Smash TV

This article is about the arcade game. For the U.S. television show, see Smash (TV series). For the Maltese television network, see Smash Television.
Smash TV

Promotional arcade flyer
Developer(s) Williams
Publisher(s) Williams
Designer(s) Eugene Jarvis
Programmer(s) Mark Turmell
Artist(s) John Tobias
Tim Coman
Composer(s) Jon Hey
Platform(s) Arcade, Various
Release date(s)
  • NA: April 1990
Genre(s) Run and gun, shoot 'em up
Mode(s) Single-player
Two player co-op
Cabinet Upright
Arcade system Midway Y Unit Software
Sound M6809 @ 2 MHz
Yamaha YM2151 @ 3.57958 MHz
HC55516
2 x DAC
Display Raster resolution 410×256 (vertical)

Smash TV is a 1990 arcade game created by Eugene Jarvis and Mark Turmell for Williams.[1] It is a dual-stick shooter in the same vein as its predecessor, Robotron: 2084 (also produced by Jarvis). As in the previous game, players battle waves of enemies by using guns. The plot of Smash TV revolves around a futuristic game show in which players compete for various prizes as well as their lives.

Home versions were developed for various platforms. Some of the home versions were called Super Smash TV.

Gameplay

The play mechanic is similar to that of Eugene Jarvis' earlier Robotron: 2084, with dual-joystick controls and series of single-screen areas. The theme of the game, borrowed from The Running Man,[2][3] involves players competing in a violent game show, set in the then-future year of 1999. Moving from one room to the next within the studio/arena, players have to shoot down hordes of enemies who advance from all sides while at the same time collecting weapons, power-up items, and assorted bonus prizes, until a final showdown with the show's host where players are finally granted their prizes, life and freedom. Among the game's items are keys – if enough keys are collected, players can access a bonus level called the Pleasure Dome.[4]

Arcade screenshot

The game features verbal interjections from the gameshow host such as "Total Carnage! I love it!", "dude!" and "I'd buy that for a dollar!". The former quote gives itself to the title of the 1991 follow-up, Total Carnage, which, while not a direct sequel, features similar gameplay. The quote "I'd buy that for a dollar!" is a reference to the catchphrase of Bixby Snyder, a fictional television comic in the 1987 film RoboCop.

Development

Mark Turmell recounted, "When Hasbro pulled the plug on an interactive movie project I was working on, I went to Williams to design coin-op games. I moved to Chicago, hired John Tobias, and together we did our first coin-op, Smash T.V."[5]

The announcer in the game is voiced by sound designer Paul Heitsch. The script was created by the game's sole composer and sound designer Jon Hey.

Originally the arcade game shipped without the Pleasure Dome bonus level implemented, although there was text mentioning it in the game. The design team had not been sure that players would actually get to the end of the game. However, players did finish the game and after arcade operators informed Williams of player complaints of being unable to finish it, the company sent out a new revision that included the Pleasure Dome level.[4]

In an interview first made available on Arcade Party Pak, Eugene Jarvis and Mark Turmell both agreed that a Smash TV sequel had been contemplated.[6]

Ports

Smash TV was ported to consoles, including the Nintendo Entertainment System, Super NES, Game Gear, Master System, and Mega Drive/Genesis. The Super NES, Genesis, Master System, and Game Gear versions were titled Super Smash TV. On some home systems such as the NES, players have the option to use the directional pad on the second controller to control the direction the character will shoot on-screen. Using this option for both players requires a multitap.[7] The dual control aspect of the game works particularly well on the SNES, as its four main buttons, A, B, X and Y, are laid out like a D-pad, enabling the player to shoot in one direction while running in another.[8]

Home computer versions were produced by Ocean for the ZX Spectrum, Commodore 64, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST and Commodore Amiga, all released in early 1992. The Amiga version scored 895 out of a possible 1000 in a UK magazine review,[9] and the Spectrum magazine CRASH awarded the ZX version 97%, making it a Crash Smash.[10]

