Lost In Translation/Circus Charlie

This page is a stub for arcade games that are part of the Lost In Translation series using information based on MAME (version 0.113u2).
For an example of preferred content and layout please refer to Out Run or The Ninja Warriors.

Circus Charlie
Manufacturer	Konami
Released	1984
Control Method	2-way Joystick 1 Button(s)
Main CPU	M6809 (@ 2.048 MHz) Z80 (@ 3.580 MHz)
Sound CPU	Mono (2x) SN76496 (@ 1.790 MHz) DAC (3x) RC Filter
Video Details	Raster (Vertical) 256 x 224 pixels 60.00 Hz 32 Palette colours
Screens	1
ROM Info	18 ROMs 123,424 bytes (120.53 KiB)
MAME ID	circusc · circusc2 · circusc3 · circuscc · circusce

About The Game

Circus Charlie is a single-player abstract platform game in which the player must guide the eponymous Charlie through 6 different circus events; including fire rings, Tight Rope walking, Trampoline, Ball Walk, Horse Back, and Flying Trapeze. Bonus points can be won by finishing a level as quickly as possible, with further points awarded for collecting any of the money bags that occasionally appear. Finally, additional bonus points are awarded for completing a level without losing a life. The game is over when all Circus Charlies are lost.

The 6 different levels are :

1. Ride a lion through fire hoops and over fire pots.
2. Jump over monkeys while on a tightrope.
3. Bounce on trampolines, avoid flame breathers and sword jugglers.
4. Jump on giant, rolling beach balls.
5. Ride a horsewhile avoiding obstacles.
6. Trapeze.

Trivia

Released in April 1984.

Also licensed to Centuri for US manufacture and distribution (February 1984).

Alessandro Laini, Giuseppe Strangio, Lorenzo Grande, Maurilio Pintus, and Neil Chapman all hold the record for this game with 999,990 points on December 4, 1984; April 12, 1985; March 25, 1985; November 6, 1984; and June 5, 2000, respectively.

Alfa Records released a limited-edition soundtrack album for this game (Konami Game Music Vol.2 - ALC-22904) on 25/09/1986.

Tips and tricks

• Master the jump : Learning how Charlie can jump is the first step to mastering this game.
• Move forward and backward to adjust your position : If you just keep moving forward, there could be an obstacle at where you land after your jump. In such cases, move back a bit to adjust your position.
• Tons of secrets : There are a bunch of secrets bonuses hidden in this game: -

1. Fire rings : Jump through a ring from your back first or jump 3 times at the starting point. Then a Charlie doll will appear from the front hanging. Catch it and get an extra player!
2. Fire rings : Jump over a pot from your back first and a coin may appear from the pot. Catch it to obtain bonus points. However, it happens only once per level. From which pot the coin may appear is determined randomly.
3. Fire rings : If you get to the goal after getting all dollar bags, a hawk brings a dollar bag and you obtain bonus points. This happens only if you have made no misses in that level.
4. Tightrope : If you jump over the brown and purple monkeys at once, you get a 1,000-point bonus.
5. Tightrope : If you perform perpendicular jumps over all monkeys and complete the level, a hawk will bring a Charlie doll and you get an extra player.
6. Tightrope : Jump over the purple monkey from your back first and you get a 5,000-point bonus.
7. Tightrope : Touch the hook beyond the goal and a dollar back appears. Reach the goal and you get a 5,000-points bonus.
8. Trampoline : Get all dollar bags and reach the goal. A hawk will bring a dollar bag and you earn bonus points.
9. Acrobatic jump : Use the spring only once after jumping off the horse and get to the goal. A hawk will bring a Charlie doll and you get an extra player.
10. Trapeze : Grab onto a trapeze by skipping one and get bonus points.
11. Trapeze : Bounce off a trampoline and then grap onto a trapeze to get bonus points.

Cabinet and Artwork

• 

  Circus Charlie arcade cabinet.

• 

  Circus Charlie flyer.

• 

  Alternate Circus Charlie flyer.

• 

  Back of the alternate Circus Charlie flyer.

Ports

Consoles

Nintendo Famicom (1986)

Sony PlayStation (1999, "Konami Arcade Classics")

Computers

Commodore C64 (1984)

MSX (1984)

Soundtrack Releases

Album Name	Catalogue No.	Released	Publisher	Comments
Legend of Game Music 2 ~Platinum Box~	SCDC-00473~82	2006-01-18	Scitron Digital Contents	8 CD version.
Konami GM Hits Factory I	KICA-1122	1993-03-24	King Records	CD version.
Konami GAME MUSIC VOL.2	28XA-86	1986-09-10	Alpha Records	CD version.
Konami GAME MUSIC VOL.2	SCDC-00060	2001-01-11	Scitron & Art	CD version.
Konami GAME MUSIC VOL.2	ALR-22904	1986-09-10	Alpha Records	Vinyl version.
Konami GAME MUSIC VOL.2	ALC-22904	1986-09-10	Alpha Records	Cassette version.
Konami Special Music Golden Treasure Chest	220A-7721~3	1989-12-21	King Records Inc.	3 CD version.
Classic in Game Music - Legend Compilation Series	SCDC-00463	2005-09-21	Scitron Discs	CD version.

References

The contents of this page are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License.
The sources used include MAME (version 0.113u2) and history.dat (revision 1.28 - 2008-10-18).
Please see http://www.arcade-history.com for credits.