Smash TV, 1990 Williams (20 From 1990 #1)
9Another Williams/Midway game that really pushed the envelope in terms of arcade gore, this hilarious spiritual follow-up to ROBOTRON: 2084 is actually based on the Stephen King novel and movie THE RUNNING MAN and is likewise set in a futuristic game show, where the contestants simply try to stay alive while blowing all enemies to kingdom come! And like in actual game shows, you collect some nice cash and prizes. The prizes appear in gift boxes that appear in each room, and some rooms have a lot more than others. Stacks of cash and gold and silver bars also appear in most rooms. These and the prizes are added to your score not only as you pick them up, but if you defeat the boss of the arena you accrue more bonuses for them! Each arena is made of several adjoining rooms, and you certainly don't have to enter each one to reach the boss (though getting extra prizes in some may be worth the effort). Enemies surround you from all sides and using the double-joystick controls takes quite a bit of mastery. Or, you can have a friend join in to make life a bit easier for you (recommended!). Various power-ups and helpful items will appear in the room one at a time and must be collected before they disappear. They include Speed Up, Bombs, Missiles, Buffalo Gun, Spread, Barrier, Shield, Keys, Smart Bomb (REALLY useful!), 1up, Option, and the previously mentioned prizes and cash/gold/silver. In most rooms, there will be land mines which will cost you a life (and an amusingly gory death), and the prizes/cash/bricks tend to cover them so you can't see them! The usual fodder enemies that pop out of the edges of the screen can be joined by soldiers that will explode if you don't take them out early, and the shrapnel they scatter will kill you on contact! As if you don't have enough to worry about! Thankfully, you pick up right where you left off if you continue, as well as keep your score! And what a score you can accrue in this game-- the bonuses after killing the boss REALLY add up! At the end of the 3rd arena lies in wait the game show host himself! But if you're playing version 8.0.0 or higher, stop by the Pleasure Dome for some extra points. The game is very repetitive (though very tough) and some aspects seem confusing or unfinished.. but it's still a rollicking, violent good old time to be had! I LOVE IT! Well, thanks for joining me on my trip back to 1990.. see you sometime again for my 1991series re-upload! Enjoy the Super Bowl next week!