Midnight Resistance
Encyclopedia
is a side-scrolling action shooting game produced by Data East
for the arcades
in . The game was ported by Data East to the Sega Mega Drive
in and by Ocean Software
to various home computer platforms during the same year. The game is set in a dystopian future where the player controls a member of a resistance movement who goes on a mission to rescue his kidnapped family from a mad scientist.
, in addition to the traditional set of shoot and jump buttons, allowing the player to adjust his character's aim in one of eight directions by rotating the joystick clockwise or counter-clockwise. This allows the player to keep their aim in one direction while moving in another, even while crawling or jumping.
The power-up system is similar to the one featured in Heavy Barrel
(a previous Data East game), in which the player collect keys after defeating certain enemy soldiers (each player can possess up to six keys at a time). At the end of each stage the player will enter a weapon storage room in which various new weapons and other power-ups can be released from their lockers depending on the amount of keys in the player's possession. When the player loses a life, he will drop all the weapons and keys he has in his possession and they can only be recovered if they don't fall off-screen.
The two types of weapons that can be purchased in the weapon stores are special guns that will replace the player's default rifle (or whatever other special weapon he may be currently wielding) and backpack weapons that are launched by pushing the joystick up while pressing the shoot button. Both types of weapons have limited ammunition and when the player's special gun runs out of ammo, he will revert back to the default rifle. Additional ammo for the player's current weapon can be purchased in stores as well when available. Other power-ups includes a "supercharge" upgrade that improves the firepower of the player's current weapon (this upgrade is lost when the player loses a life), a barrier that provides temporary invincibility, and extra lives.
There are a total of nine stages, each with its set of unique obstacles and adversaries that the player must overcome. Before the final stages, the keys he has collected during the penultimate stage can be used to free the player's relatives before the final battle with Crimson King. The ending varies depending on how many family members the player has rescued.
released ports for the Commodore 64
, ZX Spectrum
, Amstrad CPC
, Commodore Amiga, and the Atari ST
, some which were developed by Special FX. The Commodore 64 and ZX Spectrum versions are of particular note and are regularly mentioned in lists of greatest games ever made for these systems.
The Spectrum version had a completely redesigned, chunky, cartoony style to it. It had push screen scrolling and very few on-screen colours due to hardware limitations, but it is considered by many to be one of the stand out technical achievements for the hardware and was awarded a score of 90% in Sinclair User
and 93% in CRASH
magazine. It was also included in their 100 best Spectrum games ever made, reaching number 10. The Commodore version stayed relatively faithful to the original arcade version. It was critically acclaimed by most publications of the time and gained a score of 90% from Zzap!64
Magazine. It was also featured in their top 100 C64 games ever made. The ZX Spectrum version was ported to the Amstrad CPC in a stripped down version as was common for the era, due to the two computers sharing the same processor. It is missing the music and colour of the 128 Spectrum version and has less buyable weapons at the end of each stage. it achieved a review of 86% in Amstrad Action
magazine.
Data East
also abbreviated as DECO, was a Japanese video game developer and publisher. The company was in operation from 1976 to 2003, when it declared bankruptcy...
for the arcades
Arcade game
An arcade game is a coin-operated entertainment machine, usually installed in public businesses such as restaurants, bars, and amusement arcades. Most arcade games are video games, pinball machines, electro-mechanical games, redemption games, and merchandisers...
in . The game was ported by Data East to the Sega Mega Drive
Sega Mega Drive
The Sega Genesis is a fourth-generation video game console developed and produced by Sega. It was originally released in Japan in 1988 as , then in North America in 1989 as Sega Genesis, and in Europe, Australia and other PAL regions in 1990 as Mega Drive. The reason for the two names is that...
in and by Ocean Software
Ocean Software
The British company Ocean Software was one of the biggest European video game developers/publishers of the 1980s and 90s...
to various home computer platforms during the same year. The game is set in a dystopian future where the player controls a member of a resistance movement who goes on a mission to rescue his kidnapped family from a mad scientist.
Gameplay
Midnight Resistance features play mechanics and controls similar to that of the Contra series, and can be played by up to two players simultaneously. The main distinguishing feature is the inclusion of a rotatable joystick similar to the one used in Ikari WarriorsIkari Warriors
Ikari Warriors is a 1986 arcade game by SNK, published in the United States and Europe by Tradewest. Known simply as in Japan, this was SNK's first major breakthrough US release and became something of a classic. The game was released at the time when there were many Commando clones on the market...
, in addition to the traditional set of shoot and jump buttons, allowing the player to adjust his character's aim in one of eight directions by rotating the joystick clockwise or counter-clockwise. This allows the player to keep their aim in one direction while moving in another, even while crawling or jumping.
