Ginga Ninkyouden (1988)

Jaleco’s 1987 arcade action game Ginga Ninkyouden (“Tale of the Galactic Yakuza”) tells the story of Yatchan, a young gangster who won a heart of his boss, Clis. Their peaceful days come to a sudden end when King Cobra, being a jerk he is, whisks away his beloved to the other side of the galaxy. So begins Yatchan’s adventure to rescue her, as he fights his way through Cobra’s army assembled across time and space. However, a closer inspection on the game will reveal a twist: the whole thing is one big movie production, both Yatchan and his girlfriend being actors in it.

• Release Date: January 1, 1988