Total Carnage... totally unwinnable [MYSTERY SOLVED]

[Ascending Wordsmith]

For anyone familiar with Midway's classic shoot'em up, Total Carnage (which can be played on Midway's Arcade Treasures 2), you're aware that the game is insanely populated with enemies... enemies of all kinds that swarm the screen like killer bees. Even the bosses are hellacious challenges that'll kill you dozens of times over.

http://images.webmagic.com/klov.com/images/11/1106551395.jpg

Ontop of that, the game has a few goals that need to be reached such as capturing the main baddie, General Ahkboob, from a flood of decoys, collecting 225 hidden keys throughout the game to gain access to the Pleasure Domes bonus area, and then collecting all the items in the domes (which can only be done with 2 players).

http://cbsata.emu-france.com/sommaire_fichiers/images/totcarn.png

I've accomplished the capture of Ahkboob and the collection of the keys... but I (and my brother) have NEVER EVER been able to collect all the prizes in the Pleasure Domes.

Has anybody ever done this? I swear we've scoured the entire dome floor (behind statues and under entrance ways) and still have not been able to accomplish this.

[fishsandwich]

NO KIDDING!

I wanted to love this game as it's the quasi-sequel to Smash TV, but it just kicks my ass no matter what version I play.

:angry:

[Arcade Antics]

LOL

I've posted about this exact same thing several times here over the years.

At the very least, you've confirmed that Ahkboob can be captured. What happens when you get the correct Ahkboob?

As for the Pleasure Domes: still unknown, but you're correct, it does have to be done with two players.

My theory: Turmell is a bonafide arcade game playing whiz, I'm betting that all those insane goals are possible. But you and player 2 have to be as good a player as Turmell to do it.

[portnoyd]

At the very least, you've confirmed that Ahkboob can be captured. What happens when you get the correct Ahkboob?

I have to second this because my god, I want to know. I was SURE it was not possible.

[Kid Fenris]

I once got curious and spent an hour trying to get every item in the Pleasure Dome by running two players at once. I couldn't do it, and I'd be very interested in hearing from people who can.

Then again, I wouldn't be surprised if the promise of a bonus ending was all just a lie. Total Carnage is that kind of game.

[diskoboy]

LOL

I've posted about this exact same thing several times here over the years.

At the very least, you've confirmed that Ahkboob can be captured. What happens when you get the correct Ahkboob?

As for the Pleasure Domes: still unknown, but you're correct, it does have to be done with two players.

My theory: Turmell is a bonafide arcade game playing whiz, I'm betting that all those insane goals are possible. But you and player 2 have to be as good a player as Turmell to do it.

No one has seen the capture of the real Ahkboob!!?? I find that hard to believe, but... SPOILER ALERT!!!!



When you catch Ahkboob, you go to the electric chair scene. This time, he's in the chair. I have gotten to the pleasure domes, but getting all the items, even with 2 players, is next to impossible. There are prizes and things hidden behind walls which you can't seem to get to.

[Ascending Wordsmith]

Capturing Ahkboob was definitely tedious. ^^; I had to do it with my brother because if one of his look-a-likes even makes it past you, then the game registers him as the real McCoy.

As for the Pleasure Domes, me and my brother gave up after the third straight try. I swear we got every damn giftbox and gold bar in the place. Even the ones behind the fountains, the Mutoid Man statues, AND the Die Cobros overhang. I'm damn near tempted to fly to Midway's HQ and take some hostages until I find out the whole story. :evil:

I really like Total Carnage. But damn, the goals the developers set are among the loftiest I've ever encountered. Still, the gameplay kicks butt, and the graphics are so sweet, colorful, and vibrant that it's like my eyes just sat down to a big ass bowl of Fruity Pebbles cereal. :-P

[NE146]

You can just play it in mame, set the cheats to infinite keys (and lives), then play the game and enter the code circle using the either the code 'WORM' (Caught Akhboob but lacking keys.. but the cheat will take care of that) or 'AZAZ' (Warp to Pleasure dome with 500 keys)

..then try and get all the prizes over and over in quick succession to your hearts content. Personally I've never seen em all gotten, but then again I haven't really tried all that hard.

[portnoyd]

Capturing Ahkboob was definitely tedious. ^^; I had to do it with my brother because if one of his look-a-likes even makes it past you, then the game registers him as the real McCoy.

*starts shaking PC K*

But how do you tell them apart?!? How do you do it?!?!?

[stargate]

we should all put up money as a prize for the first person who can accomplish this. I have tried, but failed. This game is insane. It must have cost a fortune to make any progress in the arcades. I would LOVE to see someone completely beat the game.

[98PaceCar]

Hmmm, I've got this boardset in my Smash right now. I guess I'll have to try the codes and see if I can get it done!

[jajaja]

Ive only tested this game on emulator for about 5 min, havnt gotten around to buy the original yet. But I love Smash TV :)

[Sotenga]

I had to use passwords to get as close as I could to the Ahkboob fight (which despite warping to the closest point, still took quite a damn while), and I tried a few times to capture the real M. Bis... Ahkboob, only failing each time and getting severely frustrated. I noticed on my last turn that the flood of Ahkboobs stopped the instant just one disappeared off the screen, and that's when I realized that I'd have to run into all of them. I'm not sure if I destroyed them all the first time after I realized that, but I did eventually get past it, and lemme tell ya... I so fried his General ass. :devilish:

No, I never got everything in the Pleasure Domes. I just wanna ask this question: When YOU are in the electrical chair, has ANYONE survived that goddamn thing? I always lose and get roasted to the bone in this part... am I not pressing the buttons fast enough, or is there some trick I am not getting?

