Fun House (video game)

Last updated
Fun House
Fun House Cover.jpg
NES cover art
Developer(s) Realtime Associates [1]
Publisher(s) Hi Tech Expressions [2]
Designer(s) Ironwind Software [2]
Composer(s) George Sanger [2]
Platform(s) Nintendo Entertainment System, [2] MS-DOS
ReleaseNES:
MS-DOS:
Genre(s) Action [2] /Shooter [1]
Mode(s)NES: Single-player
MS-DOS: Single-player or Multiplayer

Fun House is a 1991 action video game based on the US version of the television show Fun House . It was released in North America for the Nintendo Entertainment System and MS-DOS with significant differences between the two.

Contents

Gameplay

NES version

Instead of killing people with weapons, kids have to hit targets in the game with an infinite supply of tomatoes. FunHouseNESJustLikeRunningMan.png
Instead of killing people with weapons, kids have to hit targets in the game with an infinite supply of tomatoes.

The general gameplay concept is that each level is like a child's version of The Running Man with a basic top-down view. [1] Players must throw tomatoes skillfully at a series of easy-to-hit targets. [1] Some elements of the game are indirectly taken from the classic arcade game Pole Position (except that the player does not have the option to play as a Formula One vehicle).

In order to make it to the next level, the player must make it from the starting line to the finish within the time limit with a young child on inline skates. [1] Otherwise, the player loses a chance and must start the stage over again. The host of the televised game show, J. D. Roth, congratulates players for winning a stage while taunting the player with late 1980s/early 1990s sarcasm when he loses a "chance." Icy floors and slime colored ramps offer an additional challenge to the player. [1] There are 72 rooms in the entire Fun House; with targets that are either numbered or given a generic target graphic. [3] Each room has a name that usually gives a clue about how the room's design is implemented; either as clues that describe themselves or as a pun-laden name. [4]

Although the player is given three chances to successfully navigate the entire Fun House, collecting 25 silver coins acts as a 1-up. [1] Warp zones will allow players to access the more difficult levels of the Fun House at an earlier time; thus allowing gamers who are pressed for time a chance to beat the game with a higher level of risk. [1]

Realtime Associates released a similar game lacking the Fun House branding for the Game Boy under the name of Out of Gas .

MS-DOS version

In the MS-DOS version of Fun House, the players have to play in three mini-games before a trivia round; they are either a shooting game or a different kind of arcade game. After answering three kid-oriented trivia questions (usually about ice cream or elementary school knowledge), they had to run through the Fun House Maze for some more points. Each player had to go into the Fun House three times to pick up prizes. [5] Most of the prizes were good (adds points to the score) while some of them were actually obstacles (deducts points from the score).

Related Research Articles

<i>Marios Time Machine</i> 1993 video game

Mario's Time Machine is an educational video game originally released for MS-DOS and then for the Nintendo Entertainment System and Super NES consoles. The Software Toolworks both developed and published the MS-DOS and Super NES versions in 1993, while the NES version was developed by Radical Entertainment and published by The Software Toolworks in 1994. The Microsoft Windows version was re-released as Mario's Time Machine Deluxe in 1996.

<i>Rampart</i> (video game) 1990 video game

Rampart is a 1990 video game released by Atari Games and Midway Games that combines the shoot 'em up, strategy, and puzzle genres. It debuted as an arcade game with trackball controls, and was ported to home systems. It had a limited US release in October 1990, and a wide release in early 1991. It was distributed in Japan by Namco.

<i>Bad Dudes Vs. DragonNinja</i> 1988 video game

Bad Dudes Vs. DragonNinja, also known simply as either Bad Dudes or DragonNinja, is a side-scrolling cooperative beat 'em up developed and released by Data East as an arcade video game in 1988. It was ported to computer and game console home systems.

<i>Klax</i> (video game) 1990 video game

Klax is a puzzle video game released in arcades in 1990 by Atari Games while Namco distributed the game in Japanese markets. It was designed and animated by Mark Stephen Pierce with the software engineering done by Dave Akers. The object is to catch colored blocks tumbling down a machine and arrange them in colored rows and patterns to make them disappear. Klax was originally published as a coin-op follow-up to Tetris, about which Atari Games was in a legal dispute at the time.

<i>Star Wars</i> (1983 video game) 1983 video game

Star Wars is a first-person rail shooter designed by Mike Hally and released as an arcade video game in 1983 by Atari, Inc. It uses 3D color vector graphics to simulate the assault on the Death Star from the 1977 film Star Wars. There are three connected gameplay sequences: combat against TIE fighters in space, flying across the surface of the Death Star, and the final trench run. The sequence repeats with added complications and the Death Star regenerating for each. The player's X-Wing fighter has a shield which only protects against damage a certain number of times, then the next hit ends the game. Speech synthesis emulates actors from the film.

<i>The Simpsons</i> (video game) 1991 video game

The Simpsons is an arcade beat 'em up developed and published by Konami released in 1991. It was the first video game based on the Simpsons franchise to be released in North America. The game allows up to four players to control members of the Simpson family as they fight various enemies to rescue the kidnapped Maggie. It was a commercial success in the United States, where it was one of the top three best-selling arcade video game machines of 1991, The game also features the television shows's voice actors; Dan Castellaneta, Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright and Yeardley Smith reprising their respective roles as the Simpsons family.

