Numan Athletics (Arcade)

Today’s article is about superheroes doing Olympic stuff. Sounds unusual, right? But that’s what happen in Namco’s Numan Athletics (1993).

So, there’s the superheroes. They’re called Numan. According to quote in attraction mode: Numan is modern day superman and they will show you the best (sport) events. The main setting is extraordinarily unusual: Superheroes doing sport events. Maybe in this world, all of evil and crime are no more. That leaves superheroes unemployed. Then someone with funny idea think “How about make those superheroes doing sport event? That will be fun”. So here we are.   

 

These Numen are: Sharon for player 1 slot, Harry for player 2 slot, Masaemon for player 3 slot, and lastly Bongo for player 4 slot. I’m impressed with her Numan’s ability to change her cloth into athletic suit. With pink color during her transformation, it reminds me of Anime Magical Girl transformation. If Superman had this kind of magical transformation, he wouldn’t need empty phone box or alley way to change his cloth.         

 

The first sport event is called “Turbo Dash” and it takes place in United States of America. I like everyone looks happy in this screen including the Presenter/MC and those two bunny girls. Hang on! I think they’re Alice Margatroid and Kaguya Houraisen from Touhou Project. I mean nothing wrong with them going to our world to take part time job as hostess in big sport events. As long as they don’t throw danmaku/bullet hell around and hit anyone. 

 

Here you can see two polar opposite attitudes among the athletes. Masaemon meditate before upcoming race. Whereas Sharon greeting the audience jauntily. Let’s start the race, shall we?

 

There are 3 buttons: left, middle, and right. They will be used differently depending on the sport event. For Turbo Run Event, I must mash left and right buttons alternatively. Masaemon may have faster start but Sharon gradually picking up the pace, you shall see.

 

See? Sharon manages to outrun Masaemon and I don’t even need to wreck my hand badly. What piques my interest is that drag racer in the back. If I were him, I would feel very groggy when 2 superheroes running past my fast car. That drag racer is sideshow for this event at best and I feel sorry for him.  

 

Sharon is in 1st place. Look how cheerful she is. Masaemon feels unsatisfied to be in 2nd place. Whereas the drag racer keeps driving presumable he’s too embarrassed to be defeated by Numan athletes.

Because I manage to break the time record, I get to write down my initial in high score table. Sharon looks very happy about it. Good for her.

 

Next event is Interceptor and it’s being held in Russia. 

 

For this sport event, pressing left or right button will make the athlete move left or right. Pressing center button will make them shoot energy projectile. Your task is to destroy the shell fired by the ship over there. In other word, you have to intercept the fired shell hence the name “Interceptor”. The farther you can intercept the shell, the bigger score you can get. For this event, SN Pamiat’ Merkuria is willing to help firing some shell at the superhero athlete.

There are 5 spots altogether. Each shell fired in one of them and if you miss it, your athlete will be blown away. Wait a minute! Why you don’t use training round, Pam? You must consider the athlete’s safety, you know? What is it, Mr. Committee? You instruct Pam to use live ammunition because the athlete is considered strong enough to take on real shell? Ok. Carry on!

 

On next try, I manage to reach even higher score than in previous try. Heavy_award15.wav

 

Once again, Sharon is happy because she breaks new record. I’m happy for her. I like her. She reminds me of Estelle Bright from The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the sky/Sora no Kiseki.

If you think Interceptor is already dangerous. Next event Missile Toss sounds even more dangerous. The event is held at Kenya.

 

Luckily, Bongo here is willing to teach me how it’s done. In fact, every event has demonstration before player get to do the sport event. So first, I have to mash left and right alternatively just like in Turbo Run course. Then I have to press and hold middle button to stop and aim the missile at right angle. Ok, I got it.  

 

Look at how Sharon posing before begin the course. If being athlete doesn’t cut it, she can be supermodel for missile advertisement. I’m sure she’s up for it.

Whoops! I was too late to stop my run. Hopefully, wet missile won’t explode. Let’s try again.

 

This time, I manage to launch the missile. But does it travel far enough?

Soldier_negativevocalization05.wav. The distance lacks 206 Km to qualify. The elephant isn’t impressed with my performance and immediately blow his trunk that I interpret as “Boooo!”. Thanks my elephant friend [may or may not be sarcasm]

 

The MC doesn’t like my performance too. He gives me disgusted expression while shrugging.

