Spy Hunter
Encyclopedia
Spy Hunter is a 1983 arcade game
developed and released by Bally Midway
. It has also been ported to various home computer
s and video game systems
.
As a cabinet-style arcade game, Spy Hunter was produced in both sit-down and standard upright versions with the latter being more common. The game's controls consist of a steering wheel
in the form of a futuristic aircraft-style yoke with several special-purpose buttons, a two-position stick shift
(offering 'low' and 'high' gears), and a pedal used for acceleration. It is a single-player game.
/driving
game with the player in the role of a spy
driving an armed sportscar. The object of the game is to travel the freeway destroying as many enemy vehicles as possible while protecting civilian vehicles. The game is a top-down vertical scroller.
Early versions of the game used the James Bond theme
by Monty Norman
, but the inability to obtain the rights to use the music forced Midway to change this theme. As a result, an electronic arrangement of Henry Mancini
's theme to Peter Gunn
plays throughout.
The game begins with the player driving the fictitious G-6155 Interceptor. Enemy vehicles try to destroy the player's car or to force it off the road. Points are scored for distance traveled (a counter increments the score while the car is moving) and for destroying enemy vehicles. There is an initial lead-in time during which the player has an unlimited supply of cars. After the lead-in time expires the player must earn extra cars by obtaining high scores. The first extra car is generally earned at a default value of 30,000 points, but this value can vary depending on settings for a given machine. Up to 3 additional cars are awarded at similar increments.
The player must be cautious to avoid harming innocent civilian vehicles. There are three types of such vehicles: two automobiles (one pink in color, the other light blue) and a motorcycle
. Destroying these vehicles causes the score meter to halt for a few seconds (in effect subtracting points from the player's score) and will result in the Weapons Van
arriving only once instead of twice in that sequence. It is also possible to destroy the Weapons Van itself. Doing so produces the same consequences as destroying a civilian vehicle. A very hard, direct crash with a civilian vehicle can result in the player losing a car. If the player survives long enough (several minutes), eventually civilian vehicles stop appearing and the only other vehicles on the road are the player's enemies.
The player's car starts the game with two front-mounted machine gun
s with an endless supply of ammunition. The machine guns and the player's driving skill (opponents can be sideswipe
d off the road) are the only means of defense against the enemy vehicles in the beginning stages of the game. At regular intervals, following a fork in the road, the player will enter a new 'territory' also marked by a change in the environment, such as addition of snow and ice, a transition to or from water, or merely a change in the color of the terrain and vegetation alongside the road. In each new road territory, the player will pass a red tractor-trailer parked on the shoulder—the Weapons Van. The player receives additional weapons by entering the Van, which will accelerate until it reaches a point directly in front of the player's vehicle, at which time it will extend a ramp allowing the player to drive in. Three special weapons are available: oil slicks, smoke screens, and surface-to-air missile
s. The type of weapon provided by the Weapons Van is displayed on the Van's roof rack
. The Van subsequently stops briefly at the side of the road for the player's vehicle to exit. The Weapons Van can appear twice in each territory; after entering the Van the first time, the button in the middle of the steering yoke will be lit steadily as long as the player does not destroy any civilian vehicles. When the middle button is thus lit, the Van can be manually summoned by pressing it, or if the player loses a car the Weapons Van will reappear (with the same weapon) automatically.
All three special weapons can be equipped simultaneously, although this state of play is difficult to achieve. Each special weapon has a limited number of uses. For example, the smokescreen can be used only four times (three times in some game versions). The special weapons are activated via dedicated buttons on the steering yoke. In most game versions entering the Weapons Van twice in the same territory will refill the player's ammunition supply. If the player's car is destroyed, either by being forced off the road or shot, it will reappear with only machine guns. The game's dashboard
shows which weapons are available, when lit.
There are four enemy vehicles in all, each dark blue in color and possessing its own special characteristic:
The Mad Bomber is the only opponent who can only be destroyed with missiles. Missed bombs leave craters which can destroy other cars or the player in most game versions.
