by Retired game developer Kevin Edwards recently tried Twitter to share his experience of the industry in the 1990s. While these posts certainly provide a deep dive into the intricacies of making a video game, so do the trials required when the development team is put under high pressure and tight deadlines.
One such post has been unpacked by the fine folks at Time Extension, where Edwards shares a less than forgiving facsimile of the 1992 SNES title Spider-Man and the X-Men in Arcade’s Revenge. Sent by Arcade’s Revenge publisher Acclaim (via their label LJN), the note details the changes that needed to be made to the platforming superhero.
These notes range from gameplay tweaks to clearly calling out individual members of the development team, though the one that really caught our eye sees Acclaim insisting the team change the name of the central location, “Murderworld,” to something less combative, we guess .
Below you can find the full cap-locked memo.
NINTENDO HAS INFORMED US THAT WE CANNOT USE THE TERM “MURDERWORLD” PLEASE REMOVE IT FROM THE ARCADE TEXT. YOU SHOULD JUST DELETE THE SECOND PART OF THE SENTENCE WHICH INCLUDES THE WORD KILLER WORLD, THE WORLD OF TRICO WILL NOT WORK.
We understand the desire to keep things kid-friendly, but come. Nintendo was fine releasing titles like Super Castlevania IV for crying out loud – “Murderworld” seems like a nice warm hug compared to that Dracula-chasing horrorfest. Combine that with the fact that the location has appeared numerous times in Marvel comics as a central Arcade hunting ground, the fact that it’s missing from the game is a bit suspicious. We have to keep them safe!
Our friends at Time Extension have dug even deeper into Edwards’ notes, detailing the other requests made by the developer team. Check out their full article to learn more.
Do you fondly remember Arcade’s Revenge? Head on over to the comments and let us know!
