這次想和大家一起回味 1985 年由傑力可（ジャレコ）推出的傳奇動作遊戲《忍者茶茶丸》（忍者じゃじゃ丸くん），並談談為什麼到了今天，這款作品反而更值得收藏一套「盒裝、附說明書的完整品」。

撞破頭頂磚塊、橫掃強敵妖怪的爽快戰鬥

本作的目標，是救出遭到邪惡頭目鯰魚太夫（なまず太夫）擄走的櫻花公主（さくら姫）。玩家要在四層結構的關卡中上下奔馳，展開一場節奏明快的橫向捲軸戰鬥。

一邊用頭撞碎天花板上的磚塊，一邊以手裡劍擊倒妖術師阿玉（おたま）、骷髏怪（ヘドボン）、烏鴉天狗等各具特色的妖怪，那種流暢又爽快的戰鬥，在當年令人欲罷不能。

更讓人印象深刻的，還有關卡中各種充滿巧思的演出與角色登場方式。隨著遊戲進行，雪女阿雪（おゆき）會伴隨暴風雪現身，而系列熟悉的黑兵衛（くろべえ）也會突然從牆後探出頭來。這些敵人雖然危險，卻又帶著幾分討喜的魅力，每次登場都令人期待。

收集道具，進入無雙狀態的極致爽快感

破壞磚塊後出現的各種道具，也是當年玩家最期待的要素之一。

• 最強必殺技「蛤蟆吞噬」（ガマパックン） ：只要收集關卡中的櫻花、小判、刀等道具共三個，就能召喚出佔滿整個畫面的巨大蛤蟆。騎上蛤蟆後便能橫掃全場，將畫面上的敵人一口吞光，簡直是壓倒性的爽快感。

• 驚險刺激的「礦車」：有時打破磚塊後會出現礦車，搭乘後可在一定時間內進入無敵狀態，一路衝撞、掃蕩敵人。然而，就在你享受高速狂飆時，頭目鯰魚太夫又會毫不留情地從空中投下炸彈，讓人瞬間手忙腳亂。這樣恰到好處的遊戲平衡，如今回想起來依然令人難忘。

如今，這件「完整收藏」值得關注的最大理由與狀態鑑定分析

充滿回憶的《忍者茶茶丸》，如今在復古遊戲市場也出現了一個相當值得注意的現象。

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夜晚，睡不著的孩子躺在床上，聽著大姊姊溫柔地說故事。

以這段彷彿每個人童年都曾經歷過的懷舊場景揭開序幕的，正是 1991 年 8 月由 ASK 講談社推出的紅白機遊戲《百之世界的物語》（百の世界の物語）。

本作由在日本 TRPG 界具有重要影響力的創作者團體「冒險企畫局」，負責遊戲設計與劇本。當時，世人的目光正逐漸被次世代主機超級任天堂那鮮豔的畫面與厚重的音效所吸引。

然而，在紅白機這台小小的方形主機，竟然能誕生一款將「文字敘事的浪漫」與「無限的冒險」如此完整封存其中的作品，稱其為主機末期的奇蹟也毫不為過。

這是一款陪伴那個年代的玩家們一路走過、毫無疑問的稀有名作。

1991 年，紅白機嘗試突破「自由度」極限

本作的舞台，是一片沒有固定形貌的廣闊海洋——「尤基利亞群島」（ユキリア諸島）。玩家所得到的指示，只有來自國王的命令，以及尋找失蹤公主等概略性的目標。

本作最值得一提之處，在於它並非單純的 RPG，而是一款最多支援 4 人遊玩的「角色扮演桌遊」。

單人遊玩時，其他角色會由 CPU 操控；但當四名冒險者降臨同一個世界後，玩家們便會以回合制的方式，在這片棋盤般的世界中前進。

在當時的年代，大多數遊戲仍只能沿著固定劇情前進，相比之下本作擁有了壓倒性的自由度。玩家可以探索村莊與迷宮、強化裝備、完成各種事件。正如當時玩家投票中的高評價所顯示，「每次遊玩都能享受到不同故事」的設計，極大刺激了年輕玩家們的想像力。

每當翻開大姊姊所講述的故事下一頁，眼前展開的，正是真正意義上的「百之世界」。

合作，還是背叛？由真人玩家交織出的愛恨情仇

然而，這款遊戲真正的核心，並不只是幻想世界的美麗，而是在那背後所隱藏的「人性戲碼」。

誰能最快成為勝利者？

至於使用什麼手段，並沒有限制。

你可以與競爭對手合作，暫時並肩作戰。但是，在取得目標道具的瞬間，或者當對手已經遍體鱗傷之時，也可以毫不留情地出賣對方。

這套讓「合作與背叛」緊密相連的系統，正是 TRPG 的精神本質。

握著手把的真人玩家之間所展開的心理攻防，以及客廳裡響起的叫聲：

「喂！你背叛我了吧！」

在那個年代，聚集在紅白機前的我們所感受到的熱度，與如今精緻成熟的多人遊戲截然不同。

那是一種更加真實、更加鮮活，也因此令人難以忘懷的「人與人之間的溫度」。

就連資深收藏家看了都會眼睛一亮——沉睡於 Mercari 的「尤基利亞群島」碎片

距離發售至今，已經過了35年。這款名作《百之世界的物語》，如今在復古遊戲市場中也是難以入手的「夢幻逸品」。

然而，真正值得注意的地方，並不只是它的稀有性。

真正的浪漫，正沉睡在二手交易平台 Mercari 上那些孤零零出售的「裸卡帶」之中。

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賣家將紅白機版《巫術Ⅱ：利加敏的遺產》（ウィザードリィⅡ リルガミンの遺産，《巫術》系列亦被譯為《辟邪除妖》），和一副占卜用的塔羅牌一起出售

。

一般人看到大概都會疑惑：「為什麼遊戲軟體會和塔羅牌一起賣？」

但當時的我立刻就知道原因了。

因為我記得大約四十年前，曾在一本電腦雜誌上看過一篇介紹這款遊戲的文章。文章提到，PC 版《利加敏的遺產》中，有一個事件的問題必須回答出塔羅牌的種類，否則就無法繼續進行遊戲。

換句話說，如果手邊沒有真正的塔羅牌，就無法通過那段劇情。

這件事一直深深地留在我的印象中。

我曾經玩過紅白機版的《巫術Ⅰ》，卻一直沒有玩過《Ⅱ》。再加上當時的價格並不算高。雖然紅白機卡帶普遍都有電池沒電、存檔消失的風險，但我還是毫不猶豫地下標了。

收到遊戲後，我啟動卡帶，幸運的是，裡面的存檔還保留著。不過，我還是把前一位玩家留下的紀錄全部刪除，重新建立角色，開始自己的冒險。

我的目的並不是破關。

而是想親眼看看那個跟塔羅牌有關的事件。

它究竟會在哪裡出現？

又會是什麼樣的謎題？

帶著一點期待，我踏入了迷宮。

然而，那個事件始終沒有出現。繼續往前推進，也依然沒有。

「難道是在遊戲後半段...？」我抱著這樣的想法，繼續探索。

最後，我終於抵達了結局。

不，應該說，我不知不覺就這樣一路玩到了結局。直到最後，都沒有出現任何需要使用塔羅牌的地方。

我完全陷入了困惑。

是不是自己漏掉了某條分支路線？

還是那其實是只有符合特定條件才會觸發的隱藏事件？

當時還沒有網際網路，也沒有什麼方便的方法可以查詢。

最後，我始終沒有找到答案。

幾年後，網際網路逐漸普及，遊戲攻略網站和玩家交流網站也開始出現。

有一天，我偶然在一個《巫術》的玩家網站上找到了答案。

網站上面寫著：

PC 版確實有需要使用塔羅牌的事件。

但是，紅白機版基於調整遊戲難度等因素，那段事件已經被刪除了。

看到這裡，我忍不住笑了出來。

原來，我一路苦苦尋找的事件，從一開始就不存在。

放到現在，這種事情只要上網搜尋，大概幾分鐘就能很快的找到答案。

但在那個年代情況完全不同。我們只能相信雜誌上的文章，親自買下遊戲，再靠自己的雙眼去見證。

直到現在回想起來，還有另一件事令我在意。

當年那位 Yahoo! 奇摩拍賣的賣家，為什麼會把塔羅牌和遊戲一起出售？

也許，他和我讀過同一篇雜誌文章，也曾像我一樣，到處尋找那個塔羅牌事件。又或者，他原本就是玩過 PC 版，所以知道塔羅牌的用途。

真正的原因，如今已經無從得知。不過，我至今仍然記得，當年看到那個拍賣時的驚訝，也記得那本電腦雜誌曾介紹過塔羅牌事件。

在網路時代，只要出現錯誤資訊，很快就會有人查證並修正。但在舊媒體的時代，事情並非如此。

為了尋找一個根本不存在的事件，在迷宮中不斷徘徊。

現在回頭想想，那或許也是那個年代獨有的一種遊戲樂趣。

直到玩到結局，我才知道，原來塔羅牌根本派不上用場。不過，那位當年出售這片遊戲的玩家，也許始終沒能找到這個答案。

這麼一想，那副出現在 Yahoo! 奇摩拍賣上的塔羅牌，或許並不是什麼攻略道具。

而是一位陌生玩家曾經追尋那個謎團後，留下的一抹痕跡。

本文由 吉岡（KD） 撰寫 ｜ Fondy 翻譯

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寶物確實存在，但水深難測。

如果您正在尋找某款心目中的夢幻逸品，並需要我們在日本地下市場中以最嚴苛的標準為您把關，歡迎填寫這份委託表單，讓我們為您提供專屬的尋寶服務。

Today, we’re taking a nostalgic dive into Jaleco’s legendary 1985 action classic, Ninja JaJaMaru-kun—and why right now, in the Reiwa era, picking up a pristine “Complete in Box” (CIB) copy is an absolute must for retro game enthusiasts.

