Area 51 (video game)
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| Area 51 | |
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 The arcade unit of Area 51 |
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| Developer(s) | Mesa Logic |
| Publisher(s) | Atari Games |
| Designer(s) | Robert Weatherby |
| Platform(s) | Arcade |
| Release date(s) | 1995 |
| Genre(s) | First-person shooter |
| Mode(s) | Up to 2 players simultaneously |
| Rating(s) | ESRB:M (Mature) 17+ (console/PC ports only), BBFC: 12 |
| Input methods | Lightgun |
| Cabinet | Standard |
| Arcade system | CoJag |
| Display | Raster, 320 x 240 pixels (Horizontal), 65534 colors |
Area 51 is a light gun arcade game released by Atari Games in 1995.[1] It takes its name from the Area 51 military facility.
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[edit] Overview
The plot of the game involves the player (Peterson) taking part in a STAAR military incursion to prevent aliens, known as the Kronn, and alien-created zombies from taking over the Area 51 military facility.
[edit] Description
This game takes the player through several sections of the facility, including a warehouse and underground tunnels. The player is tasked, along with fellow STAAR members, to penetrate Area 51 and activate the nuclear self-destruct sequence. The player must kill all of the genetically altered scientists and aliens without harming any allied STAAR team members (at the cost of one life point), however if nothing but three STAAR team members are shot, the Kron Hunter will be started, taking the role of a Hunter, sent by the Kron to eliminate the rebels. None of the actual aliens will appear until the office level.
There are five types of different weaponry available to the player during the course of the game. While the player is only given a semi-automatic pistol in the beginning, weapon upgrades are available as targets throughout the game. The pistol can be upgraded to an automatic machine gun, a pump shotgun, and finally an automatic shotgun. The shotgun weaponry allows a greater field of error for targeting an enemy in able to kill it. Both the machine gun and automatic shotgun allow the player to keep the trigger pressed down to unleash rounds. If the player is hit by the enemy at any time, the weapon is downgraded back to the pistol. The player will also find grenades in crates and bonus rooms which, when used, destroys most on screen enemies at once. The player can hold a max of 9 grenades.
The game is notable for its use of digitized video stored on an on-board hard disk, and the bizarrely-contrasting, unrealistic gibs into which every enemy blows apart when shot, in exactly the same way. While enemies, innocents, and explosions are 2D digitized video sprites, the levels and vehicles are pre-rendered in 3D.
Another interesting note about the game is its several "backdoors"; by shooting certain objects in the correct sequence players can unlock shooting exercises, weapon stashes, and gain bonus items that are not available in the main game plot.
The game's arcade board, CoJag, is a modified Atari Jaguar with enhanced graphics and sound capabilities.
Area 51 allows the players to start at the beginning of the game or warp ahead to the middle of the game.
[edit] Legacy
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In 1998, Atari Games released an arcade sequel titled Area 51: Site 4 and re-released the first game as part of one machine called Area 51/Maximum Force duo that also included Maximum Force.[2] In 2005, a first-person shooter was released that shares the name and uses the original as an inspiration was released for the PlayStation 2, Xbox, and PC. It featured a more sophisticated storyline and the voices of David Duchovny, Marilyn Manson, and Powers Boothe. In 2007, Midway released "Blacksite: Area 51" to multiple platforms.
On August 31, 2004, Paramount Pictures announced that it had bought the world-wide film rights for the series.[citation needed] Billed as an action-packed thriller, producer Christine Peters was said to be collaborating with the game developers to help construct the film. On September 9, Variety reported that Paramount had hired Dean Georgaris to write the screenplay and produce with partner Micheal Aguilar. It was to be under their Penn Station banner along with Christine Peters and Midway;[3] however, not much has been officially announced and the film's development current sets in an unknown status.[4]
[edit] Ports
In 1996, the game was ported to the PlayStation, Saturn, and PC. It was re-released on the Playstation in 2001 by Midway as part of their Midway Classics range. Tiger Electronics later developed a miniature, handheld version of the game with an LCD screen and small light gun.
[edit] References
- ^ Matt Cabral, "Area 51: A History of Violence," PlayStation: The Official Magazine 004 (March 2008): 82-83.
- ^ Area 51/Maximum Force Duo Videogame by Atari Games (1998) - The International Arcade Museum and the KLOV
- ^ Dean Georgaris Penning Area 51 - ComingSoon.net
- ^ IGN: IGN's Ultimate Games-to-Film Guide
[edit] External links
- Area 51 at Arcade-History
- Area 51 at Game Rankings
- Area 51 at the Killer List of Videogames
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