 

After using 1 more credit, I manage to land the missile far enough. Using continue will reduce the qualification but don’t expect to break the record if you can barely pass the lower qualification. Apparently, the missile lands at lion’s habitat and naturally those lions run in fear. To hell with carnivore animals, I guess?

 

For my successful attempt, I get applause from Alice and Kaguya. I feel rewarded. Heavy_thanks02.wav

 

Next sport event is “Numan Sniper” and it’s held on south pole. So do we need sniper rifle for this course?

Not really. We just need our Numan energy shoot or whatever it’s called. Unlike in “Interceptor”, the three buttons will make the Numan shoot the energy beam at the corresponded spot immediately. As what the contestant has to shoot. I’m guessing they’re affiliates of Old Ones. Yup, I’m going with that. We’re shooting at Cthulhu’s friends and thus preventing world’s doom.   

In this course, there’s big white flash happens everytime you hit the target. So, excuse me for this 90% white blank screenshot.  

 

The giant lobster always showing his pincer when get hit. I think he’s "flipping the bird" at his last breath. How rude!

 

The last monster is this knock-off Pac-man. He yields the least score point ironically.

 

After all that, I miss the requirement? But I destroy all of the monsters.

I feel sad if I don’t continue. I mean look at them. They’re either apologetic or very sad. I can’t refuse to continue when they keep making that expression.   

 

So, the key to success in this course is you have to shoot the monsters as fast as possible. I mean really early like shoot them even when they only appear as foam and not fully appeared. Thus, I can’t show you the monsters wholly appeared like before which is quite shame because I like the monster design.

 

Luckily, I can show you the funny-looking monster better at this moment. I feel bad shooting him down.

 

I did much better but where these confetti come from? We’re in the middle of south pole.

Next sport event is VS. Express. I have bad feeling about this. It’s held in Japan where train transportation is very commonly used in daily activity. “Dear train customer. We’re sorry to close all of transit because of Numan Olympic. But you get to see the spectacular sport event. Thank you for your understanding.”

 

To be honest, I’m nervous about this sport event. Luckily, Bongo shows me the ropes. First, I have to press middle button to stop the train and then mash the other buttons to build up strength to push the train. I just realize something. Is this supposed to be recreation of Superman stopping a speeding train?

 

Sharon is ready for this course. Meanwhile, I notice there’s Abobo from Double Dragon, in cowboy custom on the left. Then there’s Betty Rubble from The Flintstones, is standing behind the bunny girl. Lastly, there’s Superboy on the most right. Our senpai is in the audience. I’m getting even more nervous.   

 

I really like this dramatic scene. The close-up view of Sharon’s determined expression and fast-moving wheels of speeding train. Both portrays the intensity of the situation.

 

Sharon manages to stop the train in time! Engineer_goodjob02.wav

 

Then she pushes back the train with energy blast. Fortunately, it doesn’t damage the train. Otherwise, the repair fee will come out from her wage.  

 

Soldier_goodjob02.wav. Sharon breaks another new record. Congratulation!

Wait! Alice. Kaguya. Why are you there? Stand behind the yellow line for God’s sake!

 

On my second try, I accidentally capture a funny moment where 2 robbers are about to rob a girl on left corner. I understand why the robbers have funny surprised expression because I caught them red-handed robbing the poor lass. But why the victim also looks surprised as if “Oh no! I’m found out to be robbed”. I don’t understand her, indeed. Meanwhile there’s convict partially hidden behind pillar. But don’t worry I report this finding to local police. Sharon helps out too.

For the next sport event “Tower Topper”, we will go to France. It’s Sharon’s home country. Joy!

 

Harry kindly shows me the demonstration this time. That’s funny. I only need to press middle button to jump between 2 buildings. So simple!

It seems I’m in the wrong side of Paris because I see 2 naked bodybuilders are flexing their muscle in their balcony. Do that inside your room, you sick freak!

 

There’s more of those naked muscle man! Engineer_negativevocalization04.wav

I take too long to reach the goal. Everyone is dissatisfied including Eiffel Tower over there. I blame those muscular exhibitionists for my failure. Turn out, Sharon can jump higher if I delay pressing the button. Let’s try again.

 

Welp. That didn’t work well. If I delay pressing the button too long, Sharon will slip down. I like there’s this cutscene showing Sharon fall from great height even though I fail at 4th floor which is relatively short fall.