Breaking Through Ceilings & Mowing Down Tricky Yokai: Pure Exhilaration!

The core mission is classic retro gaming at its finest: rescue Princess Sakura from the clutches of the villainous boss, Catfish Taifu (Namazu Dayu). The action unfolds across four tiered levels in a classic side-scrolling platformer setup.

Smashing through ceiling blocks with headbutts, stunning quirky Yokai like Otama (the sorcerer), Hedobon (the skeleton), and Karasu Tengu with your shuriken, and then squishing them underfoot... the fast-paced combat loop felt incredibly satisfying back in the day.

What made the game even more memorable were the charming stage gimmicks and enemy entrances. As you cleared floors, Oyuki the Snow Woman appeared amidst a freezing blizzard; or series-staple Kurobee peeked out from behind walls. Even as enemies, their cute and endearing designs kept players endlessly hooked.

Power-Up Pandemonium! Going Unstoppable with Iconic Items

The items hidden inside the ceiling blocks were the real stars of the show, turning every run into a thrilling adrenaline rush:

• The Ultimate Trump Card — “Gama Pack”: Collect three items scattered across the stage—such as the Cherry Blossom, Koban coin, and Katana—and a giant frog (Gama) summons onto the screen. Once you trigger the “Gama Pack,” JaJaMaru mounts the giant frog and goes wild! Trampling and devouring every enemy on screen in total invincibility was an intoxicating rush like nothing else.

• High-Stakes Thrills — The Minecart: Hopping into the minecart that occasionally pops out of broken blocks gives you temporary invincibility, allowing you to charge forward and run over enemies. But just when you’re speeding through high on adrenaline, Lord Namazu drops bombs from above without mercy, making you panic with a frantic “Aaaagh!” Looking back, even those heart-pounding moments are fond memories.

Why Complete CIB Copies Deserve Your Attention Right Now

While Ninja JaJaMaru-kun is packed with childhood nostalgia, there is a fascinating trend happening in today’s retro gaming market.

Put simply: Complete-in-box (CIB) copies—including the outer box, instruction manual, and original plastic inner tray in pristine condition—are available today at remarkably reasonable prices.

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A young woman softly reads a bedtime story to a child who can’t sleep. It’s a deeply nostalgic opening, evoking a universal childhood memory—and it is exactly how the curtains rise on Hyaku no Sekai no Monogatari (The Tale of a Hundred Worlds), a Family Computer game released by Ask Kodansha in August 1991.

The game design and scenario were masterfully penned by Bouken Kikaku Kyoku (Adventure Planning Bureau), the legendary creative powerhouse that pioneered Japan’s tabletop RPG (TRPG) scene. Back in 1991, the gaming world was rapidly shifting its gaze to the vivid graphics and booming, symphonic soundscapes of the next-generation Super Famicom (SNES). Yet, inside the strict hardware limitations of the aging, 8-bit Famicom, a miracle occurred. The birth of a title that crammed such an immense “romance of prose” and “infinite adventure” into a tiny plastic shell was nothing short of a twilight-era masterpiece. It remains an absolute legendary hidden gem for those who lived through the era.

1991: Pushing the Famicom’s “Freedom” Past the Breaking Point

The game takes place across the formless, unpredictable waters of the Yukiria Archipelago. Instead of rigid handholding, players are cast off with only a vague, macro-level objective, such as fulfilling a royal decree or tracking down a missing princess.

What truly sets this game apart is that it isn’t a traditional, linear JRPG; it is a turn-based “role-playing board game” designed for up to four players. If you play solo, the AI takes over the remaining slots, but the core hook remains: four distinct adventurers land in the same sandbox world, taking turns navigating a virtual game board.

In an era when most console RPGs forced players down a strict, single-track narrative, this game’s level of freedom was staggering. You chart your own course across villages and dungeons, upgrading equipment and tackling dynamic events. As reflected in the glowing reader poll ratings of the time, the promise that “every single playthrough yields a completely unique story” captivated young imaginations to the absolute limit. Every time the storyteller turned the page, a literal hundred worlds opened up before you.

Cooperation or Betrayal: A Gritty, Human Multiplayer Drama

Beneath the whimsical, storybook exterior lies the true heart of the game: raw, unadulterated human nature.

The objective is simple: be the first player to win. The game does not care how you achieve it. You can form a temporary alliance with a rival, guarding each other’s backs through a treacherous dungeon. But the exact millisecond the quest item is secured, or the moment your ally collapses into critical health, you are entirely free to ruthlessly stab them in the back and kick them down the ladder.

This seamless blur of cooperation and psychological warfare is pure tabletop RPG DNA. It fostered intense mind games between the friends holding the controllers, frequently erupting into classic living-room shouting matches: “Hey! You double-crossed me!” The chaotic energy felt in front of the CRT TV back then possessed a raw, unforgettable “human warmth” that is entirely distinct from the sterile, highly polished online multiplayer matches of the modern era.

A Relic of the Yukiria Archipelago Tucked Away on Mercari

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Normally, anyone would look at that and ask: “Why on earth would a video game be bundled with a deck of tarot cards?”

But I understood the connection instantly, thanks to a decades-old memory of a personal computer magazine article I had read nearly forty years prior.

According to that article, the original PC version of The Legacy of Llylgamyn featured a specific event where the player could not progress unless they identified various tarot cards. In other words, you literally could not beat the game unless you had a physical deck of tarot cards sitting next to your computer. That bizarre mechanic had left a massive impression on me.

While I had played the first Wizardry, the second title was still uncharted territory for me. Plus, the auction’s starting price was incredibly low. Despite the inherent risk of a dead internal save battery—a classic hazard of vintage Famicom cartridges—I beat the auction without a second thought.

When the game arrived and I booted it up, I was relieved to find that the previous owner’s save data was still intact. Even so, I wiped their characters from the system, rolled out a fresh party of my own, and descended into the maze. My goal wasn’t even to beat the game; I just wanted to experience this mythical tarot card event.

Where would it appear? What kind of riddle would it throw at me? With a quiet hum of excitement, I began mapping the labyrinth.

Yet, no matter how deep I went, the event never triggered. I pushed further and further, but still, nothing.

“Maybe it’s hidden in the late-game floors,” I told myself as I pressed on.

And then, suddenly, I reached the ending. Or rather, I was forced to reach it. From the first floor to the final boss, there wasn’t a single encounter that required a deck of tarot cards.

I was utterly bewildered. Had I missed a branching path? Was it a secret quest triggered only by hyper-specific criteria? Back then, the internet as we know it didn’t exist, and there was no easy way to troubleshoot. In the end, the mystery remained unsolved.

Several years later, the internet finally matured. Game wikis and fan forums were starting to pop up everywhere. It was on one of those early Wizardry fan sites that I finally stumbled upon the truth.

The site laid out the facts plainly:

Yes, the original PC version did indeed feature an event that required the player to consult a physical deck of tarot cards. However, when porting the game to the Famicom, the developers completely deleted the event to adjust the difficulty and streamline the console experience.

I couldn’t help but laugh out loud. The legendary event I had spent hours searching for literally did not exist on the cartridge I owned.

Today, a simple web search would resolve this mystery in a matter of seconds. But in the pre-internet era, things were different. You had to trust what you read in a magazine, buy the physical game, and verify it with your own two eyes.

Looking back now, one other question lingers: why did that seller on Yahoo! Auctions choose to bundle the tarot cards with the game in the first place?

Perhaps they had read the exact same magazine article I had, and spent years fruitlessly searching for the event themselves. Or perhaps they were a PC-era veteran who wanted to pass down the “complete” experience. I will never know.

Even so, I still vividly remember the thrill of seeing that auction listing, and the nostalgic magic of that old rumor from the PC magazine.

Today, misinformation is flagged and corrected almost instantly online. But back in the era of old media, rumors had room to breathe. Wandering through a digital dungeon in search of a ghost event that didn’t exist—looking back, perhaps that, too, was a beautiful way to experience a game.

I had to beat the game to finally discover that the tarot cards were useless. But the previous owner who put that bundle together on Yahoo! Auctions might have given up before ever finding that out.

When I think of it that way, those tarot cards weren’t a practical gameplay item. They were a physical relic of a mystery that someone else had spent years chasing, before finally leaving it behind for me to find.

Written by Keida | Translated by Jacob

Request Our Premium VIP Hunting Service for Ultra-Rare Vintage Items:

The artifacts exist. The mud is deep.