It is possible for the player to convert his car into a cigarette boat by voluntarily driving through a special boathouse which appears infrequently at the side of the road. At certain intervals the words "Bridge Out" will appear on the screen, and the player will be forced to enter the boathouse. When in the water the three road-based enemies are replaced by two others:
Using the oil slick while piloting the boat releases flaming oil, which instantly destroys any boat that contacts it. There is no weapons van in the boat sequence; if the player's boat is destroyed and the player has another vehicle remaining, a replacement boat (armed only with machine guns) is towed on screen by a tugboat
. At the end of the boat sequence, the player drives through another boathouse and his vehicle is instantly changed back to a car. A sequence featuring the player flying a helicopter was also planned by the developers, but it was omitted due to lack of memory. The cabinet artwork on some versions of the game feature a jet with the same color scheme as the car/boat, leading some players to believe that it would be playable at some point during the game.
Also, at irregular intervals the words "Icy Road Ahead" will appear on the screen. A few seconds later the background will change to a winter setting, and the road surface becomes more slippery which makes driving even more treacherous. The upside of the new terrain is that certain weapons—most particularly the oil slick—become more effective.
version of the game was released in 1984 by Bally. The original Spy Hunter was followed by an arcade sequel, Spy Hunter II
in 1987. It retained the Peter Gunn
music and incorporated a cooperative two-player mode, but the top-down view was replaced with a more 3D
perspective from behind and above the car. Though seemingly more realistic, the different perspective was unpopular and clumsy. The game achieved little success and remained largely unknown as it never went into large scale production. There is also a Nintendo Entertainment System
game called Super Spy Hunter
.
In "Hit, Run and Homicide", a first season episode of Murder She Wrote, Jessica realizes the solution to the episode's mystery while playing Spy Hunter in the Cabot Cove grocery store.
Spy Hunter itself is regarded as one of the "Top 100 Videogames" of all time by the Killer List of Videogames
(KLOV).
This game inspired an enhanced remake
/sequel
for the PlayStation 2
, Xbox
and GameCube
, Game Boy Advance
and Microsoft Windows
. The 2001/2002 version of Spy Hunter was developed by Midway Games
.
In March/April 2008, Pontiac
aired a commercial featuring Spy Hunter with the Pontiac G8 GT
taking over as the hero car after the original car is destroyed.
In the popular Zynga game Mafia Wars
, a car is available called the Hunter "Spy" XS.
Because of its success, Spy Hunter was ported
to several home video game systems
and home computer
s of the early 1980s era. Versions were developed for DOS
, the Nintendo Entertainment System
, the Atari 2600
, Atari 8-bit family
, Amstrad CPC
, ZX Spectrum
, Commodore 64
, Apple II, ColecoVision
, and the BBC Micro
. A clone named Major Motion was also released by Microdeal
on Atari ST
and Amiga
.
The Nintendo port of this game has extremely buggy collision detection
. If the road turns, the car will not crash if it remains pointed straight. It is possible to drive for hours over dirt, rocks, river banks, etc. If the car's tires are slashed while near the top of the screen, the car will often spin off the top of the screen and reappear at the bottom. The car becomes indestructible and can drive anywhere on the screen without being damaged, but the car's weapons no longer function.
The Commodore 64
(C64) and Atari 8-bit
versions had a similar apparent bug. Immediately after starting (being dropped off by the Van), one could continue driving on the side of the road without any enemy cars being able to damage the spy car. In the C64 and Atari 8-bit ports one could even drive further out on the black border on the side of the screen. However, in the arcade version, after exploiting this effect for a few tens of seconds, the Enforcer would appear on the opposite side of the road, forcing the player to take evasive action and resume normal play, or be destroyed.
In 2001, Midway resurrected the game, this time using full 3D graphics
. Midway published this consumer version for most major systems: Windows
, PlayStation 2
, Xbox
, Game Boy Advance
, and Nintendo GameCube
.
In addition to these consoles, Spy Hunter was included in Midway's Greatest Arcade Hits: Volume 1 for Nintendo 64
, and Midway Arcade Treasures
; a compilation of arcade games available for the GameCube
, PlayStation 2
and Xbox
consoles, released in 2003.
to work. Shortly after Excel 2000's release, Microsoft
officially banned Easter eggs from its non-game software.