The power-up system is similar to the one featured in Heavy Barrel
Heavy Barrel
is a 1987 overhead run and gun arcade game by Data East.-Gameplay:thumb|left|Arcade ScreenshotTerrorists have seized the underground control complex of a nuclear missile site, and it is up to the player to infiltrate the base and kill the enemy leader. Players begin armed with a laser gun with...
(a previous Data East game), in which the player collect keys after defeating certain enemy soldiers (each player can possess up to six keys at a time). At the end of each stage the player will enter a weapon storage room in which various new weapons and other power-ups can be released from their lockers depending on the amount of keys in the player's possession. When the player loses a life, he will drop all the weapons and keys he has in his possession and they can only be recovered if they don't fall off-screen.
The two types of weapons that can be purchased in the weapon stores are special guns that will replace the player's default rifle (or whatever other special weapon he may be currently wielding) and backpack weapons that are launched by pushing the joystick up while pressing the shoot button. Both types of weapons have limited ammunition and when the player's special gun runs out of ammo, he will revert back to the default rifle. Additional ammo for the player's current weapon can be purchased in stores as well when available. Other power-ups includes a "supercharge" upgrade that improves the firepower of the player's current weapon (this upgrade is lost when the player loses a life), a barrier that provides temporary invincibility, and extra lives.
There are a total of nine stages, each with its set of unique obstacles and adversaries that the player must overcome. Before the final stages, the keys he has collected during the penultimate stage can be used to free the player's relatives before the final battle with Crimson King. The ending varies depending on how many family members the player has rescued.
Mega Drive/Genesis
The Mega Drive port was developed and published by Data East in . Although the graphics and stage designs are similar to the arcade version's, the controls were changed to accommodate for the lack of a rotatable joystick. Four control configurations are available. The default controls allows the player to aim at the direction he is moving and keep his aim steady by holding down the B button. The other configurations are closer to the arcade version's controls, allowing the player to rotate the player's aim clockwise, counter-clockwise, or alternate between the two. The player fires his weapon in automatically, which can be toggled on and off with the A button. Unlike the arcade version, the Mega Drive version is single-player only.Home computers
Ocean SoftwareOcean Software
The British company Ocean Software was one of the biggest European video game developers/publishers of the 1980s and 90s...
released ports for the Commodore 64
Commodore 64
The Commodore 64 is an 8-bit home computer introduced by Commodore International in January 1982.Volume production started in the spring of 1982, with machines being released on to the market in August at a price of US$595...
, ZX Spectrum
ZX Spectrum
The ZX Spectrum is an 8-bit personal home computer released in the United Kingdom in 1982 by Sinclair Research Ltd...
, Amstrad CPC
Amstrad CPC
The Amstrad CPC is a series of 8-bit home computers produced by Amstrad between 1984 and 1990. It was designed to compete in the mid-1980s home computer market dominated by the Commodore 64 and the Sinclair ZX Spectrum, where it successfully established itself primarily in the United Kingdom,...
, Commodore Amiga, and the Atari ST
Atari ST
The Atari ST is a home/personal computer that was released by Atari Corporation in 1985 and commercially available from that summer into the early 1990s. The "ST" officially stands for "Sixteen/Thirty-two", which referred to the Motorola 68000's 16-bit external bus and 32-bit internals...
, some which were developed by Special FX. The Commodore 64 and ZX Spectrum versions are of particular note and are regularly mentioned in lists of greatest games ever made for these systems.
The Spectrum version had a completely redesigned, chunky, cartoony style to it. It had push screen scrolling and very few on-screen colours due to hardware limitations, but it is considered by many to be one of the stand out technical achievements for the hardware and was awarded a score of 90% in Sinclair User
Sinclair User
Sinclair User, often abbreviated SU, was a magazine dedicated to the Sinclair Research range of home computers, most specifically the ZX Spectrum...
and 93% in CRASH
CRASH (magazine)
Crash was a magazine dedicated to the ZX Spectrum home computer. It was published from 1984 to 1991 by Newsfield Publications Ltd until their liquidation, and then until 1992 by Europress.-Development:...
magazine. It was also included in their 100 best Spectrum games ever made, reaching number 10. The Commodore version stayed relatively faithful to the original arcade version. It was critically acclaimed by most publications of the time and gained a score of 90% from Zzap!64
Zzap!64
Zzap!64 was a computer games magazine covering games on the Commodore International series of computers, especially the Commodore 64 . It was published in the UK by Newsfield Publications Ltd and later by Europress Impact....
Magazine. It was also featured in their top 100 C64 games ever made. The ZX Spectrum version was ported to the Amstrad CPC in a stripped down version as was common for the era, due to the two computers sharing the same processor. It is missing the music and colour of the 128 Spectrum version and has less buyable weapons at the end of each stage. it achieved a review of 86% in Amstrad Action
Amstrad Action
Amstrad Action was a monthly magazine, published in the United Kingdom, which catered to owners of home computers from the Amstrad CPC range and later the GX4000 console....
magazine.