Random Game O' the Day: Spy Hunter

[digitalpress]

It's WEDNESDAY!

And you know that that means. Meatloaf day! Hump day! Day after Two-fer-Tuesday! And of course, Random Game o' the Week day!

Thusly, today's so-called random game generator has chosen a title that I'm sure is near and dear (and should be familiar) to most everyone here, the venerable Spy Hunter, originally a Midway arcade game.

This game was ported for many systems over the years, and it's one of the few to have jumped successfully from classic era to current as well, with the revamped Midway "SpyHunter" (printed differently and thus not included in the list below). So what are your thoughts on the game series in general? What was your favorite version? What did you like and dislike about the game and various ports of it? How has the classic held up over the years? Share your thoughts with us right here.

DP Guide sez:

U.S. Game Releases
Spy Hunter (Arcade, by Bally Midway) $0/R0
The original arcade game was designed by Tom Leon and Jeff Nauman and featured an analog steering wheel, a gas pedal, a gear shift stick, and the theme from "Peter Gunn" playing throughout. The player is a secret agent driving a car or a boat, rigged with all sorts of weapons, who fights other bad guys in various vehicles. The player drives on a vertically scrolling road on both dry pavement and snow. The theme music is Peter Gunn. VRC/Midway MCRIII/1P. Released 1983.

Spy Hunter II (Arcade, by Bally Midway) $0/R0
Driving/shooting game using a 3-D perspective from behind and above the car. The car can attain several different weapons up to four at one time. Two players may play at the same time cooperatively. Peter Gunn theme music plays throughout. HRC/Midway Mono Board/2P. Released 1987.

Spy Hunter (w/Joystick Coupler) (Atari 2600, by Sega) $20/R4
Based on the 1983 Bally Midway coin-op. This game utilized the fire buttons from both joysticks. A plastic joystick connector was packaged with this game. It allowed you to snap two standard Atari sticks in and operate them as if they were one controller. #011-01.

Spy Hunter (Atari XE, by Sega) $25/R5
Based on the 1983 Bally Midway coin-op. The original arcade game was designed by Tom Leon and Jeff Nauman and featured an analog steering wheel, a gas pedal, a gear shift stick, and the theme from "Peter Gunn" playing throughout. If you’d like instructions on modifying a 7800 joystick to utilize both fire buttons with this game, email us at: digitalpress@email.com. #011-03.

Spy Hunter (ColecoVision, by Coleco) $20/R5 +
Based on the 1983 Bally Midway coin-op. The original arcade game was designed by Tom Leon and Jeff Nauman and featured an analog steering wheel, a gas pedal, a gear shift stick, and the theme from "Peter Gunn" playing throughout. Includes overlay(s). Super Action Controller compatible. PERIODICALS: Listed as one of the "99 Favorite Classics" by Digital Press in 1997. c1984 Bally Midway, Coleco. #2617.

Spy Hunter (Commodore 64, by Sega) $15/R5 +
Based on the 1983 Bally Midway coin-op. The original arcade game was designed by Tom Leon and Jeff Nauman and featured an analog steering wheel, a gas pedal, a gear shift stick, and the theme from "Peter Gunn" playing throughout. A 16k cart. Great conversion of the arcade fave. In many ways, this is slightly easier and more playable than the parent machine. PERIODICALS: Scored 87% in Zzap!64 May 1985. Listed as one of the "99 Favorite Classics" by Digital Press in 1997. c1983 Bally Midway, 1984 Sega. #011-05.

Spy Hunter (Game Boy Advance, by Midway) $0/R0
The original arcade game was designed by Tom Leon and Jeff Nauman and featured an analog steering wheel, a gas pedal, a gear shift stick, and the theme from "Peter Gunn" playing throughout. PERIODICALS: GamePro gave this game a 2.5, 3, 3.5, and a 3 (Out of 5). Released 05/02.

Arcade Hits: Moon Patrol & Spy Hunter (Game Boy Color, by Midway) $6/R2
Developed by Digital Eclipse. Game Boy black & white compatible. EASTER EGGS: For unlimited lives in Moon Patrol, go to the title screen and press Up, Down, Left, Right, Up, Down, Left, Right, Up, Left, Down, A; you'll hear a signal to confirm the code. Released 05/99. #DMG-ADUE-USA.

Spy Hunter (Nintendo NES, by SunSoft) $3/R1
Based on the 1983 Bally Midway coin-op. The original arcade game was designed by Tom Leon and Jeff Nauman and featured an analog steering wheel, a gas pedal, a gear shift stick, and the theme from "Peter Gunn" playing throughout. Shooter/Vehicular Combat. EASTER EGGS: After exiting from a weapons van, pull to the right immediately. You'll be able to drive over water or rough terrain until the road widens out again. Released 09/87. c1987 Sun Electronics, 1983 Bally Midway. #NES-HU-USA.

Super Spy Hunter (Nintendo NES, by SunSoft) $6/R4
Shooter/Vehicular Combat. EASTER EGGS: At the continue screen, press the A button eight times, then press START. You will access the "Hyper Tennis" game. Beat the computer and you will continue your previous game with 20 lives. Released 02/92. c1991 Sunsoft. #NES-UY-USA.