. The following September, Universal signed actor Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson to star in the film adaptation based on the game. Screenwriters Michael Brandt and Derek Haas were hired to write the screenplay, though a director had not been decided at the time. Spy Hunter was slated to begin its budgeted $90 million production in spring 2004 in time for a summer 2005 release. In January 2004, screenwriters Mark Swift and Damian Shannon replaced the original writing duo to rewrite the script, with production slated for June. By May, Universal Pictures acquired director John Woo
to helm the project. In the same month, the previous screenwriters were replaced by screenwriter Zak Penn
to rewrite the script once more. By August 2004, production had been delayed, pushing Spy Hunter back to be released in summer 2006. In April 2005, Penn was replaced by screenwriter Stuart Beattie
to rewrite the script. By May 2005, however, director John Woo left the project due to scheduling conflicts. In August 2005, Dwayne Johnson said the film was still developing without a director. Pre-production work was underway with designs such as the morphing Interceptor vehicle driven by Alex Decker. Production was eventually halted for the time being, and Dwayne Johnson was detached from the project.
In May 2007, Paul W.S. Anderson was hired to replace Woo as the director. He will be writing a new script with another screenwriter. It is yet to be determined if Dwayne Johnson will return to the project.
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 released by Bally Midway
Midway Games
Midway Games, Inc. is an American company that was formerly a major video game publisher. Following a bankruptcy filing in 2009, it is no longer active and is in the process of liquidating all of its assets. Midway's titles included Mortal Kombat, Ms.Pac-Man, Spy Hunter, Tron, Rampage, the...
. It has also been ported to various home computer
Home computer
Home computers were a class of microcomputers entering the market in 1977, and becoming increasingly common during the 1980s. They were marketed to consumers as affordable and accessible computers that, for the first time, were intended for the use of a single nontechnical user...
s and video game systems
Video game console
A video game console is an interactive entertainment computer or customized computer system that produces a video display signal which can be used with a display device to display a video game...
.
As a cabinet-style arcade game, Spy Hunter was produced in both sit-down and standard upright versions with the latter being more common. The game's controls consist of a steering wheel
Steering wheel
A steering wheel is a type of steering control in vehicles and vessels ....
in the form of a futuristic aircraft-style yoke with several special-purpose buttons, a two-position stick shift
Manual transmission
A manual transmission, also known as a manual gearbox or standard transmission is a type of transmission used in motor vehicle applications...
(offering 'low' and 'high' gears), and a pedal used for acceleration. It is a single-player game.
Gameplay
Spy Hunter is an actionAction game
Action game is a video game genre that emphasizes physical challenges, including hand–eye coordination and reaction-time. The genre includes diverse subgenres such as fighting games, shooter games, and platform games, which are widely considered the most important action games, though some...
/driving
Racing game
A racing video game is a genre of video games, either in the first-person or third-person perspective, in which the player partakes in a racing competition with any type of land, air, or sea vehicles. They may be based on anything from real-world racing leagues to entirely fantastical settings...
game with the player in the role of a spy
Espionage
Espionage or spying involves an individual obtaining information that is considered secret or confidential without the permission of the holder of the information. Espionage is inherently clandestine, lest the legitimate holder of the information change plans or take other countermeasures once it...
driving an armed sportscar. The object of the game is to travel the freeway destroying as many enemy vehicles as possible while protecting civilian vehicles. The game is a top-down vertical scroller.
Early versions of the game used the James Bond theme
James Bond Theme
The "James Bond Theme" is the main signature theme of the James Bond films and has featured in every Eon Productions Bond film since Dr. No. The piece has been used as an accompanying fanfare to the gun barrel sequence in almost every James Bond film....
by Monty Norman
Monty Norman
Monty Norman is a singer and film composer best known for being credited with composing the "James Bond Theme".-Biography:...
, but the inability to obtain the rights to use the music forced Midway to change this theme. As a result, an electronic arrangement of Henry Mancini
Henry Mancini
Henry Mancini was an American composer, conductor and arranger, best remembered for his film and television scores. He won a record number of Grammy Awards , plus a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award posthumously in 1995...
's theme to Peter Gunn
Peter Gunn
Peter Gunn is an American private eye television series which aired on the NBC and later ABC television networks from 1958 to 1961. The show's creator was Blake Edwards...
plays throughout.
