Phantom Fighter

Phantom Fighter
Also known as: Reigen Doushi (JP) Developer: Marionette Publishers: FCI (US), Pony Canyon (JP) Platform: NES Released in JP: September 16, 1988 Released in US: April 1990 This game has a hidden developer message. This game has regional differences.

To do: Document all the regional differences. Probably needs a sub-page.

A fighting game, and a pretty good one at that, if you can get past the mostly sepia tone graphics.

Developer Message

Present at 0x3BCC0 in the US version is this message.

Original

Translation

================ ファントムファイ ターをお買い上げ 頂きましてありが とうございます。 ところで、このメ ッセージを見つけ たキミはエライ！ ついでに次のプロ グラムは何をする ためのものか考え て、もしわかれば マリオネットまで 連絡して下さい。 ================ Entry:lda #0 sta Ans+0 sta Ans+1 Loop: clc lda Sorc+0 sbc Ans+0 sta Sorc+0 lda Sorc+1 sbc Ans+1 sta Sorc+1 bcc Exit inc Ans+0 inc Ans+0 bne Loop inc Ans+1 bne Loop Exit: lsr Ans+1 ror Ans+0 rts Sorc: ds 2 Ans: ds 2 ---------------- ヒント：Sorcに入 力された数値を計 算して Ansに返す 手続き。　　　　 ================ ㈱マリオネット　 　東京都江戸川区 　南小岩 6-28-13 TEL.03(650)7441 FAX.03(650)7443 ================

================ Thank you so much for purchasing Phantom Fighter. By the way, if you have discovered this message, you're outstanding! Also, if you think you know what the next program is, please go ahead and contact Marionette. ================ Entry:lda #0 sta Ans+0 sta Ans+1 Loop: clc lda Sorc+0 sbc Ans+0 sta Sorc+0 lda Sorc+1 sbc Ans+1 sta Sorc+1 bcc Exit inc Ans+0 inc Ans+0 bne Loop inc Ans+1 bne Loop Exit: lsr Ans+1 ror Ans+0 rts Sorc: ds 2 Ans: ds 2 ---------------- Hint： This routine calculates the number entered in Sorc and returns it into Ans.　　 ================ Marionette (Corp.) Edogawa-ku, Tokyo Minami-Koiwa 6-28-13 TEL.03(650)7441 FAX.03(650)7443 ================

The assembly code in the message is a loop which approximates the square root of the 16-bit value "Sorc" and stores the result in "Ans".

(Source: Original TCRF research)

Regional Differences

The Japanese version of the game is based on the movie Mr. Vampire, however its story is mostly its own and not the movie's. The US version didn't make too many changes to the story, graphics or game structure.

Title Screen

Japan	US

Password Screen

The password menu in the Japanese version has a full set of Hiragana characters. In the US version, the amount of characters were halved and are composed of symbols, numbers, and consonants.

Special Passwords

The Japanese version has three special passwords, it is unknown if there's a US equivalent to these passwords.

Debug Password

Enter "どうしの　こころど　うしのこ　ころへ" to become invincible. You'll also have all items and don't need to collect the Orbs to fight the bosses.

Play with Conshi

Enter "あちちち ちちちち ちちちち ちちち" to start with Conshi as a permanent and invincible playable character. Normally the character is only playable by collecting an item and leaves your party if he falls in battle.

No Assistant

Enter "あたたた たたたた たたたた たたた" to start without your assistant sidekick.

Ending

Kenshi

In the Japanese version, Kenchi's ending conversation is much longer.

Japan

US

The master's long battle was over. The evil spirits vanished and peaceful nights returned again to the people. Seeing the lights come on in the village little by little, the master talked to his disciple. "It feels to me as if the battles we have had up to now were illusions from long ago. According to the legend, our ancestors long ago rode on clouds and controlled dragons. It seems that I still need more training to become like them. So I'm thinking of going on a training journey again." "Master! Please take me with you!" "No. We never know when the evil spirits will rise again. Next time, it's you who should protect people." "B-but..." "You can do it. I think you had a lot of experience on this journey. All you have to do is work hard every day. I won't say goodbye. I'm looking forward to seeing you again when you became a great master." "Ma-Master!" And then, Master departed alone for the land beyond, where the dust was flying.