[Flack]

Spy Hunter was THE game back in the day. I think my first home version of the game was on the Apple II. One of the cool things about Spy Hunter is that all the ports play essentially the same. You get so caught up in grabbing additional weapons and avoiding enemies that the difference in graphics between different platforms (at least to me) is negligable. One major difference between the two is that Apple II joysticks had two buttons which allowed for much easier swapping between weapons. The C64 only supports one joystick button, which makes cycling through weapons a pain in the booty.

If anyone lives in or around Oklahoma City, a stand up Spy Hunter arcade cabinet still stands at Mazzio's Pizza in Norman, OK. Every time I can find a reason to eat lunch there I always bring a few extra quarters to drop into that baby. I haven't seen a sit down cabinet in years, but if you ever see one make sure you play it. It's the best way to experience death, espionage, and Peter Gunn.

Do-do-Do-do-Do-do-DO-do, Do-do-Do-do-Do-do-DO-do, deeeeeeeeeeeeeeee-doooo ...

[NoahsMyBro]

There was always somebody in every arcade/convenience store/etc/game area environment that was the undisputed champ of a particular game. There was the guy that would paly Dragons Lair through to the end, the other guy that could play Robotron until the one quarter he'd inserted melted, etc....

I was that guy on Spy Hunter. I can't even say how many classes I skipped simply because I was in the middle of the game and it wouldn't end. (What's that you just said about my priorities?)

One evening some friends and I were at the Fun Arcade and I got into the Spy Hunter sit-down cab. (I know one of you is in the N.O. area - this was the arcade on Vets, across the street from Dorignac's. Don't know if it's still there.) I started playing, and was doing really well. Closing time rolled around and the arcade operator came over and said "Last Game", kind-of like Last Call if it had been a bar.

Ok, no problem. He then got a little impatient and began turning off most of the lights in the place, and games on other power strips. Finally, my friends were watching and waiting and my game was the only machine on in the place. The operator got tired of waiting for me, and I stood up and quit the game.

I almost remember the pattern to avoid getting the Smoke. I think it was Left, Left, Right, when you approached each fork in the road. Not sure about that, though.

Anyway, that was a great game. I ought to try and get one for my Gamecube.

[NeoZeedeater]

I don't play it much anymore but I loved it back in the day. Most of my time was spent with the C64 port. I like Spy Hunter II, Super Spy Hunter, and the recent game but they didn't have the same impact on me. Sega's Action Fighter(arcade, SMS) was a good Spy Hunter type game worth mentioning too.

[Mayhem]

The C64 only supports one joystick button, which makes cycling through weapons a pain in the booty.

Put a joystick in the other port to access the other weapons ;)

If I recall, fire button on the main stick operated machine gun and missile (when needed), the other stick operates smoke screen and oil slick.

[IntvGene]

I always loved watching someone good play this game. I found it too frustrating to play in the arcades when I was young as I often crashed into the vehicles that I destroyed. I also didn't like being penalized in score for killing the pedestrians.

I enjoyed the Atari 8-bit and 2600 versions better as I had more time to practice. I also thought that the plastic attachment to hook the second joystick up was cool too.

I fired Spyhunter 2 up in MAME, and never really got into it. It just doesn't seem to have the charm of the original. Maybe it's better with the co-op.

[bargora]

Spy Hunter! I was decent at it back in the day--it was one of my first choices to play if I saw it at an arcade. And Spy Hunter is still an arcade game as far as I'm concerned. It's all about the steering wheel analog control! Analog control which sadly is lacking on the home ports.

Hey, here's a question--has anyone tried to use a steering wheel controller with one of the more recent console emulated versions (e.g., Arcade's Greatest Hits: The Midway Collection 2 for Playstation or Midway Arcade Treasures for PS2)? Can you use a wheel controller to play Spy Hunter through MAME? I just don't get any thrill out of playing Spy Hunter with a d-pad.

[stuffedmonkey]

Great pick! I loved this game back in the day. There was a mini-golf place near us that had a Spy Hunter cab. I wasted so many quarters in that sucker. Oil slick FTW!

[Captain Wrong]

I played the snot out of Spy Hunter on the Apple ][. I Still love this game. The remake was pretty fun too.

[max 330 mega]

a pizza place i used to go to when i was little had a spy hunter cab.. i loved the game to death, then when i found out after playing the arcade machine for about six months that there was a NES port of it, i freaked out, and went searching for it. luckily my local videostore had a copy, i rented that game soo much.

[Poofta!]

i remember playing this game for NES with my dad when i was about 8. great game, it was my fav for a good couple months till i managed to beat it. i never played any other versions, but the nes one will always have a special place in my heart

[Roi]

I LOVE Spy Hunter! Great game, great music.

[Snapple]

I think Spy Hunter is a great game. It probably holds up today better than most "classic" arcade titles, but even though I am able to see what a piece of work it is, I have always sucked at it, badly.

Not as bad as I suck at Pac-Man, but still pretty bad. Fun game to watch others play though.

And, I will never forget the music, ever. That's for sure.