The Lost World: Jurassic Park (arcade game)

Last updated
The Lost World: Jurassic Park
Lost World arcade flyer.jpg
Arcade flyer
Developer(s) Sega AM3
Publisher(s) Sega
Director(s) Shinichi Ogasawara [1]
Producer(s) Mie Kumagai [1]
Series Jurassic Park
Platform(s) Arcade
ReleaseSeptember 1997
Genre(s) Rail shooter
Mode(s) Single player, multiplayer
Arcade system Sega Model 3 (Step 1.5)

The Lost World: Jurassic Park is a light gun arcade game from Sega. It was released in 1997, and is based on the film of the same name. It is also a sequel to Sega's 1994 Jurassic Park arcade game. A third Jurassic Park arcade game, based on Jurassic Park III , was made by Konami in 2001.

Contents

Gameplay

Ian Malcolm and Sarah Harding go missing after landing on Isla Sorna to conduct an investigation. A rescue team is sent to the island. The player(s) control(s) one of two rangers, whose goal is to find Dr. Malcolm and Dr. Harding. [2] Player(s) battle dinosaurs by disabling them with tranquilizer darts. [3]

The game features five levels based on environments from the film, including a laboratory and a workers' village. Four of the levels feature a boss battle that must be won to advance the game. Boss enemies include 2 large meat-eating dinosaurs which are Tyrannosaurus and Carnotaurus as well as the prehistoric crocodilian Deinosuchus . Velociraptors are also featured as enemies throughout the game. Compsognathus , Dilophosaurus , Pachycephalosaurus , and pterosaurs are also encountered throughout the game. At times, the game presents the player(s) with an opportunity to rescue a human who is being attacked by one or multiple dinosaurs. Saving the human results in the human rewarding the player(s) with either a temporary weapon upgrade or additional health. [4] [5] [6]

Like some of Sega's light gun rail shooters such as Virtua Cop and The House of the Dead, The Lost World: Jurrasic Park features a dynamically adjusting difficulty system that will increase difficulty as the player progresses and decrease as they lose lives. As difficulty increases, dinosaurs attack quicker, more dinosaurs will try to attack the player simultaneously, and more target icons need to be shot to cancel a boss dinosaur's attack.

Development

The Lost World: Jurassic Park is based on director Steven Spielberg's 1997 film of the same name. Having developed the original Jurassic Park arcade game, Sega AM3, a division of Sega, became interested in making the game after hearing about the film. [7] Additionally hoping that they could make use of Sega's new relationship with Spielberg's company DreamWorks (the two companies were partnered for the GameWorks chain of entertainment venues), producer Mie Kumagai presented her ideas to AM3 president Hisao Oguchi, who approved. [7] AM3 began developing the game in early 1997, after receiving permission from Universal Studios. [8] Shinichi Ogasawara was the game's director. [9]

The development team wanted the sequel to have more tension. Sega AM3 utilized Sega's Model 3 arcade system board, as Model 2 was not advanced enough for certain features. [8] Model 3 allowed the game to operate at 60 frames and 100,000 polygons per second. [10] It was the first shooting game to use Model 3, [11] which Sega AM3 had never used before. The development team had difficulty designing the game due to unfamiliarity with Model 3. [7] The team also faced a tight deadline to get the game finished and released. [8]

Early in development, the developers only had access to the film's original script. Action scenes from the script were added into the game. Approximately three months before the game's completion, various materials related to the film were sent to the development team, who then added extra elements to the game. The developers had little communication with the film's creators and instead worked mainly with the film's promotional crew. Some of the development team members went to the United States to visit the film's sets, which inspired the level designs. The development team also planned to visit Industrial Light & Magic (ILM), but the company was too busy creating special effects for the film. Instead, the team visited Stan Winston and observed some of his full size velociraptors created for the film. [8]

The developers considered adding a creature similar to the Loch Ness Monster, but later dropped the idea as it was decided it would have been awkward for the player to shoot. A Deinosuchus was used instead. The game's dinosaurs were designed from scratch by Sega AM3, as ILM's production sketches were unavailable. Velociraptor was among the most difficult dinosaurs to design due to its quick movements. The development team also spent considerable time deciding how to make the game's main dinosaur, the Tyrannosaurus, appear frightening and impressive. The Carnotaurus, which appeared in the original script for the film, was implemented into the game, as the developers expected ILM to create the creature for use in the film. The developers initially planned to make the two-player mode different from the one-player mode, in regard to routes the players would take or the types of dinosaurs they would encounter. This idea was scrapped due to time constraints. [8] The game was publicly announced in the first quarter of 1997, [12] and was unveiled in June at the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3). [13]

