Our local mall's arcade had this machine about 20 years ago. I remember seeing the words: "ONE ATTEMPT ONLY" right before the final level and realizing that the machine wasn't going to let me buy a continue if I failed! I pedaled like crazy and finished the level with only 2 seconds to spare. I sat there, catching my breath as I watched the cinematic of the floating islands returning to Earth. I remember thinking to myself, "There! I finished the story! Now I don't have to play this game again!" ;)
Such an awesome game, with way more lore and personality than it needed. There should be one of these in every gym. The final stage is really not hugely difficult, but the problem is you're worn out by the time you get there!
Once a blue moon, I think of this game and watch it on RUclips. Only memory I have of it is playing it with my sis in a indoor soccer building. Thanks for the video!
We had it at one of the arcade parlors here in Recife (Brazil). It was somewhat expensive, costing around two tokens (or, later, 50% more the price of a "normal" game, when it came by "credit cards")... Some people tried it sometimes (including me), but all failed. I suppose playing it at a keyboard on an emulator makes it easier?
Loved playing this in the arcade. Its tiring as hell. The last stage really gets to you, partly because you have one attempt only and are trying super hard :D
Okay, after seeing that final stage the rest of the game actually makes sense now. I never noticed the sparking balloons in the intro. I mean, curses _can_ be very strange and specific, but "Set up three balloon obstacle courses that have to be beaten by a guy on a flying bicycle" is a little bit much even then.
Does that mean that, in the game's world, the first three stages are just training for the great trial of Solitar? Do you have to prove your worth before the Government so they will grant you permission to use their "prop cycle sling" to launch you at Solitar? And... if Solitar is only a sling away, did they evacuated it when it was raised into the sky, by sending balloons and prop cycles? And what happens if you fail to pop the spheres on time? Does the curse gets you stuck at Solitar, unable to pedal your way down? Is that the reason they don't do it more often? Or does the curse allows, say, only one person a year to try the challenge? Or only a few hours per year? So many questions...! 🤯🕵️♂️🕵🏿♀️
@@EuMesmoVII It turns out that if you fail the last stage you get struck by lightning and fall back down (me, upon first seeing this "wait, did I just DIE?"). That really IS the plot of the game, the first three stages are to prove that you can succeed! You can see this in one of the other longplays on RUclips that shows the good and the bad ending (you can't continue on the last stage).
@@Slonie: Thank you for your answer! I've never had the ability to get through the first stage, neither the people who played at the shopping mall arcade, so I never got to see the ending, ANY ending...!
It's a bit late, but there is a romanisation system called Kunrei-shiki, and when using this じ becomes "zi" rather than "ji". It's not used much outside of Japan because it results in very odd-looking constructions such as "mahoo syoozyo" instead of "mahou shoujo".
God damn. I remember how this game's 3D graphics just blew away all the home console stuff at the time. It looks pretty dated in 2022, but the art direction and world design still look pretty great.
I always wonder about the games background. Why is the Solitar's stage earth bombarded ? What are those "worm like irradiated creatures" ? And did the civilization somehow collapsed in it ?
The game likes to heavily imply it takes place a good maybe 400-500 years after nuclear crisis, In a sort of rapid re-advancement period where humanity is using pre-crisis knowledge to quickly return to it's original standing. Multiple enviroments imply radioactivity and nuclear waste, and particularly solitar, despite having a radiation warning and electrical integration, is referred to in terms commonly associated with antique structures. Industarn has modern skyscrapers and freeways busted up and partially sunken into a rapid forming lake, and the train tunnel just after those is very badly kept, despite still being in apparent use.
thank you for this video! played this game when i was a kid and was always interested ind the full extend of the game. now I saw it all and can die in piece. Thank You!
So this game was just Brock (pokemon), riding around on Tombo's(Kiki's delivery service) flying bike, and completing Ultron's(Age of Ultron movie) plan for human extinction?
awesome video! lots of memories of this game and how amazing the soundtrack and simple story is! thanks for the upload, also my last name is Munroe too! so even more respect to ya! :)
We played this game in a small town arcade so much that a friend of mine (a fan of flying, glider pilot) wanted to build the ectual prop cycle. You know what, I will give him a call and try to get him to start working on it again. Now that we have the ultralight material and way more advanced technology, this might even be feasible :D
Which version of MAME were you using? It definitely works on the latest MAME, but I didn't think there was a problem with the sound on even the older versions.
@@arronmunroe I was looking for one since 1999!!! Finally it came up on Ebay. The problem is I’ll have to drive 2000 miles to get it…. There is one in Vegas in the pinball hall of fame. The screen is busted on it so he put a TV in it but it still works if you want to try it!
