Last Bronx - Releases

Releases

Last Bronx was first planned to be released in the first week of August 1997, but it was actually first sold in Japan on July 25, 1997. The Tokyo Bangaichi tagline was removed from the original logo in the 1996 American arcade release. The same year, Sega Europe kept the short Last Bronx name for its own cabinet. The home versions released the following years were also named Last Bronx, but the logo's blood squirt was removed in overseas editions. Only the 2006 PlayStation 2 Sega Ages 2500 Series Vol.24 version use the original Last Bronx: Tokyo Bangaichi title name and logo.

The arcade version was developed in Japan by the AM3 team that had developed Virtual On. Tokyo Bangaichi was running on the same mainboard that Tecmo's Dead Or Alive and Sega's own AM2's Virtua Fighter 2 and Fighting Vipers. While the original port of the game was graphically inferior to its arcade counterpart, the port featured new game modes and options, remixed music and exclusive video sequences.

Tokyo Bangaichi was already a hit and popular franchise in Japan before the home version's release, with even a movie (Toei Video) dedicated to it, with its own OST CD. As a result, Last Bronx was launched in summer 1997 with a blockbuster campaign. The SegaSaturn game box contained exclusive extras such a "Special Disc" featuring two training modes, a vocal characters profile and even an "Interactive Tutorial Mode" with extensive vocals. This bonus disc was never released overseas. This package also included a 56-page illustrated color booklet, a dual-side collector poster featuring character art and a gameplay command list and a set of stickers. The console conversion of Tokyo Bangaichi ran at 60 frames per second. This Sega Saturn version was supplemented by extra game modes such as Survival, Time Attack and Saturn Mode. Three Club Remixes by Yoshiaki Ouchi were taken from the movie's OST and added in the game as unlockable BGM for the stages of Tommy, Lisa and Kurosawa.

Last Bronx includes advertising for real life brands such as Shott, Suzuki, Toyo Tires, AM Records, Java Tea, Axia, Wild Blue Yokohama (theme park) and JAL. Most of these advertising bills were removed or exchanged with Sega or Saturn logos, sometimes replaced by "Now Printing" bills, in the oversea releases. An "AAA Act Against AIDS" bill, which is a Japanese nonprofit annual event concert, was introduced in the subway stage of the 1998 Windows version.

After the worldwide release of Last Bronx, Sega PC started a port of the Sega Saturn version for Windows 95/98. This 1998 home version was basically the same as its predecessor but graphically closer to the arcade original with a superior character models and much more detailed fighting environments. The game also ran at a faster frame with the new "Auto Control" option. The "Saturn Mode" was renamed "PC Mode" and there were removed modes such as the CPU versus CPU non-playable "Watch Mode". A new "Replay" feature was introduced and brand extra modes were added including "Team Battle" and "Network Battle", both playable in single, 2-player or 10-player LAN/Internet. Screen resolutions and graphic detail options were also available.

Ten years after the original release, Sega emulated the original Tokyo Bangaichi on the PlayStation 2. This version is a straight emulation of the arcade original, with none of the special modes added to the ports. The four game modes are "Arcade Mode", "VS Mode", "Survival Mode" and "Time Attack Mode". The "Replay Mode" which was introduced in the Windows version is still available and was improved as it now gives the player the ability to save into the memory card their own "Replays" in order to watch them later. In this upgraded mode, the user can now zoom in/out and freely select the camera angle or even rotate over 360° around the moving characters. This version also featured the Sega Ages 2500 usual "Archives" mode with some game art.

The game is fully compatible with the "SegaSaturn Control Pad/Virtua Stick for PlayStation 2" which were specially released on the Japanese market to fit the Sega Ages vintage line. Just like its predecessors, this new version doesn't support the vibration function. However, it does feature extensive display options - including frame rate adjustment and letterbox mode. Also for the very first time, the user can adjust the volume for both BGM, sound effects and voices, which includes the ability to play without music. The Saturn version's extra BGMs are not available as the 2006 edition is a straight-to-arcade port. However, a cheat code can be used to switch between the "Last Bronx 1996" and "Last Bronx 2006". The first one uses the original title screen, game graphics and secret tip messages (how to unlock the Survival Mode, etc.), it even disables the latter's basic features including game modes selection, options and the "Pause" function. The player can virtually insert coins -to add credits- by holding "START" and pressing "SELECT" while playing. To quit this Arcade-only mode, the user must run out of credits and wait for the title screen in order to do the switch trick.

Two campaign editions are released through the Sega Direct online shop, first one is a regular edition bundled with an exclusive "葱 Dumpsters" round badge. This kanji symbol, spelled negi, appears on Zaimoku's 2P suit and means "green onion", which is a Japanese food, while "Dumpsters" is the name of this character's gang. The second edition is named "DX Pack", for "Deluxe Pack", and features a "portable strap set" and a "postcard set". The first set is made of a black "Last Bronx" leather bracelet and nine metallic keyholders, shaped according to each crew's insignia, while the other set features eight color postcards, illustrated with the basic characters. Unlike its predecessors, this version will not be released overseas.