Target: Renegade

Target; Renegade
Developer(s)	Mike Lamb, Dawn Drake, Jonathan Dunn, Gary Biasillo, Simon Butler, Martin McDonald
Publisher(s)	Imagine Software
Composer(s)	NES version Tim Follin
Platform(s)	ZX Spectrum Commodore 64 Amstrad CPC NES
Release date(s)	1988
Genre(s)	Fighting game
Mode(s)	Single player, two player
Media/distribution	Cassette, cartridge
System requirements 48K (Spectrum) 64K (Commodore 64, Amstrad CPC)

Target; Renegade is a scrolling beat'em up (or flip-screen on certain versions) computer game released on the Amstrad CPC, Commodore 64 and ZX Spectrum systems in the late 1980s by Ocean Software on their "Imagine" label, as well as a Nintendo Entertainment System version published by Taito. The game is a sequel to Renegade and was followed by Renegade 3. When acquiring the license to convert the original arcade game Renegade to home computers, Ocean acquired the option to produce and release their own home-computer-only sequels to the game, and Target Renegade was the first of these sequels.

On most formats, the game caters for one or two players and concerns itself with the adventures of a streetfighter (or a pair of identical streetfighters) known only as "Renegade", who seek(s) revenge against a local crime kingpin named "Mr. Big" for murdering his or their brother Matt. The player character varies, depending on the format, but is usually represented as topless apart from a leather vest and wearing jeans.

Regardless of the format, the cover of the game and the title screen (As seen to the right) portray a topless street fighter performing a flying kick through a window. In keeping with videogame box art and advertising of the era, the character shown in this illustration bears little relation to any character in the game itself. The actual picture is based on Martial Arts Legend Joe Lewis from the cover of his book World's Greatest Fighter Teaches You How To Master Bruce Lee's Fighting System but has been adjusted so as to fit in with the character of Renegade.

Levels

The game comprises five levels, though details of enemies and weapons vary from one version to another (the NES version in particular is more like Double Dragon than the home computer versions). The NES and C64 versions of the game do not have a two-player co-operative mode.

The Multi-Story Car Park

This level takes place in what appears to be a disused multi-story car park in the city. The protagonists are attacked by several assailants and bikers trying to run them over. The only way to defeat the bikers is to perform a flying kick, removing the biker from his seat without being struck by the vehicle itself, a trope reused in many scrolling beat'em up's. The car park comprises three floors which are accessed through an elevator. On the Spectrum and Amstrad versions, some bikers carry sledgehammers which the player can retrieve and use. In some other versions, it is possible to collect and use a baseball bat against enemies.

The Sleazy Street at Night

The second level takes place in a run down, darkened street, and the main antagonists are female and apparently prostitutes. Their main form of attack is a knee in the groin; some also carry a spiked club which the player can also use. Similarly to the bikers in the previous level, an added element of danger is added by a man (possibly a pimp) who enters the screen at the far left and fires a gun at the player. This character emerges to fight at close quarters after shooting a few times.

The Park

The third level takes place in an empty park, complete with background trees and benches. The antagonists for this level are Mohican-wearing punks and skin-headed thugs wearing vests. Unlike in previous levels, where one particular enemy appears holding that location's weapon and must be disarmed, the weapon for this area, which is an axe, can be found lying on the ground in the middle of the park, and no enemies are able to use it.

The Mall

The penultimate level of the game is located in a shopping mall. To complete this level the player must fight through a street gang called the Beasty Boys (named after hip-hop group The Beastie Boys, and wearing baseball caps and hip-hop style clothing). Depending on the format, this may be the first level in which ordinary antagonists carry weapons or may have no weapons at all. In some versions, this is also the first level in the game where all the antagonists can avoid your flying kick move by crouching and may include The Beasty Boys' mascot, a Pit Bull terrier that runs onto the screen periodically and tries to savage the protagonist(s) if is not stopped with an attack.

The Bar

The climactic level of the game takes place in a bar owned by Mr. Big, the game's final villain. To reach Mr. Big the player must fight through a number of bouncers, some of whom may be wielding snooker cues and are dressed in waistcoats and bow ties. Their main offensive move is to grapple the player and deliver three head-butts. Upon defeating the bouncers, players move on tackle Mr. Big. A fighter of large stature, Mr. Big can grab the player and perform a grapple which is impossible to break and will always result in the loss of at least one of their lives.

Reception

Reception
Review scores
Publication	Score
Computer and Video Games	35/40
CRASH	90%
Sinclair User	10/10
Your Sinclair	9/10
ACE	653
The Games Machine	85%
Awards Entity Award Your Sinclair Megagame Crash Crash Smash

The ZX Spectrum version was voted number 13 in the Your Sinclair Readers' Top 100 Games of All Time.

Related games

Ocean Software produced a second Renegade sequel titled Renegade 3: The Final Chapter. Technos Japan Corp., the developers of the original arcade version of Renegade, produced their own line of sequels and spinoffs to Nekketsu Kōha Kunio-kun, the Japanese version of Renegade, for the Japanese market. Target: Renegade and Renegade 3 are not related in any way to the Kunio-kun series.

In 2006 an unofficial unofficial remake of the Spectrum version was released for Windows. Expanding the multiplayer element to allow six simultaneous players, Target; 2006 received a 70% score in issue 41 of Retro Gamer.

Preceded by We Are The Champions

UK number-one Spectrum game August–September 1988

Succeeded by Football Manager 2

External links

• Target: Renegade at World of Spectrum
• Target; 2006 - Windows-based remake