If you seek a specific Holy Grail in the Japanese underground market and demand our uncompromising vetting process, this private dispatch is available.

Today, I want to share a mysterious little excavation story of my own—one that I stumbled upon inside a used Famicom copy of the original Dragon Quest.

I didn’t actually buy this cartridge to play the game. I had owned Dragon Quest when　it first came out, but after beating it, I ended up giving it away to a relative’s child.

Years later, a gaming magazine published a special feature on Dragon Quest glitches and secrets. Wondering if they actually worked, I decided to pick up another copy of Dragon Quest I from a local used game shop just to test them out. My only goal was to verify the tricks.

But the moment I opened the box, pulled out the cartridge, and flipped through the instruction manual, I made an unexpected discovery. An old, faded receipt was tucked neatly inside the pages of the manual.

When I looked at the date, it was from the very day Dragon Quest was released. This meant the original owner had bought the game on launch day. For me, that realization alone was a thrilling surprise.

But the real discovery was yet to come. When I flipped the receipt over, I found a handwritten Futsukatsu no Jumon—the Spell of Restoration—scrawled on the back.

For those unfamiliar, the Spell of Restoration was the password system used to save your progress before battery-backed save files became standard.

Instead of saving directly to the cartridge, you had to speak to the King at Tantegel Castle (known as Radatome Castle in Japan), write down a string of 20 hiragana characters on a piece of paper, and manually type them back in the next time you wanted to continue your journey.

If you made even a single typo when writing it down or entering it, the game would bluntly reject you with the dreaded message: “That spell is incorrect” (Jumon ga chigaimasu).

While you could always retype it if you just made a keyboard slip, making a mistake while copying it down from the TV screen meant your entire adventure was lost forever.

Because of this, copying down and entering the Spell of Restoration with absolute precision was a high-stakes, incredibly serious ritual for players back then.

Driven by curiosity, I decided to type the receipt’s password into my game. To my amazement, it actually worked, and the game loaded right up. But what shocked me even more was the state of the character: the Hero was at Level 30.

At the time, I didn’t actually know that Level 30 was the absolute maximum level in the game. Normally, if you speak to the King, he will tell you exactly how many experience points you need to reach the next level.

But when a Level 30 Hero spoke to him, the King’s reaction was entirely different. He simply declared:

“Thou art strong enough already!”

Seeing that dialogue was the moment I realized Level 30 was the ceiling for Dragon Quest I. Whoever had bought this cartridge on launch day had not only defeated the Dragonlord, but they had kept on adventuring until they pushed their character to the absolute limit.

Today, you can easily look up videos of Level 30 heroes on YouTube. But when I saw this Level 30 Hero for the first time, the internet didn’t even exist yet.

It wasn’t something I read in a strategy guide or saw in a magazine. It was a living, breathing character waiting at the end of a password, written on the back of a receipt, tucked inside the manual of a used game.

In the original Dragon Quest, you don’t need to get anywhere near Level 30 to defeat the Dragonlord and see the ending. This meant the player had kept grinding long after the credits rolled. Simply beating the game wasn’t enough for them.

How many hours did they sink into this? Why did they write the password on the back of a receipt? Was it to show off to a friend at school, or did they want a tangible keepsake of their ultimate achievement? We will never know.

Even so, the sheer passion of that era radiated clearly from that Level 30 Hero and the handwritten ink on that receipt.

I had bought a cheap used copy of Dragon Quest just to test out some glitches. But what I ended up with was something infinitely more precious than any cheat code: the living record of a stranger’s adventure, started on launch day and played to its absolute peak.

Unopened, factory-sealed games are valuable because they preserve the pristine state of the past. But used games are valuable because they preserve the human history of the people who actually loved and played them.

A receipt tucked inside an instruction manual. A password scrawled on its back. A Hero raised to the maximum level. To me, that discovery was worth more than any piece of retro gaming trivia.

The moment I opened that used box, I found much more than just a game cartridge—I found a stranger’s memories, perfectly preserved inside.

Written by Keida | Translated by Jacob

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復古遊戲的魅力，並不只存在於未拆封的收藏品之中。有時候，正因為是中古品，才能遇見屬於它的「歷史」。

這次，我想分享一段自己購買紅白機版《勇者鬥惡龍Ⅰ》（ドラゴンクエストⅠ）時，意外挖掘到的一段故事。

當初買下這片遊戲的目的，並不是為了重玩《勇者鬥惡龍》。其實我在發售當年就擁有這款遊戲了，只是破關之後，便把它送給了親戚家的孩子。

後來我在一本遊戲雜誌上看到《勇者鬥惡龍》的隱藏技巧特輯。

「這真的能做到嗎？」抱著這樣的疑問，我又到中古遊戲店買了一片《勇者鬥惡龍Ⅰ》。目的只是想親自驗證那些隱藏技巧。

沒想到，當我打開盒子、取出卡帶，再翻開說明書的那一刻，卻有了意想不到的發現。

說明書裡夾著一張泛黃的收據。

我看了一下日期，竟然是《勇者鬥惡龍》發售當天的收據。

也就是說，這片遊戲的第一位主人，是在發售首日就買下它的玩家。

光是這件事，當時就已經讓我十分驚訝。

但真正的發現還在後面。

我把收據翻到背面，只見上面手寫著一組「復活咒語」。

所謂的「復活咒語」，是在沒有存檔功能的年代，用來保存遊戲進度的系統。玩家不是透過存檔，而是從拉達托姆城（ラダトーム城）的國王那裡取得一組二十個平假名組成的咒語，將它抄寫在紙上，下次遊玩時再輸入，就能從原本的進度繼續冒險。不過，只要抄寫或輸入時有任何一個字錯誤，畫面就會顯示「咒語錯誤（じゅもんがちがいます）」，遊戲也無法繼續。

如果只是輸入時打錯，重新輸入即可；但若是在抄寫國王告知的咒語時就寫錯了，那麼那次冒險的紀錄便會徹底消失。因此，對當時的玩家而言，正確抄下復活咒語、並正確輸入，是一件非常重要的事情。

出於好奇，我決定輸入那組咒語。

結果，遊戲真的從那個紀錄重新開始了！

而接下來發生的事，更讓我大吃一驚。

那位勇者的等級，竟然是 30 等。

當時的我並不知道，30 等就是《勇者鬥惡龍Ⅰ》的最高等級。

一般情況下，拉達托姆城的國王都會告訴玩家，距離下一個等級還需要多少經驗值。

然而，當勇者已經是 30 等時，國王的反應卻截然不同。

「你已經夠強了！」

看到這句台詞的那一刻我才第一次知道，原來 30 等就是《勇者鬥惡龍Ⅰ》的等級上限。

那位在發售日買下這片遊戲的玩家，在打倒龍王之後，並沒有停止冒險，而是一路將勇者培養到了最高等級。

如今，只要打開 YouTube，就能輕易看到 30 等的勇者。但我第一次見到滿等勇者時，還是一個沒有網際網路的年代。而且，那不是來自攻略本，也不是遊戲雜誌。

而是在一片中古遊戲的說明書裡，透過一張收據背面的復活咒語，遇見了這位勇者。

其實《勇者鬥惡龍Ⅰ》並不需要練到 30 等，也能打倒龍王、看到結局。

也就是說，這位勇者是在破關之後，依然持續冒險、把角色練到滿級等。

或許那位玩家並不滿足於只是通關而已。

他究竟花了多少時間？

又為什麼把復活咒語寫在收據背面？

是想拿去和朋友分享？

還是想替自己留下這段回憶？

如今，我已無從得知。

然而從那位 30 等勇者，以及那組復活咒語之中，我依然能真切感受到當年玩家投注的熱情。

我原本只是想驗證遊戲的隱藏技巧，才買了這片中古的《勇者鬥惡龍》。沒想到最後得到的，卻是比任何隱藏技巧都更加珍貴的東西。

那是一位陌生玩家，在發售當天買下《勇者鬥惡龍》，並在破關之後仍持續冒險的紀錄。

未拆封的遊戲，保存的是發售當年的原始狀態。

而中古遊戲，有時保存下來的，則是真正玩過這款遊戲的人所留下的歷史。

夾在說明書裡的收據。

收據背面寫下的復活咒語。

以及那位抵達最高等級的勇者。

對我而言，那是比任何資訊都更加珍貴的一次發現。

打開一片中古遊戲的瞬間，裡頭裝著的不只是遊戲本身，還有一位素未謀面的玩家留下的寶貴回憶。

本文由 吉岡（KD） 撰寫 ｜ Fondy 翻譯

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初次見面，我是收藏家小山。

每天我都在復古遊戲這片深海裡，埋頭苦幹、不停挖寶。

近年來，日本的復古遊戲市場吸引了海外收藏家與投資人的目光，整個市場正籠罩在前所未有的狂熱之中。幾十年前，那些我們曾在巷口玩具店或百貨公司遊戲區，握著零用錢、央求父母買給自己的方形卡帶，如今竟已經能賣到足以買下一輛高級中古車的價格。