The game begins with the player driving the fictitious G-6155 Interceptor. Enemy vehicles try to destroy the player's car or to force it off the road. Points are scored for distance traveled (a counter increments the score while the car is moving) and for destroying enemy vehicles. There is an initial lead-in time during which the player has an unlimited supply of cars. After the lead-in time expires the player must earn extra cars by obtaining high scores. The first extra car is generally earned at a default value of 30,000 points, but this value can vary depending on settings for a given machine. Up to 3 additional cars are awarded at similar increments.
The player must be cautious to avoid harming innocent civilian vehicles. There are three types of such vehicles: two automobiles (one pink in color, the other light blue) and a motorcycle
Motorcycle
A motorcycle is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycles vary considerably depending on the task for which they are designed, such as long distance travel, navigating congested urban traffic, cruising, sport and racing, or off-road conditions.Motorcycles are one of the most...
. Destroying these vehicles causes the score meter to halt for a few seconds (in effect subtracting points from the player's score) and will result in the Weapons Van
Van
A van is a kind of vehicle used for transporting goods or groups of people.In British English usage, it can be either specially designed or based on a saloon or sedan car, the latter type often including derivatives with open backs...
arriving only once instead of twice in that sequence. It is also possible to destroy the Weapons Van itself. Doing so produces the same consequences as destroying a civilian vehicle. A very hard, direct crash with a civilian vehicle can result in the player losing a car. If the player survives long enough (several minutes), eventually civilian vehicles stop appearing and the only other vehicles on the road are the player's enemies.
The player's car starts the game with two front-mounted machine gun
Machine gun
A machine gun is a fully automatic mounted or portable firearm, usually designed to fire rounds in quick succession from an ammunition belt or large-capacity magazine, typically at a rate of several hundred rounds per minute....
s with an endless supply of ammunition. The machine guns and the player's driving skill (opponents can be sideswipe
Sideswipe
Sideswipe is the name of several characters in the Transformers universes. Because of trademark restrictions, toys of the character are sometimes marketed as Side Swipe.-Transformers: Generation 1:...
d off the road) are the only means of defense against the enemy vehicles in the beginning stages of the game. At regular intervals, following a fork in the road, the player will enter a new 'territory' also marked by a change in the environment, such as addition of snow and ice, a transition to or from water, or merely a change in the color of the terrain and vegetation alongside the road. In each new road territory, the player will pass a red tractor-trailer parked on the shoulder—the Weapons Van. The player receives additional weapons by entering the Van, which will accelerate until it reaches a point directly in front of the player's vehicle, at which time it will extend a ramp allowing the player to drive in. Three special weapons are available: oil slicks, smoke screens, and surface-to-air missile
Surface-to-air missile
A surface-to-air missile or ground-to-air missile is a missile designed to be launched from the ground to destroy aircraft or other missiles...
s. The type of weapon provided by the Weapons Van is displayed on the Van's roof rack
Roof rack
A roof rack is a set of bars secured to the roof of a motor car. It is used to carry bulky items such as luggage, bicycles, canoes, kayaks, skis, or various carriers and containers.There is a long history of the use of roof racks and their designs...
. The Van subsequently stops briefly at the side of the road for the player's vehicle to exit. The Weapons Van can appear twice in each territory; after entering the Van the first time, the button in the middle of the steering yoke will be lit steadily as long as the player does not destroy any civilian vehicles. When the middle button is thus lit, the Van can be manually summoned by pressing it, or if the player loses a car the Weapons Van will reappear (with the same weapon) automatically.
All three special weapons can be equipped simultaneously, although this state of play is difficult to achieve. Each special weapon has a limited number of uses. For example, the smokescreen can be used only four times (three times in some game versions). The special weapons are activated via dedicated buttons on the steering yoke. In most game versions entering the Weapons Van twice in the same territory will refill the player's ammunition supply. If the player's car is destroyed, either by being forced off the road or shot, it will reappear with only machine guns. The game's dashboard
Dashboard
A dashboard is a control panel placed in front of the driver of an automobile, housing instrumentation and controls for operation of the vehicle....
shows which weapons are available, when lit.
There are four enemy vehicles in all, each dark blue in color and possessing its own special characteristic:
- Switchblade (tagline: Never To Be Trusted) is armed with wheel-mounted tire slashers, which cause the player to veer off the road and crash if touched.
