Backgammon (FDS)
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Backgammon is an adaptation of the board game developed by Intelligent Systems and published by Nintendo. The game features several gameplay features such as a demonstration mode, training mode, match play, and even offers a 2 player mode. The Tournament mode is the main part of the game, in which the player must win several games against the AI, after which they are awarded a Certificate of Commendation from the Japan Backgammon Association, who supervised the game's development.
Though the game was only released in Japan, the game is mostly in English. It also features a song by famed composer Koichi Sugiyama, who was honorary chairman of the Japan Backgammon Association.
Contents
Screenshots
Music
Backgammon features a nice assortment of songs. There are fourteen tracks total, but only four of them are looping background tunes used in the various modes of the game. The game's soundtrack was composed by Yuka Tsujiyoko (Yuka Banba at the time of the game's release), who was new to Intelligent Systems at the time, known for her work in the Fire Emblem series. However, the music for the Demonstration and Match Play modes was written by Koichi Sugiyama of Dragon Warrior fame. Sugiyama was also a part of the Japan Backgammon Association, so it made sense for him to work on the game. The music was then likely arranged by Hirokazu Tanaka in 6502 assembly.
A fun fact is that Sugiyama won the Japanese Backgammon Championship in the fall of 1977.
The track names are taken from this video.
Recording
| # | Title | Composer | Arranger | Length | Listen | Download |
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| 01 | Title BGM | Yuka Tsujiyoko | Hirokazu Tanaka | 1:34 | Download | |
| 02 | Demonstration, Match Play BGM | Koichi Sugiyama | Hirokazu Tanaka | 1:15 | Download | |
| 03 | Game End Jingle 1 | Yuka Tsujiyoko | Hirokazu Tanaka | 0:06 | Download | |
| 04 | Game End Jingle 2 | Yuka Tsujiyoko | Hirokazu Tanaka | 0:06 | Download | |
| 05 | Training Play, 2 Player Game BGM | Yuka Tsujiyoko | Hirokazu Tanaka | 2:01 | Download | |
| 06 | Game End Jingle 3 | Yuka Tsujiyoko | Hirokazu Tanaka | 0:04 | Download | |
| 07 | Game End Jingle 4 | Yuka Tsujiyoko | Hirokazu Tanaka | 0:05 | Download | |
| 08 | Tournament: Game Start Jingle | Yuka Tsujiyoko | Hirokazu Tanaka | 0:02 | Download | |
| 09 | Tournament BGM | Yuka Tsujiyoko | Hirokazu Tanaka | 0:52 | Download | |
| 10 | Game End Jingle 5 | Yuka Tsujiyoko | Hirokazu Tanaka | 0:05 | Download | |
| 11 | Player Wins | Yuka Tsujiyoko | Hirokazu Tanaka | 0:09 | Download | |
| 12 | Certificate of Commendation | Yuka Tsujiyoko | Hirokazu Tanaka | 0:19 | Download | |
| 13 | Game End Jingle 6 | Yuka Tsujiyoko | Hirokazu Tanaka | 0:05 | Download | |
| 14 | Player Loses | Yuka Tsujiyoko | Hirokazu Tanaka | 0:08 | Download |
Credits
- Ripper: MrNorbert1994
- Recorder: Doommaster1994
- Game Credits
- 音楽 〈デモンストレーション、マッチプレイ音楽作曲〉 (Music <Demonstration, Match Play Music Composition>): Koichi Sugiyama credited as すぎやま こういち (Sugiyama Kouichi)
- Staff: Yuka Tsujiyoko credited as Yuka Banba
- Uncredited Arranger/Programmer: Hirokazu Tanaka
The back of the game's manual attributes the Demonstration and Match Play theme to Koichi Sugiyama.
There is a hidden credits scroll in the game, first discovered by CaH4e3, over 30 years after the game's release. At the ending screen, wait for three minutes after all of the text appears on screen. Then, hold Right+B+A on controller 2 and Left+Down+Select+A on controller 1, both at the same exact time, and the credits will display. The Demonstration/Match Play music plays on this screen.
Though the game only lists the names of the developers, Yuka Tsujiyoko (listed as her maiden name, Yuka Banba) appears to be the only member of the staff who has received music credits in other games by the same developer released around the same time, so the music has been attributed to her. The person listed above, Mayumi Morita, appears to have no prior credits, so it's possible, though unlikely, that she contributed music and/or sound effects.
Game Rip
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Ripping NES music is a very arduous process that is beyond the scope of this site. The recording was made in NSFPlay Synthesia Mod.
Audio Devices
The game uses the 2A03 of the NES, as well as the RPC233 of the Famicom Disk System. It uses Hirokazu Tanaka's sound driver.
Releases
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Links
- gamefaqs.gamespot.com/famicomds/922361-backgammon - GameFAQs.
- w.atwiki.jp/gamemusicbest100/pages/6405.html - Atwiki.jp (Japanese).
