Sega's 1985 arcade remake of the 1982 Apple II hit, Choplifter!

[parallaxscroll]

SEGA's 1985 arcade remake of Broderbund's 1982 Apple II Choplifter is IMHO absolutely one of the finest classic games ever made. Sega made an audio-visual turbocharged arcade version of the original 1982 Apple II classic game.

1982 Apple ][
http://web.archive.org/web/20041025005416/http://www.classicgaming.com/rotw/choplift2.gif

1985 Arcade
http://www.freakyfonts.de/info/choplifter.png

Arcade Choplifter just screams quality. Play it any way you can; the real arcade machine, or through MAME emulation, but *do* play it. See how good it looks compared to any other version, especially to the Apple II original. Feel how well it plays, concidering the time the remake was released. This mid-80s remake of Choplifter blows the hell out of the original Apple II version, as well as any other computer or console version. Well, okay the Apple II is still CLASSIC, still probably the best of all the computer releases. The only other Choplifter that comes close to SEGA's arcade Choplifter is SEGA's own port of it on the Master System.

BTW the 1985 Arcade version is about 2 to 4 times graphically better than the 1986 SMS version. I'd say the arcade is somewhere inbetween a SMS and Genesis game in audio and visuals. I would've loved a Genesis port of the arcade with or without upgrades.

I've been having so much fun with this game, even in 2008.

Even though the graphics & audio had been massively improved over the 8-bit computer renditions, the arcade Choplifter is still an 8-bit game because it runs on SEGA's 'System 2' board.

http://www.system16.com/hardware.php?id=694

System 2 used standard Z80 CPUs, but plenty of custom ICs to provide the exellent graphics & audio. System 2 seems to be, basicly, an
"industrial strength" super-charged Master System. It allowed lots of color and smooth scrolling for an 8-bit machine--as well as parallax scrolling, which seems like it was easy to acomplish (even NES and SMS had parallax in some games). Because of this, Choplifter arcade has more 3D scrolling depth to it than any other version, including the SMS port.

It controls beautifully too! The game is difficult but not cheap or cheesy at all. Rescuing those little bastards...ahem, I mean hostages, couldn't be more fun :)

The original 1982 Choplifter on Apple II was written / programmed by Dan Gorlin. His name appears on the title screen of the arcade as well as the
Master System and NES versions.

Choplifter on the Master System is a decent translation of the arcade, but as I said, play the arcade because it is the BEST Choplifter ever made. It's far better than Choplifter 3 on SNES too .....Arcade Choplifter is so damn good, it is currently my favorite 8-bit game.

What also strikes me is, Choplifter is said to be the first computer game to get made into arcade game.

I have put together some selected links w/ info, pics, any mentionings of SEGA's 1985 arcade rendition being a computer-to-arcade upgrade/remake, as well as Choplifter in general:

http://www.arcadeflyers.com/flyers_video/sega/16132801.jpg

http://www.arcadeflyers.com/flyers_video/sega/16132802.jpg

great review from Gamefaqs that I had to hunt down cause it's no longer there
http://tinyurl.com/yu6x3q


Forget the overly-complicated sequels. Forget the weaker console ports. The only serious versions of Choplifter is the original Apple II one and the brilliantly updated arcade one. Dan Gorlin and Broderbund's Choplifter 1 is a cool action shooter, and Sega's arcade adaptation of it is even better, because of the new level design and the revamped visual and audio effects. Fans remember this as an addictive quarter-sucker for very good reasons."

"Sega gives a major overhaul to the original version's graphics, bringing out some really colorful and pretty stuff in the arcade port. The characters are animated well in a cartoon-like manner, and you can see all the little details from glowing fires to the hostages waving their hands while jumping up and down. The backgrounds are nicely textured, and they even use multilayering and parallax effects to add a better sense of depth to the game."

"OVERALL: Excellent (9/10)

Like the Apple II version it's based off of, the arcade Choplifter 1 offers simple yet highly enjoyable action, and the new level design, graphics, and audio certainly help. Rescuing hostages has never been more fun, so throw on that helmet now and go check this out.


http://www.gamefaqs.com/computer/apple2/review/R22313.html

http://web.archive.org/web/20041025005416/http://www.classicgaming.com/rotw/choplifter.shtml


Choplifter is also an oddity because it's one of the few games that
was ported from a home computer to the arcade (usually it's the other
way around).


interview with the creator
http://www.dadgum.com/halcyon/BOOK/GORLIN.HTM



How did the "Choplifter" coin-op come about?

