JoJo's Bizarre Adventure (Capcom)

JoJo's Bizarre Adventure is a 2D fighting game developed and released by Capcom, based on the manga of the same name (specifically its third part, Stardust Crusaders).

In its original arcade format, the game was initially released as JoJo's Venture (JoJo's Bizarre Adventure in Japanese). About ten months later, a revision adding new characters and altering various game mechanics was released, titled JoJo's Bizarre Adventure (bearing the subtitle Heritage for the Future in Japan). The two contemporary console conversions took disparate approaches: the PlayStation port blended the aesthetics of the first version with the added features of the second and added a "Super Story Mode" that more thoroughly adapts the original manga's story through mini-games, while the Dreamcast version was a more accurate conversion that included both versions on a single disc. In Japan, the latter console would also receive a special version of the game that allowed for online multiplayer: JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Heritage for the Future for Matching Service.

The game was rereleased digitally on both Xbox Live Arcade and PlayStation Network in 2012 before being delisted in 2014 (after Bandai Namco acquired the license to the manga). This version (titled JoJo's Bizarre Adventure HD ver.) included worldwide online play and optional graphical alterations.

History

Hirohiko Araki, the creator of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, provided a new design for the character Midler for the game. (While she technically appeared in the original manga, she is only seen briefly; among other features, her face is entirely hidden from view.)

• Game Informer covers a "name change" from JoJo's Venture to JoJo's Bizarre Adventure (December 8, 1999)
• "Tommo Inks Deal With Capcom to Exclusively Distribute Japanese Hit Game 'JoJo's Bizarre Adventure'" (press release about North American release; March 2, 2000)

Previews

Arcade

JoJo's Venture (initial version)

• 
  EGM (May 1999)

Console conversions

PlayStation

• 
  Blurb from GameFan (April 1999)
• 
  Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine (August 1999)
• 
  Blurb from EGM (February 2000)
• 
  Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine (February 2000)

• IGN preview

Dreamcast

• 
  Blurb from EGM (December 1999)
• 
  Blurb from GameFan (December 1999)
• 
  Neo Plus (in Polish; January 2000)

Features

Console conversions

Dreamcast

• 
  Dreamcast Magazine (JP; March 12, 1999)
• 
  Dreamcast Magazine (JP; October 8, 1999)
• 
  Dreamcast Magazine (JP; November 12, 1999)
• 
  Dreamcast Magazine (JP; December 3, 1999)
• 
  Dreamcast Magazine (JP; December 10, 1999)
• 
  Dreamcast Magazine (JP; December 17/24, 1999)
• 
  Dreamcast Magazine (JP; December 24, 1999)
• 
  Dreamcast Magazine (JP; December 31, 1999)
• 
  Dreamcast Magazine (JP; February 4, 2000)
• 
  In-depth guide from Expert Gamer (March 2000)
• 
  Explanation of unlockable content from GameFan (August 2000)

for Matching Service

• 
  Dreamcast Magazine (JP; October 27, 2000)

Interviews

Console conversions

PlayStation

• Japanese developer interview from the conversion's official website (archived via Wayback Machine on November 28, 1999)

Advertising

Arcade

JoJo's Venture (initial version)

• 
  Japanese arcade flyer (1998/1999)
• 
  Japanese promotional poster (1998)
• 
  Capcom Secret File #23 (featuring concept art and other details; 1998)
• 
  European arcade flyer (1999)

JoJo's Bizarre Adventure (revision)

• 
  Japanese arcade flyer (1999)
• 
  Japanese promotional poster (1999)

Console conversions

• 
  North American print ad from Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine (March 2000)

PlayStation

• 
  Japanese promotional poster (1999)

• Japanese television commercial:
  • 30 second version (alternate upload with English subtitles by Chris Aaron)
  • 15 second version

Dreamcast

• 
  Dreamcast Magazine (JP; November 26, 1999)
• 
  Japanese promotional poster (1999)
• 
  Spanish Dreamcast ad featuring JoJo's Bizarre Adventure in Next Level (June 2000)

Reviews

Arcade

JoJo's Venture (initial version)

• 
  GamePro (May 1999)

Console conversions

• 
  MAN!AC (in German; August 2000)

PlayStation

• 
  Import review from GameFan (January 2000)
• 
  GamePro (March 2000)
• 
  NextGen (March 2000)
• 
  PSM (March 2000)
• 
  Video Games (in German; June 2000)

• GameSpot review (December 10, 1999; archived via Wayback Machine)
• IGN review (April 12, 2000)
• Game Informer review under the title JoJo's Venture (last updated on May 1, 2000; archived via Wayback Machine)
• Allgame review (archived via Wayback Machine)

