| Panic! | |
|---|---|
North American cover art |
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| Developer(s) | Sega |
| Publisher(s) | Data East USA |
| Producer(s) | Hajima Tabe |
| Platform(s) | Mega-CD
PlayStation 2(Japan Only) |
| Release date(s) |
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| Genre(s) | Puzzle |
| Mode(s) | Single player |
| Rating(s) | ESRB: T |
| Media/distribution | 1 x CD-ROM |
Panic! (known as Switch! in Japan) is a video game for the Mega-CD that involves pressing numerous buttons in order to transverse a young boy or his dog through a complex labyrinth. The game was originally released in Japan, and had some risque "gags" that were assumed to be edited out if the game ever got a North American release. However, in 1994, Data East USA decided to publish the game in North America for the Sega CD, renamed but otherwise un-cut. The game was also released for the PlayStation 2 in 2002.
Contents |
During the intro, the game explains that a virus has infected the world's computer systems, and the player (a boy who has been sucked into his TV) must carry an antidote to the central computer to fix it. To this end, the boy must traverse a grid of levels, pushing buttons to advance.
Gameplay for Panic! is very minimalistic, and likely the reason of its very low sales figures. Each level is presented as a new area with a mechanical device of varying utility and sanity, and a set of buttons to press. Each button causes an animation and/or teleports the boy to another room. Sometimes the buttons are booby-trapped and cause the destruction of a variety of monuments, including famous ones (like The Great Wall of China) and not-so-famous ones (a grass hut or a doghouse). The grid also features a few game overs on the grid, marked by flashing skulls on the map. The buttons themselves have no indication on what they do unless pressed, which makes gameplay little more than trial and error: players who enjoy the animations might frustrate over constant teleporting. It is also possible to backtrack into previous levels, and buttons once pressed are not marked, unless they were booby-trapped.
Panic! was one of only 12 games in GamePro history to earn a score of 1.0 or lower.[1] It should be noted, however, that a few other magazines at the time had given the game positive scores for its surrealist humor. Notably Game Players magazine, describing the game as being made "for people on drugs, by people on drugs."
Richard Leadbetter, editor of Mean Machines Sega, awarded the Japanese version of the game a score of 90%.[2]