What information is there on the Buckaroo Banzai arcade game used in the movie?
The following information was provided by Ernie Cline (http://www.ernestcline.com):
The Buckaroo Banzai and the Hong Kong Cavaliers arcade game seen in
the film is, in reality, a Sega's 1983 Star Trek: Strategic Operations
Simulator game with Buckaroo Banzai graphics on the marquee and side
art of the cabinet.
In the attached comparison image, you can see that the cabinet, control panel and monitor bezel instructions are all identical.
I've always wondered why the inmate playing the game only pretended
to play it.
Throughout that scene, nothing but text is displayed on the screen: BONUS EVERY 300. PRESS PLAYER 1 OR 2 TO START. CREDITS 18. Turns out, he did this to hide the fact that it was a Star Trek game.
You can see that same "Press Player 1 to Start" screen at the :20 second mark here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U57gfgL4L0g.
The game's side art resembles Michael Kaluta's artwork for the"latest
issue" of the BB comic seen in the film (What
information is there about the
comic book that appeared in the Buckaroo Banzai film?), with
similar lettering, but I'm not sure if he's the artist of this piece,
too.
Here is a screencap from the blu-ray:
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