Top 150 Arcade Games Results Thread

[Sajoa Moe]

I cannot play Arm Champs at all because my forearm is too long. When I rest my elbow on the pad, my hand is at least one hand higher than the robot arm, and I can't grip it without bending my wrist at a 90-degree angle.

[Seth Drakin of Monster Crap]

90. Cabal

Cabal is a 1988 arcade game by TAD Corporation (licensed to Fabtek for US production). In this game, the player controls a commando, viewed from behind, trying to destroy various enemy military bases. Though typical for games of this era, the game did respectably in the marketplace.

The player assumes the role of an unnamed commando trying to destroy several enemy military bases. The player's character is seen from behind and initially starts behind a protective wall (the wall can get damaged by enemy fire). The player must use a limitless ammunition gun and a limited number of grenades to fend off enemy troops and damage the base. At the successful completion of a level, all the buildings onscreen collapse and the player progresses to the next stage. Boss fights however, start from beginning if player dies. (A feature criticised for many players. It can be circumvented, however, if two players play simultaneously and at least one stays alive at a given moment.)

Power-ups appear from time to time, being released from objects destroyed onscreen. Some power-ups give special weapons, many of which are formidable: One of them is an extremely fast machinegun and other one is an automatic shotgun which has a larger crosshair. (Which strangely enough, fires nearly as fast as default assault rifle)

Two players could play this game, cooperatively, simultaneously.

The game's cabinet is a standard upright. Each player uses a trackball to move the player from side to side. On later board revisions, a joystick was installed instead with an optional sub-pcb for use with a trackball.

[Seth Drakin of Monster Crap]

89. Hang-On

Hang-On is an arcade game released by Sega in 1985. In the game, the player controls a motorcycle against time and other computer-controlled bikes. The game was also built-in in some versions of the Sega Master System.

Using a behind the motorcycle perspective, the player races a linear race track divided into several stages within a limited time. Reaching a checkpoint at the end of each stage extends the time limit. The game ends if the time runs out.

The arcade game contains in-game billboards for Bridgestone (and their Desert Dueler tires), Shell, Garelli Motorcycles, TAG, John Player Special cigarettes, Forum cigarettes, and for "Marbor," an obvious parody of Marlboro cigarettes. There would be a controversy over cigarette ads in games marketed to children upon the release of another Sega racing game, Super Monaco GP in 1989.

There were two arcade cabinet designs -- the usual upright machine, only with a handlebar and brake levers (instead of a joystick and buttons), and a sit-down version which looked roughly like a real motorcycle. To steer, the player leaned to tilt the bike, which then steered the in-game bike. The screen was mounted into the windshield area of the bike.

[Seth Drakin of Monster Crap]

88. Ninja Gaiden

Ninja Gaiden is an arcade game released in 1988 in North America by Tecmo. This game is known in Japan as Ninja Ry¨±kenden (ÈÌÕßýˆ„‡», Ninja Ry¨±kenden? lit. "Legend of the Ninja Dragon Sword") and in Europe as Shadow Warriors.

In North America, it saw domestic releases on the Atari Lynx and PC (DOS based) as Ninja Gaiden. In Europe, it was released for the Amstrad CPC, Commodore 64, Commodore Amiga and ZX Spectrum as Shadow Warriors. The Atari Lynx version was also released in Europe, keeping its North American name, Ninja Gaiden.

It also inspired an action platform game for the Nintendo Entertainment System bearing the same name.

The arcade version of Ninja Gaiden is closer to the beat 'em up genre, similar in style to Double Dragon. The game stars a nameless ninja on a quest to defeat an evil cult led by a (fictional) descendant of Nostradamus. Upon starting the game, the player is greeted by the phrase "NINJA IN USA". The game can be played alone or cooperatively with a second player (who plays as a red-clad ninja).

In this game, the player's character must trek across the United States to fight several enemies along the way. The player must also use ninja tactics to get through some areas. For example, in some levels, the player must perform acrobatic stunts to get from one area to another via overhanging lights or poles. Also, from time to time, the player must perform a Tightrope Walk across poles, which requires the use of the button on top of the joystick.

This game is mostly remembered for two specific reasons. One reason is the absurd difficulty, as several enemies can be on screen at the same time, making it difficult to move. The game also throws players back to certain "check-points" in a level when they die; forcing them, in some instances, to fight through immensely difficult scenarios again.[citation needed] The other reason is its morbid and gruesome continue screen, where the main character is tied to a table while a saw is being lowered towards him.