- The Road Lord (tagline: Bullet Proof Bully) is shielded by bulletproof armor plating, rendering it invulnerable to machine gun bullets.
- The Enforcer (tagline: Double Barrel Action) is a limousineLimousineA limousine is a luxury sedan or saloon car, especially one with a lengthened wheelbase or driven by a chauffeur. The chassis of a limousine may have been extended by the manufacturer or by an independent coachbuilder. These are called "stretch" limousines and are traditionally black or white....
featuring a shotgunShotgunA shotgun is a firearm that is usually designed to be fired from the shoulder, which uses the energy of a fixed shell to fire a number of small spherical pellets called shot, or a solid projectile called a slug...
-toting thug who fires at the player's car. If you drive too slow, the limo will wait for you on the side of the road, and shoot your tire out. - The Mad Bomber (tagline: Master Of The Sky) is a helicopterHelicopterA helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...
which drops bombBombA bomb is any of a range of explosive weapons that only rely on the exothermic reaction of an explosive material to provide an extremely sudden and violent release of energy...
s on the player.
The Mad Bomber is the only opponent who can only be destroyed with missiles. Missed bombs leave craters which can destroy other cars or the player in most game versions.
It is possible for the player to convert his car into a cigarette boat by voluntarily driving through a special boathouse which appears infrequently at the side of the road. At certain intervals the words "Bridge Out" will appear on the screen, and the player will be forced to enter the boathouse. When in the water the three road-based enemies are replaced by two others:
- The Barrel Dumper, a speedboat which travels ahead of the player and ejects barrels into the water which must be avoided.
- Doctor Torpedo, another speedboat which launches torpedoes at the player's boat from behind.
Using the oil slick while piloting the boat releases flaming oil, which instantly destroys any boat that contacts it. There is no weapons van in the boat sequence; if the player's boat is destroyed and the player has another vehicle remaining, a replacement boat (armed only with machine guns) is towed on screen by a tugboat
Tugboat
A tugboat is a boat that maneuvers vessels by pushing or towing them. Tugs move vessels that either should not move themselves, such as ships in a crowded harbor or a narrow canal,or those that cannot move by themselves, such as barges, disabled ships, or oil platforms. Tugboats are powerful for...
. At the end of the boat sequence, the player drives through another boathouse and his vehicle is instantly changed back to a car. A sequence featuring the player flying a helicopter was also planned by the developers, but it was omitted due to lack of memory. The cabinet artwork on some versions of the game feature a jet with the same color scheme as the car/boat, leading some players to believe that it would be playable at some point during the game.
Also, at irregular intervals the words "Icy Road Ahead" will appear on the screen. A few seconds later the background will change to a winter setting, and the road surface becomes more slippery which makes driving even more treacherous. The upside of the new terrain is that certain weapons—most particularly the oil slick—become more effective.
Legacy
Following the success of the arcade version of Spy Hunter, a pinballPinball
Pinball is a type of arcade game, usually coin-operated, where a player attempts to score points by manipulating one or more metal balls on a playfield inside a glass-covered case called a pinball machine. The primary objective of the game is to score as many points as possible...
version of the game was released in 1984 by Bally. The original Spy Hunter was followed by an arcade sequel, Spy Hunter II
Spy Hunter II
Spy Hunter II is an arcade game released by Bally Midway in 1987 as a sequel to Spy Hunter....
in 1987. It retained the Peter Gunn
Peter Gunn
Peter Gunn is an American private eye television series which aired on the NBC and later ABC television networks from 1958 to 1961. The show's creator was Blake Edwards...
music and incorporated a cooperative two-player mode, but the top-down view was replaced with a more 3D
3D computer graphics
3D computer graphics are graphics that use a three-dimensional representation of geometric data that is stored in the computer for the purposes of performing calculations and rendering 2D images...
perspective from behind and above the car. Though seemingly more realistic, the different perspective was unpopular and clumsy. The game achieved little success and remained largely unknown as it never went into large scale production. There is also a Nintendo Entertainment System
Nintendo Entertainment System
The Nintendo Entertainment System is an 8-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America during 1985, in Europe during 1986 and Australia in 1987...
game called Super Spy Hunter
Super Spy Hunter
Super Spy Hunter is a vehicular combat video game developed and published by Sunsoft for the Nintendo Entertainment System. It was originally released in Japan on September 27, 1991 as , which means that this game originally was not a sequel of Spy Hunter. Sunsoft would later obtain the license...
