Frank Cirocco was born in 1956 and began his career as an illustrator in 1976. He has worked in comics on series such as Alien Legion (which he co-created) and Defenders, and collaborated with Marvel from 1983 to 1987.
In 1981, he illustrated the short comic included with the Atari 2600 game Yar's Revenge. This wasn't the only video game-related comic he worked on, as in 1988 he drew the short series Defenders of Dynatron City, produced by Lucas Arts in parallel with an NES game.
It was mainly from the 2nd half of the 80s onwards that he became very active in the video game industry, working with companies such as Capcom, SNK, Taxan, EA, Renovation. He even became the main illustrator for the American branch of Data East, illustrating both game covers and arcade cabinets.
At the end of 1993, Cirocco joined Rocket Science Games, a video game company which at the time was courting a number of artists who already enjoyed a certain reputation. Several developers and/or artists who had worked at LucasArts and ILM were hired or even poached. Brian Moriarty, David Fox, Ron Cobb and Cirocco were among the recruits to this studio, which never really took off and cancelled most of the games it announced. It closed its doors in 1997, less than 4 years after its creation. Cirocco himself worked on several games at Rocket Science until he left in 1995, but of these only Cadillacs and Dinosaurs: The Second Cataclysm, adapted from the comic by Mark Schultz, saw the light of day. He co-created the game with David Fox and served as art director.
Frank Cirocco has also drawn some illustrations for GamePro magazine, including card illustrations for the game Mutant League Football. According to him, his designs were so popular that those for the game, which was then in production, were modified to better suit his style.
Games
Other video game related works
To be confirmed
Gallery Part 1
Gallery Part 2
Gallery Part 3
Gallery Part 4
Gallery Part 5
8 Eyes / エイト・アイズ (NES - 1988)
Cover art + promotional illustration for the US version (Source: signature found on each artwork)
Alien Syndrome / エイリアンシンドローム (Arcade - 1987)
Cabinet art for the US version (Source: confirmed by the artist on Facebook)
Alpha Mission, AKA ASO / エー・エス・オー (NES - 1986)
Cover art for the US and European versions (Source: signature found on the artwork)
Note: artwork also used for the flyer of the arcade game The Next Space (1989) (Cirocco only found out about this recently, as SNK never warned him about it.)
Arrow Flash / アローフラッシュ (Mega Drive - 1990)
Cover art for the US version (Source: signature found on the artwork)
Athena / アテナ (NES - 1987)
Cover art for the US version (Source: signature found on the artwork)
Atomic Runner: Chelnov / チェルノブ (Arcade - 1988)
Cabinet art for the US version (Source: mentioned by the owner of the original artwork)
Avengers, AKA Hissatsu Buraiken / 必殺 無頼拳 (Arcade - 1986)
Cabinet art for the US version (Source: confirmed by the artist on Facebook)
Baseball Stars / ベースボールスター (NES - 1989)
Cover art for the US version (Source: confirmed by the artist on Facebook)
Bionic Commando, AKA Top Secret / トップシークレット (Arcade - 1987)
Flyer illustration for the US version (Source: mentioned by the owner of the original artwork)
Bionic Commando, AKA Hitler no Fukkatsu: Top Secret / ヒットラーの復活: Top Secret (NES, DOS - 1988)
Cover art for the US version (Source: signature found on the artwork)
Breakers (Atari ST, C64, DOS - 1986)
Manual illustrations for the US version (Source: signature found on each artwork)
Bubsy in: Claws Encounters of the Furred Kind, AKA Yamaneko Babujī no Daibōken / やまねこバブジーの大冒険 (SNES, Mega Drive - 1993)
Additional Animation and Backgrounds (Source: in-game credits)
Burai Fighter / Burai Senshi / 無頼戦士 (NES - 1990), AKA Burai Fighter Deluxe (Game Boy - 1990)
Cover art for the US and European versions (Source: signature found on the artwork)
Burger Time / バーガータイム (NES - 1985)
Cover art for the US version (Source: signature found on the artwork)
Cadillacs and Dinosaurs: The Second Cataclysm (Mega-CD - 1994, DOS - 1995)
Co-director (Source: credited on the cover)
Production design, narrative artwork (Source: in-game credits)
Carmen San Diego (??)
