JOTEGO

Sky Kid Deluxe

Added 2025-05-09 21:46:55 +0000 UTC

Work on the JTTHUNDR core continues, apart from fixing the PCM sound pitch, we add support for Sky Kid Deluxe this week.

History

Sky Kid was released in 1985 by NAMCO, and got an extended deluxe version in 1986. JTTHUNDR core is compatible with the deluxe version. The plot is to drop a bomb on to an enemy target but you first have to get it. As long as you do not carry the bomb, you can roll back as though it was a 1942-series game. Once you pick up the bomb, the roll button is used to release it so you have to show your real skills!

The game does not let you move back completely, so you have to be careful not to move too far ahead. A nice point is that you can recover from being hit as long as you were flying high enough. Press up+shot button to regain control of the plane. This game was ported to the Famicon. It was also available as part of the Namco Museum on PS2.

Note that unlike 1942, two players can play at the same time.

Technical Details

Although this game runs on hardware mostly compatible with Rolling Thunder, it does not use the second CPU (the software just stays in an infinite loop). Another oddity is that the scroll chips produce a flipped horizontally image. I would be curious to see a real board for this game but they are really rare after 40 years.

The original version of the game seems to run on a very similar hardware, without the unused second CPU. It looks like NAMCO committed to using the M6809 CPU during the 80's as they started early with it and kept using it all the way to Splatter House/Pac-Mania.

Find the files attached as usual. Enjoy!