CrossFire [Prototype] (NES) Playthrough
3Playthrough of CrossFire, Kyugo Boueki's 1990 prototype run-and-gun game for the NES.
CrossFire is a prototype run-and-gun game developed by Kyugo Boueki for the NES, originally planned for release in 1990 but ultimately cancelled before it reached the market. Despite never being commercially released, the game exists in near-complete form and has surfaced through prototype preservation efforts, offering an intriguing glimpse into an obscure title that borrowed heavily from the style of games like Contra and Rush’n Attack.
The gameplay places the player in the role of a soldier infiltrating enemy territory, armed with a rifle and limited grenades. The movement is side-scrolling, with verticality introduced through ladders and platforms, as enemies approach from both sides of the screen. The pacing is steady and deliberate, with enemy placement clearly designed around memorization and careful progression rather than reflex-heavy action. Weapons can be upgraded, and grenades serve as an alternate attack to deal with clusters of enemies or entrenched foes.
Visually, CrossFire is competent for its time, with functional character sprites, military-themed backdrops, and consistent parallax scrolling. The environments—ranging from jungles to fortified bases—are built with enough variation to keep the action visually engaging, even if they lack the polish of more well-known NES action games. The animations are relatively basic, but the game runs smoothly with little slowdown.
The soundtrack is minimalistic but fits the game’s serious, militaristic tone. Sound effects are utilitarian, with punchy gunfire and explosion cues that do the job without standing out. The game’s difficulty leans toward the high side, with enemy fire and tight platforming sections requiring precision and patience. It lacks the refined feel of a completed and tested product, which makes sense considering its prototype status.
CrossFire remains a curiosity in the NES library, a playable and mostly finished title that shows potential but never had the chance to reach its intended audience. It serves as a snapshot of an era when developers were experimenting with military action formats, and while it doesn’t push the system’s limits, it stands as a solid effort that could have found a niche had it been completed and released.