Character design (Source: Source: mentioned by the owner of the original artwork)
Castle of Dragon, AKA Dragon Unit / ドラゴンユニット (Arcade - 1989)
Flyer illustration for the US version (Source: signature found on the artwork)
Castlequest, AKA Castle Excellent / キャッスルエクセレント (NES - 1986)
Cover art for the US version (Source: original artwork sold on Worthpoint)
Centipede (Game Boy - 1992)
Cover art (Source: preliminary sketch auctioned in 2023)
Cobra Command / コブラコマンド (NES - 1988)
Cover art for the US version (Source: confirmed by the artist on Facebook)
Commando (C64 - 1985, Atari 2600, PC - 1988, Atari 7800 - 1989)
Cover art for the US version (Source: credited on the back of the manual of the C64 version)
Double Dragon II: The Revenge / ダブルドラゴンII ザ・リベンジ (Arcade - 1988)
Cabinet art for the US version (Source: confirmed by the artist on Facebook)
Dynasty Wars, AKA Tenchi wo Kurau / 天地を喰らう (Arcade - 1989)
Flyer illustration for the US version (Source: mentioned by the owner of the original artwork)
Final Fight / ファイナルファイト (Arcade - 1989)
Cabinet art for the US version (Source: confirmed by the artist on Facebook)
Final Zone, AKA FZ Senki Axis / FZ戦記アクシス (Mega Drive - 1990)
Cover art for the US version (Source: mentioned by the owner of a preliminary sketch)
Forbidden Quest (PC Booter - 1983, Atari ST - 1985)
Illustrations (Artext prints) (Source: signature found on each artwork)
Gain Ground / ゲイングランド (Mega Drive - 1991)
Cover art for the US version (Source: signature found on the artwork)
Ghouls'n Ghosts, AKA Dai Makaimura / 大魔界村 (Arcade - 1988)
Cabinet and flyer illustrations for the US version (Source: confirmed by the artist on Facebook)
Gun.Smoke / ガンスモーク (NES - 1988)
Cover art for the US version (alternate version) (Source: signature found on the artwork)
H.E.R.O. (Colecovision, Atari 400-800 - 1984)
Cover art for the US version (Source: signature found on the artwork. preliminary sketch sold on Worthpoint)
Hippodrome, AKA Fighting Fantasy / ファイティングファンタジ (Arcade - 1989)
Marquee illustration for the US version (Source: signature found on the artwork)
Ikari Warriors II: Victory Road, AKA Ikari II: Dogosoken / 怒II 怒号層圏 (NES - 1988)
Cover art for the US version (Source: signature found on the artwork)
Karnov / カルノフ (Arcade - 1987)
Cabinet art for the US version (Source: mentioned by the owner of the original artwork)
Karnov / カルノフ (NES, PC Booter - 1987, C64 - 1988)
Cover art for the US version (Source: mentioned by the owner of the original artwork)
Kung-Fu Master (C64 - 1985, Atari 2600 - 1987)
Cover art for the US version (Source: mentioned by the owner of a preliminary artwork)
Mechanized Attack / メカナイズド・アタック (Arcade - 1989)
Cabinet art for the US version (Source: signature found on the artwork)
Mercs, AKA Senjō no Ōkami II / 戦場の狼Ⅱ (Arcade - 1990)
Flyer illustration / cabinet art for the US version (Source: confirmed by the artist on Facebook)
Might and Magic: Gates to Another World (Mega Drive - 1991)
Manual illustrations (with Jim Hummel) (Source: credited in the manual of the US version + signature found on each artwork)
Mr. Boogie (unreleased - ~1993)
Character concept art (Source: original artwork on sale)
Mutant League Football / ミュータントリーグ・ フットボール (Mega Drive - 1993)