就在這股近乎瘋狂的熱潮中，有一款遊戲始終被視為紅白機末期的「終極夢幻逸品」，穩坐收藏界的頂點。

它就是 1992 年由 TAITO 推出的動作遊戲《聖鈴傳說》（聖鈴伝説リックル）。

這款作品的遊戲完成度高得驚人。超越紅白機性能極限的精美像素畫面、流暢自然的角色動作、精心打造的配樂，以及可自由切換四位主角遊玩的深度系統，凡是玩過的人，幾乎都會一致認為它是一款名作。

然而，它推出的時間偏偏是 1992 年，當時超級任天堂早已席捲市場，紅白機的時代已接近尾聲，因此本作出貨量極少，也悄悄地埋沒在歷史洪流之中。直到多年後，人們才重新發現它壓倒性的遊戲品質與極高的稀有度。如今在收藏市場上，只要是附有外盒與說明書的完整品，價格往往高達數十萬日圓，被收藏家視為如同「聖杯」般的存在。

即使《聖鈴傳說》已是可望不可及的夢幻逸品，但對我們這些挖寶的人來說，真正的浪漫，從來不是花大錢買下一套乾乾淨淨、陳列在玻璃展示櫃裡的高價收藏。

真正令人著迷的，是在網路世界裡，尤其是在 Mercari、Yahoo! 拍賣等個人交易平台上，比任何人都更早發現那些不清楚商品價值的賣家，無意間以超低價格上架珍品的那一瞬間。

事實上，我自己就曾經有過一次近乎奇蹟的經驗——以遠低於市場行情的價格，成功入手《聖鈴傳說》。

直到今天，我仍然忘不了當時的心情。握著手機的手不停發抖，心臟劇烈跳動，甚至連呼吸都變得急促。也正因如此，我始終無法停止挖掘復古遊戲。

不過，每一段看似撿到便宜的故事背後，都隱藏著一場稍有不慎就可能血本無歸的賭局。

而網路二手市場最迷人、同時也最令人頭痛的地方，莫過於所謂的 Junk 品（ジャンク品，意指未測試、現況出售的商品）。

商品說明裡隨手寫著「未確認是否可正常運作」、「有髒污」、「現況出售」。乍看之下，它們或許只是一堆毫不起眼的舊卡帶。但對收藏玩家而言，我們擁有把它們變成寶物的「鍊金術」。

拿到 Junk 品後，我會先把卡帶放到桌上，仔細觀察整體狀況。接著用棉花棒沾上一點無水酒精，一點一點、耐心地清潔卡帶的金手指。當累積多年的灰塵與氧化污垢慢慢附著到棉花棒上，而金手指重新恢復原本沉穩的金屬光澤時，我便會懷著近乎祈禱的心情，把卡帶插進主機，輕輕按下電源。

當螢幕亮起，熟悉的標題畫面映入眼簾，紅白機那獨特的電子音再次迴盪在房間裡，那份感動實在難以用言語形容。那是一種「是我親手讓這款遊戲重新活了過來」一般溫柔而充實的滿足感，就像親手喚醒一位沉睡已久的少女，令人久久無法忘懷。

也正因如此，直到今天，我們依然樂此不疲地盯著那些真假難辨、資訊不足的商品照片，一次又一次地做出自己的判斷。

2. 挖寶時最真實的猶豫，以及一場值得下注的賭局

接下來，我想分享一個自己在 Mercari 上遇到的真實案例。當時，我盯著商品頁面看了好幾分鐘，遲遲無法按下購買鍵。

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1994 年 12 月，NEC Home Electronics 推出了作為 PC Engine 後繼機的 PC-FX。

然而，PC-FX 必須面對的對手實在太過強大。

是 Sony 的 PlayStation。

是 Sega 的 Sega Saturn。

以及當時依然擁有超高人氣的超級任天堂（SFC）。

翻開遊戲雜誌，幾乎天天都在報導次世代主機大戰，各家新作話題熱烈不斷。

在這樣的環境下，PC-FX 的處境相當艱難。銷售數字始終未能成長，最終在許多玩家心中留下了「失敗主機」的印象。

我自己也是當年購買 PC-FX 的玩家之一。但老實說，我一直不認為它在發售當時獲得了應有的評價。

與其說它是一台失敗的主機，不如說 PC-FX 是一台誕生得太早的遊戲機。

當時的 PlayStation 與 Sega Saturn 正因為 3D 多邊形建模技術而備受矚目。然而 NEC 手中握有 PC Engine 後期累積下來的成功經驗。

像是 《純愛手札》和 Snatcher 這類作品，透過高品質動畫風格畫面、CD 音源與聲優配音的結合獲得廣大人氣，也逐漸塑造出「CD-ROM 就代表充滿戲劇性的動畫遊戲」這樣的印象。

正因如此，即使看起來像是在逆著時代潮流前進，PC-FX 仍將全部資源投注於 2D 動畫表現。

而我當年也是期待著，能在這條延長線上體驗到全新的遊戲形式。

如今透過影音網站，很容易就能確認 PC-FX 的實際表現。

以當時的標準來說，它的動畫演出確實相當出色。角色動作幅度大，語音收錄量也十分豐富。

然而在 1990 年代中期，玩家能接觸到的資訊主要來自雜誌報導與店頭展示。

光靠這些媒介，PC-FX 的魅力其實很難被完整傳達。

現在只要一段影片，就能直接比較各主機性能。

但當時並非如此。

結果就是，在那些真正值得被評價的優點傳達給玩家之前，它便已被市場競爭的洪流所淹沒。

多年來，我一直把 PC-FX 收在櫃子深處。

時光流逝，PlayStation 和 Sega Saturn 也都成了人們口中的復古遊戲主機。

某一天，我突然興起想再度啟動 PC-FX 的念頭。

主機還在。

但問題來了。

我找不到控制器。

我翻遍整個家，

翻遍儲藏空間，

卻始終沒有找到。

我想大概是在搬家或整理物品時遺失了吧。

如果是在當年，我或許到這裡就放棄了。

但現在時代不同了。

我打開了 Yahoo!拍賣後，驚訝地發現——

30 年前幾乎沒有人多看一眼的 PC-FX 原廠控制器，如今竟然有穩定的交易市場。

保存狀況良好的品項甚至不便宜。

即便如此，我還是下標了。

收到控制器後，我將它接上主機，再次啟動了 PC-FX。

久違地握起原廠手把的那一刻，連發售當年的期待和興奮感都一起湧上了心頭。

PC-FX 的標準控制器「FX-PAD」繼承了 PC Engine Arcade Pad 6 的設計理念，採用六按鍵配置。

當年光是看到這樣的設計，我就曾滿懷期待地想像：

「或許次世代主機上會出現大量格鬥遊戲與高規格的動作遊戲吧！」

對我而言，比起主機規格本身，六按鍵控制器更讓我感受到未來的可能性。

此外，PC-FX 主機那獨特的塔式外觀設計也令人印象深刻。

從當年開始就有人猜測，這是為了與個人電腦連動而設計的機種。它散發著與一般家用遊戲機截然不同的氣息。

如今再回頭看，那個外型與其說是一台遊戲機，不如說是 NEC 對未來多媒體設備藍圖的具體體現。

當久違的開機畫面出現在眼前時，我產生了一種難以言喻的感覺。

不只是遊戲機重新復活了。

更像是那個當年未被理解的時代本身，再次出現在我眼前。

更有趣的是，如今只要在 Mercari 或 Yahoo!拍賣上出現 PC-FX 相關商品，某些熱門作品依然會引發激烈競標。

它在發售當年並沒有賣得很好。

但現在，資訊分享變得比過去容易多了。透過影音網站與個人部落格，人們不斷挖掘出當年未曾被看見的魅力。

因此，PC-FX 已不再只是能用「失敗主機」四個字簡單概括的存在。

直到現在，我偶爾還是會瀏覽 Mercari 或 Yahoo!拍賣上的 PC-FX 主機與遊戲軟體。

只要看到保存狀況良好的品項，總會忍不住多看幾眼。

那並不只是懷舊而已。

而是在親眼見證那些發售當年未被認可的技術與挑戰，如何在經過 30 年歲月後重新獲得評價。

如果今天你在 Mercari 或 Yahoo!拍賣上，看見一台保存良好的 PC-FX 主機或周邊設備。

那不只是普通的二手遊戲機，

而是一件，曾經隱身於 PlayStation 與 Sega Saturn 光芒之後，卻在三十年後重新被玩家發掘，見證遊戲產業歷史的珍貴遺產。

本文由 吉岡（KD） 撰寫 ｜ Fondy 翻譯

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寶物確實存在，但水深難測。

如果您正在尋找某款心目中的夢幻逸品，並需要我們在日本地下市場中以最嚴苛的標準為您把關，歡迎填寫這份委託表單，讓我們為您提供專屬的尋寶服務。

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1. 前言：掉落下來的不只是方塊——紅白相間的機身與電視的溫度

1988年，在家庭遊戲機市場掀起革命的紅白機版《俄羅斯方塊》。

那台紅白雙色相間的經典機身（HVC-001）。插上卡帶，將沉重的紅色電源開關「喀噠」一聲向上推。如果畫面卡住，就把卡帶拔出來對著金屬接點吹一口氣再插回去。

這樣一連串的「儀式」，在今天看來都是無比懷念的珍貴回憶。

電視螢幕上顯現的，並不是像 Game Boy 版那樣的黑白畫面。在黑色背景的襯托下，各種色彩鮮豔的方塊紛紛落下。喇叭裡播放著改編自俄羅斯民謠、帶著些許哀愁感的背景音樂。