It looks like the guy playing this is cheating. How the hell is he pedaling that fast? Even Lance Armstrong couldn't do that. And of course it's a perfect run!
Our local mall's arcade had this machine about 20 years ago. I remember seeing the words: "ONE ATTEMPT ONLY" right before the final level and realizing that the machine wasn't going to let me buy a continue if I failed!
I pedaled like crazy and finished the level with only 2 seconds to spare. I sat there, catching my breath as I watched the cinematic of the floating islands returning to Earth. I remember thinking to myself, "There! I finished the story! Now I don't have to play this game again!" ;)
Played this all the time at an old arcade inside old cinema with my dad. Dad passed due to colon cancer. This brought us some good times...
Such an awesome game, with way more lore and personality than it needed. There should be one of these in every gym. The final stage is really not hugely difficult, but the problem is you're worn out by the time you get there!
This is such an amazing and special Namco game from early days of 3D. It still looks and sounds great after all these years!
Once a blue moon, I think of this game and watch it on RUclips. Only memory I have of it is playing it with my sis in a indoor soccer building. Thanks for the video!
We had it at one of the arcade parlors here in Recife (Brazil). It was somewhat expensive, costing around two tokens (or, later, 50% more the price of a "normal" game, when it came by "credit cards")... Some people tried it sometimes (including me), but all failed. I suppose playing it at a keyboard on an emulator makes it easier?
This was an awesome game. If they could somehow port this to a home exercise bike we would all be thinner!
Namco? Huh, it has the feel of an early 3D Sega game, but those characters definitely give a Namco feel now that I think about it.
The announcer tho. Straight up from Ridge Racer
I don't think the composers were mutual (samples maybe), but the music kind of reminds me of klonoa.
It's very Klonoa like
I get HEAVY Klanoa vibes from this. Especially the music.
Loved playing this in the arcade. Its tiring as hell. The last stage really gets to you, partly because you have one attempt only and are trying super hard :D
There was a story in this game?! I guess I was too busy failing every time to see it lol
Oh dang. It's like the marriage of Pilotwings and The Hobbit I never knew I wanted!
Okay, after seeing that final stage the rest of the game actually makes sense now. I never noticed the sparking balloons in the intro.
I mean, curses _can_ be very strange and specific, but "Set up three balloon obstacle courses that have to be beaten by a guy on a flying bicycle" is a little bit much even then.
Does that mean that, in the game's world, the first three stages are just training for the great trial of Solitar? Do you have to prove your worth before the Government so they will grant you permission to use their "prop cycle sling" to launch you at Solitar?
And... if Solitar is only a sling away, did they evacuated it when it was raised into the sky, by sending balloons and prop cycles?
And what happens if you fail to pop the spheres on time? Does the curse gets you stuck at Solitar, unable to pedal your way down? Is that the reason they don't do it more often? Or does the curse allows, say, only one person a year to try the challenge? Or only a few hours per year?
So many questions...! 🤯🕵️♂️🕵🏿♀️
@@EuMesmoVII It turns out that if you fail the last stage you get struck by lightning and fall back down (me, upon first seeing this "wait, did I just DIE?"). That really IS the plot of the game, the first three stages are to prove that you can succeed! You can see this in one of the other longplays on RUclips that shows the good and the bad ending (you can't continue on the last stage).
@@Slonie: Thank you for your answer! I've never had the ability to get through the first stage, neither the people who played at the shopping mall arcade, so I never got to see the ending, ANY ending...!
It's funny how "jii-jii" which a cute or simplified way to call your grandpa is translated to zizy. What the hell is zizy anyway?
Fun fact : "zizi" is a childish way to say "penis" in French.
@@Kioki814 oofy
@@Kioki814 NOT APPROPRIATE!
It's a bit late, but there is a romanisation system called Kunrei-shiki, and when using this じ becomes "zi" rather than "ji". It's not used much outside of Japan because it results in very odd-looking constructions such as "mahoo syoozyo" instead of "mahou shoujo".
I remember this game. You had to be in decent shape to play it through.
or keep playing it until you get there
I remember seeing Michael Fish play this on GamesMaster.
Wunderland Arcade, Gresham Oregon 1997 👌
I remember playing this in the arcade near my house... It's fun, but kinda hard... Still, I like this game...
Friendly Fairy Tale based games by Namco.. also "Magical Truck adventure" by Sega is a pretty good game.
God damn. I remember how this game's 3D graphics just blew away all the home console stuff at the time. It looks pretty dated in 2022, but the art direction and world design still look pretty great.