Manual illustrations for the US version, ad (Source: credited in the manual of the US version)
Mutant League Hockey (Mega Drive - 1994)
Unused illustration (Source: mentioned by the artist on Facebook)
P.O.W. - Prisoners Of War, AKA Datsugoku / 脱獄 (Arcade - 1988)
Cabinet art for the US version (Source: mentioned by the owner of the original artwork)
Rampage (NES - 1988)
Cover art (Source: signature found on the artwork)
Ring King, AKA Family Boxing / ファミリーボクシング (NES - 1987)
Cover art for the US version (Source: confirmed by the artist on Facebook)
Shackled / シャックルド (Arcade - 1986)
Flyer illustration for the US version (Source: mentioned by the owner of the original artwork)
Shannara (DOS - 1995)
Character Art (Source: in-game credits)
Side Pocket / サイドポケット (NES - 1987)
Cover art for the US version (Source: confirmed by the artist on Facebook)
Space Knights (Atari 400 / 800 - 1983)
Cover art (Source: signature found on the artwork)
Star Trek (??)
Alien designs (Source: mentioned by the artist on Facebook)
Tag Team Wrestling, AKA Tag Team Pro-Wrestling / タッグチーム プロレスリング (NES, C64 - 1986, PC Booter - 1988)
Cover art for the US version (Source: signature found on the artwork)
T'ai Fu: Wrath of the Tiger (PS1 - 1999)
Character design (Source: mentioned by the artist on Facebook + in-game credits)
The Adventures of Rad Gravity (NES - 1990)
Manual art (short comic) (Source: credited in the manual)
The Manhole: New and Enhanced / ザ・マンホール (FM Towns - 1990, DOS, Windows - 1992)
Original Artwork/Color Artwork (Source: credited in the manual)
Victory Road, AKA Dogosoken / 怒号層圏 (Arcade - 1986)
Cabinet art for the US version (Source: )
Victory Road: Ikari Warriors Part II (PC Booter, C64 - 1987)
Cover art (Source: confirmed by the artist on Facebook)
Yar’s Revenge (Atari 2600 - 1981)
Comic bundled with the game (with Ray Garst, Hiro Kimura) (Source: credited in the comic)
GamePro - June 1993 (Magazine)
Mutant League Football card illustrations x24 (Source: mentioned by the artist on Facebook)
S.W.A.T. Pro - March 1992 (Magazine)
Cover art (Source: credited in the magazine)
S.W.A.T. Pro - October 1992 (Magazine)
Cover art (Source: original artwork auctioned in 2020)
The Official Rocket Science Guide to Cadillacs and Dinosaurs (Guide book - 1995)
Artwork (Source: credited in the book)
Bad Dudes vs. Dragon Ninja, AKA Dragon Ninja / ドラゴンニンジャ (Arcade - 1988)
Cabinet art for the US version (Source: )
Beast Busters (Arcade - 1989)
Flyer illustration for the US version (Source: )
Cobra Command / コブラコマンド (Arcade - 1988)
Cabinet art for the US version (Source: )
Double Dragon 3 (Arcade - 1989)
Preliminary art for the flyer of the US version (Source: )
Gain Ground (Arcade - 1988)
Cabinet art for the US version (Source: )
Heavy Barrel (Arcade - 1987)
Cabinet art for the US version (Source: )
Karate Champ (NES, Nintendo Disk System, etc.)
Cover art (Source: )
Midnight Resistance (Arcade - 1989)
Cabinet art for the US version (Source: )
Ring King, AKA King of Boxer / キングオブボクサー (Arcade - 1985)
Cabinet art for the US version (Source: )
Games
Other video game related works
To be confirmed
Gallery Part 1
Gallery Part 2
Gallery Part 3
Gallery Part 4
Gallery Part 5