.
In "Hit, Run and Homicide", a first season episode of Murder She Wrote, Jessica realizes the solution to the episode's mystery while playing Spy Hunter in the Cabot Cove grocery store.
Spy Hunter itself is regarded as one of the "Top 100 Videogames" of all time by the Killer List of Videogames
Killer List of Videogames
The Killer List of Videogames is a web site featuring an online encyclopedia devoted to cataloging arcade games past and present. It is the video game department of the International Arcade Museum, and has been referred to as "the IMDb for players."....
(KLOV).
This game inspired an enhanced remake
Enhanced remake
A video game remake is a game closely adapted from an earlier title, usually for the purpose of modernizing a game for newer hardware and contemporary audiences. Typically, a remake shares essentially the same title, fundamental gameplay concepts, and story elements of the original game...
/sequel
Sequel
A sequel is a narrative, documental, or other work of literature, film, theatre, or music that continues the story of or expands upon issues presented in some previous work...
for the PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
, Xbox
Xbox
The Xbox is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Microsoft. It was released on November 15, 2001 in North America, February 22, 2002 in Japan, and March 14, 2002 in Australia and Europe and is the predecessor to the Xbox 360. It was Microsoft's first foray into the gaming console...
and GameCube
Nintendo GameCube
The , officially abbreviated to NGC in Japan and GCN in other regions, is a sixth generation video game console released by Nintendo on September 15, 2001 in Japan, November 18, 2001 in North America, May 3, 2002 in Europe, and May 17, 2002 in Australia...
, Game Boy Advance
Game Boy Advance
The is a 32-bit handheld video game console developed, manufactured, and marketed by Nintendo. It is the successor to the Game Boy Color. It was released in Japan on March 21, 2001; in North America on June 11, 2001; in Australia and Europe on June 22, 2001; and in the People's Republic of China...
and Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
. The 2001/2002 version of Spy Hunter was developed by Midway Games
Midway Games
Midway Games, Inc. is an American company that was formerly a major video game publisher. Following a bankruptcy filing in 2009, it is no longer active and is in the process of liquidating all of its assets. Midway's titles included Mortal Kombat, Ms.Pac-Man, Spy Hunter, Tron, Rampage, the...
.
In March/April 2008, Pontiac
Pontiac
Pontiac was an automobile brand that was established in 1926 as a companion make for General Motors' Oakland. Quickly overtaking its parent in popularity, it supplanted the Oakland brand entirely by 1933 and, for most of its life, became a companion make for Chevrolet. Pontiac was sold in the...
aired a commercial featuring Spy Hunter with the Pontiac G8 GT
Pontiac G8
The Pontiac G8 is a rear-wheel drive sedan that was produced by Holden, the Australian General Motors subsidiary. The G8, a rebadged Holden Commodore, was released in early 2008 for the 2008 model year in the United States, and in 2008 for the 2009 model year in Canada. Production stopped in...
taking over as the hero car after the original car is destroyed.
In the popular Zynga game Mafia Wars
Mafia Wars
Mafia Wars is a multiplayer Social network game created by Zynga.In Mafia Wars the gamers play as gangsters building their own mafia. The players fight other players online and complete tasks to gain rewards and strength in the game. The game is a freemium game, meaning it is free to play normally...
, a car is available called the Hunter "Spy" XS.
Ports
Porting
In computer science, porting is the process of adapting software so that an executable program can be created for a computing environment that is different from the one for which it was originally designed...
to several home video game systems
Video game console
A video game console is an interactive entertainment computer or customized computer system that produces a video display signal which can be used with a display device to display a video game...
and home computer
Home computer
Home computers were a class of microcomputers entering the market in 1977, and becoming increasingly common during the 1980s. They were marketed to consumers as affordable and accessible computers that, for the first time, were intended for the use of a single nontechnical user...
s of the early 1980s era. Versions were developed for DOS
DOS
DOS, short for "Disk Operating System", is an acronym for several closely related operating systems that dominated the IBM PC compatible market between 1981 and 1995, or until about 2000 if one includes the partially DOS-based Microsoft Windows versions 95, 98, and Millennium Edition.Related...