[Al Wilson Lives: Thread Killer]

Tetris just barely cracked the top 100? I am shocked.

[Seth Drakin of Monster Crap]

87. Crazy Climber

Crazy Climber is a coin-operated arcade game produced by Nihon Bussan Co. Ltd in 1980. It was also released by UA Ltd. in 1982 for the Emerson Arcadia 2001 and other video game consoles.

In Crazy Climber the player assumes the role of a daredevil who is attempting to climb to the top of four skyscrapers. There are a number of obstacles and dangers to avoid including:
* Windows that open and close (the most common danger).
* Bald-headed residents (aka Mad Doctor), who throws objects such as flower pots, buckets of water and fruit in an effort to knock the climber off the building (with larger objects appearing by more aggressive Mad Doctors in later levels).
* A giant condor, who drops eggs and excrement aimed at the climber (two at a time in the early stages, as many as six or eight in later levels).
* A giant ape (styled like King Kong), whose punch can prove deadly (he becomes more aggressive in later levels).
* Falling steel girders and iron dumbbells (more numerous in the later levels).
* Live wires, which protrude off electric signs.
* Falling "Crazy Climber" signs.

Some of these dangers appear at every level of the game; others make appearances only in later stages. Should the climber succumb to any one of these dangers, a new climber takes his place at the exact point where he fell; the last major danger is eliminated.

One ally the climber has is a red "Lucky Balloon"; if he is able to grab it, the climber is transported up 8 stories to a window. The window that it drops the climber onto may be about to close. If the window that the climber is dropped onto is fully closed, the balloon pauses there until the window opens up again. The player does not actually earn bonus points for catching the balloon, but he is awarded the normal 'step value' for each of the eight floors that he passes while holding the balloon.

If the climber is able to ascend to the top of a skyscraper and grabs the runner of a waiting helicopter, he earns a bonus and is transported to another skyscraper, which presents more dangers than the past.

If the player completes all four skyscrapers, he is taken back to the first skyscraper, and the game continues to become more challenging.

Musical cues used throughout the game include "Baby Elephant Walk," "The Pink Panther Theme", and "The Entertainer." Some cues were played to announce a danger; others served as "victory" music.

The game also featured an early use of voice emulation. One example is the phrase "Go for it!" If the climber is not moved for several seconds a voice will be heard speaking this, encouraging the player to continue

Crazy Climber is one of the few video games to use two joysticks and no buttons.

The Family Computer version had a special controller that could be used with it.

A sequel, Crazy Climber 2, was produced for the arcades in 1988.

A sequel or remake, Crazy Climber Wii was released for the Nintendo Wii in Japan on December 20, 2007, but no US or European release date has been confirmed.

[Seth Drakin of Monster Crap]

86. The House Of The Dead III

The House of the Dead III is a 2002 light gun arcade game with a horror theme, and the third installment to the House of the Dead series of video games, developed by Wow Entertainment and Sega. It was later ported to the Xbox in 2003, PC in 2005, and the Wii, in a compilation with The House of the Dead 2, in 2008. The game continues the story of the previous games and introduces new gameplay concepts. The game's main protagonist is Lisa Rogan, daughter of Thomas Rogan, the first game's main character, and players control either Lisa or Thomas' former partner, G.

The House of the Dead III departs from the original games in many ways: the most obvious being weaponry and story branching. The former is immediately apparent upon playing the Xbox version. The shotgun used in the game no longer requires the traditional "shoot off-screen" reload, but rather reloads automatically. Reloading still takes time, but happens without prompt as soon as the gun needs it. The arcade version differs here, because there is the presence of light guns, allowing for similar speedy reloading. A reload is achieved by pumping the shotgun controller. While playing the game on Xbox, the light gun controller released by Madcatz may be used.

A branching storyline existed in the previous games, but was handled differently. In The House of the Dead III, the player is given options for navigating through the game prior to the start of most stages, ultimately going through the same areas with different results dependent on the order chosen.

Another important difference is the absence of civilians. Unlike the first two The House of the Dead games, in which players could rescue various people in peril, The House of the Dead III contains no extra personnel beyond those central to the plot. Instead, "Rescue Events" occur during each stage in which the player will need to rescue their partner from attacking zombies. An extra life is rewarded for each successful rescue.

A new concept of the series comes in the form of a "Cancel" bar. In previous installments, the bosses' weak point would only need to be shot once to stun the attack. In this game, the bosses' weak point must be shot repeatedly to drain the "Cancel" bar and stop the attack.

