Yomei Kensaku Sābisu X-DAY (lost Namco arcade quiz game; 1993)

The CD Cover of Namco Game Sound Express VOL.15 X-Day.

Status: Lost

Yomei Kensaku Sābisu X-DAY (余命検索サービス X-DAY) was an arcade quiz game released by Namco in 1993 (or possibly 1994), based around the premise of measuring the player's life expectancy. The game received a sequel in 1995 named Ren'ai Jumyō + Nikutai Jumyō X-DAY 2 (恋愛寿命+肉体寿命 X-DAY2), which is documented far more than the original. While there are no videos and few screenshots of the first game, Namco released an official soundtrack CD for the game, Namco Game Sound Express VOL.15 X-Day. This soundtrack CD contains (most likely) all the game's music tracks and some information about and images of the game. The only direct screenshots of the game that have been found are low-quality images on flyers from an auction site, archiving an old Yahoo sale. Many of the original X-DAY's cabinets seem to have been converted into X-DAY 2 cabinets, evidenced by the various photos of X-DAY 2 cabinets with the body that is used in the few available X-DAY cabinet images, but the headboard and game of X-DAY 2.

A doujin game, named SUPER X-DAY X: The New Challengers, was released in 1993 by WORKS&TRAX, a group that made doujin conversions of Namco arcade games for the Sharp X68000. This seems to be copying the formatting of X-DAY, as seen in the few screenshots available. An upgraded version, SUPER X-DAY X'95: Grand Master Challenge, was released in 1995, with new assets such as moving backgrounds. While this game seems to take some inspiration from X-DAY 2, it is still formatted similarly to the first game and uses a fire background similar to one of the few screenshots of the game that is available. These games may be a good guide to the original gameplay of X-DAY, considering the similarities of other WORKS&TRAX conversions to their originals. (e.g. XX-Files R, a Sharp X68000 conversion of Numan Athletics)

A web version of the game was made available in 1998, however, it seems to be extremely difficult, perhaps impossible, to get this version running. The "Information" page of the site describes a German and Swiss version of the game being released, which have little to no evidence outside of this page to exist and, considering the less serious nature of the page this mention is on, seem to be jokes. Mobile versions were also released, including a version for i-mode and the EZ Web/EZ Park service.

Gameplay

In Yomei Kensaku Sābisu X-DAY, a player would answer a series of questions based on five topics: "EATING", "BODY", "MIND", "ECOLOGY" and "SURVIVAL". After this, the "LUCK" phase would randomly choose a modifier to either increase or decrease the final score. This final score is displayed as a life expectancy, giving the player's supposed date of death according to how effectively they answered questions, their reaction speed and the outcome of their "LUCK" phase. This would then be printed out as either a "zombie certificate" if the life expectancy was negative, or a "survival certificate" if the life expectancy was positive.

Gallery

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  A flyer from a Yahoo auctions listing, showcasing screenshots of X-DAY 1 and 2

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  A signboard from the X-DAY arcade machine.

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  A photo of a certificate produced from Yomei Kensaku Sābisu X-Day.