Combat School

Last updated
Combat School
Combat School.png
Japanese arcade flyer
Developer(s) Konami
Publisher(s) Konami
Platform(s) Arcade, Commodore 64, Amstrad CPC, ZX Spectrum, MS-DOS
Release
  • JP: April 2, 1987
  • WW: August 1987 [1] [2]
Genre(s) Sports, action

Combat School, [lower-alpha 1] released as Boot Camp in North America, is a 1987 arcade video game produced by Konami. The player takes control of a military recruit who is undergoing basic training at a United States Marine Corps Recruit Training camp, also known as a boot camp. The arcade game uses trackball controls.

Contents

In 1987, Ocean Software released ports of the game for the Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum, and Amstrad CPC in Europe. Konami themselves later released the Commodore 64 version in North America under the Boot Camp title in 1989 alongside an MS-DOS version. An Amiga version was announced, but never released.

Gameplay

The control panel consists of a trackball and two buttons with different functions depending on the event. The game can be played against a CPU-controlled opponent or a second player. Player 1 takes control of Nick, a brown-haired recruit in an orange shirt, while Player 2 is Joe, a blond-haired recruit in a blue shirt.

The game is composed of seven training events whom the player must complete. Upon a near-success failure to complete an event (failing too severely results in game over), the player must do a set number of chin ups as punishment (this chance is given only once) in order to continue into the succeeding events, or it is game over.

After all seven events are cleared, the player graduates from basic training only to be sent on a mission (the 8th and final stage) to rescue the U.S. President from armed terrorists. The final stage consists of a single side-scrolling level where the player must fight off terrorists using all the skills acquired during the course of training. This stage can only be played by one player. Without a continue feature or spare stocks of lives, and because the player dies with one hit (minus the part that pits the player in a hand-to-hand combat against the terrorist leader) from anything, the final stage is extremely difficult to clear.

Reception

In Japan, Game Machine listed Combat School on their July 1, 1987 issue as being the fourth most-successful table arcade unit of the month. [3]

Your Sinclair magazine gave the arcade game a positive review, comparing "Konami's new military arcade game" favorably with Konami's earlier Olympic video game Hyper Sports (1984). [2]

Cabal , released several months later, had similar trackball controls to Combat School. [4]

Notes

  1. ↑ Japanese: コンバットスクール, Hepburn: Konbatto Sukūru

Related Research Articles

<i>Gradius</i> (video game) Sidescrolling shooter video game by Konami

Gradius is a side-scrolling shooter video game developed and published by Konami. The first game in the Gradius series, it was originally released as a coin-operated arcade game in 1985. The player maneuvers a spacecraft known as the Vic Viper that must defend itself from the various alien enemies. The game uses a power-up system called the "power meter", based upon collecting capsules to purchase additional weapons.

<i>Contra</i> (video game) 1987 video game

Contra is a run and gun video game developed and published by Konami, originally developed as a coin-operated arcade video game in 1986 and released on February 20, 1987. A home version was released for the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1988, along with ports for various home computer formats, including the MSX2. The arcade and computer versions were localized as Gryzor in Europe, and the NES version as Probotector in PAL regions and France.

<i>Track & Field</i> (video game) 1983 arcade video game

Track & Field, also known as Hyper Olympic in Japan and Europe, is a 1983 Olympic-themed sports video game developed by Konami for arcades. The Japanese release sported an official license for the 1984 Summer Olympics. In Europe, the game was initially released under the Japanese title Hyper Olympic in 1983, before re-releasing under the US title Track & Field in early 1984.

<i>Cabal</i> (video game) 1988 arcade video game

Cabal is a 1988 arcade shooter video game originally developed by TAD Corporation and published in Japan by Taito, in North America by Fabtek and in Europe by Capcom. In the game, the player controls a commando, viewed from behind, trying to destroy various enemy military bases. The game was innovative for the era, but only a mild success in the arcades, and became better known for its various home conversions.

<i>Time Pilot</i> 1982 video game

Time Pilot is a multidirectional shooter arcade video game designed by Yoshiki Okamoto and released by Konami in 1982. It was distributed in the United States by Centuri, and by Atari Ireland in Europe and the Middle East. While engaging in aerial combat, the player-controlled jet flies across open airspace that scrolls indefinitely in all directions. Each level is themed to a different time period. Home ports for the Atari 2600, MSX, and ColecoVision were released in 1983.

<i>Renegade</i> (video game) 1986 video game

Nekketsu Kōha Kunio-kun, released as Renegade in the West, is a beat 'em up video game developed by Technōs Japan and distributed by Taito for the arcades in 1986. In the original Japanese version Nekketsu Kōha Kunio-kun, the game revolves around a high-school delinquent named Kunio-kun who must stand up against a series of rival gangs frequently targeting his classmate Hiroshi. In the Western version Renegade, the player controls a street brawler who must face four different gangs in order to rescue his girlfriend being held captive by a mob boss.

<i>Operation Wolf</i> Arcade video game

Operation Wolf is a light gun shooter arcade game developed by Taito and released in 1987. It was ported to many home systems.

<i>Rushn Attack</i> 1985 video game

Rush'n Attack, also known as Green Beret in Japan and Europe, is a run-and-gun and hack-and-slash video game developed and released by Konami for arcades in 1985, and later converted to the Nintendo Entertainment System and home computers. Its North American title is a play on the phrase "Russian attack" due to its Cold War setting. It was ported to home systems and became a critical and commercial success for arcades and home computers.