 

Poor Sharon. I wish Numan athletes have ability to fly like classic Superman. Does superman these days can’t fly? Scout_jeers04.wav

After several hideous falls…

 

Finally, Sharon come out triumphant, against all odds. The recorded time is not a good signal, double “13”. The jumping is iffy because there’s no indicator on correct timing. Maybe the spark on Sharon’s feet? The bigger it is, the higher her jump. But I can’t see the spark look significantly bigger or anything. I wish there’s angle indicator like when aiming the missile.

 

Next stop is Australia for Nonstop Rock Chop event. Sniper_battlecry01.wav

 

This course is pretty easy to understand. You mash left and right button to build up the strength meter then you press middle button to smash the rock. If the strength meter is not at least 90% filled, your smash won’t be strong enough to break the rock. I like to point out that new fresh rock will come out from above to replace the smashed rock as if the mountain on each side is sentient and cooperative for this sport event.

 

The loser will get rock fallen on their head. I love to see my opponent getting hit by falling rock thanks to Kagero.

 

The last sport event “Niagara Jumps” will be held in Zambia. Why it’s called “Niagara Jumps” when it is not held in Canada or United States? The event should be called Victoria Jumps or named after other waterfalls in Zambia.

 

So, this course is like mix between Turbo Run and Tower Topper. You run by mashing left and run buttons alternatively. Then you jump with middle button. The hint says “Don’t kick too quick” which mean you have to delay the jump button like in Tower Topper event.

 

Oh no! I fail and Sharon must suffer the consequence. But from watching various movies and anime, I know that falling on waterfall is not lethal so Sharon should be fine there. Besides she’s modern superman, right?

 

Bah! I fail again. Luckily, I am given 3 tries for this event.  

I feel sorry for this audience that can barely see Sharon manages to cross the water. IF I succeed that is. The running part is barely the problem, I can hit the maximum speed 250 Km/H with no problem. The hopping part is the real problem.

After several fail attempts…

I manage to land Sharon on dry land but the goal line is still far away. I call this rubbish. Sharon manages to hop over the water and it’s enough that I call it a win.  

Now I’m doing worse. As you can see on top corner that the land is pretty near from spot where Sharon falls. What baffles me is why Sharon is limited to 3 hops to get across the water. You could make it more easily with 5 or 6 hops, you know? Why make it harder for yourself, Sharon?  

After pumping more credit…

 

Sorry for the long waiting, everyone. Sharon finally manages to get past the goal line. Much like in Tower Topper event, there’s no solid indicator on the timing. Perhaps this and Tower Topper event are meant to be unfair so player must pump more credit into the cabinet to finish the game.

Anyway, please don’t mind why Alice and Kaguya can float in the foreground like that. Everyone from Gensokyo can fly. Flying is trivial matter to them. It’s good decision to hire Alice and Kaguya as hostess so the event organizer don’t need to rent crane machine to lift them up for this occasion.

Here comes the celebration night. Sharon is the 1st winner because I play the game in single player mode. Once again, she uses the cloth changing magic. I imagine her new cloth is taken from her wardrobe while her previous cloth is teleported to laundry bin. That’s very convenience.

 

Nice congratulation screen. Unfortunately, I can’t see her smile behind that flower bouquet.     

 

Then I get to see the record that I made. Luckily, there’s no record about how many continue that I use to retry Tower Topper and Niagara Jumps. It was too many that’s too embarrassing to show.

 

Sharon looks like runaway bride in this screen. I’m sorry to say that.

Namco’s Numan Athletics (1993) is quite friendly sport game. I thought I have to wreck my hand to win in this game like Wrestle War and I’m glad I was wrong. Playing the sequel of the game is where I have to worry about my hand's wellness. The only bad and also unfair part of the game is the jumping/hopping. It has vague indication of the timing. Other than that, the game is very good. The sport event that I like the most is Nonstop Rock Chop because it’s easy to do and I get to see the loser getting hit by a falling rock. The setting is pretty unique where superheroes compete with each other in sport events and they are interesting (or even dangerous). The control is very responsive. The voice lines are fairly good like “Here we go!” by the presenter/MC or “Stay with me, ok?” when Sharon breaks new record although I have no idea what she means by that. The graphic is quite gorgeous at the time.

 

Without thinking twice, I give Numan Athletics (1993) A+ recommendation. It’s simple and fun sport game without wrecking your hand badly to win, especially against AI which ironically not so competitive. You can play the game with your friends or relative for fairer match but I don’t want to hold responsibility for broken hand or relation because of the game.