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American Dream (video game)
Encyclopedia
is a Family Computer
video game that was released in 1989 to an exclusively Japanese market.
in order to become the wealthiest gambler in the world. The game, set in New York City
, is considered a spin-off from the Pachio-kun franchise. Al Capone
has a cameo role in this game even though he lived about one thousand miles to the west (Chicago
) in real life. At the date of release, the manufacturer's suggested retail price of American Dream was 5,900 yen ($63.78 in American dollars).
Roads, taxis and automobiles are not portrayed in the game. However, a black limousine
that escorts the player from the air force
base to the final casino is portrayed as driving on grass. This is in direct opposition to the real New York City where the majority of the surface is concrete
(either as roads, parking lots, or as foundations for the buildings). Only parks and some older residential districts use grass in their design in the real world. Buildings are either shown as dilapidated tenements, shiny tower
s, or as flashy casinos.
An English language
translation was made in 2007 by a ROM hacker who goes by the nickname of "Pale Dim." Using the game's upper case letters that resemble the Joystix font, the English translation allows players in English-speaking countries to better understand the game. One of the changes made was to change the explosion sound from the Japanese Bom to the English Boom.
and must work through the boroughs of New York City
outside Manhattan, including Queens
or The Bronx
, in order to amass wealth. With luck and finesse, the player can ultimately break the bank in New Jersey
. To enter a casino, the player must find a permit (which serves as photo identification for the casinos) somewhere in Brooklyn. Slot machines come in denominations from $1–$100000 depending on the neighborhood and the presence of a VIP
card. Three types of slot machines can be played at each level and the player is photographed when winning the jackpot.
Players must be wary of dice game
s that have dangerous risks in addtion to card game
s - they randomly appear like monster battles in traditional role-playing games. Many buildings including airport
s, police station
s, and casino
s either help or hinder the player's attempts to earn enough money on the slot machine
s for passage to the wealthier district. Guns (in the form of a pistol) can be found that can protect the player against muggers. However, the police will confiscate the weapon from this player once he arrives at a certain area in Manhattan. Pachiko-kun (the player) will also be arrested and will be held unless a $100,000 ($ in today's money) bail
can be paid in full.
. This would result in a walking dead situation; the only remedy is to reset the game.
Nintendo Entertainment System
The Nintendo Entertainment System is an 8-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America during 1985, in Europe during 1986 and Australia in 1987...
video game that was released in 1989 to an exclusively Japanese market.
Summary
In this video game, the player must earn moneyUnited States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
in order to become the wealthiest gambler in the world. The game, set in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, is considered a spin-off from the Pachio-kun franchise. Al Capone
Al Capone
Alphonse Gabriel "Al" Capone was an American gangster who led a Prohibition-era crime syndicate. The Chicago Outfit, which subsequently became known as the "Capones", was dedicated to smuggling and bootlegging liquor, and other illegal activities such as prostitution, in Chicago from the early...
has a cameo role in this game even though he lived about one thousand miles to the west (Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
) in real life. At the date of release, the manufacturer's suggested retail price of American Dream was 5,900 yen ($63.78 in American dollars).
Roads, taxis and automobiles are not portrayed in the game. However, a black limousine
Limousine
A limousine is a luxury sedan or saloon car, especially one with a lengthened wheelbase or driven by a chauffeur. The chassis of a limousine may have been extended by the manufacturer or by an independent coachbuilder. These are called "stretch" limousines and are traditionally black or white....
that escorts the player from the air force
Air force
An air force, also known in some countries as an air army, is in the broadest sense, the national military organization that primarily conducts aerial warfare. More specifically, it is the branch of a nation's armed services that is responsible for aerial warfare as distinct from an army, navy or...
base to the final casino is portrayed as driving on grass. This is in direct opposition to the real New York City where the majority of the surface is concrete
Concrete
Concrete is a composite construction material, composed of cement and other cementitious materials such as fly ash and slag cement, aggregate , water and chemical admixtures.The word concrete comes from the Latin word...
