First "banned" game.

[Aswald]

Seems hard to believe now.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JCYEGBMA_zQ&feature=related

[skaar]

Oh man thanks for posting that with no NSFW warning or anything. Now I've been written up for watching such violent videos at work.

Jeez, man. What the hell.

[NE146]

Seems hard to believe now.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JCYEGBMA_zQ&feature=related

It's even harder to believe when the example shown is a video of some lousy freeware remake of it. :p

At least provide some footage of the actual real thing. ;) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPOz_UFde6k&feature=related#t=36s

[binici]

The greatest game ever! Seriously though, after two minutes of playing this "game", I would never play it again...

[WesternNYCollector]

Those are supposed to be cars? It looks like the Enterprise from Star Trek more than a car.

[SparTonberry]

OMG! The NES version is even more terrifying, what with adding color, and guns to the gameplay. :D
(though in that one, the people just explode and then disappear)

[jonebone]

On a simliar note, I'm curious as to which games people remember as being the "first" controversial / pulled games.

For me it's Mortal Kombat. They said it was too bloody and had too much gore, and Nintendo removed all blood from the SNES version and nerfed some fatalties (Sub-Zero). Thank god for the Sega blood code.

Death Race was before my time, or I just never had the NES version to know about it.

[ownerizer]

I thought the original Postal and Blood were pulled for being too violent. "The Earth hungers for blood, kill 80 people in 3 mins"

[Patney]

It's even harder to believe when the example is that video of some lousy freeware remake of it. :p

At least provide some footage of the actual real thing. ;) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPOz_UFde6k&feature=related#t=36s

Oh god those death screams are terrifying

[pixelsnpolygons]

Still looks like more fun than Carmaddegon. And I get why it would have been controversial even though it looks so basic and primitive. It's the violent theme of running things over in a car. You can't even tell that those people are meant to be zombies or whatever they are. I can imagine someone pictured all those easily corrupted and confused simpleton arcade-dwellers stealing cars and trying to run people over like in the game.

[Aussie2B]

How do you lose in the game? Is it just a matter of running over as many as you can within a certain length of time? Pretty shitty design, all controversy aside. It seems like it's random where people generate, so luck would play a big role in maximizing your score.

[Emperor Megas]

The scratchy death squeals are delightfully disturbing, as are the tombstones. I also love how everyone you roll over has a 'Christian' burial.

[NE146]

How do you lose in the game? Is it just a matter of running over as many as you can within a certain length of time? Pretty shitty design,

Shitty design compared to what? Games that came after it? ;)

It really has to be put into perspective. 1976 is a day and age where there are still electromechanical arcade games out there, and many of them are simply "insert 25 cents and play for a certain amount of time". :p

[stonic]

It's even harder to believe when the example is that video of some lousy freeware remake of it.

In all fairness, the guy (who also did Space Paranoids and The Last Starfighter) programmed it from memory:

http://www.roguesynapse.com/games/death_race.php


Here's a good trivia question, what's the first video game where players could kill people (not counting Death Race, which didn't officially tout that fact)?

[Aussie2B]

Shitty design compared to what? Games that came after it? ;)

It really has to be put into perspective. 1976 is a day and age where there are still electromechanical arcade games out there, and many of them are simply "insert 25 cents and play for a certain amount of time". :p

Shitty design is shitty design, no matter how old it is. There were games of that era that had some threat of failure while playing. And I don't take issue with the bare concept of simply doing as well as you can within a time limit. The problem is that, if you're going to use that approach, you need to keep randomness to a very minor level if not eliminate it entirely. Otherwise it's pointless trying to get better and improve your score because the randomness can eat up your time allowance and reduce your potential score through no fault of your own.

[TheRedEye]

It's not "shitty design," it's a two player high score race from 1976. For its time it's an above average game on the fun scale.

[stonic]

Most games at that time were pretty simple exercises in eye-hand coordination. It's far too easy to look back at a game like that, after 35 years of advances in game design, and say "this game sucks". Death Race is certainly not high on "must play" lists, but it was certainly worth a few quarters :) At face value, Death Race was a 'gimmick' or novelty game, but I never felt playing it was a rip off. The randomness of the gremlins' movement makes it more enjoyable that it would have been otherwise. If there was a set pattern to where each one appeared and moved, it would become a game of "connect the dots", and far less enjoyable IMO. You'd also quickly find a maximum score for the game, whereas you'd probably never know what the upper scoring limit is. It's basically crude computer A.I. controlling the gremlins, but with this type of game, it works.

You can go to the opposite extreme and take a game like Pitfall, that has no randomness, and some people hate that fact. But if the game offered randomness, the game would probably be impossible to solve unless the timer was removed.

