Road Avenger
Encyclopedia
is a interactive movie
arcade game
developed and published by Data East
, with the help from Toei Animation
in illustrating the animation. After Data East became defunct due to their bankruptcy back in 2003, G-Mode
bought the intellectual rights to the arcade game as well as most other Data East games and licenses them globally.
, Mega CD/Sega CD, Sega Saturn
, PlayStation, LaserActive, and 3DO Interactive Multiplayer
(prototyped as Turbo Blaster). However, only the Sega CD and LaserActive versions were released internationally under the titles Road Avenger, and Road Prosecuter respectively. The titles were presumably changed to avoid confusion with the similarly titled arcade game Roadblasters
by Atari Games
(which was ported to the Sega Genesis around the same time). Other variations included one-shot reproductions for VHS cassette players such as Takara’s Video Challenger which was a limited interactive port of the Road Blaster arcade game. The Sega Saturn and PlayStation ports were compilations of Road Blaster and another laserdisc arcade game developed by the same team titled as Thunder Storm (known outside of Japan as Cobra Command).
Yoshihisa Kishimoto, the director of Cobra Command and Road Blaster, later directed the arcade version of Double Dragon
. The car from Road Blaster can be seen inside Billy and Jimmy's garage at the start of the game.
Cobra Command and Road Blaster were ported to iOS by Revolutionary Concepts on June 29, 2010, and January 13, 2011, respectively.
#195 by Hartley, Patricia, and Kirk Lesser in "The Role of Computers" column. The reviewers gave the game 4 out of 5 stars.
Home console versions
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Interactive movie
An interactive movie is a video game that features highly cinematic presentation and heavy use of scripting, often through the use of full-motion video of either animated or live-action footage.-Philosophy:...
arcade game
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...
developed and published by Data East
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...
, with the help from Toei Animation
Toei Animation
Toei Animation Co., Ltd. is a Japanese animation studio owned by Toei Co., Ltd. The studio was founded in 1948 as Japan Animated Films . In 1956, Toei purchased the studio and it was reincorporated under its current name...
in illustrating the animation. After Data East became defunct due to their bankruptcy back in 2003, G-Mode
G-Mode
is a Japanese company that provides mobile network game contents that specialize in Java game software in Japan. It develops and distributes games for Java-compatible mobile phones. The company also licenses contents for mobile telecommunications operators, as well as involves in the original...
bought the intellectual rights to the arcade game as well as most other Data East games and licenses them globally.
Gameplay
The player assumes the role of a vigilante who drives a customized sports car in order to bring the biker gang responsible for his wife's death to justice. As with other laserdisc-based arcade games from the same time, the gameplay consists of on-screen instructions overlaid over pre-recorded animated footage. The player enters a series of high-speed chases in which they must squeeze between trucks, fend off the gang members, perform dangerous stunts, commit acts of vehicular homicide, and narrowly escapes death before facing off against the gang's female leader. The player controls the cross-hair to steer their car toward the correct directions according to the green arrows flashing and beeping beside it, while controlling the gas pedal, brake and booster whenever they light up.Ports and related releases
Various ports were released for consoles between 1989 and 1997 including versions for the MSXMSX
MSX was the name of a standardized home computer architecture in the 1980s conceived by Kazuhiko Nishi, then Vice-president at Microsoft Japan and Director at ASCII Corporation...
, Mega CD/Sega CD, Sega Saturn
Sega Saturn
The is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console that was first released by Sega on November 22, 1994 in Japan, May 11, 1995 in North America, and July 8, 1995 in Europe...
, PlayStation, LaserActive, and 3DO Interactive Multiplayer
3DO Interactive Multiplayer
The 3DO Interactive Multiplayer is a video game console originally produced by Panasonic in 1993. Further renditions of the hardware were released in 1994 by Sanyo and Goldstar. The consoles were manufactured according to specifications created by The 3DO Company, and were originally designed by...
(prototyped as Turbo Blaster). However, only the Sega CD and LaserActive versions were released internationally under the titles Road Avenger, and Road Prosecuter respectively. The titles were presumably changed to avoid confusion with the similarly titled arcade game Roadblasters
RoadBlasters
RoadBlasters is an arcade game released by Atari Games in 1987. In RoadBlasters, the player must navigate a sports car through 50 different rally races, getting to the finish line before running out of fuel.-Object of the game:...
by Atari Games
Atari Games
Atari Games Corporation was an American producer of arcade games, and originally part of Atari, Inc..-History:When, in 1984, Warner Communications sold the Atari Consumer division of Atari Inc...
(which was ported to the Sega Genesis around the same time). Other variations included one-shot reproductions for VHS cassette players such as Takara’s Video Challenger which was a limited interactive port of the Road Blaster arcade game. The Sega Saturn and PlayStation ports were compilations of Road Blaster and another laserdisc arcade game developed by the same team titled as Thunder Storm (known outside of Japan as Cobra Command).
Yoshihisa Kishimoto, the director of Cobra Command and Road Blaster, later directed the arcade version of Double Dragon
Double Dragon
is a classic beat 'em up video game series initially developed by Technos Japan Corporation, who also developed the Kunio-kun series ....
. The car from Road Blaster can be seen inside Billy and Jimmy's garage at the start of the game.
Cobra Command and Road Blaster were ported to iOS by Revolutionary Concepts on June 29, 2010, and January 13, 2011, respectively.
Novelization
A novel based on the game is planned to be released between 2009 and 2011. The project is officially authorized by G-Mode of Japan (the current rights holder to most of Data East's catalog) and is being written by Mary Margaret Park and co-produced by Sekrett Scilensce.Reception
Road Avenger was reviewed in 1993 in DragonDragon (magazine)
Dragon is one of the two official magazines for source material for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game and associated products, the other being Dungeon. TSR, Inc. originally launched the monthly printed magazine in 1976 to succeed the company's earlier publication, The Strategic Review. The...
#195 by Hartley, Patricia, and Kirk Lesser in "The Role of Computers" column. The reviewers gave the game 4 out of 5 stars.
External links
Arcade version- Road Blaster at www.anos.co.jp
- Road Blaster at arcade-history
Home console versions
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