Dan Gorlin: "That was a straight licensing deal with Sega. They did
all the design and artwork themselves and were kind enough to put my
name on it, but I had nothing to do with it really. I thought they did
a great job of enhancing it,

http://tinyurl.com/2xj562

http://groups.google.com/groups?selm=37d34c27.179080339%40news.involved.com&oe=UTF-8&output=gplain

http://www.atarihq.com/features/choplift.html

http://tinyurl.com/2csx4k

http://tinyurl.com/286rxn



Choplifter" was successful enough that Sega bought it, upgraded it and made it one of the first games to go from the home computer market to the arcade. More complex, the arcade game added chopper fuel units, 8 hostages max onboard, 20+ of 24 must be saved per level, and themes per each level. They added speech "Don't Leave" and screams when killed.


http://www.cooganphoto.com/gravitar/1982.html



Broderbund Software, Inc. releases CHOPLIFTER, by Mr. Dan Gorlin, for Atari 8-bit computer systems. This version of the game is directly transferred from the Apple II. CHOPLIFTER will become the first computer video game to be released as an arcade game by Sega.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Choplifter

http://www.answers.com/topic/choplifter

http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?letter=C&game_id=7333

[tom]

Choplifter is ace, it was an A8 favorite of mine, def in the Top 10 of A8 games.

Spelunker (A8), another 'computer first...arcade later' game, also made it's arcade debut in 1985.

Wonder who was earlier monthwise?

[tcv]

I never did play it on an Apple II. (I was a C64 weenie. Still a weenie, sans C64.) It was a nice, simple game. Great stuff.

[Gentlegamer]

Yup, Choplifter rocks! The SMS gets semi-regular play via PBC. The multi-scrolling parallax still blows my socks off!

[swlovinist]

Choplifter on the SMS = good times when the economy is down

Excellent through article

[rbudrick]

I never really liked Choplifter, but it taunted me SO badly on the SMS that I kept coming back to it trying to beat it, since I owned a limited amount of games. Sometimes I couldn't get past stage 1, other times, I'd make it to 2 or 3 and get PWNED. The game could be so cheap sometimes!

Sometimes I'd set it on 2-player in a weird attempt at playing two games at once so I wouldn't have the frustration of starting over every time. It was kind of a weird way of having extra lives, but not really. This technique helped in several games, actually.

Eventually, after a bazillion attempts, I did finally beat the SMS version. Damn, is that game hard. Sometimes I think luck is the only way to win the game.

-Rob

[Gapporin]

I'd make it to 2 or 3 and get PWNED.

I don't really have any problem with Stages 1 or 2, but 3 is nigh on impossible. No matter what, even if I beat Stages 1 + 2 on just one life, I would lose all my lives on Stage 3, just boom-boom-boom. I also agree with you about the game's cheapness; such as missiles materializing out of the water right underneath your chopper on Stage 2. The only solution is to keep moving and never stay still for very long.

I used to have the TG record for Choplifter (SMS) for 3 years until someone oblierated it by about 100k more than mine. I don't think I'm something special at the game; I think it was more of an issue that most people didn't care. :P

[parallaxscroll]

Both the arcade and SMS versions are really hard, not like games today which are a cakewalk. I haven't been able to beat the arcade, still practicing.


I want Sega to make a updated 16-bit Choplifter for the System 16 board, release it for PS2, like they did with Fantasy Zone II DX.

[parallaxscroll]

So awesome, Arcade Choplifter combined with music from the Airwolf series. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lpIG2zmB71s)

[Spartacus]

Nice write up! I first played Choplifter on the Atari 5200. Probably not the best controller to start out playing the game with! It's a tough but fun game that I probably haven't spent as much time with as I should have. I've picked up the NES, Famicom, SMS ports and Choplifter III for the SNES and might dig one out to spend some more time with Choplifter. I agree with parallaxscroll, it's a shame Sega Ages or Oretachi haven't given us the Arcade version of the game. That one looks especially nice! I never knew Sega did all of it's own design and artwork for the Arcade version. And I especially enjoyed finding out (Wikepedia) that Choplifter, Lode Runner and Raid on Bungeling Bay all featured the Bungeling Empire. Neat!
Other free scrolling rescue type games I enjoyed include Defender and Dropzone!

[Flack]

I think you just picked next week's Monday Morning MAME Club game.

[parallaxscroll]

I first played Choplifter on the Atari 7800. I bought it when I got the system. Funny I had an Apple IIe but never saw Choplifter for it in stores. I probably passed it up a bunch of times without even realizing. Anyway 7800 Choplifter was pretty good but the lone fighter jet was a real scary pain in the ass. I look at the computer and console ports of the original, the arcade version (and even the SMS ver.) seems like a whole generation ahead.

[Flack]

As promised, Choplifter is this week's MAME game. Head over the the arcade alley and give it a test run!

[ANONPLOX]

Oddly enough I still have my Apple IIe Floppy of Choplifter/David's Midnight Magic.

[Flack]

You are definitely in good company.

[ANONPLOX]

I also have the floppy for Captain Power I also wondered if they ever released the show on a DVD set.

[Superman]

I love Choplifter!

I am sure I first played it at the arcade, so when I picked up the Sega Master system version many years later, it was a downgrade for me, at least as far as graphics are concerned.

The game play is what makes the game, however. I always liked the idea of leaving your base to take on the enemies one-on-one like Rambo. The coolest feature, for me, was rescuing the hostages (or in some cases, killing them).

I really thought Choplifter was an in depth and creative game for its time. And it still is today.