Another major change to the gameplay comes in the form of a new rank and grade system. Players are now graded on how fast they dispose of the zombies, ranging from Excellent, Good, Faster, and Twin Shot, the last taking place if two zombies are killed with the same bullet. A letter grade is also given at the end of each stage, ranging from S, A, B, C, D and E. Completing the stage with an A rank will award the player with one bonus life, while an S rank will reward the player with two. A final grade is given at the end of the game, and depending on how many S ranks were received for each stage, the player may be given a "SS" rank as their final grade.

Extra lives and bonus points are also handled differently. In the previous arcade installments, nothing would happen if a player had all five lives and gained another. Now the player can have up to nine lives at a time, and any additional lives are turned into bonus points. In the previous games, bonus points could also be gained by shooting hidden objects such as a golden frog or coin. The House of the Dead III expands upon this, introducing a silver coin that can be shot repeatedly, a wind-up robot that must be shot several times, and a golden miniature version of recurring boss The Magician. Decaying zombies and weak points on stunned bosses can also be shot repeatedly for extra points.

On the Xbox, PC, and Wii versions, there is a "Time Attack" mode where the player's lives come in the form of a timer, starting at 45 seconds. Excellent, Good, Faster and Twin Shots give extra time, as do clocks in the background, successful rescue events and end-of-stage bonuses. Getting hit by a zombie subtracts 7 seconds, projectiles subtract 5, and bosses subtract 15. Stunning a boss grants the player 10 seconds. Every successful hit on the final boss also grants two seconds, and does not require a stun. The game cannot be continued if the timer reaches zero, and at the end of each game Dr. Curien gives his analysis of the player's performance.

Set in the post-apocalyptic year of 2019, civilization has long since collapsed. Ex-AMS agent Thomas Rogan and his team of commandos investigate the EFI research facility, which may be linked to the world collapse. Thomas' 19-year-old daughter, Lisa, and Rogan's former partner, G, travel there two weeks later with shotguns in hand after contact with him is mysteriously lost.

Notorious for his role in the creation of the original undead horde, Dr. Curien's motives are explored through flashbacks. Several years before the Curien Mansion case, in an effort to discover the cure to his son's seemingly terminal illness, he began researching the nature of life and death. Over time however, he got so wrapped up in his research that he planned on using it to change the future, and began to lose his mind. Living in the shadow of her well-known father, Lisa muses with G about how she is often the subject of comparisons between her father and herself as the two explore the facility, only to come into contact with undead creatures such as EFI's giant one-zombie security force Death (Type 0011), a giant deformed sloth known as The Fool (Type 0028), and a mutant tendril-plant known as The Sun (Type 8830) that had taken over the building's biological laboratories.

At last, Lisa is reunited with her father. After that, a man wearing glasses named Daniel Curien (as seen from the flashbacks at the beginning of every chapter) walks in from behind the doors G threw open. He told Lisa, Thomas and G that Dr. Curien was his father and Thomas told the others that he saved his life. Then, Lisa and Daniel Curien, who has been seemingly cured of his illness, set out to destroy The Wheel of Fate (Type 0000), the final legacy of Dr. Curien which began around the same time as the Magician project in the first game. The genes of both the Magician and the Wheel of Fate, according to Curien, would change the future. After the scientist's death, he underwent a resurrection in the EFI research facility that would take nineteen years to complete. Daniel hacks the Wheel of Fate's programming, and together with Lisa, put it to rest once and for all as a sign of their readiness to confront the uncertain future.

At the game's conclusion, Ex-AMS agents Thomas Rogan and G are shown leaving the facility at night. Rogan thanks G for taking care of Lisa, but G denies it, saying that Lisa did a great job taking care of herself, and that she's starting to sound a lot like her father. One of four endings is then shown.

The game's standard ending shows Lisa and Daniel walking out. For a brief moment Daniel pauses to face the building and bid his father a final farewell, and swears he will not let his father's efforts go to waste. He also mentions that "If humans go down the wrong path again, I'll come back to this place." Afterward, he and Lisa leave together and go home.

In the game's second ending, Daniel begins to go insane and loses the will to move on, questioning his future. Despite the antidote that has cured his illness, a close up of Daniel's face reveals that he has become a zombie. Lisa screams in the background.

In the third ending, Lisa sees the car driving away, thinking that her father is leaving her and Daniel behind. However, Rogan and G are behind them, leaving Lisa and Daniel completely confused. It is then revealed that a zombie is driving away in it. Lisa begins to give chase after the stolen vehicle, yelling, "Hey! That's my car, you slimy bastards! Say your prayers!" We also see Daniel briefly going after Lisa, who is chasing the stolen vehicle.