Release

The Lost World: Jurassic Park was released in the United States and the United Kingdom in September 1997. [14] [6] It was housed in a "theater style" cabinet with a 50-inch monitor, two light guns, and four-speaker surround sound. [15] [16] Spielberg received one of the arcade cabinets as a gift from Sega of America. [8]

Special edition

By January 1998, an updated version of the game had been released in Japan, under the title of The Lost World Special. The new hydraulic game cabinet features seats that rotate and rock from side to side, and an 80-inch screen, [8] compared to the original version's 50-inch screen. [11] A burst of air blows out at the player(s) whenever the Tyrannosaurus roars. The game was rewritten to more closely follow the film's plot. Some ideas that were scrapped from the original game were implemented into the Special game. Some of the game's levels were moved around from the original. The Carnotaurus was cut from the game and replaced with a final level of a Tyrannosaurus rampaging through San Diego. [8]

Cancelled port

In January 1998, Sega AM3 said it would be impossible to port the game to the Sega Saturn, but expressed interest in a PC version. [8] Sega's Dreamcast version was announced in 1999 and was to include larger levels than the arcade version. [17] In August 1999, Sega AM3 was in the process of converting the game for release in Japan in January 2000, with a possible U.S. release in the spring of 2000. [18] These plans were cancelled by January 2001. [19]

Reception

In Japan, Game Machine listed The Lost World: Jurassic Park on their September 1, 1997 issue as being the third most-successful dedicated arcade game of the month. [20]

GamePro wrote that the game, when it was unveiled at E3, "was so cool, it earned ShowStopper status even as a display," [21] while Next Generation wrote that it was, "Easily one of the most impressive titles at E3". [22] Electronic Gaming Monthly called it "Probably the most impressive of the arcade games featured [at E3 1997]". [23] Next Generation also reported, "Some rival companies privately admitted: 'This game is so exciting, it could have become a hit even without the licensed property behind it.'" [13] After the game's release, Johnny Ballgame of GamePro wrote that the graphics "are a giant leap forward for gun games in terms of sight and speed." [10] Computer and Video Games wrote that the graphics "look amazingly authentic". [24] Sega Saturn Magazine wrote that the game's graphics "are to die for", noting that the game featured "the best dinosaurs ever seen outside of the cinema". [25] Arcade magazine called the game "hours of mindless fun," [17] and "a fantastic coin-op shooter which bore little resemblance to its cinematic cousin". [26]

The Lost World: Jurassic Park was a runner-up for "Arcade Game of the Year" (behind NFL Blitz ) at Electronic Gaming Monthly's 1997 Editors' Choice Awards. [27]

Anthony Baize of AllGame rated The Lost World: Jurassic Park four and a half stars out of five, and wrote, "The programmers did an excellent job to make gamers feel as if they are in the middle of an island with crazed dinosaurs as far as the eye can see." Baize praised the graphics, writing that the game "is a masterpiece. The graphics look as if they have been lifted from its namesake movie. [...] The dinosaurs look and sound real. That is fairly amazing." However, Baize criticized the game's loud sounds, saying that "the deafening sound coming from the speakers may be The Lost World: Jurassic Park's only real flaw. There is a line where anything can be considered to be too loud, and The Lost World: Jurassic Park crosses that line. While the loud sound is supposed to engage the gamer thoroughly, it can be distracting. [...] The sound is a bit too loud, but that should not keep anyone from playing it." [28]

In 2012, CraveOnline included the game on its list of "8 Arcade Games We Want Revived." [29] In 2017, TechRadar ranked The Lost World: Jurassic Park among the 50 best arcade games of all time, writing that it was remembered as "the only good Jurassic Park game" and that its graphics were "unmatched" at the time of its release, while concluding that it "still makes us long for a proper Jurassic Park game every time we see it." [30]

See also

Related Research Articles

<i>Virtua Cop</i> 1994 video game

Virtua Cop is a 1994 light gun shooter game developed by Sega AM2 and designed by Yu Suzuki. It was originally an arcade game on the Sega Model 2 system, and was ported to the Sega Saturn in 1995 and Windows in 1996. The Saturn version included support for both the Virtua Gun and Saturn mouse, as well as a new "Training Mode" which consists of a randomly generated shooting gallery.

