Area 51 (arcade game)
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| Area 51 | |
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 Screenshot of Area 51 |
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| Developer(s) | Mesa Logic |
| Publisher(s) | Atari Games |
| Designer(s) | Robert Weatherby |
| Release date(s) | 1995 |
| Genre(s) | Light gun, Rail shooter |
| Mode(s) | Up to 2 players simultaneously |
| Rating(s) | ESRB:M (Mature) 17+ (console/PC ports only) |
| Platform(s) | Arcade, Sega Saturn, PlayStation, PC |
| Input | Lightgun |
| Arcade cabinet | Standard |
| Arcade system(s) | CoJag |
| Arcade display | Raster, 320 x 240 pixels (Horizontal), 65534 colors |
Area 51 is a light gun arcade game issued by Atari Games in 1995. It takes its name from the Area 51 military facility.
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[edit] Overview
The plot of the game involves the player taking part in a military excursion to prevent aliens and alien-created zombies from taking over the Area 51 military facility.
[edit] Description
The game takes the player through several sections of the facility, including a warehouse and underground tunnels. The player must kill all of the zombies without harming any allied STAARS members (at the cost of one life point). None of the actual aliens aliens will appear until the office level.
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. 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, was a modified Atari Jaguar with enhanced graphics and sound capabilities.
Unlike other light gun games, Area 51 allows the players to start at the beginning of the game, or warp ahead to the middle of the game.
[edit] Legacy
Some years after that, Area 51 was followed with an arcade sequel, Area 51: Site 4. 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 features the voices of David Duchovny, Marilyn Manson, and Powers Boothe. On August 31, 2004, Paramount Pictures announced that it had bought the world-wide film rights for the series. [1]
[edit] Ports
In 1996, the game was ported to the PlayStation, Saturn, and PC. In an unknown year, Tiger electronics developed a miniature version of the game with an LCD screen.
[edit] Secrets
On the first level, if the player shoots all STAARS members, and nothing else (not even reloading is allowed), they will unlock "Kronn Hunter" mode. Their health will recover, the screen will be completely rendered in shades of green, and there will not be any further penalties for firing on STAARS members.
[edit] External links
- Area 51 at Arcade-History
- Area 51 at Game Rankings
- Area 51 (1996) at MobyGames
- Area 51 at The Killer List of Videogames
