Tradewest co-founder passes away at 75
by Ben Gilbert 
{ Nov 15th 2009 at 7:30PM }
After fighting a long battle with illness, Tradewest co-founder and businessman Leland Cook passed away this week at the age of 75. He was known in the game industry for spearheading the American distribution and licensing of Ikari Warriors coin-op machines in 1986, bringing such Tradewest classics as Battletoads and Double Dragon to the US, and for appearing as the military colonel you save at the end of the first Ikari Warriors game ("Colonel Cook"). The Tradewest name was purchased by the now defunct Midway in 1996, though following the publisher's collapse, ex-Midway Europe boss Martin Spiess repurchased the name for use with his own startup. Mr. Cook hadn't been involved in the gaming industry for over 10 years, and instead served as the chairman of the board of Community National Bank of Texas Holding Company. He is survived by his wife of 56 years and his loving family.
[Via GoNintendo]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
adrewproductions @ Nov 16th 2009 12:57PM
loved battletoads 8'-
SpyderTaco (PSN: Ar4chNova89) @ Nov 15th 2009 7:34PM
RIP. Battletoads has brought us many great moments in prank call history.
CH3BURASHKA @ Nov 15th 2009 7:45PM
Lol, I was thinking the same. Never got through though, every single Gamestop I tried was already too pissed.
Awetoebawt @ Nov 15th 2009 7:53PM
Try Tallahassee.
StarFoxA @ Nov 15th 2009 8:08PM
Tallahassee? What relevance does my hometown have to any of this?
sony boy (6 years til sony man child!) @ Nov 15th 2009 8:10PM
then ask wal mart.
sony boy (6 years til sony man child!) @ Nov 15th 2009 7:39PM
RIP
thank you for making one of the hardest games of all time.
343 Guilty Fart @ Nov 15th 2009 7:41PM
C'MON LET'S FIGHT!
green11420 @ Nov 15th 2009 7:42PM
R.I.P.
THE WICKER MAN (BWF) (GT: Dalek Prime) @ Nov 16th 2009 1:47PM
Please stop wife arming this post.
Solace @ Nov 15th 2009 7:43PM
RIP
by the way his wife was 19 years younger them him and he brang BattleToads to the US i'd say he lived a damn good life
AJ @ Nov 15th 2009 8:06PM
They were *married* for 56 years - that means he married her when he was 19 (56+19=75).
MystileArmor @ Nov 15th 2009 8:12PM
AJ, with "wife of 56 years" they refer to her age, not the time they were married. I understand the confusion, though.
Chyld989 @ Nov 15th 2009 8:25PM
"wife of 56 years" means they were married for 56 years, not that she was 56 years old.
azuravian @ Nov 15th 2009 8:32PM
They had their 5th sons in 1970, which would be crazy for a woman who was only 56 today. They were definitely married for 56 years.
MystileArmor @ Nov 15th 2009 8:36PM
my bad...
MystileArmor @ Nov 15th 2009 7:44PM
Rest in peace, Leland Cook.
It's been a real pleasure having to have played such great classics as Battletoads and Double Dragon, two series of games I still go nuts over with nostalgia.
How about we honor this man with reboots of both series?
Cleric @ Nov 15th 2009 7:45PM
So now when I'm watching someone let Mario Bros Wii play the game for them, I can say 'Leland Cook is turning in his grave'.
RIP sir, thank you for bringing over my favorite NES game ever.
MystileArmor @ Nov 15th 2009 7:52PM
That made as much sense as an elephant and a birthday cake.
Awetoebawt @ Nov 15th 2009 7:56PM
Ummm....
what?
Ashitaka @ Nov 15th 2009 8:56PM
@ Awetoebawt
Exactly.
Special Agent Steve @ Nov 15th 2009 8:57PM
I'm pretty sure he's saying "Battletoads was so hard, it's a shame to see Nintendo making games so easy that you watch them being played". And something about his grave rolling down a hill.
Fuck it, I'm not a translator.
BigD145 @ Nov 15th 2009 7:47PM
11.7 billion dollar bailout recipient on 1/16/09. They have yet to pay back money to the Treasury.
Vote me down. Go for it. This guy spent his last years badly.
Look At This Suit @ Nov 15th 2009 7:51PM
Wow, you're an asshole.
Shmil @ Nov 15th 2009 7:54PM
Does bigd stand for big douche?
Darth Bradwart, The Dark Lord of the Sith-ATDF Co-Founder @ Nov 15th 2009 7:55PM
You win the low class award for the night.
