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Reviving the cult classic Tattoo Assassins with bugs fixed and fresh content for modern gamers.
The Birth of Tattoo Assassins: A Mortal Kombat Rival
Back in the day when Mortal Kombat was shaking up arcades and making parents worry, the North American branch of Data East wanted to jump on the bandwagon. They aimed to create their own fighting game featuring digitized fighters, hoping to catch the same lightning in a bottle. What could possibly go wrong? Well, as it turned out—pretty much everything.
Tattoo Assassins came with a script penned by none other than Bob Gale, the writer behind the iconic Back to the Future. The developers promised over two thousand unique fatalities (a claim that was wildly exaggerated by several orders of magnitude) and even introduced “nudalities,” where opponents would be stripped bare. The creators’ imagination soared: fatalities included quirky references like a DeLorean running over the rival—a cheeky nod to Gale’s film career—and shout-outs to other Data East games like BurgerTime.
A Rushed Project Doomed to Fail
Nowadays, it’s hard to believe that Data East allocated only nine months to develop Tattoo Assassins. No wonder the team couldn’t meet their deadlines. To add insult to injury, Sega acquired Data East Pinball (also known as Stern), and the project was ultimately shelved for good.
Most prototype machines used during location testing were destroyed, sadly. However, two working versions of Tattoo Assassins miraculously survived. Plus, a ROM file surfaced online years ago, though playing it is a frustrating experience due to the game’s numerous bugs and glitches. This would have likely been the end of the story—until exA-Arcadia stepped in with an unexpected revival announcement.
exA-Arcadia’s Revival: Fixing and Enhancing the Classic
exA-Arcadia, a company known for developing its own arcade standards, sealed a deal with the rights holders of Data East’s games and gained access to Tattoo Assassins’ original source code. These dedicated enthusiasts promise to not only fix every bug but also rebalance gameplay, add fresh content, and support high-definition resolutions suitable for modern displays.
Gamers can also expect scanline filters and minimal input lag—features that bring the arcade experience right into your home, just like the good old days.
Will the Rebirth Make Tattoo Assassins Worth Playing?
The million-dollar question remains: will this polished version transform Tattoo Assassins into a genuinely good game? Or will it remain a quirky relic from the 90s, when studios mindlessly mimicked Mortal Kombat’s formula?
Regardless of the outcome, it’s impossible not to appreciate the effort to polish this odd yet beloved artifact from gaming history.
“The project was full of bugs and glitches, but exA-Arcadia promises to fix everything and even add new content to bring the game into the modern era.” – Tattoo Assassins revival announcement
Conclusion
Tattoo Assassins’ resurrection could turn out to be a fascinating journey from unfinished mess to cult classic revival. Are you curious to see if it can finally live up to its potential, or will it forever be remembered as a Mortal Kombat knockoff from the past?
- What is Tattoo Assassins? Tattoo Assassins is an unfinished 90s fighting game by Data East inspired by Mortal Kombat, featuring digitized fighters and quirky fatalities.
- Why was Tattoo Assassins never released? Due to a very tight nine-month development schedule and corporate changes after Sega acquired part of Data East, the game was shelved before completion.
- What is exA-Arcadia’s role in Tattoo Assassins? exA-Arcadia secured the original source code and is working on fixing bugs, rebalancing gameplay, adding new content, and optimizing the game for modern screens.
- Will the revived Tattoo Assassins include the infamous “nudalities”? While the original game featured these controversial moves, it’s unclear if the revamped version will keep or modify them to suit today’s audience.
- How can I play the new version of Tattoo Assassins? The game is being developed for modern arcade systems, promising high-resolution graphics and low input lag for an authentic experience.
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