那樣簡單的畫面中隱藏著一股無法抗拒的魔力，不只讓當時的小孩著迷，連大人也忍不住守在客廳的電視前。

2. 使大腦感到愉悅的「心流狀態」機制——色彩與專注所帶來的舒適感

為什麼我們會忘記時間、全神貫注地投入《俄羅斯方塊》？

答案就在心理學所說的「心流狀態（Zone）」。

心流狀態是指，當自己的技巧與眼前任務的難度達到完美平衡時，所產生的一種極度專注的狀態。

紅白機版《俄羅斯方塊》會配合玩家的等級，以絕妙的節奏不斷加快方塊掉落的速度。從簡單的操作開始，漸漸考驗逼近極限的處理能力。這個過程能同時刺激多巴胺分泌，帶給大腦適度的緊張感與成就感。

看著五顏六色的方塊完美卡進空隙、消除整行方塊時所帶來的暢快感。伴隨著傳統電視發出的光芒，這可說是讓大腦感到最快樂的獎勵之一。

3. 《俄羅斯方塊》教我們如何面對「人生的不自由」——緊握手把的掙扎與現實生活

此外，《俄羅斯方塊》已經超越了單純的益智遊戲，有時更像是人生的隱喻。

在日常生活中，我們經常必須面對自己無法掌控的事情。就像在充滿突發狀況的職場裡，明明已經做好了完美的排班與準備，卻還是會有預料之外的故障或突發狀況毫不留情地發生。

「再一列就能達成消除四行的『Tetris』了……！長條（I字）方塊快來啊！」

雙手緊握著方形的手把，拼命按著 A 鍵和 B 鍵旋轉方塊。然而，掉下來的卻是令人頭痛的「Z字」方塊。

「不會吧……偏偏在這個時候！」

此時，原本完美的計畫瞬間崩潰，接下來考驗的是如何將失誤降到最低、如何為下一步鋪路的「應變與收拾殘局的能力」。不論怎麼抱怨，時間也不會停止，方塊依然會繼續掉落。

在《俄羅斯方塊》中，抱怨等不到想要的方塊並不會讓狀況好轉。最重要的是如何運用眼前現有的方塊去彌補失誤，並思考下一步的策略。接受不順遂的現狀，並隨機應變找出最適當的解答。

這一個個瞬間判斷的累積，正是我們在社會上克服困難的方法。

4. 現代《俄羅斯方塊》的定位——從客廳角落走向電競的最高殿堂

過去只被當作「經典家庭遊戲」的紅白機版《俄羅斯方塊》，在現代已經有了大幅度的轉變。

特別是北美版 NES（海外版紅白機）的《俄羅斯方塊》，目前已成為復古遊戲電競的最高殿堂——「經典俄羅斯方塊世界錦標賽 (CTWC)」的正式比賽項目。

在跟當年孩提時代一模一樣的簡單畫面上，現代的頂尖玩家們正運用超越常人的高超技巧展開激烈的火力對決。這股熱潮甚至將玩法昇華到了全新境界，讓人類去學習由 AI 所推導出的最佳解。

過去在客廳電視前開始的遊戲，如今已升華為讓全世界為之瘋狂的電競項目。

5. 結語：在不斷累積經驗之後看見的風景——不要忘記客廳的那道光芒

螢幕裡的方塊只要排滿整行，就會消失得無影無蹤。然而，在極度專注中不斷應對「突發狀況」所累積下來的經驗值，確實會留在玩家的身上。

我們今天之所以依然在螢幕前心無雜念地不斷讓方塊落下，正是因為在應對接踵而來、種種身不由己的挑戰時，我們確實能從中感受到微小卻扎實的「自我成長」與「釋放出的暢快感」。

那道令人懷念的客廳電視光芒，至今仍留在我們心中，照亮了前路，給了我們迎戰人生這場「不自由賽局」的勇氣。

關於以下要介紹的二手商品，它幾乎完美保留了當年購買時的完整盒裝與配件至現在。

就像是個鎖住了無數玩家童年熱情與心流記憶的「魔法紅色盒子」......

本文由 小山 撰寫 ｜ Fondy 翻譯

【Premium VIP 尋寶獵人服務：追獵極稀有復古逸品】

寶物確實存在，但水深難測。

如果您正在尋找某款心目中的夢幻逸品，並需要我們在日本地下市場中以最嚴苛的標準為您把關，歡迎填寫這份委託表單，讓我們為您提供專屬的尋寶服務。

🔓期間限定公開：為歡迎各位同好加入全球復古文化社群，我們特別解鎖這篇「日本地下市場深度報告」，讓所有人都能免費閱讀！

如今已經習以為常的遊戲語音。

CD 音質的音樂。

利用大容量儲存空間打造的演出效果。

然而，真正知道這些元素首次在家用遊戲主機上實現的那一刻的人，正逐年減少。

1988 年 12 月，NEC Home Electronics 推出了 PC Engine 的周邊設備——「CD-ROM² System」。

而與這套 CD-ROM² System 同步發售的，正是PC Engine版的初代《快打旋風》（Fighting Street）。

這款作品雖然以街機版初代《快打旋風》（Street Fighter）的移植版而聞名，但更重要的是，它是「世界上第一款以 CD-ROM 為媒介發售的家用遊戲軟體」。

也就是說，家用 CD-ROM 遊戲的歷史，正是從這款遊戲開始的。

以今日的眼光來看，PC Engine版初代《快打旋風》的評價並不算高。

當時有許多人批評「很難使出必殺技」、「操作手感很差」，甚至一度被部分玩家歸類為糞作。

然而，隨著時間流逝，我對它有了不同的看法。

事實上，街機版初代《快打旋風》本身就與現在大家熟悉的系列作品有很大差異。

它採用了專用大型機台，拳擊與踢擊各只有一個按鈕。

總共僅有兩個按鈕而已。

更特別的是，攻擊強弱是根據玩家敲擊按鈕的力道來判定，這是一種相當特殊的設計。

PC Engine 版同樣維持兩按鈕配置。

不過它改成以按住按鈕的時間長短來判定攻擊強弱。

因此，它的操作方式確實十分獨特。

但換個角度來看，也可以說它忠實移植了街機版原有的特色與難度。

我還記得當年的遊戲雜誌曾刊登過一位玩家的投稿：

「這款遊戲的防禦比進攻更有趣。」

如今早已司空見慣的防禦概念，對當時的玩家而言卻是相當新鮮的體驗。

我真正體會到防禦的樂趣，是在後來接觸《快打旋風II》之後。

但現在回頭看，那份樂趣的原點，確實也已經存在於PC Engine版初代《快打旋風》之中。

後來《快打旋風II》發展成六按鈕系統，並建立了格鬥遊戲的標準。

從這個角度來看，PC Engine版初代《快打旋風》無疑是一部過渡時期的作品。

我第一次接觸這款遊戲，是在購入 PC Engine DUO-R 之後。

當時遊戲雜誌早已公開各種隱藏指令，也流傳著能輕鬆使出必殺技的方法。

因此，對於當年備受批評的「很難使出必殺技」問題，我並沒有太大的困擾。

但真正讓我震撼的，其實是別的部分。

是音樂。

是語音。

是音效。

當遊戲啟動的瞬間，從喇叭裡傳出的聲音，明顯與過去家用主機上的電子音截然不同。

角色會說話。

背景音樂已經非常接近街機版本。

那時的我真心感到震驚：

「原來遊戲主機竟然能做到這種程度嗎？」

對現在年輕的遊戲玩家來說，也許很難想像。

但在那個年代，家用遊戲仍然是卡帶的天下。

「CD-ROM」這個詞本身，就是代表未來的技術。

因此，如今的我已經無法單純把PC Engine版初代《快打旋風》視為一款移植作品。

我更願意把它看成一份歷史資料——

記錄著家用遊戲從「電子音時代」邁向「CD-ROM 時代」的重要瞬間。

而最近，我在 Mercari 上發現了一套未拆封版本。

在發售當年，這款遊戲絕非什麼珍貴名作。

由於操作方式特殊、難度偏高，不少玩家很快便將它脫手，因此在二手市場上曾經相當常見。

然而，考慮到它作為世界第一款家用 CD-ROM 遊戲的歷史價值，未拆封的新品就顯得極其珍貴。

這套未拆封新品不只是單純的遊戲軟體。

它更像是一個時光膠囊。

將家用 CD-ROM 遊戲歷史開始的那一刻，完整封存在其中。

《伊蘇 I・II》。

《天外魔境》。

《純愛手札》。

以及其後誕生的無數經典名作。

全都是從這一張 CD 開始的。

如果今天有一套保存狀況良好的未拆封新品擺在我面前，

我想保留它的理由，已不只是因為它是一款復古遊戲。

而是因為它是「家用遊戲邁向未來的見證」。

【關於真偽】

僅憑照片無法百分之百斷定是否為全新未拆封品。

不過，從整體封膜的貼合方式以及封口摺痕來看，並未感受到明顯的違和感。

我不會僅依據特定的封膜形式來判斷真偽。

通常會綜合觀察外盒狀態、封面是否褪色，以及整體封膜所呈現的年代感。

就這件商品而言，至少沒有給我「作為未拆封品卻顯得不自然」的印象。

【關於保存狀態】

側標那一抹深邃的湛藍，保存之好令人由衷驚嘆，封面的色澤也完全沒有隨歲月褪色，依然維持著絕佳的鮮豔感。一般來說，PC Engine CD-ROM² 的外殼極易因碰撞而產生裂痕或劣化，但在我仔細鑑定賣場的相片後，甚至連一道細微的裂痕都找不到。