In the fourth ending, a mysterious and unidentified man in a business suit wanders though the laboratory where the final battle with the Wheel of Fate took place. On the floor he finds one of the small glass vials containing the genes used as Daniel's antidote. Limping on his right leg, he picks up the vial and leaves, saying to himself, "It appears that he didn't understand its true purpose."

[Seth Drakin of Monster Crap]

Countdown Update:

150. Arch Rivals
149. Star Trek: Strategic Operations Simulator
148. Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike
147. Super Off Road
146. Primal Rage
145. Moon Patrol
144. Mortal Kombat 4
143. Submarine
142. Big Buck Hunter
141. Toki
140. Vs. Baseball
139. San Francisco Rush
138. Sunset Riders
137. NBA Jam
136. Golden Tee Golf
135. WWF Wrestlemania
134. Hogan's Alley
133. CarnEvil
132. Kung Fu Master
131. Berzerk
130. Tekken 5
129. Puzzle Bobble aka Bust A Move
128. Time Traveler
127. 3 Count Bout
126. Terminator 2: Judgement Day
125. Mr. Do!
124. Crisis Zone
123. Captain America and The Avengers
122. Joust
121. Track & Field
120. P.O.W.: Prisoners Of War
119. Area 51
118. Virtua Cop 3
117. Dig Dug
116. Gauntlet
115. King of the Monsters
114. ESP Ra.De.
113. 1942
112. Mercs
111. Street Fighter III: The New Generation
110. Out Run
109. Mappy
108. The Real Ghostbusters
107. Street Fighter Alpha 3
106. Saturday Night Slam Masters
105. Virtua Fighter
104. Elevator Action
103. Capcom vs. SNK: Millennium Fight 2000
102. World Heroes
101. 10-Yard Fight
100. Cruis'n Exotica
99. Tetris
98. Frogger
97. Mat Mania
96. Cruis'n World
95. Defender
94. Arm Champs II
93. Centipede
92. Yie Ar Kung Fu
91. Burgertime
90. Cabal
89. Hang-On
88. Ninja Gaiden
87. Crazy Climber
86. The House Of The Dead III

Here are the clues to the next five games.

* Aerosmith Is Captured By The NON Forces

* Based On The Walt Disney Movie

* Control The Vaus

* Outworld Invasion

* Three Different Tracks: Stunt, Autocross, And Super Stunt

[Johnny Danger (Godz)]

Sounds like....Revolution X and Mortal Kombat 3 are coming.

[Gopher Mod]

Jun 12, 2008 14:15:32 GMT -5 Johnny Danger (Godz) said:

Sounds like....Revolution X and Mortal Kombat 3 are coming.

As well as Tron.

[Gopher Mod]

Jun 12, 2008 13:56:10 GMT -5 Al Wilson Lives: Thread Killer said:

Tetris just barely cracked the top 100? I am shocked.

Think of it this way: most people probably don't remember that Tetris came out for the arcades (heck, I didn't even know until just then).

[Seth Drakin of Monster Crap]

85. Arkanoid

Arkanoid is an arcade game developed by Taito in 1986. It is based upon Atari's Breakout games of the 1970s. The title refers to a doomed "mothership" from which the Vaus escapes.

The player controls the "Vaus", a space vessel that acts as the game's "paddle" which prevents a ball from falling from the playing field, attempting to bounce it against a number of bricks. The ball striking a brick causes the brick to disappear. When all the bricks are gone, the player goes to the next level, where another pattern of bricks appear. There are a number of variations (bricks that have to be hit multiple times, flying enemy ships, etc.) and power-up capsules to enhance the Vaus (expand your Vaus, multiply the number of balls, equip a laser cannon, break directly to the next level, etc), but the gameplay remains the same.

At round 33, the final stage, the player will take on the game's boss, "DOH". Once a player reaches round 33, he must defeat DOH with his remaining extra lives because there are no continues on the final round.

Because of the game's popularity, four versions of the game were developed for the coin-op market: Arkanoid, Tournament Arkanoid and Revenge of Doh (Arkanoid II) both in 1987 and Arkanoid Returns in 1997.

