Skip to content

Taito Z / H / X System converts

Three late-80s Taito platforms, 68000 + Taito customs, with no suicide encryption. Conversion = reprogram the ROMs; the only real lock is the C-Chip (see Taito B/F2), present on some Z and H games.

System Year Specificity C-Chip?
Z System 1987 sprite scaling/rotation (pseudo-3D, racing/rail games) yes (several games)
H System 1988 small system (3 games) yes (per game)
X System 1987 simple system with X1-00x customs rarely

Taito Z System

The most "spectacular": the hardware behind Chase HQ.

Block Chip
CPU 2× 68000 (master ~16 MHz, slave ~12 MHz)
Sound CPU Z80 @ 4 MHz
Sound YM2610 (FM + ADPCM)
Video Taito customs: sprite scaling/rotation, up to 5 planes; TC0220IOC I/O (per variant)
  • Pseudo-3D effect: dynamically resized sprites (cars approaching/receding) — same idea-family as Sega's Out Run.
  • Games: Continental Circus, Chase H.Q., Night Striker, S.C.I., Battle Shark, Aqua Jack, Space Gun, Racing Beat, Double Axle…
  • Protection: several titles (Chase HQ, SCI, Continental Circus…) use the C-Chip → conversion subject to the game's correct external C-Chip EPROM (see C-Chip).

Rare scaling customs

Taito's scaling customs are specific and rare: mind the contacts, the power, and be careful when repairing. A conversion assumes a working Z System donor board.

Taito H System

Small system (1988), close architecture (68000 + Z80 + YM2610 + customs). Games: Recordbreaker, Syvalion, Dynamite League. Some use the C-Chip → same conversion logic (game ROMs + correct C-Chip EPROM).

Taito X System (1987)

A simple system — not to be confused with the Taito Type X (2000s arcade PC)!

Block Chip
CPU 68000 (Toshiba TMP68000N-8, ~8 MHz)
Sound CPU Z80 (~4 MHz)
Sound YM2610 or YM2151 + YM3012 (per game)
Video customs X1-001A, X1-002A, X1-004, X1-006, X1-007; 384×240
  • Games: Superman, Gigandes, Kyustar, Ballbros, Daisenpu (Twin Hawk)…
  • Protection: usually no C-Chip → simpler conversions (reprogram EPROMs at the right sizes/positions + compatible donor board).

Program EPROM, game by game (Z / H / X)

68000 program in 27C010 (128 KB) almost everywhere. Z = often 2× or 4× depending on the game; H = 4×27C010; X = 2× or 4×27C010. (Source: MAME taito/taito_z.cpp, taito_h.cpp, taito_x.cpp. Z board view: System Z.)

System Game Program EPROM
Z Continental Circus 2× 27C010
Z Chase H.Q. 4× 27C010
Z Special Criminal Investigation (S.C.I.) 4× 27C010
Z Night Striker 4× 27C010
Z Battle Shark 4× 27C010
Z Aqua Jack 2× 27C010
Z Space Gun 4× 27C010
Z Double Axle / Racing Beat 4× 27C010
Z Enforce 2× 27C010
H Syvalion 4× 27C010
H Recordbreaker 4× 27C010
H Dead Ball League 2× 27C010 + 2× 27C512
X Superman 4× 27C010 (+ C-Chip)
X Gigandes 4× 27C010
X Balloon Brothers 2× 27C010
X Kyuukyoku no Striker 2× 27C010
X Daisenpu / Twin Hawk 2× 27C010

Reminders

  • C-Chip on some Z (Chase HQ, S.C.I., Continental Circus) and X (Superman) → the game's C-Chip EPROM is also required.

  • Taito X ≠ Taito Type X (the 2000s arcade PC) — see that page.

Converting (summary, common Z/H/X)

  1. Gather the target game's ROMs (68000, graphics, sound).
  2. Burn the EPROMs at the right sizes/positions; compatible donor board.
  3. C-Chip (Z/H affected): supply the target game's C-Chip with its external EPROM (common internal kernel) — see Taito B/F2.
  4. Test image, scaling (Z), sound (YM2610/YM2151), inputs.

Before / after

  • X System / no-C-Chip games: reprogram ROMs → another game, simple.
  • Z/H with C-Chip: conversion possible with the correct external EPROM.

Where to read more

Sources & attribution

Review & corrections

How this space is used

Spotted a wrong value, an outdated procedure, a chip reference that does not match your board? Say so here, with what you observed (model, board revision, serial number, measurement). Every report is cross-checked against a source before anything changes — an unverifiable correction is published as “reported by …, not cross-checked” rather than silently applied.

Reading is open to everyone; posting requires signing in with Discord. Reports from the wiki's declared reviewers are handled first; anyone else's are read too, but go through a human before anything is changed.