Genesis Longplay #35: Joe & Mac

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Published on December 14, 2017 1:33:51 AM ● Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDAltiQo_40

Duration: 30:36

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Joe & Mac (ジョーとマック 戦え原始人 Joe & Mac: Tatakae Genshijin, lit. "Joe & Mac: Caveman Combat"), also known as Caveman Ninja, is a 1991 platform game released for the arcades by Data East. It was later adapted for the Super NES, Genesis, Nintendo Entertainment System, Game Boy, Amiga, and PC.

The game stars the green-haired Joe and the blue-haired Mac, cavemen who battle through numerous prehistoric levels using weapons such as boomerangs, bones, fire, flints, electricity, stone wheels, and clubs. The objective of the game is to rescue a group of women who were kidnapped by a rival tribe of cavemen. The game features a health system by which the player loses health over a period of time, apart from during boss battles. A two-player mode is available, in some versions both characters are capable of damaging each other.
The original arcade version and MS-DOS port have the distinction of allowing the player to select between different routes at the end of boss battles. Also, after defeating the final boss, the players can choose between three exits – each one leading to a slightly different ending sequence.

The game has been ported to many systems, many of which drop the name Caveman Ninja, referring to the game simply as Joe & Mac.
A Super NES version was developed and published in 1991 by Data East. That same year, another version was developed by Eden Entertainment Software and published by Takara for the Sega Genesis. In December 1992, a version for the NES was released. It was developed by Elite Systems and published by Data East. A Game Boy version, released in April 1993, was developed by Motivetime and was also published by Data East.

The Genesis version is considered a close match to the arcade version.
The Super NES version is a reworked game which features an overworld map used to choose the levels (unlike other versions all of them have to be played), which were longer, plus some bonus stages (either in the levels or out in the world map). Some of the weapons are missing and can no longer be charged up. The final boss is also different, and there is only one ending.
The NES and Game Boy versions lack the option of choosing levels.
In November 2009, Golgoth Studio announced plans to reboot the Joe & Mac series, following their completion of a Toki remake.