company has rights to now, but who's to say he's not talking to people about using it as lightning rod to people like us who love this old obscure silly stuff.

Regardless, I am behind it. If we have bubsy coming back, why not johnny t?

[exodus]

he's been around for ages, but what's new is he managed to get the trademark for turbografx (I think) and johnny turbo (definitely), so now he's pushing that more than ever. He's been in the game of localizing japanese games for phones and other things for some time now.

(and by the way, *anyone* with money can have the rights to data east games - their rightsholders are renting them out non-exclusively - I know this because we were going to do a Bad Dudes game but we cut off the conversation after learning they'd also given the license, at the same time, to two other groups who had no experience with anything. one of them was that dumb failed kickstarter)

[esteban]

he's been around for ages, but what's new is he managed to get the trademark for turbografx (I think) and johnny turbo (definitely), so now he's pushing that more than ever. He's been in the game of localizing japanese games for phones and other things for some time now.

(and by the way, *anyone* with money can have the rights to data east games - their rightsholders are renting them out non-exclusively - I know this because we were going to do a Bad Dudes game but we cut off the conversation after learning they'd also given the license, at the same time, to two other groups who had no experience with anything. one of them was that dumb failed kickstarter)

Brandstetter (possibly) has TurboGrafx?

Damn.

I am clueless on this, but how much does something like that cost? (Not that you know the answer, but...)

[SignOfZeta]

I look forward to buying massively discounted Turbografx merch from the crap bins at Toys R Us like it was the 90s.

[seieienbu]

I was going to bring up the new Bubsy but it seems my work is already done.

[turboswimbz]

he's been around for ages, but what's new is he managed to get the trademark for turbografx (I think)

Unrelated to anything here, I searched for the trademark recently.  Konami still has Turbografx And monkeypaw has turbografx-16 although this is limited to mobile releases.

[esteban]

he's been around for ages, but what's new is he managed to get the trademark for turbografx (I think)

Unrelated to anything here, I searched for the trademark recently.  Konami still has Turbografx And monkeypaw has turbografx-16 although this is limited to mobile releases.

Ha!

The whole “TurboGrafx” vs “TurboGrafx-16” is interesting.

[KingDrool]

Out today: Johnny Turbo's Arcade: Gate of Doom.

Gate of Doom a is classic multiplayer action RPG for one to two players. Originally release in 1990, and a noted classic arcade title from the 90s.