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This needs some investigation.
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A port of the arcade game where the player controls an excavator and performs various tasks, such as parking, digging, cooking, shopping, and even playing Irritating Stick.
Because that's what excavators were truly made for.
Debug Menu#
On the PlayStation version, there is a small menu that allows you to view VRAM. Once the code below is entered, press the SELECT button to enter the menu.
Japan (original) |
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Use the up and down to select, and Square to enter. The following options are available:
- EXIT - Closes the debug menu.
- VRAM - Displays the VRAM. Press again Square to close.
- RESET - Crashes the game.
Unused Graphic#
PACK.DAT, the main graphic repository file, contains a graphic which seems to be a leftover from a demo version:
(Source: tikal.)
Unused Text#
Build Date#
Located in the .ELF executable. Note the Y2K non-compliance, similar to that present in another Taito arcade port.
Japan (original) |
US/Europe |
Japan (Simple) |
|---|---|---|
0x89330 |
0x8D1E8 (US) / 0x8FAD0 (EU) |
0x897B8 |
Arcade Version Strings#
Also located in the .ELF executable. The listed offsets are in the order of Japan (original), US, Europe, and Japan (Simple).
0x89764 / 0x8D61C / 0x8FF64 / 0x89BF8:
PLEASE INSERT COIN0x8A0D8 / 0x8DF90 / 0x908E8 / 0x8A56C:
COIN ERROR
SERVICE SW ERROR0x8AEB0 / 0x8F010 / 0x924B8 / 0x8B33C: (note that in the original arcade game, these messages are shown as a graphic rather than plaintext)
THIS VIDEO GAME IS FOR USE
IN JAPAN ONLY.
SALES,EXPORTS,OR OPERATION
OUTSIDE JAPAN MAY VIOLATE
COPYRIGHT AND TRADEMARK
LAWS AND SUBJECT THE VIOLATOR
TO SEVERE PENALTIES.
IN THE NORTH AND SOUTH
AMERICAS ONLY.
OUTSIDE THESE TERRITORIES
MAY VIOLATE COPYRIGHT AND
TRADEMARK LAWS AND
SUBJECT THE VIOLATOR
THE EXCLUSIVE RIGHTS IN AND TO
THIS VIDEO GAME ARE OWNED
BY TAITO CORPORATION
THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.
THERE FORE,SUCH ACT AS IMITATING
THIS VIDEO GAME,OR MANUFACTURING,
SELLING,LEASING OR EXPORTING
ANY SIMILAR VIDEO GAME,WITHOUT
PERMISSION FROM TAITO CORPORATION
IS SUBJECT TO SEVERE PENALTIES.(Source: tikal.)
Version Differences#
Title Screen#
Every variant of the game uses a radically different title screen design. None of the international releases used the game's official English arcade title, Power Excavator.
The Simple 1500 re-release uses the international "Press Start Button" placement, too.
Japan (original) |
US |
|---|---|
 |
 |
Europe |
Japan (Simple) |
 |
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Announcer#
While the US version uses the original Japanese announcer, the European release changed it to an English announcer.
Special Controller#
The Japanese PlayStation releases include support for a special controller which resembles the design used in the original arcade release.
Oddities#
Untranslated Ending Credits#
In both of the game's international versions (Power Shovel and Power Diggerz), none of the staff roll is translated, so they all appear in Japanese much like the original Japanese version. Additionally, the branding for the Japanese title is still present on the menu background.