Tattoo Assassins Revived: exA-Arcadia Brings Unreleased Data East Fighter to Modern Arcades

Tattoo Assassins, the cult-classic fighting game from Data East, is officially set for a revival thanks to exA-Arcadia.

Originally conceived in the early 1990s as a direct response to the booming popularity of Mortal Kombat in arcades, Tattoo Assassins was a North American endeavor by Data East aiming to make its mark with digitized graphics and over-the-top finishing moves.

Notably, the game's narrative was crafted by Bob Gale, the acclaimed co-writer of Back to the Future, infusing the title with cinematic flair and pop culture references. Despite high ambitions, Tattoo Assassins was never completed for commercial release.

Development was hampered by a tight production timeline, ultimately falling short of its nine-month goal.

The project faced further complications when Data East Pinball (later known as Stern) was acquired by Sega, leading to the cancellation of the arcade release.

Only a handful of prototype units survived early location tests, making functioning cabinets rare collector’s items.

While the ROM for Tattoo Assassins eventually surfaced online, it was plagued by bugs, unfinished content, and balancing issues, leaving fans with only a glimpse of its potential. This week, exA-Arcadia, a modern arcade platform known for revitalizing classic and unreleased projects, announced a major partnership to restore and complete Tattoo Assassins using the original source code.

Working closely with the rights holders of Data East’s library, exA-Arcadia is focused on rebalancing gameplay, addressing longstanding bugs, and introducing new content while preserving the spirit of the original design.

The forthcoming release will be optimized for current arcade hardware, boasting high-resolution graphics, scanline filters, low input latency, and other modern enhancements tailored for today’s arcade enthusiasts. Examined by historians for its audacious claim of over two thousand fatalities and unique finishing moves—including a DeLorean reference straight from Gale’s cinematic pedigree—Tattoo Assassins achieved legendary status despite remaining unfinished.

The revival aims to finally deliver a polished gameplay experience, making what was once an arcade legend a reality on exA-Arcadia systems worldwide. The revival of Tattoo Assassins stands as a testament to the enduring appeal of lost arcade gems.

By marrying Data East’s original vision with the technical advancements offered by exA-Arcadia, this long-unreleased fighter will soon have its moment in the spotlight.

Fans can look forward to enjoying a complete, bug-free version that pays homage to both arcade history and the creativity of its original developers.

exA-Arcadia arcade