Crude Buster
| Crude Buster | |
|---|---|
 Arcade flyer | |
| Developer(s) | Data East |
| Publisher(s) | Data East |
| Designer(s) | Akira Ohtami |
| Composer(s) | Azusa Hara Hiroaki Yoshida Tatsuya Kinouchi |
| Platform(s) | Arcade Sega Genesis |
| Release date(s) | |
| Genre(s) | Beat 'em up, platform |
| Mode(s) | Single-player, two-player |
| Distribution | Cartridge |
Crude Buster (クルードバスター) (Kurūdo Basutā), released in the US as Two Crude, is a 1991 beat 'em up arcade game produced by Data East. The game was later ported to the Sega Genesis in 1992. Outside of Japan, the port was released under the name Two Crude Dudes.
In the game, players control one of two mercenaries hired by the U.S. government to stop the terrorist organization "Big Valley". Their objective is to retake control of a ruined New York City from Big Valley after a nuclear explosion the group caused.[1]
Gameplay
Players control the Crude Busters by jumping, dodging and attacking their way through legions of enemies. Because the main characters are muscle-bound brawlers, they have the ability to pick up objects well beyond their own weight (e.g. cars and traffic lights) to use as weapons.[2] They can do the same to most enemies as well. While playing co-op, it is also possible for one player to pick up the other to use as a projectile.
Each player has a life bar, which decreases each time they're hit. Some enemies can grab onto the players and drain their life. A player loses a life when his life bar reaches zero. If the hit that finishes a player is an explosion or flame, he slumps to the ground burnt. The life bar is fully refilled between stages, with a cut scene showing the player(s) punching a "Power Cola" vending machine causing sodas to fall out which they drink.
Reception
Writing for Computer and Video Games, Julian Rignall called Crude Buster "one of the best beat'em ups I've seen in years." and rated it a 95%.[2] Crash called it a "fun and humerous (sic) beat-'em-up.[1] Sinclair User also noted the game's humor, comparing it to playing an interactive cartoon. They wrote that it was even better than other recent Data East games, including the game's predecessor, Bad Dudes Vs. DragonNinja. The magazine dubbed it a "classic in terms of style and gameplay" and a "must for any arcade aficionado."[3]
Ports and related releases
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The game was later ported to the Mega Drive/Genesis; however, the North American and European versions of them were retitled Two Crude Dudes. The Japanese version of this port kept the Japanese arcade version's title unchanged.
Mega placed the game at #37 in their Top Mega Drive Games of All Time.[5] MegaTech magazine said it was "the first Megadrive beat 'em up that comes close to rivalling Streets of Rage".
The arcade version was later included in the compilation disc Data East Arcade Classics, along with other Data East arcade games bought by G-Mode after Data East's bankruptcy.[6]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Crude Buster." Crash. May 1990.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Crude Busters." Computer and Video Games. June 1990. p. 90.
- ↑ "Crude Buster." Sinclair User. June 1990. pp. 56-57.
- ↑ MegaTech rating, EMAP, issue 5, page 78, May 1992
- ↑ Mega magazine issue 1, page 76, Future Publishing, Oct 1992
- ↑ Harris, Craig (February 16, 2012). "Data East Arcade Classics Review". IGN. Retrieved January 14, 2013.