<i>Revolution X</i> 1994 video game

Revolution X is a shooting gallery video game developed by Midway and released in arcades in 1994. The gameplay is similar to Midway's earlier Terminator 2: Judgment Day, but is themed around the band Aerosmith. The oppressive New Order Nation regime and their leader Helga have abducted Aerosmith, and players use a mounted gun to control onscreen crosshairs and shoot enemies. The members of Aerosmith are hidden throughout the game's international locales and must be found in order to receive the game's true ending.

<i>Muppet Adventure: Chaos at the Carnival</i> 1990 The Muppets video game

Muppet Adventure: Chaos at the Carnival is a video game released for the Apple II, Commodore 64, and MS-DOS in 1989 by Hi Tech Expressions. A port to the Nintendo Entertainment System was published in 1990. The game features Muppets created by Jim Henson in a series of carnival-inspired mini games searching for enough keys to rescue Miss Piggy from Dr. Grump. These mini games include: Bumper Cars, Funhouse, Tunnel of Love, Duck Hunt and Space Ride. The game was initially released for the Apple IIc with a bug which caused it to be unwinnable. Upon achieving the win condition versus Dr. Grump, the game would enter an endless cycle of taking the player back to a previous level, instead of having Dr. Grump be defeated.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dick Tracy (video game)</span> Video game

Dick Tracy appeared in the following video game tie-ins for the motion picture:

<i>Double Dribble</i> (video game) 1986 Video game

Double Dribble is an arcade basketball video game developed and released by Konami in 1986. It was the second basketball arcade video game by Konami, following Super Basketball. It was considered the most realistic basketball sports video game upon release, with fast-paced action, detailed players, a large side-scrolling court, innovative cinematic slam dunks, and detailed sound effects, beginning a trend where presentation would play an increasingly important role in sports games.

<i>Pit-Fighter</i> 1990 video game

Pit-Fighter is a fighting game developed by Atari Games and released as an arcade video game in 1990. It was Atari's first fighting game. The Japanese release was published by Konami. Home versions were published by Tengen.

<i>Bram Stokers Dracula</i> (video game) 1993 video game

Bram Stoker's Dracula is a 1993 video game released for the Mega Drive/Genesis, Nintendo Entertainment System, Super NES, Game Boy, Master System, Sega CD, Game Gear, MS-DOS, and Amiga. It is based on the 1992 film Bram Stoker's Dracula which in turn is based on the 1897 novel Dracula by Bram Stoker. Most versions are platform games. The Sega CD and Amiga releases are beat 'em ups, and the MS-DOS version is a first-person shooter. The Amiga version was released in 1994 for North America and Europe. A CD-ROM version for MS-DOS compatible operating systems was released in 1995.

<i>Hook</i> (video game) Video game based on the eponymous 1991 film

There have been several video games based on the 1991 film Hook. A side-scrolling platform game for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) and Game Boy was released in the United States in February 1992. Subsequent side-scrolling platform games were released for the Commodore 64 and the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES), and an arcade beat ‘em up by Irem later in 1992, followed by versions for the Sega CD, Sega Genesis, and Sega's handheld Game Gear console in 1993.

<i>Barbie: Super Model</i> 1993 video game

Barbie: Super Model is a one or two-player educational action video game that allows the player to play as Barbie. It was released for the Sega Genesis, SNES and MS-DOS in 1993.

<i>Cool World</i> (1992 video game) 1992 video game

Cool World is a 2D platform game released by Ocean Software in 1992 for the Commodore 64, Amiga, Atari ST, and MS-DOS. It was the first game based on the film of the same name. A version of the game for the Game Boy was released in 1993 alongside two entirely different games based on the film for the NES and SNES.

<i>WWF WrestleMania: The Arcade Game</i> 1995 video game

WWF WrestleMania is a professional wrestling arcade game released by Midway Manufacturing Co. in 1995. It is based on the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) professional wrestling promotion.

<i>Escape from the Planet of the Robot Monsters</i> 1989 video game

Escape from the Planet of the Robot Monsters is a multidirectional shooter released in arcades by Atari Games in 1989. The game is styled after campy science fiction B movies of the 1950s. It was ported to the Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, Commodore 64, MS-DOS, SAM Coupé, and ZX Spectrum.

<i>Skull & Crossbones</i> (video game) 1989 video game

Skull & Crossbones is a pirate-themed beat 'em up developed by Atari Games and released as an arcade video game in 1989. Developer Tengen ported the game to the Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, Commodore 64, MS-DOS, Nintendo Entertainment System, and ZX Spectrum.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Basic game overview (NES version)". MobyGames . Retrieved 2010-11-29.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Release information (NES version)". GameFAQs . Retrieved 2008-07-14.
  3. "Advanced game overview (NES version)". Game Show Garbage. Retrieved 2012-09-28.[ permanent dead link ]
  4. "Level names (NES version)". Yahoo! Voices. Archived from the original on 2014-07-29. Retrieved 2012-09-28.
  5. "Basic game overview (MS-DOS version)". MobyGames . Retrieved 2012-09-29.