Many of the 8-bit computer ports (ZX Spectrum, Amstrad CPC 464, Commodore 64, BBC Micro, MSX, Atari 8-bit, Apple II) were very popular in Europe in the 1980s. A console port on the NES was also popular, and the game was also ported for 16-bit computers Amiga, Atari ST, Apple IIGS and IBM PC. A port was released for the TRS-80 Color Computer in 1989. A Super NES version called Arkanoid: Doh It Again was released in 1997. Arkanoid Returns and a sequel, Arkanoid Returns 2000, were released in Japan for the PlayStation. 16-bit versions had identical graphics as the arcade game. Commodore 64 conversion of Arkanoid is known as the first game for the system to feature music that used digitized samples (composed by Martin Galway). Computer conversions were published by Imagine. A version for the Nintendo DS handheld, titled Arkanoid DS, was released in Japan, with a North American release coming on August 1, 2008.

The controls used by various conversions differ from machine to machine, and some conversions allow for multiple control methods. The two basic control methods are digital and analog. Digital controls (many joysticks and control pads, and keyboards) are considered less desirable than analog controls (most mice, trackballs, and paddles); while digital controls limit the player to single-speed control, analog controls allow the player to move the Vaus at nearly any desired speed across the screen. The NES version of Arkanoid was originally packaged with what's considered one of the rarest of all NES controllers, the Vaus Controller: a small gray controller featuring one button, a small spinner (with limited turn radius), an adjustment port, and the Taito logo. While the game may be played with the standard digital NES control pad, optimum gameplay is achieved with the Vaus Controller. Latter-day MAME arcade cabinet developers have created customized spinner controls to further simulate the arcade experience, although the Arkanoid controller had quirks which have made it difficult to achieve 100% reproduction. The Japanese DS version features an optional paddle controller that connects in the Game Boy Advance slot, but the paddle controller is not being released in America.

Arkanoid has remained a popular game and is commonly cloned by aspiring game developers in freeware and shareware titles. Many companies have also regularly cloned the game in video arcades. Arkanoid's popularity led to it being featured in Rainbow Islands, which has a whole level (4 stages in all) dedicated to the game, including Doh as the level boss. Also, in some areas of Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island and its Game Boy Advance remake Super Mario Advance 3: Yoshi's Island, there are blocks inspired by Arkanoid which you must break through. However, Arkanoid and its sequels have not appeared on any of the recent Taito Memories or Taito Legends compilations – it has been claimed that this was due to legal action from Atari.

[Seth Drakin of Monster Crap]

84. Race Drivin

Race Drivin is a 1990 racing game with three seperate tracks: stunt, autocross, and super stunt track. You can choose from four different cars using either an automatic or manual transmission. Race around each track earning points for distance travelled, passing checkpoints to earn more time.

The regular stunt track has other racers and on-coming traffic: a blue minivan, a green sedan, and a large brown dumptruck. This selection actually has two seperate courses: a speed track with ramps and dips in road, and a stunt track with a jump, a loop and a banked curve.
The Autocross track is a small track with a pace car. This course requires more precision manuevers, less speed and more skill.

The Super Stunt track has banked curves, mountains, winding roads, large jumps, a loop/inverted jump, a barrel roll, a giant ramp, and a tunnel. This is a very large track, the biggest of the three.

The player can choose from four different cars; three with manual transmissions and one with automatic. All vehicles have different handling characteristics. Force Feedback in the steering wheel gives a real driving feel to the game. There is also an option to play against another player. The first player races -- his drive is recorded -- and the second player races against recording of the first. Two game cabinets can even be linked through a cable and players can race against each other simultaneously.

If you drive off the track you are given a countdown of ten seconds to return to the track. There is also a playback of crashes. In the overall scenery of the game, there are traffic signs, speed limit signs, buildings, and cows.

[Al Wilson Lives: Thread Killer]

Jun 12, 2008 14:21:00 GMT -5 Gopher Mod said:

Jun 12, 2008 13:56:10 GMT -5 Al Wilson Lives: Thread Killer said:

Tetris just barely cracked the top 100? I am shocked.

Think of it this way: most people probably don't remember that Tetris came out for the arcades (heck, I didn't even know until just then).

Yeah, I guess most people associate it with computer or Gameboy. Ah well.

[Seth Drakin of Monster Crap]

83. Tron

Tron is a coin-operated arcade video game manufactured and distributed by Bally Midway in 1982. It is based on the Walt Disney Productions motion picture Tron released in the same year. Events from this science fiction film were the inspirations for four subgames of which the game consists. It features some characters and equipment known from the film, eg the Light Cycles, battle tanks, the Input/Output Tower. The game earned more than the film's initial release[2].