Kenchi’s long fight is now over. Evil has disappeared and peaceful nights have been returned to the people. And Kenchi left, by himself, for a far away land with sand storms raging.

(Translation: Niz)

Conshi

In the Japanese version, you can finish the game with Conshi if you use the password mentioned above and you'll get a different ending epilogue too. In the US version it's impossible to finish the game with Conshi because he can't pick up the orbs needed to open the boss' room. However, his ending was translated and can be found in plain text inside the ROM. Unfortunately, it's just a truncated version of the regular ending epilogue.

Japan	US
Thanks to Conshi’s great work, evil was destroyed and peace has come to the people. The master and his student completely lost their respect and they went away somewhere else.	Conshi’s long fight is now over. Evil has disappeared and peaceful nights have been returned to the people.

(Translation: Niz)

Graphics

The image displayed during the ending is different between regions. In the Japanese version it's an image of Conshi, and in the US version it shows the main character Kenchi.

Japan	US

Staff Roll

• A second programmer, Takayuki Onodera appears in the Japanese version's staff roll. And the Programming Assistant credit was removed from the US version.
• Two of the four Production Assistants are different between the two versions. Aisa Kato and Masayuki Hirashima in the Japanese version are now replaced with Junko Hori and Mariko Sakurai in the US version. Also, Taka Iwamoto's name was swapped from the third Production Assistant credit to the second.
• Three FCI staff members were added to the US version.
• Company logos are present in the Japanese version. In the US version, they are replaced with plain text.
• The US version adds a copyright screen for the game.
• The Japanese version has a copyright from 1985-1987 for Paragon Films Ltd., while the US version has a 1989 copyright for Pony Canyon, spelled as one word.
• The Japanese version ends with a copyright year for 1988 with the Pony Canyon logo, while the US version just shows the FCI logo. Also, the "Eye" graphic for the logo in the Japanese version is bigger than the US version.
• The ending theme is different between both versions, but has the same end part.

US	Japan	Translation
Project Manager Kunihiko Kagawa	総指揮 賀川邦彦	Executive Producer Kunihiko Kagawa
Graphics Seishi Yokota	美 術 横田青史	Artwork Seishi Yokota
Music Hironari Tadokoro	音楽 田所広成	Music Hironari Tadokoro
Program Yoshiaki Sakaguchi	技 術 坂口芳明	Programming Yoshiaki Sakaguchi
No equivalent.	技 術 小野寺正	Programming Takayuki Onodera
Animation Yuji Moriyama	動画指導 森山ゆうじ	Animation Leader Yuji Moriyama
Story Hironari Tadokoro	脚 本 田所広成	Scenario Hironari Tadokoro
No equivalent.	技術助手 鈴木彦孝	Programming Assistant Hikonori Suzuki
Assistant Hideyuki Furuhashi	製作助手 吉橋秀幸	Production Assistant Hideyuki Furuhashi
Assistant Taka Iwamoto	製作助手 加藤あいさ	Production Assistant Aisa Kato
Assistant Junko Hori	製作助手 岩本多加	Production Assistant Taka Iwamoto
Assistant Mariko Sakurai	製作助手 平島正之	Production Assistant Masayuki Hirashima
FCI Production Staff Tatsuo Ozu	No equivalent.
FCI Production Staff Elizabeth Hamburg	No equivalent.
FCI Production Staff Margot Blattmenn	No equivalent.
Producer PONY CANYON INC.	制作 PONY CANYON INC.	Production PONY CANYON INC.
Production Marionette co., Ltd.	企画・製作 マリオネット	Planning/Production Marionette
Consultant S.R.S.	制作協力 S.R.S.	Production Cooperation S.R.S.
Phantom Fighter is a trademark of FCI.	No equivalent.
©1989 PONY CANYON INC.	©1985, 1986, 1987 PARAGON FILMS LTD.
FCI	©1988 PONY CANYON INC.

Miscellaneous

• In the Japanese version, there's a name entry screen before you begin the game. If you don't enter a name, the main character's default name will be "Doushi", which means "Taoist expert/master/priest". In the US version, there is no name entry screen and the character's name is Kenchi by default.
• In the Japanese version, the message speed menu defaults to "fast", whereas in the US version it defaults to "normal". Additionally, in the US version you can press Select while playing to change the message speed at any time. This can't be done in the Japanese version.