(either as roads, parking lots, or as foundations for the buildings). Only parks and some older residential districts use grass in their design in the real world. Buildings are either shown as dilapidated tenements, shiny tower
Tower
A tower is a tall structure, usually taller than it is wide, often by a significant margin. Towers are distinguished from masts by their lack of guy-wires....
s, or as flashy casinos.
An English language
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
translation was made in 2007 by a ROM hacker who goes by the nickname of "Pale Dim." Using the game's upper case letters that resemble the Joystix font, the English translation allows players in English-speaking countries to better understand the game. One of the changes made was to change the explosion sound from the Japanese Bom to the English Boom.
General gameplay
The player starts out in the poorest district of BrooklynBrooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
and must work through the boroughs of New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
outside Manhattan, including Queens
Queens
Queens is the easternmost of the five boroughs of New York City. The largest borough in area and the second-largest in population, it is coextensive with Queens County, an administrative division of New York state, in the United States....
or The Bronx
The Bronx
The Bronx is the northernmost of the five boroughs of New York City. It is also known as Bronx County, the last of the 62 counties of New York State to be incorporated...
, in order to amass wealth. With luck and finesse, the player can ultimately break the bank in New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
. To enter a casino, the player must find a permit (which serves as photo identification for the casinos) somewhere in Brooklyn. Slot machines come in denominations from $1–$100000 depending on the neighborhood and the presence of a VIP
Very Important Person
A Very Important Person, or VIP is a person who is accorded special privileges due to his or her status or importance.Examples include celebrities, heads of state/heads of government, major employers, high rollers, politicians, high-level corporate officers, wealthy individuals, or any other...
card. Three types of slot machines can be played at each level and the player is photographed when winning the jackpot.
Players must be wary of dice game
Dice game
Dice games are games that use or incorporate a die as their sole or central component, usually as a random device.-Collectible dice games:Patterned after the success of collectible card games, a number of collectible dice games have been published...
s that have dangerous risks in addtion to card game
Card game
A card game is any game using playing cards as the primary device with which the game is played, be they traditional or game-specific. Countless card games exist, including families of related games...
s - they randomly appear like monster battles in traditional role-playing games. Many buildings including airport
Airport
An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...
s, police station
Police station
A police station or station house is a building which serves to accommodate police officers and other members of staff. These buildings often contain offices and accommodation for personnel and vehicles, along with locker rooms, temporary holding cells and interview/interrogation rooms.- Facilities...
s, and casino
Casino
In modern English, a casino is a facility which houses and accommodates certain types of gambling activities. Casinos are most commonly built near or combined with hotels, restaurants, retail shopping, cruise ships or other tourist attractions...
s either help or hinder the player's attempts to earn enough money on the slot machine
Slot machine
A slot machine , informally fruit machine , the slots , poker machine or "pokies" or simply slot is a casino gambling machine with three or more reels which spin when a button is pushed...
s for passage to the wealthier district. Guns (in the form of a pistol) can be found that can protect the player against muggers. However, the police will confiscate the weapon from this player once he arrives at a certain area in Manhattan. Pachiko-kun (the player) will also be arrested and will be held unless a $100,000 ($ in today's money) bail
Bail
Traditionally, bail is some form of property deposited or pledged to a court to persuade it to release a suspect from jail, on the understanding that the suspect will return for trial or forfeit the bail...
can be paid in full.
Glitch
The game gets a little fuzzy when the player only has $10 left to spend and the player is in Manhattan. The game isn't over but the player cannot spend it because it is not even considered to be a single tokenToken coin
In the study of numismatics, tokens are coin-like objects used instead of coins. The field of tokens is part of exonumia. Tokens are used in place of coins and either have a denomination shown or implied by size, color or shape...
. This would result in a walking dead situation; the only remedy is to reset the game.