Most banks were forced to take 'bailouts'. It was merely to keep them liquid.
Grow up.
Awetoebawt @ Nov 15th 2009 7:55PM
Fuck the government, fuck the treasury and fuck you.
sony boy (6 years til sony man child!) @ Nov 15th 2009 8:12PM
you're not worth down voting.
Darth Bradwart, The Dark Lord of the Sith-ATDF Co-Founder @ Nov 15th 2009 8:19PM
I find myself agreeing with Awetoebawt...
Awetoebawt @ Nov 15th 2009 8:58PM
You are learning the ways of the dark side...
Special Agent Steve @ Nov 15th 2009 8:58PM
THERE'S A WHOLE LOTTA FUCKING GOING ON AROUND HERE!
Darth Bradwart, The Dark Lord of the Sith-ATDF Co-Founder @ Nov 15th 2009 10:03PM
@Awetoebawt
That's my line.
Cleric @ Nov 15th 2009 8:10PM
how does it not make sense?
MystileArmor @ Nov 15th 2009 8:14PM
Because the New Super Mario Bros. game play mode has nothing to do with this man, that's why.
Also, there is a reply button. Unlike what you've might heard, it's not illegal or uncool to press it.
Darth Bradwart, The Dark Lord of the Sith-ATDF Co-Founder @ Nov 15th 2009 8:18PM
Apparently, the concept of a reply button also does not make sense.
It's a stupid joke.
Stupid as a screen door on a battleship...
;) (I'm aware, trust me)
nsdcx @ Nov 15th 2009 8:23PM
I can see the connection that's trying to be made.
Battletoads was localized by Tradewest. Battletoads is hard as hell. New Super Mario Bros. has the option of playing for you, thus being easy. Mr. Cook would turn over in his grave because his game was hard and now games are easy.
MystileArmor @ Nov 15th 2009 8:37PM
Yes and elephants do relate to birthday cakes.
Elephants have birthdays too, you know!
Anti-Villian @ Nov 15th 2009 10:11PM
have you fucking played new super mario bros wii? that shit IS HARD, the watch me do thing is in there because it IS HARD and you need to die 8 times in a row before you can even use it.
MechaGamerX @ Nov 15th 2009 8:28PM
We shall hold his funeral at a Gamestop.
WINterfang ( Now with the power to piss you off ) @ Nov 15th 2009 8:32PM
Why, so he can be close to hell?
He was probably a good guy, he don't deserve this.
Special Agent Steve @ Nov 15th 2009 8:59PM
-"Just like my grandfather, his soul passed through a flame before he died"
-"Dude, I'm pretty sure that means he went to hell"
*awkward pause*
WINterfang ( Now with the power to piss you off ) @ Nov 15th 2009 8:28PM
It was just his time, I hope he had a rich life and I desire the best for his family.
ChuckBartowski (ATDF Technical Consultant) @ Nov 15th 2009 8:34PM
:(
NintendoJunkie @ Nov 15th 2009 8:42PM
Battletoads was without a doubt one of THE BEST NES games EVER. It was so difficult but so fun. Renting that game & never being able to get past the part where you speed along having to make precise jumps.
Thank you for helping make one of my fav videogame memories happen.
Silent Protagonist @ Nov 15th 2009 8:50PM
I remember Ikari Warriors. I loved all three games in the series, especially 2. 2 was so wierd, what with all of the aliens and other oddball stuff. IW 3 was super easy. If I remember, you had unlimited continues and you simply respawned where you died, thus giving the game no challenge whatsoever. IW is a series I would love to see brought back to life. RIP. Oh yeah, don't forget about Battletoads vs. Double Dragon. That game was INSANE!!!!!!
iPunch @ Nov 15th 2009 8:58PM
If anyone wants to relive Battletoads you can do it here
http://www.virtualnes.com/play/?id=NES-8T&s=9
Special Agent Steve @ Nov 15th 2009 8:59PM
Thanks :D
jacob @ Nov 16th 2009 12:23AM
http://fc03.deviantart.net/fs29/f/2008/177/1/7/Mr__Larrity_by_Code_Monkeys_Fans.jpg
Sordid State of Eclairs @ Nov 16th 2009 3:01AM
damn cool that he lived to a nice old age. the illness sucks but, I hope he got everything out of life that he ever wanted.
ScottG13 @ Nov 16th 2009 8:52AM
Nintendo should send a make a charitable donation in his name for all the millions he generated in broken NES controllers in the racing stages of Battletoads.