In 1983, Midway released the sequel arcade game Discs of Tron, which was inspired by the disc throwing combat sequence of the film. Another sequel followed in 2003 with the computer game Tron 2.0. On January 10, 2008 the game was released for Xbox Live Arcade.

Tron was distributed in three types of cabinets: the standard upright, the mini upright, and the cocktail (table) version. The upright cabinet is designed as movie tie-in. It has, as a special feature, two blacklights and fluorescent lines painted on, resembling the blue, red etc. circuit lines from the film Tron. In a darkened room or arcade the lines glow.

All cabinets feature an 8-way joystick for moving, with one button for firing or speed control, and a rotary dial for controlling the direction of the fire (a setup also used in Kozmik Krooz'r another Midway game). The game can be played by one player or by two alternating players as the controls are made for only one player at a time.

The player in the role of Tron has to beat four subgames, each at 12 increasingly difficult levels. All four segments of one level must be completed before continuing with the next level.

* I/O Tower
This segment of the game mimicks Tron's quest to enter the Input/Output tower from the motion picture. In the arcade game, the player must destroy large numbers of Grid Bugs with Tron's disc and clear a path to the flashing circle, which must be entered before a timer runs out to complete the section.

* MCP Cone
This area imitates Tron's final battle against the MCP. The game's interpretation has the player destroying a multicolored wall in front of the MCP cone and getting by the wall, into the cone. A 1000 point bonus is awarded for completing the level, and an additional 1000 points is given for destroying all blocks of the wall.

* Battle Tanks
The Battle Tanks subgame is not strictly based on film events, but the tanks are taken from there. The player must guide Tron's red tank through a maze and destroy several blue tanks or red recognizers controlled by the computer. This must be done without taking any hits from enemies. If the player drives into the purple diamond in the center of the maze, the tank is warped to a random area of the maze. A bug in the game results in a cheat option. When the player's tank is not touching the white line in the corridors, it can not be hit by the enemy's fire, but it can still be rammed by enemy tanks.

* Light Cycles
This game is well known and associated with the Tron franchise. The player must guide a blue Light Cycle in an arena, while avoiding the walls and trails (walls of light) created by his/her Light Cycle and that of his/her opponent. The player must maneuver quickly to force opponents to run into walls. The enemy cycles have a fixed behavior pattern for each level and the player can find a pattern which will defeat them every time on this level. The Light Cycle colors from the film are reversed in the game, where the player drives the blue cycle and the enemy the yellow cycle. In the film, the protagonists' cycles are yellow, orange, and red, and the enemies' are blue.

* Recognizers
These floating vehicles, colloquially referred to by the public as "stompers" for quite some time (the designation "recognizers" was used very, very sparingly in the film and many viewers might have therefore been unaware of the proper name) take the place of the tanks at higher levels in the tanks game. (In the movie, the Recognizers were the vehicles that attempted to stop the light cycles from escaping the game grid by "stomping" on them, and one of these vehicles was also the type of machine that Flynn "resurrected" with his user powers.)

Recognizers do not fire at the player's tank at all but move a high speed, relentlessly converge on the player's location, and each still require three shots to destroy them.

[Seth Drakin of Monster Crap]

82. Revolution X

Revolution X is an arcade light gun game released in 1994 by Midway featuring the band Aerosmith.

The plot concerns a dystopian version of 1996 where an alliance of government and corporate forces have taken control of the US in the guise of the "New Order Nation" (NON). The NON, with their vampish commander Mistress Helga (portrayed by Kerri Hoskins), have declared war on youth culture and have banned music, television and video games. At a gig in Los Angeles at 'Club X', complete with neon sign, Aerosmith are captured by NON troops and the game begins.

The game is a standard side-scrolling rail shooter in which the player has to shoot everything on screen to rescue the kidnapped members of the band. The five members of Aerosmith are hidden in the game, and all must be found in order to see the real ending. Each one found adds to the end-of-level-bonus multiplier. The soundtrack consists of several Aerosmith songs continuously looped, including "Eat The Rich", "Sweet Emotion", "Toys in the Attic" and "Walk This Way".

It was later released for home video game consoles by Acclaim.

[Seth Drakin of Monster Crap]

81. Mortal Kombat 3

Mortal Kombat 3 (also known as MK3) is the third game in the Mortal Kombat series, released in arcades in 1995. It was updated into Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3, and later Mortal Kombat Trilogy.