, the Nintendo Entertainment System
Nintendo Entertainment System
The Nintendo Entertainment System is an 8-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America during 1985, in Europe during 1986 and Australia in 1987...
, the Atari 2600
Atari 2600
The Atari 2600 is a video game console released in October 1977 by Atari, Inc. It is credited with popularizing the use of microprocessor-based hardware and cartridges containing game code, instead of having non-microprocessor dedicated hardware with all games built in...
, Atari 8-bit family
Atari 8-bit family
The Atari 8-bit family is a series of 8-bit home computers manufactured from 1979 to 1992. All are based on the MOS Technology 6502 CPU and were the first home computers designed with custom coprocessor chips...
, 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,...
, 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...
, 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...
, Apple II, ColecoVision
ColecoVision
The ColecoVision is Coleco Industries' second generation home video game console which was released in August 1982. The ColecoVision offered arcade-quality graphics and gaming style, and the means to expand the system's basic hardware...
, and the BBC Micro
BBC Micro
The BBC Microcomputer System, or BBC Micro, was a series of microcomputers and associated peripherals designed and built by Acorn Computers for the BBC Computer Literacy Project, operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation...
. A clone named Major Motion was also released by Microdeal
Microdeal
Microdeal was a British software company which operated during the 1980s and early 1990s from its base at Truro Road in the town of St Austell, Cornwall...
on 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...
and Amiga
Amiga
The Amiga is a family of personal computers that was sold by Commodore in the 1980s and 1990s. The first model was launched in 1985 as a high-end home computer and became popular for its graphical, audio and multi-tasking abilities...
.
The Nintendo port of this game has extremely buggy collision detection
Collision detection
Collision detection typically refers to the computational problem of detecting the intersection of two or more objects. While the topic is most often associated with its use in video games and other physical simulations, it also has applications in robotics...
. If the road turns, the car will not crash if it remains pointed straight. It is possible to drive for hours over dirt, rocks, river banks, etc. If the car's tires are slashed while near the top of the screen, the car will often spin off the top of the screen and reappear at the bottom. The car becomes indestructible and can drive anywhere on the screen without being damaged, but the car's weapons no longer function.
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...
(C64) and Atari 8-bit
Atari 8-bit family
The Atari 8-bit family is a series of 8-bit home computers manufactured from 1979 to 1992. All are based on the MOS Technology 6502 CPU and were the first home computers designed with custom coprocessor chips...
versions had a similar apparent bug. Immediately after starting (being dropped off by the Van), one could continue driving on the side of the road without any enemy cars being able to damage the spy car. In the C64 and Atari 8-bit ports one could even drive further out on the black border on the side of the screen. However, in the arcade version, after exploiting this effect for a few tens of seconds, the Enforcer would appear on the opposite side of the road, forcing the player to take evasive action and resume normal play, or be destroyed.
3D computer graphics
3D computer graphics are graphics that use a three-dimensional representation of geometric data that is stored in the computer for the purposes of performing calculations and rendering 2D images...
. Midway published this consumer version for most major systems: Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
, PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
, Xbox
Xbox
The Xbox is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Microsoft. It was released on November 15, 2001 in North America, February 22, 2002 in Japan, and March 14, 2002 in Australia and Europe and is the predecessor to the Xbox 360. It was Microsoft's first foray into the gaming console...
, Game Boy Advance
Game Boy Advance
The is a 32-bit handheld video game console developed, manufactured, and marketed by Nintendo. It is the successor to the Game Boy Color. It was released in Japan on March 21, 2001; in North America on June 11, 2001; in Australia and Europe on June 22, 2001; and in the People's Republic of China...
, and Nintendo GameCube
Nintendo GameCube
The , officially abbreviated to NGC in Japan and GCN in other regions, is a sixth generation video game console released by Nintendo on September 15, 2001 in Japan, November 18, 2001 in North America, May 3, 2002 in Europe, and May 17, 2002 in Australia...
.
In addition to these consoles, Spy Hunter was included in Midway's Greatest Arcade Hits: Volume 1 for Nintendo 64
Nintendo 64
The , often referred to as N64, was Nintendo′s third home video game console for the international market. Named for its 64-bit CPU, it was released in June 1996 in Japan, September 1996 in North America, March 1997 in Europe and Australia, September 1997 in France and December 1997 in Brazil...