Dreamcast

• 
  Dreamcast Magazine (JP; December 3, 1999)
• 
  Import review from Dreamcast Magazine (UK, Paragon Publishing; released December 23, 1999)
• 
  Import review from Consoles + (in French; January 2000)
• 
  Import review from Edge (February 2000)
• 
  Import review from GameFan (February 2000)
• 
  EGM (March 2000)
• 
  Import review from Gamers' Republic (March 2000)
• 
  DC-UK (April 2000)
• 
  Dreamcast Monthly (April 2000)
• 
  Dreamcast Magazine (UK, Paragon Publishing; released March 23, 2000)
• 
  Mr. Dreamcast (April 2000)
• 
  Consoles + (in French; April 2000)
• 
  GamePro (April 2000)
• 
  Official Dreamcast Magazine (UK; May 2000)
• 
  Revista Oficial Dreamcast (in Spanish; May 2000)
• 
  Joint review alongside Tech Romancer in Dreamcast: Le Magazine Officiel (in French; May/June 2000)
• 
  Video Games (in German; June 2000)
• 
  Excerpt from a reader ranking in Dorimaga (in Japanese; October 11, 2002)

• GameSpot review (December 10, 1999)
• Game Informer review (last updated on March 31, 2000; archived via Wayback Machine)
• Eurogamer review (April 27, 2000; archived via Wayback Machine)
• IGN review (May 2, 2000)
• PlanetDreamcast review (May 8, 2000; archived via Wayback Machine)
• Allgame review (archived via Wayback Machine)

for Matching Service

• 
  Excerpt from a reader ranking in Dorimaga (in Japanese; October 11, 2002)

HD ver. (digital rerelease)

• GameZone review (August 23, 2012; archived via Wayback Machine)
• GameSpot review (August 29, 2012)
• IGN review (September 3, 2012)

PlayStation Network

• GameRevolution review (September 5, 2012)
• Eurogamer review (September 6, 2012; archived via Wayback Machine)
• Destructoid review (September 6, 2012; archived via Wayback Machine)
• The Digital Fix review (September 28, 2012; archived via Wayback Machine)

Xbox Live Arcade

• Official Xbox Magazine review (August 22, 2012; archived via Wayback Machine)

Sales charts

Arcade

JoJo's Venture (initial version)

• 
  JoJo's Venture was the third best-selling arcade software in Japan during the year 1999, according to Game Machine (February 2000)

Console conversions

Dreamcast

• 
  2nd on SoftBank's Dreamcast charts with 51,538 total sales, as printed in Japan's Dreamcast Magazine (December 24, 1999)
• 
  4th on SoftBank's Dreamcast charts with 62,100 total sales, as printed in Japan's Dreamcast Magazine (December 31, 1999)
• 
  8th on SoftBank's Dreamcast charts with 68,616 total sales, as printed in Japan's Dreamcast Magazine (January 7, 2000)
• 
  In America, the Dreamcast conversion sold 25,023 units between its release in late April 2000 and January 2003, according to NPD's Dreamcast charts (January 2003)

Official websites (archived via Wayback Machine)

Arcade

JoJo's Venture (initial version)

• Official Capcom Japan site (captured October 12, 2000)

JoJo's Bizarre Adventure (revision)

• Official Capcom Japan site (captured January 24, 2001)

Console conversions

PlayStation

• Official Capcom Japan site (captured November 28, 1999)
• Capcom USA site listing (captured April 8, 2000)

Dreamcast

• Capcom USA site listing (captured May 11, 2000)
• Sega of America site listing (captured June 20, 2002)
• Sega of Japan site listing (captured January 30, 2008)

for Matching Service

• Official Capcom Japan "new products" site (captured January 24, 2001)
• Official Capcom Japan site (captured April 7, 2001)
• Sega.com.hk listings:
  • Chinese (captured March 4, 2001)
  • English (captured March 5, 2001)
• Sega of Japan website listing (captured January 30, 2008)

HD ver. (digital rerelease)

PlayStation Network

• Japanese mini-site

Forum posts

Console conversions

• Capcom BBS topics (archived via Wayback Machine):
  • "Release Dates" (April 22, 2000; a question about when the Dreamcast conversion would release in America)
  • "Does ANYONE know if Super Story Mode is in the DC Version?" (started August 13, 2000; the answer is no)
  • "Who's your fav dude in JOJO's venture?" (started July 13, 2000)
• Brief conversation on uk.games.video.dreamcast concerning the Dreamcast conversion's UK release date

Miscellaneous

Console conversions

Dreamcast

• 
  UK release date, as mentioned in that region's Official Dreamcast Magazine issue 7 (May 2000)