Reception
Review scores
PublicationScore
Amstrad Action96%[11]
Crash97%[12]
Sinclair User94%[13]
Your Sinclair92%[14]
MicroHobby (ES)89%[15]
MegaTech70%[16]
Mega37%[17]
Sega Master Force44% [18]
Awards
PublicationAward
CrashCrash Smash!
Sinclair UserSU Silver
Amstrad Action6th best game of all time [19]

It is part of Arcade Party Pak which was released for the PlayStation in 1999.[20]

It is also part of the Midway Arcade Treasures collection, which is available for the PC, Nintendo GameCube, Xbox and PlayStation 2 and was released in 2003. These versions give the player the option to save high scores.[21] Smash TV was also part of the 2012 compilation Midway Arcade Origins.[22]

Smash TV was made available for download through Microsoft's Xbox Live Arcade service on the Xbox 360 and was the first version of the game to officially allow two players to play the game online.[23] However the game was delisted from the service in February 2010[24] after the dissolution of Midway Games.

References

  1. ↑ "Smash T.V.". The International Arcade Museum. Retrieved 5 Oct 2013.
  2. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on February 17, 2009. Retrieved March 17, 2009.
  3. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on January 19, 2009. Retrieved March 17, 2009.
  4. 1 2 Leone, Matt (January 9, 2013). "The story behind Total Carnage's confusing ending". Polygon. Vox Media. Retrieved March 29, 2013.
  5. ↑ "Making his Mark: Programmer Mark Turmell". GamePro. IDG (86): 36–37. November 1995.
  6. ↑ Digital Eclipse (November 1, 1999). Arcade Party Pak (Smash TV Developer interview). PlayStation. Midway Games. Turmell: We were talking about doing a Smash TV sequel.
  7. ↑ "Smash T.V. – Controls". Allgame. Rovi. Retrieved March 29, 2013.
  8. ↑ "Super Smash T.V. – Controls". Allgame. Rovi. Retrieved March 29, 2013.
  9. ↑ Douglas, Jim (December 1991). Smash TV (review of Amiga version). ACE (UK magazine published by EMAP), pp. 80–85.
  10. ↑
  11. ↑ Amstrad Action magazine, issue 75, Future Publishing
  12. ↑ "Archive – Magazine viewer". World of Spectrum. Retrieved 2013-06-15.
  13. ↑ "Archive – Magazine viewer". World of Spectrum. Retrieved 2013-06-15.
  14. ↑ "Smash TV". Ysrnry.co.uk. 1991-11-21. Retrieved 2013-06-15.
  15. ↑ "Archive – Magazine viewer". World of Spectrum. Retrieved 2013-06-15.
  16. ↑ Smash TV rating, MegaTech issue 12, page 96, December 1992
  17. ↑ Mega review, issue 1, page 57, October 1992
  18. ↑ "Sega Master Force Issue 3" (3). October 1993: 49. Retrieved December 4, 2015.
  19. ↑ "Amstrad Action All Time Top 10 Games • Retroaction". Retroactionmagazine.com. Retrieved 2013-06-15.
  20. ↑ Gerstmann, Jeff (November 1, 1999). "Arcade Party Pak Review". GameSpot. CBS Interactive. Retrieved 30 March 2013.
  21. ↑ Tracy, Tim (November 18, 2003). "Facebook Tweet Midway Arcade Treasures Review". GameSpot. CBS Interactive. Retrieved 30 March 2013.
  22. ↑ "Midway Arcade Origins Review". IGN.com. 2012-11-13. Retrieved 2016-05-07.
  23. ↑ Onyett, Charles (December 9, 2005). "Smash TV". IGN. Retrieved 30 March 2013.
  24. ↑ Hatfield, Daemon (February 17, 2010). "More XBLA Games Delisted". IGN. Retrieved 30 March 2013.
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