Mortal Kombat 3 builds further on the gameplay of the previous game. A "Run" button, accompanied by a "Run" meter, was introduced. This was primarily to address concern from fans who thought that the previous games gave too much of an advantage to the defending player. The Run meter is drained by running (the character cannot run backwards, only forwards) and by performing combos. "Chain combos", also known as pre-programmed combos (labelled "dial-a-combos") were also introduced. Chain combos are preprogrammed button presses that are unblockable once one hit connects (e.g., one of Sonya's chain combos is HK-HK-HP-HP-LP-b+HP). Some chain combos end with an uppercut or other move that knocks the opponent into the air, so that more punishment can be dealt via a traditional juggle combo. To please players of various skill levels, a "Choose Your Destiny" screen appears in 1-player mode. This new feature allowed player-selectable difficulty.

For the first time, certain levels were interactive by allowing characters to be uppercutted through the ceiling where both characters would continue the battle in a different stage. This could alter the game's level cycle. Both normal uppercuts and uppercuts that are part of a ground combo would result in a level change. Kung Lao's "Whirl Wind Spin" move would also have the same effect. However, if the final hit of a round happens to be an uppercut (i.e., the character is defeated by an uppercut), there is no level change.

All of the different style of finishing moves featured in Mortal Kombat II (Fatalities, Babalities, and Friendships) return in MK3. Additionally, the long rumored Animality, where the character transforms into an animal in order to kill their opponent, is featured for the first time. Another new addition is the Mercy, where the character can give their opponent a small sliver of life if they have won two rounds and are at the "Finish Him/Her" screen. It is necessary that a Mercy is performed for an Animality to occur. Finally, three new stage Fatalities can be performed in the Subway, the Bell Tower, and the Pit 3.

Another concept exclusive to this game are the "Kombat Kodes". These were 6 digit codes entered at the VS screen in a two player game to modify gameplay, fight hidden characters or display certain text messages. Also introduced in this game was the "Ultimate Kombat Kode", using a 10 character code using symbols, that could be entered after a game was over in single player mode. If the correct code was entered, Smoke would become a permanent playable character on the character select screen. The arcade owner, however, could reset this code by accessing the game's diagnostic menu by hitting a DIP switch within the MK3 cabinet.

The game's overall style was envisioned differently than in the previous Mortal Kombat games. Opposed to the heavily Oriental themes of Mortal Kombat and Mortal Kombat II, MK3's theme is much more Western contemporary. The game's stages are set in modern locations, three of the characters are robots, and traditional character designs (such as Sub-Zero's or Kano's) have been dropped or modified in favour of modern replacements. The overall game has a much darker tone than its predecessors, and uses a noticeable darker and less vibrant colour palette. Characters are now heavily digitized (as opposed to the hybrid digitized/hand-drawn style of Mortal Kombat II.) Many of the game's backgrounds are now, for the first time, created using pre-rendered 3D graphics. This change is also reflected in the sound track, in which all Oriental motifs have been dropped in favour of modern instrumentation.

Returning characters are:
* Jax (John Parrish) - Special Forces major who joins Sonya in attempting to apprehend Kano.
* Kano (Richard Divizio) - Black Dragon thug who escaped arrest by Sonya and Jax.
* Kung Lao (Tony Marquez) - Shaolin monk who seeks what Kahn is planning.
* Liu Kang (Eddie Wong) - Returning Mortal Kombat champion.
* Sonya Blade (Kerri Hoskins) - Special Forces lieutenant setting out again to capture Kano.
* Sub-Zero (John Turk) - Rogue Lin Kuei ninja who fled the clan after refusing to be converted to a cybernetic unit.
* Shang Tsung (John Turk) - Shao Kahn's devious sorcerer.
* Smoke (Sal Divita) - Cyber assassin from the Lin Kuei, who was once was a close friend of Sub-Zero. (Unlocked by Ultimate Kombat Kode)

New characters are:
* Cyrax (Sal Divita) - Lin Kuei cyber assassin.
* Kabal (Richard Divizio) - Former Black Dragon warrior.
* Nightwolf (Sal Divita) - Native American shaman.
* Sektor (Sal Divita) - Lin Kuei cyber assassin.
* Sheeva (Stop motion) - Female Shokan who serves Shao Kahn.
* Sindel (Lia Montelongo) - Resurrected Queen of Edenia who is being controlled by Shao Kahn.
* Kurtis Stryker (Michael O'Brien) - Riot control officer.

