Play Secret Ties (Proto) Online

Summary

Secret Ties, the elusive NES prototype, is essentially an English‑language makeover of the unreleased Famicom title Master Thief Sugar. The game never saw a commercial launch, which makes every surviving cartridge feel like a hidden treasure for collectors.

The project was handled by Vic Tokai, the studio that later earned a reputation for its Golgo 13 adaptations. Their involvement hints at a level of polish and narrative ambition that was rare for a game stuck in limbo.

What’s especially intriguing is the source material: the game draws its story from an early‑1970s comic created by Takao Saito, the mastermind behind the Golgo 13 series. That comic‑book lineage gives Secret Ties a gritty, espionage‑flavored backdrop that sets it apart from typical platformers of its era.