Snatcher History

Snatcher History

1988 (1989?)	Konami released Snatcher for MSX2/PC88 platform. Only difference is the sound (MSX2=SCC, PC88=FM sound) and a few messages (system, Gibson's PC), This was the 3rd game now the world famous Kojima Hideo participated in Konami. Note PC88 Snatcher was the first Konami game for any home PC other than MSX.
1990	Konami released SD Snatcher for MSX2 platform. This RPG had a lot of difference from Snatcher, and on the other hand included ACT 3 prototype.
1992	Konami released Snatcher for PC Engine, several months after releasing "pilot disk" the trailer. PC Engine version included VOICES which only CD-ROM, the medium at that time PC-Engine was the only family console that could employ. PC Engine still had rough colors, but its storyline (with ACT3) became standard for later versions.
1994	Konami released Snatcher translated to English for Sega CD. Japanese counterpart was never released. A lot of people who played were quick to notice it's a Blade Runner clone. ;) This version went a lot of changes from Japanese counterparts, for instance "whale" as an endangered specie became "buffalo".
1996	Konami, as "remake", and partly as forerunner of Policenaut, released Snatcher for PSX and Sega Saturn. Graphics became fully colored.

Meanwhile...

1995-1996	A Dutch organization called Oasis, after success with SD Snatcher translation, attempted to translate Snatcher. After releasing Disk 1 with translated opening dialogue, their effort halted.
1998	I and Maarten reverse-engineered Snatcher text routine. Though we located several facts including all kanji fonts, we gave up text extraction.
1999	From almost nowhere, idea of porting PSX Snatcher to MSX sprang. Too wild idea, nothing was actually done.
2001	Artemio, with help of Frits, managed to extract texts out of MSX disks with relative ease.
2002	Daniel Caetano released initial Portuguese translation.
2003	Daniel Caetano released initial English translation.