Boss and sub-boss are:
* Motaro (Stop-motion)
* Shao Kahn (Brian Glynn)

Other character is:
* Noob Saibot

Arenas are:
* The Subway
* The Street
* The Bank
* The Rooftop
* The Balcony
* The Bridge
* Soul Chamber
* Bell Tower
* Kombat Temple
* The Graveyard
* The Pit III
* Noob Saibot's Dorfen (Vs. Noob Saibot only)
* The Hidden Portal (Vs. CPU-controlled Smoke only, and seen only if the Ultimate Kombat Kode is not yet entered)

The following displays the Kombat Zones where a character can be uppercut into different backgrounds.
* The Subway ¨ The Street
* The Bank ¨ The Rooftop
* Soul Chamber ¨ The Balcony

Fed up with continuous losses in tournament battle, Shao Kahn, who had lost to Liu Kang in the Outworld tournament, enacts a 10,000 year-old plan. He would have his Shadow Priests, led by Shang Tsung, revive his former Queen Sindel, who unexpectedly died at a young age. However, she wouldn't be revived in the Outworld. She would be resurrected in the Earthrealm. This would allow Shao Kahn to cross the boundary lines and reclaim his queen.

When Sindel is reincarnated in Earthrealm, Shao Kahn reaches across the dimensions to reclaim her. As a consequence of his action, the Earthrealm becomes a part of the Outworld, killing billions instantly. Only a few are spared, as Raiden protects their souls. He tells them that Shao Kahn must be stopped, but he cannot interfere; due to his status, he has no power in Outworld, and Earthrealm is partially merged with Outworld.

Shao Kahn has unleashed extermination squads to roam throughout the Earthrealm and kill any survivors. Also, Raiden's protection only extends to the soul, not to the body, so his chosen warriors have to fight the extermination squads and repel Shao Kahn. Eventually somehow every human on Earthrealm comes back.

Mortal Kombat 3 follows Mortal Kombat II and shares continuity with both Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 and Mortal Kombat Trilogy which were both updates of this game. The next new game in the series was Mortal Kombat 4.

[Seth Drakin of Monster Crap]

Countdown Update:

150. Arch Rivals
149. Star Trek: Strategic Operations Simulator
148. Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike
147. Super Off Road
146. Primal Rage
145. Moon Patrol
144. Mortal Kombat 4
143. Submarine
142. Big Buck Hunter
141. Toki
140. Vs. Baseball
139. San Francisco Rush
138. Sunset Riders
137. NBA Jam
136. Golden Tee Golf
135. WWF Wrestlemania
134. Hogan's Alley
133. CarnEvil
132. Kung Fu Master
131. Berzerk
130. Tekken 5
129. Puzzle Bobble aka Bust A Move
128. Time Traveler
127. 3 Count Bout
126. Terminator 2: Judgement Day
125. Mr. Do!
124. Crisis Zone
123. Captain America and The Avengers
122. Joust
121. Track & Field
120. P.O.W.: Prisoners Of War
119. Area 51
118. Virtua Cop 3
117. Dig Dug
116. Gauntlet
115. King of the Monsters
114. ESP Ra.De.
113. 1942
112. Mercs
111. Street Fighter III: The New Generation
110. Out Run
109. Mappy
108. The Real Ghostbusters
107. Street Fighter Alpha 3
106. Saturday Night Slam Masters
105. Virtua Fighter
104. Elevator Action
103. Capcom vs. SNK: Millennium Fight 2000
102. World Heroes
101. 10-Yard Fight
100. Cruis'n Exotica
99. Tetris
98. Frogger
97. Mat Mania
96. Cruis'n World
95. Defender
94. Arm Champs II
93. Centipede
92. Yie Ar Kung Fu
91. Burgertime
90. Cabal
89. Hang-On
88. Ninja Gaiden
87. Crazy Climber
86. The House Of The Dead III
85. Arkanoid
84. Race Drivin
83. Tron
82. Revolution X
81. Mortal Kombat 3

Here are the clues to the next five games.

* Defeat Amakusa Shiro Tokisada

* Defeat Death Adder

* Defeat Doctor Doom & Thanos

* Defeat Synn

* Rescue Fellow Pilots Trapped In Different Time Eras

[Sajoa Moe]

Jun 12, 2008 16:57:15 GMT -5 Seth Drakin of Monster Crap said:

At round 33, the final stage, the player will take on the game's boss, "DOH". Once a player reaches round 33, he must defeat DOH with his remaining extra lives because there are no continues on the final round.

You're kidding, right?

Taito could totally sue Matt Groening if they wanted.

[Big DSR Energy]

* Defeat Death Adder

* Defeat Doctor Doom & Thanos

I believe these are Golden Axe and Marvel Super Heroes, respectively.