經歷了長達三十七年的漫長光陰，這件收藏所呈現出的狀態，只能以「不可思議的完好」來形容。

【關於 54,000 日圓的售價】

單看 54,000 日圓這個價格，或許會讓人覺得偏高。

但這款作品並非只是普通的復古遊戲。

它擁有「世界第一款家用 CD-ROM 遊戲」的歷史地位。

更何況是未拆封品，現存數量絕不算多。

若以遊玩為目的，這確實是一筆不小的支出。

但若把它視為一份保存了「家用 CD-ROM 遊戲誕生瞬間」的歷史資料，

那麼我認為，這是一個相當值得認真考慮的價格。

本文由 吉岡（KD） 撰寫 ｜ Fondy 翻譯

【Premium VIP 尋寶獵人服務：追獵極稀有復古逸品】

寶物確實存在，但水深難測。

如果您正在尋找某款心目中的夢幻逸品，並需要我們在日本地下市場中以最嚴苛的標準為您把關，歡迎填寫這份委託表單，讓我們為您提供專屬的尋寶服務。

🔓期間限定公開：為歡迎各位同好加入全球復古文化社群，我們特別解鎖這篇「日本地下市場深度報告」，讓所有人都能免費閱讀！

時至今日，《純愛手札》（《ときめきメモリアル》，簡稱「ときメモ」）已被視為戀愛模擬遊戲的里程碑之作。然而在發售之前，能夠預見它歷史性價值的人其實並不多。

當時的遊戲雜誌甚至曾將它介紹成類似紅白機《中山美穗的心跳高校》（《中山美穂のトキメキハイスクール》）的後繼作品。我自己在發售前也沒有對它抱持特別高的期待。

事實上，當時我真正想買的是超級任天堂的《Wild Trax》（《ワイルドトラックス》，亦譯作《特技立體賽車》）。

那是一款由任天堂與英國 Rare 公司共同開發，搭載最新技術的作品。當時的我對它更感興趣。

然而，結果卻出乎我的意料。

原本只是抱著試試看的心態開始遊玩的《純愛手札》，卻帶來了難以想像的衝擊。等我回過神來，幾乎所有能用來玩遊戲的時間，都投入在《純愛手札》之中了。

對現在的年輕世代來說或許很難想像，但當年的家用遊戲主機發出的聲音，基本上都還是電子音效。

而 PC Engine SUPER CD-ROM² 的大容量媒體所帶來的，則是真正的人聲。

遊戲裡的角色真的會說話。

會帶著情感與玩家交流。

如今這種演出方式早已司空見慣，但在當時卻堪稱革命性的突破。

實際上，當年我在玩 PC Engine 的 CD-ROM 遊戲時，家人甚至曾問我：

「家裡是不是有客人來了？」

因為從電視裡傳出的聲音，讓人難以相信那竟然是遊戲語音。

《純愛手札》正是在這場革命逐漸成熟的時代背景下誕生的作品。

它不只是能夠發出真實人類的聲音而已。

玩家可以與登場角色建立關係，並親身體驗一段高中生活。

正因如此，無數玩家為之著迷。

在發售之後，作品的人氣更透過口耳相傳迅速擴散開來。

當時還沒有像現在這樣的社群媒體。

即便如此，遊戲仍在許多地區一度出現供不應求的情況，逐漸從各大遊戲店的貨架上消失。

更有趣的是，就連以大型電玩為主的專業雜誌《Gamest（ゲーメスト）》都曾為《純愛手札》製作專題報導。

在當時，這是極為罕見的事情。

這不只是單純的暢銷作品，而是整個遊戲產業都已經無法忽視它存在的證明。

在瀏覽 Mercari 時，我發現了一件彷彿將那個時代完整封存下來的收藏品。

這次最吸引我注意的，是它「未拆封」這一點。

目前在 Mercari 或 Yahoo! 拍賣上，仍然可以看到《純愛手札》的遊戲軟體出售。

然而，其中大多數都能看見外盒磨損、說明書使用痕跡，以及歲月造成的老化現象。

這並不是件壞事。

反而正是這款作品在三十多年來深受無數玩家喜愛的證明。

但這件未拆封品不同。

它並不只是單純的庫存新品。

它更像是一個時光膠囊，將那個家用遊戲從電子音娛樂邁向角色互動體驗的年代，完整封存在其中。

它外層的封膜保存狀況良好，以長期收藏品而言，仍維持著相當漂亮的狀態。

僅憑照片要百分之百判斷未拆封商品的真偽並不容易。

但在收藏家之間普遍認為，重新包膜過的商品，往往會在接縫處理方式或塑膠膜的貼合狀態上出現不自然的痕跡。

我個人不會只憑某種特定的包膜形狀下判斷。相較之下，我更重視綜合觀察外盒狀態、封面是否褪色，以及整體包膜的貼合方式等細節。

除此之外，一旦商品曾經被拆封，外盒的紙腰帶、盒裝本體或說明書等部位，往往也會留下細微的使用痕跡或損傷。

當然，如果是在拆封後立刻以接近原廠製造時的方式重新封膜，那麼光靠照片確實也有可能難以分辨。

如今，《純愛手札》已問世超過三十年。許多玩家接觸這部作品時，看到的或許已經是它成為社會現象之後的模樣。

而我很幸運，能夠同時見證那個尚未有人理解其價值的年代，以及它人氣爆發成長的瞬間。

如果透過這篇文章，能讓各位稍微感受到那個年代的氛圍與熱度，那麼我就心滿意足了。

本文由 吉岡（KD） 撰寫 ｜ Fondy 翻譯

【Premium VIP 尋寶獵人服務：追獵極稀有復古逸品】

寶物確實存在，但水深難測。

如果您正在尋找某款心目中的夢幻逸品，並需要我們在日本地下市場中以最嚴苛的標準為您把關，歡迎填寫這份委託表單，讓我們為您提供專屬的尋寶服務。

The Japanese retro game market has been wrapped in an unprecedented, abnormal frenzy in recent years—pulling in even collectors and investors from overseas.

Those square cartridges that we once bought at the local toy store with pocket change clutched in our hands have now, decades later, reached an era when they are traded at prices that could buy a used luxury car.

Within this market that could be called madness, there is a title that reigns at the absolute peak as the “mythical holy grail” of the late-stage Famicom era.

That would be the action game Little Samson (Seirei Densetsu Lickle), released by Taito in 1992.

The sheer degree of “completeness” of this game is simply miles ahead. Beautiful pixel art that pushed past the limits of the Famicom, fluid character animations, a meticulously composed soundtrack, and a sophisticated system where the player progresses by switching between four protagonists.

Based on execution alone, nearly everyone who plays it gives it a glowing stamp of approval as a “masterpiece.”

However, it was released in 1992 when the Super Famicom was already dominating the market as the “next-gen console.” Because of that, Little Samson’s shipment numbers were exceptionally low at the time, and it quietly became buried in the darkness of history.

However, time caught up. The game’s overwhelming quality and rarity were critically reassessed in later generations, and in the current collector’s market, a Complete-in-Box (CIB) unit including the box and manual is treated like a “Holy Grail” worth hundreds of thousands of yen.

While Little Samson is such an unachievable prize, for those of us who dig, the true allure in our search is not in buying “high-ticket items beautifully displayed in glass cases.”

Rather, it lies in finding, faster than anyone else, “the exact moment a seller casually lists an item for dirt cheap without knowing the real value” in the dark corners of the internet sea–especially peer-to-peer marketplace platforms like Mercari and Yahoo! Auctions.

Actually, I am one of the “lucky ones” who had a miracle-like experience before: I was able to buy a copy of Little Samson at an unbelievably cheap price compared to the market rate.

No matter how many years pass, I can never forget the sensation of my hands shaking while holding the screen as my heart pounded furiously. This is why I cannot stop digging for retro games.

However, behind such lucrative stories, there is always a “gamble” lurking where one wrong move means taking a massive financial hit.

The true thrill of the internet secondhand market, and at the same time the most headache-inducing, is the treacherous territory of “junk items.”

The words “operation unconfirmed” or “signs of dirt” written casually in the item description field. Cartridges that, at first glance, look like mere garbage. However, we enthusiasts possess the “alchemy” to turn them into gold.

First, we gently examine the condition after placing the acquired junk item on the desk. Then, we dab the tip of a cotton swab with “anhydrous alcohol (IPA)” and painstakingly yet patiently clean the cartridge contacts.

The moment the multi-year layer of dust and oxidized grime transfer onto the swab in pitch black, the contacts regain their original dull metallic shine.

And then, with a praying feeling, we insert it into the console and flip the power switch with a click—.

