Area 51 (arcade game)

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Area 51
Screenshot of Area 51
Developer(s)	Mesa Logic
Publisher(s)	Atari Games
Designer(s)	Robert Weatherby
Platform(s)	Arcade, Sega Saturn, PlayStation, PC, hand held
Release date	1995
Genre(s)	Light gun, Rail shooter
Mode(s)	Up to 2 players simultaneously
Rating(s)	ESRB:M (Mature) 17+ (console/PC ports only)
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 issued by Atari Games in 1995.^[1] It takes its name from the Area 51 military facility.

1 Overview
2 Description
3 Legacy
4 Ports
5 References
6 External links

[edit] Overview

The plot of the game involves the player taking part in a military incursion 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 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, an alien mode will be started. None of the actual 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. 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

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. on 12/12/07 there was blacksite area 51 on the ps3 and xbox 360

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.