Despite frustrations here and there, I am in agreement on the asskick factor that TC is filled with. It's one of my more often played games on Midway Arcade Treasures 2, lemme tell ya. :D

[Ascending Wordsmith]

Capturing Ahkboob was definitely tedious. ^^; I had to do it with my brother because if one of his look-a-likes even makes it past you, then the game registers him as the real McCoy.

*starts shaking PC K*

But how do you tell them apart?!? How do you do it?!?!?

Quite a grip you got there. *_* My strategy was to have my brother and I each take a half of the screen since the decoys (and Ahkboob himself) run down towards the bottom of the screen. It's like playing hockey except you have two goalies guarding either side of the net.

In a one player game it's EXCEEDINGLY tough because you can't stop them all. And juding by this game's difficulty, the first decoy you let slip by will probably be Ahkboob himself.

[Zing]

No one said that a game solely designed to force players to repeatedly dump quarters into a machine would be fair. ;)

[K3V]

Total Carnage just got announced for a release on the Jaguar, courtesy of Songbird Productions:


TOTAL SURPRISE FOR JAGUAR FANS
September 22, 2005

For immediate release:

ROCHESTER, MN -- Songbird announced today the immediate availability of Total Carnage for the Atari Jaguar. Total Carnage is the classic arcade game originally ported by Hand Made Software and licensed from long-time game publisher Midway.

In Total Carnage, one or two players assume the roles of Captain Carnage or Major Mayhem in a tongue-in-cheek frantic assault on the dastardly forces of General Ahkboob. There is an unending -- often overwhelming -- number of enemies pursuing the heroes at all times, but thankfully there are also many powerups, bombs, and even missile strikes to assist players in their quest. Player strive to rescue civilians and collect valuable items such as keys, dogtags, and more.

Songbird founder Carl Forhan spoke enthusiastically about the release, saying, "This is a great port of a classic arcade game which I know Jaguar fans have been anticipating for many years. I'm thrilled to finally be able to publish this never-before-seen final release candidate version of the game." Total Carnage is now available for sale through the Songbird website. Orders are expected to begin shipping next week.

Songbird Productions is a premier developer and publisher for the Atari Lynx and Jaguar. To keep up to date with the latest news at Songbird Productions, be sure to visit the company web site at http://songbird-productions.com . Total Carnage is trademark and copyright 1991 Midway Amusement Games, LLC. All rights reserved. This message may be reprinted in its entirety.

Pretty cool 8-)

[Arcade Antics]

Yeah, bumping this ol' thread. :)

It turns out that the "best ending" is in fact the one that says you failed to grab all the prizes in the Pleasure Dome.

Someone went through all the game code and confirmed that there are only three endings. Admittedly, it's possible that the developers stuck a "super best collected all the prizes ending" somewhere else and covered up all the tracks to it in the code just in case someone ever analyzed it, but that's 99% unlikely.

[Ed Oscuro]

Whoopsie! Thanks for that information. Gives me a reason to fire up this ol' game one more time :)

[Push Upstairs]

I'd say the fun of the game is more in getting to the end rather than trying for a perfect ending.

I've managed to get all keys and no Ak-boob, or not enough keys and Ak-boob....but I was playing single player.....and continuing *A LOT*.

[makaar]

I played the heck out of this game on Midway Arcade Treasures 2 since the arcade version way back when ate up too many quarters. Getting the real Akhboob wasn't the hardest thing, but I've played through many times and could never get close to entering the dome...still a hella fun game, though...just way too hard without infinite continues.

[CDiablo]

Boy did I hate this game. I love the hell out of Smash TV(me and my brother beat the game while collecting B.I.N.G.O) and got this game with high anticipation. What a letdown, Insane brutal difficulty, just no fun whatsoever. Ill still pick it up from time to time but put it down pretty quick after it pummels my gamer ego.

[kupomogli]

I don't think I've ever got past level 2.

[kainemaxwell]

Yeah, bumping this ol' thread. :)

It turns out that the "best ending" is in fact the one that says you failed to grab all the prizes in the Pleasure Dome.

Someone went through all the game code and confirmed that there are only three endings. Admittedly, it's possible that the developers stuck a "super best collected all the prizes ending" somewhere else and covered up all the tracks to it in the code just in case someone ever analyzed it, but that's 99% unlikely.

Any screenshots up anywhere yet for proof?

[Push Upstairs]

Boy did I hate this game. I love the hell out of Smash TV(me and my brother beat the game while collecting B.I.N.G.O) and got this game with high anticipation. What a letdown, Insane brutal difficulty, just no fun whatsoever. Ill still pick it up from time to time but put it down pretty quick after it pummels my gamer ego.

I find "Smash TV" to be boring compared to "Total Carnage".


Plus the "Curly" sound when you grab the sneakers is always hilarious.

[Arcade Antics]

Any screenshots up anywhere yet for proof?
Screenshots of the code?

[Jorpho]

Youtube vids of some of these seemingly-impossible things sound like good times too.

[Arcade Antics]

Youtube vids of some of these seemingly-impossible things sound like good times too.
All of it is doable, some things just more difficult than others. :)

IIRC there are videos of people playing through the game on one credit. Turmell has always said that he could do it (one of the key reasons the difficulty is so over the top), and apparently he's not alone.

[Jorpho]

HG101 now has an article (http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/smashtv/smashtv.htm) about this game, and so I found myself thinking of this thread again. It seems that someone last year did a pretty thorough writeup about the ending screen:
http://www.polygon.com/features/2013/1/9/3848592/total-carnage-confusing-ending