<i>The House of the Dead</i> (video game) 1996 video game

The House of the Dead is a 1996 horror-themed light gun shooter arcade game developed by Sega AM1 and released by Sega. It is the first game in the House of the Dead series. Players assume the role of agents Thomas Rogan and "G" as they combat an army of undead experiments created by Dr. Curien, a mad scientist.

<i>Sega Rally Championship</i> 1995 video game

Sega Rally Championship is a 1994 racing game developed by Sega AM3 and published by Sega. Originally released for arcades using the Sega Model 2 board, ports were published for the Sega Saturn in 1995 and Microsoft Windows in 1997. Sega Rally Championship simulates driving on different surfaces, with different friction properties, with the car's handling changing accordingly. As the first racing game to incorporate this feature, Sega Rally Championship is considered to be one of the milestones in the evolution of the racing game genre. It was also an early rally racing game and featured cooperative gameplay alongside the usual competitive multiplayer.

<i>X-Men: Children of the Atom</i> (video game) 1994 video game

X-Men: Children of the Atom is an arcade game that was produced by Capcom and released on the CP System II arcade hardware in 1994 in Japan and in 1995 in North America and Europe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sega AM3</span> Defunct Japanese video game developer

Sega AM Research & Development No. 3, known as Hitmaker Co., Ltd. from 2000 to 2004, is a defunct division of Sega, a Japanese video game company. Established by 1993, AM3 was managed by Hisao Oguchi and developed a number of arcade games for Sega. Series introduced by AM3 include Virtual On, Sega Rally, Crazy Taxi, and Virtua Tennis. AM3's main focus was on arcade games until the release of the Dreamcast. Additionally, developers Tetsuya Mizuguchi and Kenji Sasaki developed Sega Rally Championship with AM3 before departing to form AM Annex, which later split into Sega AM9 and Sega AM5.

<i>Jurassic Park</i> video games Video game franchise

Numerous video games based on the Jurassic Park franchise have been released. Developers Ocean Software, BlueSky Software and Sega produced various games in 1993, coinciding with the first film, Jurassic Park. In 1997, several developers, including DreamWorks Interactive and Appaloosa Interactive, produced various games for nine different platforms to coincide with the release of the film The Lost World: Jurassic Park.

<i>Die Hard Arcade</i> 1996 video game

Die Hard Arcade, known as Dynamite Deka in Japan, is an arcade beat 'em up video game released by Sega. It was the first beat 'em up to use texture-mapped 3D polygon graphics, and used a sophisticated move set by contemporary beat 'em up standards, often being likened to a fighting game in this respect. It also features quick time events, the ability to combine items to make more powerful weapons, and in two-player mode the ability to perform combined special moves and combos.

<i>Virtua Fighter 2</i> 1994 arcade video game

Virtua Fighter 2 is a 1994 fighting video game developed by Sega. It is the sequel to Virtua Fighter (1993), and the second game in the Virtua Fighter series. It was created by Sega's Yu Suzuki-headed AM2 and was released for arcades in 1994. Ports were released for the Sega Saturn in 1995 and Microsoft Windows in 1997.

<i>The Lost World: Jurassic Park</i> (console game) 1997 video game

The Lost World: Jurassic Park is an action-adventure video game developed by DreamWorks Interactive and Appaloosa Interactive, and published by Electronic Arts and Sega for the Sony PlayStation and Sega Saturn, respectively, in 1997. The Lost World: Jurassic Park is based on the film of the same name, which in turn is based on the novel by Michael Crichton. In 1998, a special edition of the game was released for the Sony PlayStation as a Greatest Hits title and featured several modifications to the gameplay.

Jurassic Park is a rail shooter arcade game developed and released by Sega in 1994. It is based on the 1993 film of the same name. The game cabinet resembles the rear of the first-gen Ford Explorer XLT tour vehicles used in the film. The player(s), equipped with the joystick(s), must shoot dinosaurs that appear on-screen throughout the game.

