Special Criminal Investigation

Special Criminal Investigation
North American arcade flyer
Developer	Taito [a]
Publishers	Taito Arcade JP/NA: Taito EU: Electrocoin [1] Home computers Ocean Software
Series	Chase H.Q.
Platforms	Arcade, Amiga, Atari ST, ZX Spectrum, Amstrad CPC, Commodore 64, PC Engine, Master System, Sega Saturn
Release	October 1989 Arcade JP: October 1989 [2] NA: December 1989 [2] Amiga, Atari ST EU: August 1990 [3] ZX Spectrum EU: November 1990 [4] C64, CPC EU: 1990 PC Engine JP: January 25, 1991 Master System PAL: November 1992 [5] Saturn JP: 9 August 1996 [6]
Genre	Racing
Mode	Single-player
Arcade system	Taito Z System

Special Criminal Investigation, also known as S.C.I. for short or as Chase HQ II: Special Criminal Investigation in some home versions, is a 1989 vehicular combat racing game developed and published by Taito for arcades. It is the sequel to the 1988 game Chase H.Q.

Gameplay

Instead of the black Porsche 928 of the first game, the player commands a red example of the just-introduced (at the time) Nissan 300ZX Z32 T-Top Turbo. Unlike the first game, the player is able to fire at offending vehicles, with some cabinets containing buttons on the steering wheel, and others having a fire button on the gearshift, along with a button to activate the nitrous boost.

The game brings back protagonists Tony Gibson and Det. Raymond Broady of the first game, and their second game appearance. Broady has taken over the driver's seat this time, while Gibson, as the passenger, serves as the gunman. Also, instead of Nancy, Karen is the officer delivering reports of whom the criminal is pursuing, and what they are driving.

Ports

European Master System cover

Conversions for Amiga, Atari ST, Commodore 64, and ZX Spectrum were released in 1990 by Ocean Software, developed by Glasgow's ICE Software. A conversion for the PC Engine (TurboGrafx-16) was released exclusively in Japan by Taito on January 25, 1991. ^[7] Natsume Co., Ltd. ported it to the Master System in 1992. An Amstrad plus/GX4000 version was written but never released, and only a small number of cartridges are known to exist.

In 1996, Taito released an emulation of the arcade original for the Sega Saturn in Japan, bundled together with Chase H.Q. on one disc. ^[8]

Reception

Contemporary reception
Review scores
Publication	Scores
	Arcade	Amiga	ST	C64	PC Engine	ZX
ACE	[9]
Commodore User	86% [10]	72% [11]
Computer + Video Games		84% [12]		79% [13]	85% [14]
Raze					89% [15]
Sinclair User	8/10 [16]
Your Sinclair	94% [17]					80% [18]
Zero	[19]	81% [20]	79% [21]
Zzap!64	Positive [22]	91% [23]		93% [24]
Awards
Publication	Award
Crash	Coin-op of the month [25]

In Japan, Game Machine listed Special Criminal Investigation as the second most successful upright arcade unit of November 1989. ^[26] It went on to become Japan's third highest-grossing dedicated arcade game of 1990, below Super Monaco GP and Winning Run Suzuka GP . ^[27] The arcade game was also a major hit in Europe, particularly in the United Kingdom, where Taito shipped 1,500 units by January 1990. ^[1]

Notes

1. Home computer versions developed by ICE Software; Master System version developed by Natsume Co., Ltd.

References

1. "International News: London Preview". RePlay. Vol. 15, no. 4. January 1990. pp. 140, 142.
2. 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. pp. 43, 137. ISBN   978-4990251215.
3. "Preview: Special Criminal Investigations". Computer and Video Games . No. 105. EMAP. August 1990. p. 95.
4. "Future Shocks: SCI". Your Sinclair . No. 60. Future plc. December 1990. p. 101.
5. "Master System Review: Special Criminal Investigation". Mean Machines Sega . No. 2. November 1992. pp. 72–73. Retrieved 4 March 2025.
6. "Software List (Released by Soft Licensees)". セガ 製品情報サイト (in Japanese). Sega.
7. "PC Engine Software List 1991". GAME Data Room (in Japanese). Archived from the original on August 27, 2018.
8. "Taito Chase H.Q. Plus S.C.I.: Traffic Cops Take it to the Bad Guys!". Sega Saturn Magazine. No. 12. Emap International Limited. October 1996. pp. 28–29.
9. "Special Criminal Investigations review".
10. "Special Criminal Investigations review".
11. "Special Criminal Investigation review from CU Amiga (Feb 1991) - Amiga Magazine Rack".
12. "Special Criminal Investigations review from Computer + Video Games 109 (Dec 1990) - Amiga Magazine Rack".
13. "Special Criminal Investigations review from Computer + Video Games 109 (Dec 1990) - Amiga Magazine Rack".
14. https://archive.org/stream/computer-video-games-magazine-113/CVG113_Apr_1991#page/n78/mode/1up ^{[ dead link ]}
15. "RAZE - Issue 09 (1991-07)(Newsfield Publishing)(GB)". July 1991.
16. "Special Criminal Investigations review".
17. "Your Sinclair Magazine Issue 51". March 1990.
18. Your Sinclair, issue 63
19. "Zero Magazine Issue 04". February 1990.
20. "Chase HQ 2: Special Criminal Investigation review from Zero 15 (Jan 1991) - Amiga Magazine Rack".
21. "Chase HQ 2: Special Criminal Investigation review from Zero 15 (Jan 1991) - Amiga Magazine Rack".
22. Hogg, Robin (March 1990). "Arcades". Zzap!64 . No. 59. pp. 38–40.
23. "Chase H.Q. 2: Special Criminal Investigation review from Zzap 68 (Dec 1990) - Amiga Magazine Rack".
24. "Chase H.Q. 2: Special Criminal Investigation review from Zzap 68 (Dec 1990) - Amiga Magazine Rack".
25. Caswell, Mark (25 January 1990). "Arcade Action". Crash . No. 73 (February 1990).
26. "Game Machine's Best Hit Games 25 - アップライト, コックピット型TVゲーム機 (Upright/Cockpit Videos)". Game Machine (in Japanese). No. 369. Amusement Press, Inc. 1 December 1989. p. 29.
27. ""Tetris" Has Still Earned More Than "Final Fight"" (PDF). Game Machine (in Japanese). No. 396. Amusement Press, Inc. 1 February 1991. p. 22.

External links

• Chase H.Q. II: Special Criminal Investigation at SpectrumComputing.co.uk