, and Midway Arcade Treasures
Midway Arcade Treasures
Midway Arcade Treasures is a collection of 24 arcade games developed by Digital Eclipse and released by Midway for the GameCube, PlayStation 2, Xbox and PC....
; a compilation of arcade games available for the GameCube
Nintendo GameCube
The , officially abbreviated to NGC in Japan and GCN in other regions, is a sixth generation video game console released by Nintendo on September 15, 2001 in Japan, November 18, 2001 in North America, May 3, 2002 in Europe, and May 17, 2002 in Australia...
, PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
and Xbox
Xbox
The Xbox is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Microsoft. It was released on November 15, 2001 in North America, February 22, 2002 in Japan, and March 14, 2002 in Australia and Europe and is the predecessor to the Xbox 360. It was Microsoft's first foray into the gaming console...
consoles, released in 2003.
Excel 2000 Easter egg
A version of Spy Hunter is included as an Easter egg in the first release of Microsoft Excel 2000. It requires DirectXDirectX
Microsoft DirectX is a collection of application programming interfaces for handling tasks related to multimedia, especially game programming and video, on Microsoft platforms. Originally, the names of these APIs all began with Direct, such as Direct3D, DirectDraw, DirectMusic, DirectPlay,...
to work. Shortly after Excel 2000's release, Microsoft
Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American public multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of products and services predominantly related to computing through its various product divisions...
officially banned Easter eggs from its non-game software.
Film adaptation
In the summer of 2003, Universal Pictures acquired the rights to the 1983 arcade game Spy Hunter from Midway GamesMidway Games
Midway Games, Inc. is an American company that was formerly a major video game publisher. Following a bankruptcy filing in 2009, it is no longer active and is in the process of liquidating all of its assets. Midway's titles included Mortal Kombat, Ms.Pac-Man, Spy Hunter, Tron, Rampage, the...
. The following September, Universal signed actor Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson to star in the film adaptation based on the game. Screenwriters Michael Brandt and Derek Haas were hired to write the screenplay, though a director had not been decided at the time. Spy Hunter was slated to begin its budgeted $90 million production in spring 2004 in time for a summer 2005 release. In January 2004, screenwriters Mark Swift and Damian Shannon replaced the original writing duo to rewrite the script, with production slated for June. By May, Universal Pictures acquired director John Woo
John Woo
John Woo Yu-Sen SBS is a Hong Kong-based film director and producer. Recognized for his stylised films of highly choreographed action sequences, Mexican standoffs, and use of slow-motion, Woo has directed several notable Hong Kong action films, among them, A Better Tomorrow, The Killer, Hard...
to helm the project. In the same month, the previous screenwriters were replaced by screenwriter Zak Penn
Zak Penn
Zak Penn is an American screenwriter and director. Penn wrote and directed Incident at Loch Ness, The Grand, and co-wrote the script for X-Men: The Last Stand. With Michael Karnow, Penn is the co-creator of Alphas.-Early life:...
to rewrite the script once more. By August 2004, production had been delayed, pushing Spy Hunter back to be released in summer 2006. In April 2005, Penn was replaced by screenwriter Stuart Beattie
Stuart Beattie
Stuart Beattie is an Australian screenwriter and film director. He attended Knox Grammar School, in Sydney, Australia, where his mother, Sandra, was a languages teacher, and later Charles Sturt University in Bathurst.-Filmography:...
to rewrite the script. By May 2005, however, director John Woo left the project due to scheduling conflicts. In August 2005, Dwayne Johnson said the film was still developing without a director. Pre-production work was underway with designs such as the morphing Interceptor vehicle driven by Alex Decker. Production was eventually halted for the time being, and Dwayne Johnson was detached from the project.
In May 2007, Paul W.S. Anderson was hired to replace Woo as the director. He will be writing a new script with another screenwriter. It is yet to be determined if Dwayne Johnson will return to the project.
External links
- A collector's experience with the game (cost, refurbishment)
- Midway's official web-based version of Spy Hunter
- Complete Video from the C64 Version on archive.org (no 24)