<i>Rad Mobile</i> 1991 video game

Rad Mobile is a racing arcade game developed by Sega AM3 and published by Sega. It was first published in Japan in October 1990, followed by an international release for arcades in February 1991. Rad Mobile was Sega's first 32-bit game, using Sega's System 32 arcade system board. It was also the first appearance of Sonic the Hedgehog, who appears as an ornament hanging from the driver's rearview mirror.

<i>Sega Touring Car Championship</i> 1996 video game

Sega Touring Car Championship is an arcade racing game released by Sega's AM Annex for the Model 2 mainboard in 1996. It was later ported to the Sega Saturn and Microsoft Windows.

<i>Manx TT Super Bike</i> 1995 video game

Manx TT Super Bike is a 1995 arcade racing game developed jointly by Sega AM3 and Sega-AM4. It is a motorcycle racing game built for the Sega Model 2 arcade board. Up to 8 players can race in this game if enough arcade cabinets are linked together, following on from Daytona USA. It was later ported to the Sega Saturn by Tantalus Interactive and to Windows by Perfect Entertainment.

<i>Last Bronx</i> Fighting game by Sega

Last Bronx is a 3D fighting video game developed by Sega AM3 on the Sega Model 2 mainboard. It was released in Japanese game centers in 1996. Home versions of Last Bronx were produced for the contemporary Sega Saturn and Windows systems. In Japan, Last Bronx was novelized and serialized into comics and radio drama. A VHS video documenting the motion capture process used for the game and introducing the characters was released in 1996. A year later, Takashi Shimizu directed the live-action movie (V-Cinema). On June 29, 2006, Sega released Last Bronx on PlayStation 2 as a tenth anniversary celebration.

<i>Daytona USA: Championship Circuit Edition</i> 1996 video game

Daytona USA: Championship Circuit Edition, or Daytona USA: Circuit Edition in Japan, is a racing game by Sega, specifically designed for the Sega Saturn. Released in 1996, it is a reworked and extended version of the original Daytona USA, and was developed by Sega AM3, the same team that oversaw the Saturn port of Sega Rally Championship, by using a modified version of the Sega Saturn engine of Sega Rally Championship.

<i>Top Skater</i> 1997 video game

Top Skater is an arcade skateboarding sports video game released by Sega in 1997, and built on the Sega Model 2 hardware. It was one of the first arcade games to feature a skateboard controller interface. The game was directed by Kenji Kanno.

<i>The Lost World: Jurassic Park</i> (handheld game) 1997 video game

The Lost World: Jurassic Park is the title of several different video games released for handheld video game consoles in 1997. Four versions, each with their own gameplay variations, were developed and published by various companies for the Sega Game Gear, Nintendo's Game Boy, and Tiger Electronics' game.com and R-Zone consoles. Each version is based on the 1997 film of the same name.

<i>DecAthlete</i> 1996 video game

DecAthlete, released in Europe as Athlete Kings due to a licensing issue, is a track-and-field themed arcade sports video game. On its unveiling, the gaming media generally described it as a modern clone of Daley Thompson's Decathlon. Released in 1996, it was developed by Sega AM3 and produced by Sega. A home port was released on the Sega Saturn in 1996, largely identical to the arcade version, due to the similar hardware of the ST-V hardware and the Saturn. It was released on the PlayStation 2 in Japan only as part of the Sega Ages 2500 series. Compared to other decathlon based games, Decathlete has a more comic and cartoon-like style. A sequel followed in 1997, which was the winter sports-based Winter Heat.

<i>The Lost World: Jurassic Park</i> (Sega Genesis game) 1997 video game

The Lost World: Jurassic Park is an action-adventure video game developed by Appaloosa Interactive, and published by Sega for the Sega Genesis. It was released on September 16, 1997. By this time the Genesis was near the end of its commercial lifespan, and months went by between new software releases for the console.

<i>Jurassic Park</i> (Game Gear video game) 1993 video game

Jurassic Park is a 1993 platform game developed and published by Sega for the Game Gear. Another version, with identical gameplay, was also released for the Master System. The game is based on the 1993 film of the same name. It was praised for its graphics, but criticized for its short length and easy gameplay.

