Archive of Building Rescue, an action game for the SHARP PC-E500 series pocket computers.
This repository preserves the original source code, binary, and documentation for the game, along with historical notes and a gameplay demonstration.
A pseudo 4-level grayscale LCD technique discovered during development is demonstrated in the title screen and the ending demo.
On the title screen, the effect is produced by alternating two bitmap planes with an explicit 2:1 time ratio.
The ending demo uses the same two-plane display method, but its timing differs because music playback is interleaved with the display loop.
The slow response of early STN LCD panels blends these rapidly alternating frames, producing several apparent brightness levels without spatial dithering.
This technique relies on the relatively slow response time of early STN LCD panels.
Example captured from real hardware (PC-E550).
Building Rescue is a building-climbing action game for the SHARP PC-E500 series.
The player controls a climber ascending the exterior of a building while avoiding falling objects and enemy attacks in order to reach the rooftop and rescue Mizuho.
The game was originally created in 1994, during the Japanese pocket computer hobbyist era.
According to the included documentation, the game features:
- full character animation
- pseudo-grayscale demo graphics (title and ending screens)
- enhanced sound
- PCM-style sound effects
- optional SCC sound support
If SCC hardware is not connected, the game can also use the built-in BEEP sound.
The game concept was inspired by the arcade game Crazy Climber.
Tested on:
- SHARP PC-E550
- ROM Version 7.5
Required environment:
- SHARP PC-E500 series compatible machine
- 32 KB RAM or more
This repository is organized into the following directories:
Original program data and source files:
- BR.OBJ — game object file
- BR_original.asm — original assembler source
- BR_UTF8.asm — UTF-8 converted source
- BR.INF / BRINF.TXT — original distribution metadata
- BR110.TXT — later archive notes (2008)
- br110.zip - orignai archive
The original distribution format was LZH; however, only the later ZIP archive (Vector distribution) is currently available and preserved here.
Documentation and reference materials:
- BR110-manual_ja.md / en.md — game manual
- BR-inf_ja.md / en.md — original information text
- images/OpeningDemo.jpg — real hardware capture
- images/pj_plaza_comic.png — related comic material
Technical analysis and reverse engineering notes:
- patch verification
- binary analysis
- hardware behavior documentation
Reconstruction and build-related materials
The included documentation explains loading the object file at address &BB000.
Example BASIC commands:
POKE &BFE03,&1A,&FD,&B,&0,&50,&0:CALL&FFFD8
LOADM "L:BR.OBJ"
CALL &BB000
The player climbs the building by alternating left and right arm movement.
While climbing, the player must:
- move horizontally to avoid falling hazards
- brace against certain obstacles
- continue ascending toward the rooftop
The game contains four stages, after which the game loops.
Gameplay demonstration on real hardware:
https://youtu.be/i-AIbPmVMRU?si=nEv5tjyE0GfvfhcW
- docs/BR110-manual_ja.md — Japanese
- docs/BR110-manual_en.md — English
- docs/BR-inf_ja.md — Japanese
- docs/BR-inf_en.md — English
Kenkichi Motoi
- game design
- scenario
- music
- graphics
- test play
- debugging
GAME Shokunin
- programming
- debugging
- test play
For questions or historical information about the game:
Motoi Kenkichi
https://x.com/qptn/
Geimu Shokunin
https://x.com/k2PSyIqxDKciBXA
You may also open an Issue in this repository.
During the late 1980s and early 1990s, Japanese pocket computers such as the SHARP PC-E500 series supported an active hobbyist development culture.
Many original games and utilities were distributed through magazines, bulletin board systems, and later through early online archives such as Vector.
Building Rescue reflects this era of independent software development on pocket computers.
The game graphics were created using a cross-development workflow on the NEC PC-9801.
A custom conversion tool called GVR2LCD.EXE converted PC-9801 two-plane VRAM image data into PC-E500 compatible assembler text.
Both systems used the same pixel resolution and a similar two-plane structure, so the tool primarily converted the bit ordering and VRAM layout between the two machines.
This repository is intended as a historical preservation archive of the original PC-E500 game materials.
According to the included documentation (2008 archive notes), the author permits:
- analysis
- research
- modification
- redistribution
However, the documentation requests that commercial reuse of the source code be reported to the original author.
The original documentation from the 1994 archive and the later Vector distribution notes are preserved in the included text files.
Original version released July 7, 1994.
The original version of Building Rescue was first released on the BBS service Pocket Communication operated by Kogakusha.
A simplified version of the game titled “Building Rescue Version 1.1 (mini)” was later published in Pocket Computer Journal, September 1994 issue.
Authors:
- Kenkichi Motoi
- GAME Shokunin
The character “Mizuho Senpai”, who appears in this game, originally appeared in a small comic drawn by the author for the “PJ Plaza” section of Pocket Computer Journal.
PLAY3 Archive
https://github.com/gikonekos/PLAY3-Archive
This project is based on the original software Building Rescue (1994).
The original program is distributed under the following freeware terms:
This repository exists for historical preservation and research purposes.
This program is distributed as freeware.
Copyright is retained by Eiji Kako and Shigeto Kon.
Redistribution and re-publication are permitted, provided that:
- the program is not modified,
- it is not used for commercial purposes, and
- the authors’ rights are not infringed.
As long as these conditions are met, the program may be freely distributed and shared.
Support is provided via the website:
http://www.kako.com/
Useful sample code and related materials are available there.
Finally, we would like to express our gratitude to the original author, Shigeto Kon,
for granting permission to modify and publish the source code and documentation.
Thank you very much.
このプログラムはフリーウェアです。著作権は加古英児および近成人が保持します。
配布や転載は、改変せずに、営利を目的とせずに、作者の持つ著作上の権利を侵害しないようにしてもらえれば、あとは自由に配布転載して結構です。
インターネットのWWWのページ( http://www.kako.com/ )にてサポートを行います。
役に立つサンプルのコードなどを用意しております。
最後になりましたが、原作者の近成人氏には原作のソースとドキュメントに手を加え発表することを許可いただきました。どうもありがとうございました。
- Copyright is retained by the original authors
- Redistribution is permitted if:
- no modification is made
- it is not used for commercial purposes
- the authors' rights are not infringed
This repository preserves the original work and provides reconstruction and analysis for archival purposes.