[Aussie2B]

I think the randomness of the gremlin movement is good, but the randomness of their spawn spots could make a big difference. It's pure dumb luck if the next one spawns right next to the car or on the opposite side of the screen.

[King_Salamon]

I remember when Caveman Ughlympics was pulled from shelves and then slapped with an 18+ sticker at our video store. There was a complaint made about the game so it was investigated and determined by city by-law that it was offensive and was to be treated as an 18+ (Mature) product.

The reason? The cavewoman toss event.

[Nikademus1969]

Here's a good trivia question, what's the first video game where players could kill people (not counting Death Race, which didn't officially tout that fact)?

I want to say NARC, but I'm probably wrong.

[Gameguy]

Here's a good trivia question, what's the first video game where players could kill people (not counting Death Race, which didn't officially tout that fact)?
Gun Fight from 1975? Or are they merely still alive and dying?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gRwwN1N5KSA

[aryoshi]

GTA of the 70s ay? It's funny to see how far games have come in terms of violence, though some games from the 80s and early 90s still impress me with blood and gore as today's standards, some of them even some of the bloodiest games I've seen. Not one of the bloodiest I've seen, but I recall Chiller being quite the gorefest, allowing you to torture helpless people at your own will, pulling them apart on a stretcher 'til they rip in half, shooting the blade on a guillotine and watching the poor bastard's head roll across the floor. Naked women tied up and ready to get shot to bones. Monster Party on the NES was pretty bloody on that first level too, I'm surprised it even passed through the censors. It was pretty eerie just walking through a normal happy-looking place, then you walked by a tree with a face on it and then all of a sudden everything starts bleeding and oozing everywhere, it was almost depressing in a way. Last, but not least, Splatterhouse was quite.. Heh. But this game looks pretty interesting, that's still funny to think it was considered "super violent" and banned.

[Graham Mitchell]

GTA of the 70s ay? It's funny to see how far games have come in terms of violence, though some games from the 80s and early 90s still impress me with blood and gore as today's standards, some of them even some of the bloodiest games I've seen. Not one of the bloodiest I've seen, but I recall Chiller being quite the gorefest, allowing you to torture helpless people at your own will, pulling them apart on a stretcher 'til they rip in half, shooting the blade on a guillotine and watching the poor bastard's head roll across the floor. Naked women tied up and ready to get shot to bones. Monster Party on the NES was pretty bloody on that first level too, I'm surprised it even passed through the censors. It was pretty eerie just walking through a normal happy-looking place, then you walked by a tree with a face on it and then all of a sudden everything starts bleeding and oozing everywhere, it was almost depressing in a way. Last, but not least, Splatterhouse was quite.. Heh. But this game looks pretty interesting, that's still funny to think it was considered "super violent" and banned.

Interestingly enough, both Chiller and Death Race were made by Exidy. They really had a mean streak, didn't they?

I load Chiller in Mame these days and it still shocks people that I show it to. That game is seriously over-the-top. It's pretty sweet!

[DeputyMoniker]

The greatest game ever! Seriously though, after two minutes of playing this "game", I would never play it again...

I was thinking it looks pretty fun. I'd play the shit out of that. Especially with a friend.

[Parodius Duh!]

wasnt this made to coincide with the film Death Race? that would pretty much explain the games premise. What about Texas Chaisaw massacre for the 2600? I recall that being controversial, to the point that they were kept in back and you had to ask the clerk and show ID to purchase it.

[Vlcice]

wasnt this made to coincide with the film Death Race? that would pretty much explain the games premise.

It came out the year after. It wasn't licensed (those were the Wild West days!), they were just inspired by Death Race 2000's premise and stole the title.

[aryoshi]

Interestingly enough, both Chiller and Death Race were made by Exidy. They really had a mean streak, didn't they?

I load Chiller in Mame these days and it still shocks people that I show it to. That game is seriously over-the-top. It's pretty sweet!

Oh wow, I didn't notice that. I really need to show my fiance Chiller, she'd crap herself. So much bloody fun.


wasnt this made to coincide with the film Death Race? that would pretty much explain the games premise. What about Texas Chaisaw massacre for the 2600? I recall that being controversial, to the point that they were kept in back and you had to ask the clerk and show ID to purchase it.

Aha, I completely forgot about that one, and then they also did that Halloween game. Loved it when Myers cut the head off of the main character and she'd run around headless with blood squirting out of her neck. You actually got to see kids getting killed too. Something you wouldn't expect to see even today. Just doesn't happen.

[stonic]

Gun Fight from 1975? Or are they merely still alive and dying?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gRwwN1N5KSA

Can't think of anything earlier.

So, shooting people = good
Running people over = bad

[Buyatari]

This title is just begging for a modern rerelease by Rockstar.

[Queen Of The Felines]

No mention of Custer's Revenge?

Rape is fun!