Metro-Cross

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Metro-Cross

Developer(s)	Namco
Publisher(s)	Namco
Release date(s)	1985
Genre(s)	Platformer
Mode(s)	Up to 2 players, alternating turns
Platform(s)	Arcade
Input	8-way Joystick; 1 button
Arcade cabinet	Upright, cabaret, and cocktail
Arcade system(s)	Namco Pac-Land
Arcade display	Horizontal orientation, Raster

Metro-Cross is an arcade game, released by Namco in 1985.

Metro-Cross is a kind of futuristic platform game where the player must run through what looks like 32 shopping malls. He is given a time limit to run through each one avoiding obstacles and collecting items. The actual running happens automatically, the job of the player is to dodge obstacles and collect items by moving the character sideways and adjusting the speed.

If the character finishes the race within the time limit, the remaining time is converted into bonus points and he moves on to the next track. Every fourth track is a special track, which uses the time left over from the previous three as additional time. However, if the character hasn't reached the finish line when the time limit is up, the game is instantly over.

Obstacles along the way include glass panels, which break under the character's weight and drop him to a hole, and steam jets which shoot steam at the character. Later tracks also feature balls that bounce along the track and must be avoided. Colliding with an obstacle results in a penalty of a few seconds.

Also along the track are springboards, which can be used to propel the character forward at a great speed. Some tracks have a special layout of springboards, where it is possible to use a springboard to land directly on another one. Some tracks also have skateboards which speed the character up and make him immune to some obstacles. There are two colours of cans found along the track. Kicking the cans gains bonus points, but jumping on them and knocking them over activates a special effect. Jumping on a blue can stops the timer for a few seconds, and jumping on a green can gives an extra burst of speed.

Here is the boxart for the title:

[img]http://www.developscranton.com/images/ST/1MetrocrossA.jpg[/img]

The game runs on Namco Pac-Land hardware, modified to support a 2048-color palette. It uses a 6809 microprocessor, a 63701 microprocessor, and a Namco 8-channel waveform PSG for sounds.

The game was successfully converted to various home formats, including the Commodore 64, Atari ST, Amstrad CPC, and the ZX Spectrum.