When the vivid title logo flashes on the screen and the internal chiptune audio of that time echoes through the room, the feeling cannot be expressed in words.

As if I had awakened a sleeping beauty, a gentle sense of fulfillment spreads through my chest: “I resurrected this game into the modern era with my own hands.”

That is precisely why, even today, we continue our staring contest with these suspicious listings of unknown authenticity.

■ ② Real URLs and the Moment of Truth for the Expert Eye

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In December 1994, as the successor to the PC Engine, NEC Home Electronics released the PC-FX.

However, the opponents up against it were far too mighty.

The Sony PlayStation.

The Sega Saturn.

And, of course, the Super Famicom, which still claimed massive popularity.

Whenever you opened a gaming magazine, “the next-gen console wars” were featured day after day. The entire gaming community was buzzing with talk about new software releases.

Amidst all of this, the PC-FX struggled.

Sales figures didn’t budge. And for many gamers, it left a lasting impression that it was a failed system.

That being said, I myself actually purchased a PC-FX back then.

And, right from its launch, I honestly didn’t think its performance was ever fairly appreciated.

To me, the PC-FX was just a little bit too far ahead of its time.

At the time, the PlayStation and Sega Saturn were generating massive hype with 3D polygon graphics. However, NEC chose to rely on the winning formula they established during the twilight years of the PC Engine.

Titles on the PC Engine like Tokimeki Memorial and Snatcher—which combined high-quality anime-style graphics, CD audio, and full voice acting—gained massive popularity. This created a fixed market perception that “CD-ROM games” equals “dramatic anime games.”

That is precisely why the PC-FX threw its full weight behind 2D animation processing—even if it looked like they were defying the trend of the times. And personally, I wanted to experience the evolution of that winning formula.

This can be easily verified today by watching online videos, but the PC-FX’s animation rendering capabilities were exceptionally excellent for its time. Characters moved dynamically, and the software packed in an abundance of voiced dialogue.

However, mid-90s gaming magazines and in-store retail demos alone couldn’t fully convey that appeal. Today, you can do a side-by-side hardware performance comparison with just a single video. But back then, it wasn’t like that.

As a result, the PC-FX got buried by fierce market competition before its praise-worthy specs were properly communicated to consumers.

I ended up keeping my PC-FX console tucked away in my closet for the longest time. Time passed, and both the PlayStation and Sega Saturn came to be classified as “retro games.”

Then one day, for the first time in ages, I had the sudden urge to boot up my PC-FX.

The console itself had survived. However, there was a problem. The controller was missing.

I searched the whole house. I searched the closet. But it was nowhere to be found. I had probably misplaced it during a move or while decluttering.

Back then, I might have given up. But now, it’s completely different.

I opened Yahoo! Auctions. And I was shocked.

The first-party PC-FX controller, which nobody paid attention to 30 years ago, was being actively traded.

Units in good condition are not cheap by any means. But still, I won the auction.

After it arrived, I plugged in the controller and, once again, powered on the PC-FX. Holding the official gamepad after all this time brought me back to the exact feeling of anticipation I had when it first launched.

The FX-PAD—the PC-FX’s stock controller—features a 6-button layout, which was inherited from the PC Engine’s Arcade Pad 6. Back then, just looking at that controller design made me imagine all of the fighting games and full-fledged action games that would flood this next-gen console. Even more so than the actual hardware specs, the existence of that 6-button pad gave me a sense of the future.

Furthermore, the PC-FX console had a unique “tower” form factor that was also memorable. Compared to conventional home consoles, the PC-FX was described as a design built with PC integration in mind. That alone gave it a completely different aura.

Looking back now, rather than a mere game console, its appearance feels like the very embodiment of NEC’s ideal—which is to create futuristic multimedia devices.

When I saw the boot screen display for the first time in a while, I experienced a strange sensation.

It wasn’t just that the console had been resurrected. It felt as though the very era of misunderstanding had materialized right before my eyes again.

It’s fascinating that, even now, bidding wars break out whenever particular PC-FX-related merchandise gets listed on Mercari or Yahoo! Auctions.

It didn’t sell well when it first launched. But since then, it has become easier than ever to share information.

Thanks to today’s online video platforms and personal blogs, all of these once-invisible “hidden charms” keep getting unearthed.

As a result, reductionist terms like “failed hardware” can’t easily define an entity such as the PC-FX.

Even now, I still occasionally browse through PC-FX consoles and software on Mercari and Yahoo! Auctions. When a clean unit is listed, I can’t help but be drawn to it.

This is not the pull of mere nostalgia.

After 30 years, I am finally witnessing the exact moment when bold technological and design choices—unappreciated at their launch—are finally receiving their critical reassessment.

If you happen to spot a PC-FX console or its peripherals in good condition on Mercari or Yahoo! Auctions right now, it is no mere secondhand console.

While hiding in the shadows of the PlayStation and Sega Saturn, the PC-FX is a living witness to gaming history that has kept waiting for 30 years for its own era to arrive.

Written by Keida | Translated by Jacob

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In-game voiceovers, which are taken for granted today.

Music, in CD-quality.

High presentation value, leveraging large-capacity data.

Yet year by year, the number of people who witnessed the exact moments these innovations came to home consoles only decreases.

NEC Home Electronics released the “CD-ROM² System” in December 1988 as an add-on for the PC Engine.

And launching right alongside that system was Fighting Street.

Today, this title is known as a port of the arcade game Street Fighter. But what I want to highlight here is that it was really the “world’s first home video game software to use a CD-ROM.”

In other words, the history of home CD-ROM games began with this very game.

Looking at it from a modern perspective, the critical reception of Fighting Street is by no means high.

Since its release, opinions such as “the special moves are too difficult” and “bad operability” proliferated, and in some circles, the title came to be seen as a kusoge (Japanese for “trash game”).

However, years later, I came to form a different viewpoint.

Compared to the current series, the arcade version of Street Fighter is vastly different.

It used a dedicated cabinet, with only one button each for “punch” and “kick.”

Only those two buttons existed.

Furthermore, it was a very unique specification where the strength of the attack changed depending on how much force the player used when pressing the button.

The PC Engine version, on the other hand, was similarly a two-button game.

However, for this version, the strength of the attack changed depending on how long the player pressed the button.

Because of that, the controls were certainly unique.

However, looking at it from a different perspective, one can argue that it still faithfully ported even the quirks and difficulty of the arcade version.

At the time, I remember reading a submission published in a gaming magazine that said, “In this game, defending is more fun than attacking.”

The concept of guarding is a given today, but back then, it must have felt incredibly fresh to players.

Personally, it was from the later Street Fighter II that I fully understood how truly fun defending can be. But looking back now, I do feel that it was also faithfully ported to the original Fighting Street as well.

Considering that Street Fighter II later transitioned to a six-button layout and established the standard for fighting games, one can say that Fighting Street was a transitional title.

The first time I played Fighting Street was after I purchased a PC Engine DUO-R.

Thanks to some gaming magazines revealing secret cheat codes at the time, it was relatively easy to pull off those special moves and was common knowledge to those ‘in the know’.

Therefore, I did not particularly struggle with the “special moves are too difficult” criticism at the time.

However, what surprised me was something else altogether.

The music.

The voiceovers.

The sound effects.

The moment the game booted up, I immediately found that the sounds flowing out of the home console were completely different from the electronic beeps I had become accustomed to.

The characters actually spoke.

At the same time, the music retained what was in the arcade version.

“Can a game console really do this much?“

That old me was purely amazed.

Now, it might be difficult for today’s young game fans to imagine this.

However, at the time, cassettes were still the mainstream for home console video games.

The word “CD-ROM” itself had this image of ‘technology from the future.’

Therefore, I cannot look at Fighting Street today as a mere ported title.

I view it as an archival material that recorded the moment home video games advanced from the “era of electronic sounds” to the “era of CD-ROMs.”

And that brings me to this unopened copy I found on Mercari.

At the time of its release, this game was by no means a premium title.

There were many users who parted with it due to its unique operability and high difficulty level, and there was a period when it could be found in the secondhand market relatively frequently.

However, considering its historical value as the world’s first home CD-ROM game, an unopened item is extremely precious.

This unopened item is not a mere game title.

It is a time capsule that encapsulated the very moment the history of home CD-ROM games began.

Ys I & II as well.

Tengai Makyo as well.

Tokimeki Memorial as well.

And the numerous masterpieces that followed.

Everything started from this single CD.

If I were to face an unopened copy in good condition right now, I would want to keep it on hand not just as a mere retro game, but as “proof that the future of home video games had begun.”

[Regarding Authenticity]

It is impossible to conclusively determine an unopened item with 100% certainty from images alone. However, as far as looking at how the entire film is stretched and how the folded portions are handled, I did not feel any major red flags. I never judge authenticity based solely on a specific shrink-wrap shape. I make a judgment by comprehensively looking at the condition of the case, the fading of the jacket, and the overall vibe of the film, but at the very least, this specific unit did not give off an unnatural impression for an unopened item.

[Regarding Condition]

The blue color of the obi strip remains vividly in place, and the coloration of the jacket also looks excellent. Cases for PC Engine CD-ROM software are highly prone to cracks and fractures, but within the scope of the listing images, no major cracks can be confirmed. Considering that it is a title from about 37 years ago, its storage condition falls into the fairly well-preserved tier.