References

  1. 1 2 Sega (1997). The Lost World: Jurassic Park (Arcade). Sega. Scene: End credits.
  2. ↑ "Something has survived". Sega of America. Archived from the original on February 23, 1998.
  3. ↑ Webb, Marcus (October 1997). "Arcadia". Next Generation . No. 34. Imagine Media. p. 32.
  4. ↑ Harrod, Warren (January 1998). "Coin-Operated". Sega Saturn Magazine . pp. 92–95.
  5. ↑ Harrod, Warren (February 1998). "Coin-Operated". Sega Saturn Magazine. pp. 92–95.
  6. 1 2 "Sega Arcade Show". Computer and Video Games . UK: EMAP. September 1997. pp. 86–87. Retrieved January 12, 2017.
  7. 1 2 3 "An Interview with Mie Kumagai". Next Generation . No. 32. Imagine Media. August 1997. p.  52.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Harrod, Warren (January 1998). "Exclusive! AM3 interview". Sega Saturn Magazine. p. 62–65.
  9. ↑ Harrod, Warren (April 1998). "Coin-Operated Extra". Sega Saturn Magazine. UK: EMAP. p. 96. Retrieved January 12, 2017.
  10. 1 2 Ballgame, Johnny (December 1997). "Dino Arcade Annihilation". GamePro . p. 124. Retrieved December 2, 2016.
  11. 1 2 Webb, Marcus (October 1997). "Lost World roars!". Next Generation. p. 32. Retrieved November 9, 2018.
  12. ↑ "Sneak Previews: It's Out of the Park!". GamePro. No. 104. IDG. May 1997. p. 43. Retrieved 2017-01-12.
  13. 1 2 Webb, Marcus (September 1997). "Sega Finds The Lost World". Next Generation . Imagine Media. p. 32. Retrieved January 12, 2017.
  14. ↑ "Lost World: Jurassic Park". Next Generation. August 1997. pp. 50–51. Retrieved November 9, 2018.
  15. ↑ Webb, Marcus (September 1997). "Sega Finds the Lost World". Next Generation . No. 33. Imagine Media. p.  32.
  16. ↑ Harrod, Warren (September 1997). "Coin-Operated: The Lost World: Jurassic Park". Sega Saturn Magazine . No. 23. Emap International Limited. p. 93. Retrieved November 5, 2019.
  17. 1 2 "Dreamcast – Jurassic Park: The Lost World". Arcade. UK: Future Publishing. January 1999. p. 94. Retrieved January 12, 2017.
  18. ↑ "Lost World Coming To Dreamcast Finally?". SegaWeb.com. August 16, 1999. Archived from the original on 2000-08-20.
  19. ↑ "AM3 developer information". IGN.com. Archived from the original on 2001-01-26.
  20. ↑ "Game Machine's Best Hit Games 25 - 完成品夕イプのTVゲーム機 (Dedicated Videos)". Game Machine (in Japanese). No. 548. Amusement Press, Inc. 1 September 1997. p. 21.
  21. ↑ "The Lost World: Jurassic Park (Arcade)". GamePro. IDG. September 1997. p. 41. Retrieved January 12, 2017.
  22. ↑ "Buzz". Sega. 1997. Archived from the original on June 30, 1997.
  23. ↑ "Arcade Games at the E3? You Betcha!". Electronic Gaming Monthly . No. 98. Ziff Davis. September 1997. p. 76.
  24. ↑ "The Lost World: Jurassic Park". Computer and Video Games. UK: EMAP. August 1997. p. 96. Retrieved January 12, 2017.
  25. ↑ "Jurassic Park Discovered in Arcade". Sega Saturn Magazine. UK: EMAP. August 1997. p. 13. Retrieved January 12, 2017.
  26. ↑ "Trespasser Preview". Arcade. UK: Future Publishing. December 1998. p. 36. Retrieved January 12, 2017.
  27. ↑ "Editors' Choice Awards". Electronic Gaming Monthly . No. 104. Ziff Davis. March 1998. p. 87.
  28. ↑ Baize, Anthony. "The Lost World: Jurassic Park review". AllGame . Archived from the original on November 15, 2014.
  29. ↑ Davidson, Joey; White, Mike (January 6, 2012). "8 Arcade Games We Want Revived". CraveOnline . Retrieved August 9, 2017.
  30. ↑ Lynch, Gerald (March 7, 2017). "The 50 best arcade games of all time, ever". TechRadar. p. 4. Retrieved November 9, 2018.
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.