A History of Korean Gaming

로드퀘스트 (Lode Quest) - Arcade (1998)

Dream World - Arcade (2000)

At first glance, Lode Quest and Dream World seem like typical Bubble Bobble clones. The characters are even brought into the stages by huge bubbles, but those suggest a greater similarity between the games than actually exists. In fact, Semicom mixed the concept heavily with influences from Lode Runner, thus the title Lode Quest (it is not possible to discern right now whether Dream World is an actual update or just a changed title for international release). The games are no longer confined to a single screen per stage, either, introducing scrolling into all directions.

There's basically two ways to solve each level: Either collect all the gems and escape with them, or defeat all enemies. The latter is often easier said than done, as all enemy types take different strategies. The most basic ones can just be jumped on and then used as projectiles to take out even more with them. But soon the two cute magician protagonists encounter a new helmet-wearing breed, that can't be attacked directly, but have to be lured into Lode Runner type manholes the heroes can create with their wands. When enemies learn to jump over said holes or there are no diggable ground tile available, the only way to get rid of them, anymore, is picking up a potion of invincibility that makes it possible to attack enemies directly with the wand, or use up one of the rare hidden spellbooks that wipe out all enemies on screen.

The stages are also set up with the ladders and climbing bars known from Lode Runner, which are essential for progression as the characters sport poor jumping ability. The stages keep altering between gradually more tricky puzzles and reflex based ones, with a boss waiting at every 10th stage.

Rolling Crush - Arcade (1999)

Arcade Flyer

This rip-off of Puzzloop mysteriously doesn't actually show the Semicom name on the cover or the official arcade flyer, rather it's credited to "Trust", but it uses the same PCB architecture as other Semicom games, and the credits after clearing the game are in fact all Semicom staff, followed finally by the company's copyright.4

2002골골골 (2002 Goal! Goal! Goal!) - Arcade (1999)

2002 Goal! Goal! Goal! (Arcade)

The decision for South Korea as one of the locations for the World Cup 2002 raised the popularity of Association Football in the country by about ten thousand percent, whith all kinds of industries starting to exploit and/or fuel the hype very early on. Semicom's contribution to the 2002 World Cup was thus also released as early as 1999.

마천루 (Macheollu) - Arcade (1999)

This variant of the solitaire game with Mahjong tiles uses works of 18th century painter Sin Yunbok for backgrounds. In between the regular puzzles, there are a lot of micro games to mix things up.

쿨 / Cool Minigame Collection - Arcade (1999)

Nomen est omen in this compilation of 42 game bites. While some games are more elaborate and almost feel like full arcade games downsized to a single stage, most are quick and simple Bishi Bashi like sequences.

The game also features game instructions in the worst English ever seen in a video game.

토이랜드어드벤쳐 (Toy Land Adventure) - Arcade (2001)

Toy Land Adventure (Arcade)

Because the world can never have enough Bubble Bobble variants. Taking control of a cute little cat and an even cuter little dog, the players have to shoot energy balls at the enemies to pump them up. If they're all blown up, they can actually be blown up like a bomb, taking nearby enemies with them. Making a lot of ruckus at once may result in enemies bouncing around the screen and causing even more damage. There are a lot of larger mid bosses and six final bosses that can only be harmed by detonating regular enemies near them, and they're also the only source for the few upgrades, which increase the heroe's range, speed or power. Unfortunately, there's a lack of extras, secrets or other elements to shake up the game. The stages also are not nearly as clever as the mechanics, and most are dealt with in the same manner: Get rid of the projectile-shooting enemies on top, and afterwards there's not too much to fear left.

다이어트패밀리 (Diet Family) - Arcade (2001)

Flyer

Diet Family is an "Unique! Fusion Shooting Game!!!", at least according to the advertising flyer. The game's official description for the Game Rating Board is more humble, it bluntly calls the game out a Galaga clone, which seems to be the more appropriate version. One or two players shoot cartoony enemies in front of abstract, non-scrolling backgrounds. It is possible, though, to move in all 4 directions, contrary to Galaga's restrictive horizontal only movement.

The "calorie" meter is just an energy gauge. Contrary to the message assumed by the game's title, depleting it is a bad thing.

와이번윙즈 (Wivern Wings) / Space Opera: Wyvern Wings - Arcade (2001)

Flyer

Wyvern Wings mixes Raiden with Strikers 1945 for a furious shooting experience, with background and sprite art that's quite incredible coming from a company like Semicom.

Later the same year, Semicom also introduced another machine called Red Wyvern. It is not known whether it was an update to Wyvern Wings or a full sequel, althogh their close release dates suggest the former. In 2004, only three years after its domestic release, Wyvern Wings was brought to the US by Game Vision.

Mr. Kicker (미스터 키커) - Arcade (2003)

Mr. Kicker (Arcade)

Semicom's last non-gambling game is an interesting action puzzler. The task is to collect all the dots in each stage, just like in Pac-Man, but here each player has a soccer ball with which to take out enemies.

Redemption Machines - Arcade (1996-2005)

Just like SunA, Semicom discovered gambling as a viable source of income early on, and also followed the older company's example to drop "normal" game development in 2001.

Semicom took another focus, though, with by far the most releases belonging to a series of Poker games. Secondary branches were GoStop and slot machines.