Ben Bero Beh[a] is a platform arcade game released by Taito in 1984. The player guides Dami-chan, a superhero, through an apartment complex which is on fire. Armed with a fire extinguisher, Dami-chan must make his way down the levels avoiding gas explosions, crumbling floors, damaged lighting fixtures, and various enemies that pop out of the doors. The goal is to extinguish the fire and rescue Dami-chan's girlfriend, Nao-chan.

Ben Bero Beh
Flyer for the arcade release of the game.
Developer(s)Taito
Publisher(s)Taito
Platform(s)Arcade, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4
ReleaseArcade
  • JP: November 1984
Nintendo Switch
  • WW: October 1, 2020
PlayStation 4
  • WW: October 1, 2020
Genre(s)Platform game
Mode(s)Single player, Multiplayer (alternating turns)

Various characters and gameplay elements from the game would go on to appear in later games made by Taito, particularly Bubble Bobble. The game would later appear on Taito Memories II Jōkan, and the game has since been ported to the Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4 as part of the Arcade Archives.

Gameplay

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Ben Bero Beh is a platform arcade game. The player controls a superhero, Dami-chan, though a series of apartment complexes that are on fire in order to save his girlfriend, Nao-chan.[1] To get though the flaming building, Dami-chan is armed with a fire extinguisher that can put out said fires, as well as manipulate stage hazards in order to get through them.[1] Dami-chan can also jump to avoid fall damage from collapsed floors, enemies that appear from time to time out of the apartment doors, and various other hazards.[1] The quicker the player completes the level, the more bonus points the player gets after completing a level.[1]

Cameos of characters from various other Taito games also appear to try to halt Dami-chan's progress, such as the enemy spies from Elevator Action, and Chack'n from Chack'n Pop.[1]

Release

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Ben Bero Beh was released by Taito in Japan in November 1984.[2]

Conversions

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The game never received any home ports until the release of Taito Memories II Jōkan, which featured the game via emulation.[3] On October 1, 2020, Hamster Corporation released a port of the game to Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4 as part of their Arcade Archive initiative.[1][3][4] This port features various display options, new gameplay modes, and an online leaderboard.[3][4]

Reception and legacy

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Ben Bero Beh enjoyed success in Japanese arcades. Game Machine listed Ben Bero Beh on their November 15, 1984 issue as being the fourth most-successful table arcade unit of the month.[5]

Notes

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  1. ^ Japanese: べんべろべえ, Hepburn: Ben Bero Bē

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f Doolan, Liam (1 October 2020). "Taito's 1984 Action Platform Game Ben Bero Beh Joins The Arcade Archives". Nintendo Life. Archived from the original on 6 October 2020. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
  2. ^ Akagi, Masumi (2006). アーケードTVゲームリスト 国内•海外編 (1971-2005) (1st ed.). Amusement News Agency. p. 42. ISBN 978-4990251215.
  3. ^ a b c "『べんべろべえ』を配信前に最速プレイ! 『俺たちのアケアカ』本日(9月30日)20時00分より生放送【ファミ通チャンネル】". Famitsu (in Japanese). 30 September 2020. Archived from the original on 19 October 2020. Retrieved 31 October 2020.
  4. ^ a b "アーケードアーカイブス べんべろべえ". 4Gamer.net (in Japanese). Retrieved 31 October 2020.
  5. ^ "Game Machine's Best Hit Games 25 - テーブル型TVゲーム機 (Table Videos)". Game Machine (in Japanese). No. 248. Amusement Press, Inc. 15 November 1984. p. 25.