1990 Irem
Platform: PC Engine
AKA: Meikyuu Jima Special
Originally debuting in arcades in 1988 under the title of Meikyuu Jima, Irem’s quirky puzzle-action game centred on freezing enemies into blocks of ice and kicking them across the stage to build paths or knock out foes. Its mix of strategy and arcade action made it stand out, and in 1990 it was ported to the Famicom, where western audiences came to know it as Kickle Cubicle on the NES.
With Irem gaining a reputation for strong PC Engine conversions, a version of Meikyuu Jima was announced for the system as Meikyuu Jima Special. It boasted over 100 stages, nearly double that of the arcade original, alongside new mechanics involving springs and hammers to redirect ice blocks. Magazine previews also suggested it was ready to hit store shelves in March 1991, even promoting merchandise such as a plush Kickle toy.
Video evidence does exist of the game, appearing at the 20:20 mark in this recording. While fuzzy, it provides a rare glimpse at the PC Engine build in motion. Screens and coverage from Japanese press further reinforce that development had reached completion.
Yet despite being reportedly finished, Meikyuu Jima Special was abruptly cancelled. The reasons appear tied to sales considerations and Nintendo’s strict publishing policies of the era, which often limited games appearing across competing platforms. By comparison, Irem’s Legend of Hero Tonma was also shelved on the Famicom when a PC Engine version went ahead instead.
No prototype or build of Meikyuu Jima Special has yet surfaced. With its extra content and polished enhancements, it remains a fascinating “what if?” in Irem’s catalogue. We can only hope that a copy still exists somewhere and some day that it will be saved!
With thanks to ParanoiaDragon for the heads up, Gaming Alexandria for the magazine scans, Kukun Kun for the video clip, and NEC Retro for magazine references to obtain scans.
Video (sourced via: https://youtu.be/td8SUGY60sQ?t=1225)
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