[Regarding the Listing Price of 54,000 Yen]

Looking only at the price of 54,000 yen, it might feel expensive. However, this software is not a mere retro game, but a work holding immense historical value as the “world’s first home CD-ROM game.” Moreover, when it comes to unopened items, the number of surviving copies is by no means large. It is expensive if the purpose is purely for playing, but if you consider it as “archival material that preserved the moment of the birth of home CD-ROM games,” I felt it is a price well worth considering.

Written by Keida | Translated by Jacob

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Nowadays, the video game Tokimeki Memorial (often shortened as TokiMemo) is widely considered a landmark title in the dating simulation genre. However, before its release, very few people could have predicted the historical value it would eventually come to hold.

At the time, several game magazines introduced it as a sort of revival of Miho Nakayama’s Tokimeki High School, which had been released on the Famicom Disk System. And personally, it’s not like I had huge expectations for it either.

In fact, the game I truly intended to buy at the time was Stunt Race FX for the Super Famicom.

Jointly developed by Nintendo and Rare, a British company, the title was jam-packed with cutting-edge technology, and I was far more drawn to that.

But the result was the complete opposite.

Once I sat down to actually play TokiMemo—again, without much thought or expectation—I found myself so blown away that, before I knew it, I was devoting all of my free gaming time to it.

Younger generations today may find this hard to imagine, but back then, home console video games were generally expected to make only digital, “electronic”-type sounds.

What the PC Engine SUPER CD-ROM² brought into this world, with its large-capacity medium, was the human voice.

Characters actually spoke.

They addressed the player with real emotion.

Today, that kind of feature is taken for granted, but at the time, it was nothing short of revolutionary.

In fact, while I was playing a CD-ROM game on my PC Engine one day, a family member asked me, “Do we have guests over?” without realizing that the voices coming from the TV were part of a video game.

Tokimeki Memorial was truly born in an era when that kind of revolutionary technology reached its own maturity.

It was no longer simply about producing vocal sounds.

The game provided a platform for the player to form actual bonds with the characters, as if experiencing “high school life” for themselves.

That is precisely why so many players became absorbed in it.

After its release, the game’s popularity spread rapidly by word of mouth.

There was no social media like we have today.

Despite that, shortages continued, and the game eventually vanished from the shelves of video game stores.

What is even more noteworthy is that Gamest—a magazine known for specializing in arcade games—ran a special feature on TokiMemo.

At the time, that was a highly unusual move.

It was a sign that this was not merely a trend, but a pop culture phenomenon that the game industry could no longer ignore.

While doing my usual browsing on Mercari, I discovered an item that seemed to preserve that very era in sealed form.

What stopped me in my tracks was the fact that it was unopened.

Even today, copies of Tokimeki Memorial are listed on Mercari and Yahoo! Auctions.

However, the vast majority of them show damage to the case, signs of use on the manual, or age-related deterioration.

That is by no means a bad thing.

After all, it is also proof that the game has been loved and appreciated by many fans for roughly 30 years.

But this unopened copy truly stands apart.

It is not merely dead stock.

It is a time capsule preserving the era when home video games evolved from “electronic-sound entertainment” into “immersive experiences where players and characters interact.”

The shrink wrap also appears to be in good condition, and for an item that has been stored for many years, it has maintained an exceptionally pristine state.

It is difficult to determine the authenticity of an unopened item with 100% certainty from images alone.

That said, among collectors, it is often said that re-shrink-wrapped items may show unnatural signs in the way the sealed edges are handled or in how the film is stretched.

I do not judge authenticity based solely on one specific shrink-wrap shape. Rather, I look at the overall picture: the condition of the case, any fading on the cover insert, and the way the film sits across the entire package.

Also, once an item has been opened, it is not uncommon for tiny signs of use or damage to appear on the obi strip, case, manual, and other included materials.

Of course, if a copy were opened once and then re-shrink-wrapped in a way close to the manufacturer’s original production method, there would likely be cases where it would be difficult to judge from images alone.

Now, as Tokimeki Memorial marks its 30th anniversary, many fans who know the game may have encountered it only after it had become a pop culture phenomenon.

I was fortunate enough to witness both the era when almost no one yet understood its value and the moment when its popularity exploded.

Through this article, I hope readers can get even a small glimpse of the atmosphere of that time.

Written by Keida | Translated by Jacob

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1. It’s Not Just About Falling Blocks — the Heat of the TV and the Red-and-White Casing of the Famicom Console

In 1988, the release of Tetris on the Famicom revolutionized the Japanese home console video game market.

That twin-colored, red-and-white console casing (HVC-001).

Inserting the cartridge and sliding up the power switch.

If a glitch appears on the screen, just pull out the cartridge and blow into it.

Even now, that whole sequence of “rituals” has become a beloved memory.

What is projected on the TV screen is not a simple black-and-white monochrome like the Game Boy version.

The “Tetriminos” (the official name for Tetris blocks), with their vivid colors, are shining and standing out against the black background.

The soundtrack flowing from the speaker is an arrangement of an old Russian folk song, drifting with melancholy.

An irresistible charm lurks in that simple screen–causing not only children but even adults of that time to be glued in front of the living room TV.

2. The Inner-Workings of “Flow State” and the Brain That Rejoices — The Strange Comfort of Colors and Concentration

Why is it that we become so immersed in Tetris that we completely forget about time? The answer lies in a concept found in psychology: the “Flow State” (or being “In the Zone.”)

The “Flow State” is a state of intense concentration that occurs when one’s own skills are perfectly balanced with the difficulty level of one’s challenges.

Famicom’s Tetris achieves this balance by exquisitely accelerating the blocks’ drop-speed in lockstep with the player’s performance.

This process—which starts with simple tasks and gradually increases the demands of mental processing to the absolute limit—keeps providing the brain with a pleasant tension and sense of accomplishment (i.e., dopamine) at the same time.

The moment of catharsis arrives exactly when the colorful blocks click into place and the lines disappear. That–along with the light emission of the CRT TV–creates a reward signal that the brain rejoices in the most.

3. What Tetris Can Teach Us About Handling the “Unpredictability of Life” — the Struggle of the Controller and the Reality of Life’s Trenches

Occasionally, Tetris transcends being a simple puzzle game and functions as a metaphor for life.

In our daily lives, we constantly face events outside of our control.

For example, when working the night shift in the trenches of a manufacturing factory, unexpected and irregular trouble can rain down mercilessly–despite making the perfect preparations.

“Just one more row, and I’ll lock in a Tetris clear of 4 lines...! Come on, I’m waiting for you, I-shaped Tetrimino!”

Clutching the square controller, you make full use of the A and B buttons to rotate the blocks. However, what falls down is the troublesome Z-piece.

“You’ve got to be kidding me...! Why now?!”

At that exact moment, even the most perfectly orchestrated arrangements can collapse under pressure, and your “recoverability”—how to keep mistakes to an absolute minimum and how to bridge it to the next move—is put to the test.

Even if you lament, time does not stop. The blocks keep falling down.

In Tetris, complaining that “the block I want isn’t coming” does not improve the situation.

What is important is strategic thinking: how to cover up mistakes and bridge it to the next play–in real time–by using the cards (or blocks) in hand.

The ability to accept an involuntary, undesired situation.

The use of quick wit.

Deriving the optimal solution.

We overcome the difficulties we face in society through an accumulation of these split-second judgments.

4. The Positioning of Tetris in the Modern Era — From the Living Room to the Pinnacle of E-Sports

The Famicom version of Tetris has always fit the framework as a “staple” in home console video games.

However, in the modern era, it has significantly changed its positioning.

Particularly, Tetris on the North American NES (Nintendo Entertainment System) has been adopted as a competitive category for the Classic Tetris World Championship (CTWC). This is the absolute pinnacle of e-sports for retro games today.

On the exact same, simple screen that children used to play on, today’s top players showcase superhuman, out-of-this-world, god-tier skills and clash with massive firepower (such as “T-Spins,” which is competitive Tetris slang for sending garbage lines to an opponent).

Today, that enthusiasm and frenzy has evolved to a whole new dimension, where humans learn optimal solutions derived from AI.

The game that started in front of a living room TV has been elevated into a sport that drives the entire world wild.

5. Conclusion: What Lies Beyond the Accumulation — Never Forget the Light of the Living Room

The blocks inside the screen disappear without a trace once you line them up.

However, the experience gained from continuously responding to unexpected situations within a state of intense concentration, definitely accumulates within the player’s mind.

That is the reason why we still enter the “Flow State” in front of a screen that keeps dropping blocks.

Somewhere along the process of clearing those unpredictable challenges that rain upon us, a small but certain sense of “personal growth” and “catharsis” can be felt.

The nostalgic light emanating from the living room CRT TV still continues to illuminate our hearts with the courage to face this unpredictable game called “Life.”

Regarding the Mercari listing introduced here, it stands as an almost Complete-in-Box (CIB) set containing everything from the original purchase to this day. It is a magical red box that keeps the enthusiasm of that era locked inside...

Written by Koyama | Translated by Jacob

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