Jungletac!

[taizou]

starting a thread for all things jungletac, to continue the discussion from the Wii clone one:

codeman38

 

And although it's not a Wii knockoff, it's too good not to mention: the Zone Fusion, which is another of those mysterious vertically-oriented Jungletac handhelds.[/quote]

taizou

 

& I found this the other day - its another version of the Zone Fusion I think, with a game list + screenshots:
http://cybertoy.ru/joom/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=17&Itemid=2
(although cybertoy's website is just about the slowest thing ever at the moment)[/quote]

codeman38

 

"Abey's Dream"? Yep, totally the stuff that NiceCode made for JungleTac. (And those are the best screenshots I've seen of those so far!)Something else interesting I just noticed, though: The GC12 PocketGame (discussed in the NiceCode thread) uses what sounds like 16-bit music. The Zone Fusion, on the other hand, uses the NES sound chip, with typical JungleTac-sounding music. Same games, same developer, same chassis... same processor, even, as far as I know. Weird.

Edit: Nope, not the same chassis. The PocketGame is the same chassis as the Classic Pocket, but the Zone Fusion is rounder. Either way, the Fusion is definitely not your standard Famiclone games, though.[/quote]

from the looks of things the PocketGame is a rebranded version of the vertical console from this page:
http://www.jungletac.com/Classic_Max.asp
I guess the Classic Pocket and Fusion are later versions with more games but NES sound hardware for some reason.
heres another variation:
http://www.premier-portfolio.net/product.asp?numPageStartPosition=1&P_ID=348&strPageHistory=cat&strKeywords=&strSearchCriteria=&PT_ID=112

heres a version of the original 12-game horizontal one on ebay, which I'm slightly tempted to buy because I'm kind of a sucker for Mr Driller, and North Salvation looks like a clone of just that:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/HANDHELD-12-ARCADE-GAMES-COLOUR-CONSOLE-RRP-35-00-/280599630162#ht_2267wt_708
but it seems like there are also updated 30-game versions of that, which I wouldnt be surprised to find use NES sound hardware too:
http://www.geniusnet.com/geniusOnline/upload/support/eCatalogue/gaming/Heeha%20100_PA.pdf
http://cybertoy.ru/joom/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=18&Itemid=2

edit: looks like some of the screenshots on Genius's page are actually from the 8bit versions of the games (like Worm Catch, the one with SMB graphics) but the graphics are updated in Cybertoy's .. dunno what to make of that, maybe Jungletac just sent Genius the wrong screenshots or something.

[Awesome Panda]

taizou

Jan 1 2011, 03:29:22 PM

but it seems like there are also updated 30-game versions of that, which I wouldnt be surprised to find use NES sound hardware too:
http://www.geniusnet.com/geniusOnline/upload/support/eCatalogue/gaming/Heeha%20100_PA.pdf
http://cybertoy.ru/joom/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=18&Itemid=2

edit: looks like some of the screenshots on Genius's page are actually from the 8bit versions of the games (like Worm Catch, the one with SMB graphics) but the graphics are updated in Cybertoy's .. dunno what to make of that, maybe Jungletac just sent Genius the wrong screenshots or something.[/quote]Actually, to my recollection the graphics on that version of Worm Catch are updated when compared with the 8-bit one. A few of them definitely look 8-bit though, like Dangerous Zone and Block Out. Also worth pointing out that they labelled Happy Diamond (a Puzznic clone) as Hanoi Tower. I also like how both of their lawn mowing games were included, because you can never have enough of them.

[codeman38]

OK, the HiQ Classic on the Premier Portfolio site is definitely the same thing as the Zone Fusion. Same rounded look, and it's got the same menu screen as well.

Edit: Playing the Zone Fusion video again... yep, it's clearly a rebranded version of the HiQ Classic. Even the title screen appears to read "HiQ Classic", though it's too blurry to tell for certain.Videos, from a Czech electronics retailer, of the Heeha 100 and the Heeha 300. Alas, music has been dubbed into both, so you can't hear the console's audio... but #1, they're very clearly JungleTac, and #2, that is very much a Mr. Driller knockoff. In fact, in the version in the video, it's not called "North Salvation", but rather... "Driller".

Edit: The Bomberman clone on the 300 looks very Nice Code-esque, doesn't it?Naturally, there's also a Heeha 200 (PDF). It's purple and heart-shaped... wow, I've never seen gender-based marketing so brazen. And yes, it, too, is by JungleTac.

[taizou]

anyone know if this one is by Jungletac too?
http://www.neckermann.de/Gameclick%20-%20Spielkonsole%20und%20Kamera/e2cc50b89e02541d8d2aaece99f2b7fdbc256eaa,de_DE,pd.html
might be the eventual result of their plans to release a digital camera cart for the OneStation.. but then it only has one button, which is odd. all other Jungletac consoles have at least two AFAIK.

[Awesome Panda]

No idea, but the odd thing is that searching around for this thing, I could only find it on German sites. Might be called something else in different places, which to me sounds about right because to me it sounds a bit odd that a French company (Lexibook) would release something exclusively in Germany. Also, I was looking on Lexibook's website (in French, because it doesn't seem to work properly in English) and I don't think they have this listed.