<i>Super Hang-On</i> 1987 video game

Super Hang-On is a motorcycle racing arcade video game released by Sega as the sequel to Hang-On. It uses a simulated motorcycle arcade cabinet, like the original game. An updated version was released in arcades 1991 as Limited Edition Hang-On.

<i>Jackal</i> (video game) 1986 video game

Jackal, also distributed under the title of Top Gunner, is an overhead run and gun video game by Konami released for arcades in 1986. The player must maneuver an armed jeep in order to rescue prisoners of war (POWs) trapped in enemy territory.

<i>The Ninja Warriors</i> (1987 video game) 1987 video game

The Ninja Warriors (ニンジャウォーリアーズ) is a side-scrolling beat 'em up video game developed and released by Taito in 1987. The original arcade game situated one display in between projected images of two other displays, creating the appearance of a triple-wide screen. Ports were released for home systems including the Amiga, Atari ST, ZX Spectrum, Commodore 64, Amstrad CPC, PC Engine, and Sega Mega-CD.

<i>Hyper Sports</i> 1984 video game

Hyper Sports, known in Japan as Hyper Olympic '84, is an Olympic-themed sports video game released by Konami for arcades in 1984. It is the sequel to 1983's Track & Field and features seven new Olympic events. Like its predecessor, Hyper Sports has two run buttons and one action button per player. The Japanese release of the game sported an official license for the 1984 Summer Olympics.

<i>A-Jax</i> (video game) 1987 video game

A-Jax (エー・ジャックス) is a vertically scrolling shooter released in arcades by Konami in December 1987. There was a European release of the game called Typhoon, which is the name used for Imagine Software's ZX Spectrum, Amstrad CPC, and Commodore 64 ports.

<i>Enduro Racer</i> 1986 video game

Enduro Racer (エンデューロレーサー) is an arcade racing game from Sega. It was released in 1986 with two arcade cabinet versions, a stand-up cabinet with handlebars and a full-sized dirt bike cabinet. It is often seen as a dirt racing version of Hang-On, as it uses a similar engine and PCB. The game was later released for the Master System in 1987, the ZX Spectrum and Commodore 64 in 1988, and the Amstrad CPC and Atari ST in 1989.

<i>19 Part One: Boot Camp</i> 1988 video game

19 Part One: Boot Camp is a multi-part action video game released by Cascade Games in 1988 for the Commodore 64 and ZX Spectrum. The inspiration for the game came from two sources: the arcade game Combat School and the Paul Hardcastle song 19, which was itself about the Vietnam War. The player controls a soldier through several training events, including an obstacle course, shooting practice and jeep driving.

<i>WEC Le Mans</i> 1986 video game

WEC Le Mans, known as WEC Le Mans 24 in Japan, is a racing simulation video game released in arcades by Konami in 1986. It was the first racing video game to depict the 24 Hours of Le Mans World Endurance Championship (WEC). The Lap of Le Mans is split up into three sections, during which the time of day changes from day to dusk, dusk to night, and night to dawn.

<i>Capcom Bowling</i> 1988 arcade game

Capcom Bowling is a top down bowling sports simulation game developed by Incredible Technologies and released by Capcom to arcades in 1988. Up to 4 four players could play a single game playing alternately. The controls feature a trackball which is used to control both direction and power, and two buttons which control left and right spin or hook. Comedic animations play for making certain shots.

<i>City Bomber</i> 1987 video game

City Bomber is a vehicular combat arcade video game developed and distributed by Konami and released in 1987.

<i>Rolling Thunder</i> (video game) 1986 video game

Rolling Thunder is a run and gun video game developed by Namco in Japan and Europe and released in 1986 as a coin-operated arcade video game using the Namco System 86 hardware. It was distributed in North America by Atari Games. The player takes control of a secret agent who must rescue his female partner from a terrorist organization. Rolling Thunder was a commercial success in arcades, and it was released for various home computer platforms in 1987 and the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1989. The original arcade game has been included in various classic game compilations as well. It influenced later arcade action franchises such as Shinobi and Time Crisis, which borrowed mechanics such as taking cover behind crates.

<i>Rastan</i> (video game) 1987 video game

Rastan Saga, known as Rastan in North America, is a side-scrolling hack and slash arcade video game released by Taito in 1987. It was a critical and commercial success and was ported to home platforms.

References

  1. ↑ Akagi, Masumi (October 13, 2006). アーケードTVゲームリスト国内•海外編(1971–2005) [Arcade TV Game List: Domestic • Overseas Edition (1971–2005)] (in Japanese). Japan: Amusement News Agency. p. 122. ISBN   978-4990251215.
  2. 1 2 "Slots of Fun". Your Sinclair . No. 21 (September 1987). United Kingdom: Dennis Publishing. August 1987. pp. 80–1.
  3. ↑ "Game Machine's Best Hit Games 25 - テーブル型TVゲーム機 (Table Videos)". Game Machine (in Japanese). No. 311. Amusement Press, Inc. 1 July 1987. p. 19.
  4. ↑ Edgeley, Clare (16 September 1988). "Arcade Action". Computer and Video Games . No. 84 (October 1988). United Kingdom: EMAP. pp. 114–6.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.