PERFECUAOUH YER DA BEST
I was one red balloon away from completing this in the arcade. It's real hard work.
I always wonder about the games background. Why is the Solitar's stage earth bombarded ? What are those "worm like irradiated creatures" ? And did the civilization somehow collapsed in it ?
The game likes to heavily imply it takes place a good maybe 400-500 years after nuclear crisis, In a sort of rapid re-advancement period where humanity is using pre-crisis knowledge to quickly return to it's original standing. Multiple enviroments imply radioactivity and nuclear waste, and particularly solitar, despite having a radiation warning and electrical integration, is referred to in terms commonly associated with antique structures. Industarn has modern skyscrapers and freeways busted up and partially sunken into a rapid forming lake, and the train tunnel just after those is very badly kept, despite still being in apparent use.
thank you for this video! played this game when i was a kid and was always interested ind the full extend of the game. now I saw it all and can die in piece.
Thank You!
I lost weight playing this during summer break from school.
So this game was just Brock (pokemon), riding around on Tombo's(Kiki's delivery service) flying bike, and completing Ultron's(Age of Ultron movie) plan for human extinction?
Almost, because the floating islands landed very slowly...
i been looking for game for at least 20 years. i never knew any1 else that even heard of it
There are a few of us who remember. But you are not alone.
Never had a chance to play this looks like a really fun game
Fun, but tiring!
It was the best arcade game ever.
Getting some Ghibli vibes from this.
Prop Cycle also known as “Flying Pinocchio"
awesome video! lots of memories of this game and how amazing the soundtrack and simple story is! thanks for the upload, also my last name is Munroe too! so even more respect to ya! :)
May I use this footage in a video I'm making about strange arcade games? I will give your channel full credit.
Sure, go ahead.
@Jasper James You can find this game if you look for propcycl.zip, but you would need MAME to play it.
@arronmunroe60fps
This game needs to be ported to consoles!!!!!
This isn't flying, this is falling with style.
omg missed that time....back i n2004 and 2005 used to go with my father....could never pass even level 1 :(
Just like toy story and buzz lightyear of star command
I have the game sitting in storage. Gonna bring it back out someday...
What'll you take $ ?
This is basically an arcade version of Pilot Wings
I have played the actual arcade cabnit of this before. It's very difficult because you actually have to pedal the bike along with controlling it.
Just imagine playing this and then Real Puncher/Arm Champs back to back.
I wish i had a BMX like this
We played this game in a small town arcade so much that a friend of mine (a fan of flying, glider pilot) wanted to build the ectual prop cycle.
You know what, I will give him a call and try to get him to start working on it again. Now that we have the ultralight material and way more advanced technology, this might even be feasible :D
were you using Mame32 for this? i love this game but never been able to get the sound working :(
I just used the standard version of MAME 0.200, not MAME32, although I thought that would be the same thing.
I remember this from Fun Junction in Hull, probably before 2000.
The fact that you had to pedal on the acutal machine of this game and you're going too fast... Man this would have been really hard...
How did you manage to make the sound work? I got the game on mame but it's without sound.
Which version of MAME were you using? It definitely works on the latest MAME, but I didn't think there was a problem with the sound on even the older versions.
小さい頃めちゃくちゃ難しかった記憶しかない
I just bought one🎉! It’s gonna be in my mancave!
That's very cool. I would like to try out the real arcade version of this game someday, but I haven't had the opportunity so far.
@@arronmunroe I was looking for one since 1999!!! Finally it came up on Ebay. The problem is I’ll have to drive 2000 miles to get it…. There is one in Vegas in the pinball hall of fame. The screen is busted on it so he put a TV in it but it still works if you want to try it!
Where can I get one ?
I love this game
Bandai Namco should find some way to port this to Pelaton cycles.
used to only look at the arcade screen at the mall as a kid because my parents dont want to give me tokens to play this
I wonder if anyone was on Solitar when it levitated and if they were still there when it came back down.
Great game! Is there anyway to emulate the pedals with a controller? The chances of finding a real cabinet these days are slim.
Yes, it just involves holding down a button to pedal. Not as good as the real thing, but like you said, it's hard to find a real cabinet.
@arronmunroe Nick Markしてたよもういいよ
last game made on the legendary Namco System 22
wow, that's a great video!
OwO
It looks like the guy playing this is cheating. How the hell is he pedaling that fast? Even Lance Armstrong couldn't do that. And of course it's a perfect run!
It was played on an emulator, where there is no way to play this the way it was intended to be played.
@@arronmunroe I thought something was odd haha. I mean 20 seconds left on Solitar? lol.
@arronmunroeゲームやています。