[codeman38]

taizou

Jan 2 2011, 05:44:18 PM

anyone know if this one is by Jungletac too?
http://www.neckermann.de/Gameclick%20-%20Spielkonsole%20und%20Kamera/e2cc50b89e02541d8d2aaece99f2b7fdbc256eaa,de_DE,pd.html
might be the eventual result of their plans to release a digital camera cart for the OneStation.. but then it only has one button, which is odd. all other Jungletac consoles have at least two AFAIK.[/quote]Maybe the camera button on top works like the B button? ::shrugs::

[taizou]

Well I got that 12 in 1 (called the Classic Max Pocket on the console itself, same as on Jungletac's website). its kind of weird. its 16 bit, some of the games are on the VG Pocket Caplet (which is also 16 bit) but the versions on here are different. generally they seem to be running at a lower resolution, in some cases with some slowdown. the music and sound effects are all different but the actual sound *engine* seems to be the same as the Caplet's. so it seems to be a different type of hardware, mostly inferior, but with the same sound capabilities. no idea why. cheaper maybe?

makes me wonder just how many different types of 16bit hardware Jungletac have used, and how many times theyve ported the same games to slightly different architectures. at my count theres:
Caplet type - also used in the Zone 60 from the looks of things
Vii type (VC cartridges at least) - similar to the above but with better music
Classic Max type (12 in 1s) - lower res and (probably) slower CPU than Caplet, but same sound.
Zone Fusion (etc) type (30 in 1s) - similar to Classic Max with NES music
and
GBA (okay its 32 bit, but they ported the same games to it) - Ive seen no evidence that these were released on actual GBA cartridges but they have been supplied to chinese GBA-emulating device manufactures (eg the Dingoo A320). their website has links to GBA-format downloads but theyre all down.

then theres the Family Sport 41 in 1 and 80 in 1, and that 32 bit 48 in 1 Wii Clone, which are all kinda related..and Jungletac was at CES! who knew.

[Awesome Panda]

taizou

Jan 12 2011, 04:19:29 PM

and Jungletac was at CES! who knew.[/quote]Heh, I actually remember seeing that on Youtube, and I like how the presentation is so professional that the spokeswoman or whoever actually held the box upside-down. Didn't think it was worth reporting though, as it's just them showing off their awful handhelds. Mind you, given that Active Enterprises were at CES in the early 90's promoting Action 52, I can't be too surprised I guess.

[taizou]

well i was doing a little bit of research on Jungletac via their Chinese name, 丛林互动科技, found this:
http://cn.made-in-china.com/showroom/happy5790
which has some info about Jungletac's organisation and stuff that you don't see in English sources.  to quote a (surprisingly coherent) google translation:

Quote:

 

Our management team are all from Taiwan. Business and technical team in Shenzhen, software development is in Fuzhou. Hong Kong is responsible for export and finance. [/quote]
Fuzhou is where Waixing is based, so it may well be the case that some people worked for both companies at one point or another (which would explain Jing Hua Yuan and its very Jungletac-ish music, plus that guy codeman38 found with a Waixing email address and Jungletac MSN account). and Taiwanese management - maybe they were involved with Taiwanese game companies before Jungletac?

also this page mentions some of the companies they've worked for: "We currently have many success stories of foreign companies, including Disney (brand), Vtac (preschool), Japan TOHO (toys), etc."


& heres a job advert for a graphics artist from last year:
http://www.jobyun.com/j_130001487076
with an interesting little profile bit at the bottom (google translated again)

Quote:

 

The company has developed a 8-bit color Shouzhang Ji (GBC) game software, based on 8 JT5, 6576,6561, NES platforms, and 16,32-bit platform based on the SPG series of software and GBA software. Development of the game types are: RPG, ACT, AVG, SPT, STG and so on. IPhone and is being developed based on ipad platform game and application software.[/quote]
well this is the first i've heard of any Jungletac GBC games .. wonder if theyre anything we already know of?
and apparently they're developing for the iPhone and iPad now O:
personally i'm an Android man so I can't help but be a little disappointed in them D: but anyone with an iSomething should totally watch out for that!


finally an odd thing from the Wikipedia article on the Vii:

Quote:

 

In 2010, Nintendo threatened Jungle Soft, the makers of the Vii, and ordered them to cease production of the Vii. However, Jungle Soft teamed up with Ultimate Products Ltd. and released the Zone 60, A clone of the Vii with 60 built in games built in, many of which are unchanged from the Vii version, or contain modified graphics.[/quote]
I can't find any mention of this supposed threat from Nintendo anywhere. I suppose it *could* have happened, and whoever added that to the article was either some distributor with a contact at Jungletac or they read it somewhere (possibly in Chinese) that I haven't found yet. but it seems to me more like someone's made up theory for the Vii's disappearance, rather than the more likely explanation (IMO anyway) that it was simply too expensive for a knockoff and the much cheaper pseudo-motion infrared shite just flooded it out of the market.

[taizou]

just wondering, does anyone here have any Jungletac consoles? a Vii especially. but im interested in basically anything else. im just curious to see how many different types of hardware they used, and i think the secret-ish test screen is a good enough way to find out.oh and here's, i guess, another variation of that camera thing:
https://www.bid.tv/ProductDescriptionPage.aspx?Id=4480277&Cat=11&Sub=31&Type=Categories
its definitely Jungletac, the description mentions Lightning Plan which I know for sure is one of theirsoh, and something i noticed about all their various vertical handhelds: the Classic Pocket is the vertical Classic Max with more games, but the HiQ Classic/Zone Fusion actually seems to have completely different lineup. which is weird. i totally want to get hold of a Classic Max somehow now.