Epoch Barcode Battler

Summary

Perhaps the most unusual handheld ever is the Commerce Conflict: Barcode Battler by Epoch. This very successful device in Japan can read barcodes of everyday objects using a scanner and then transform this data into characters such as wizards or fighters, which are equipped with different values typical of the role. The characters can now compete against each other (even in two-player mode) like in a classic collectible card game. The Barcode Battler also features thirty-two prefabricated maps and a campaign mode in which the “secret keys” must be found in the “light worlds” to combat evil. Since the game is over 25 years old, many of the modern barcodes no longer work, as they are built differently. By the way, a certain Japanese noodle soup provides the best fighter in the whole game.