Badlands (1984 video game)

Badlands (バッドランズ) is a 1984 LaserDisc video game developed and published for the arcades by Konami. In the vein of interactive movie games like Wild Gunman, Dragon's Lair, and Cliff Hanger, Badlands lets its players navigate through various animated sequences by pressing a single button at a precise moment (unlike Dragon's Lair, there is no joystick). Since the game is themed as an old West shooter, the function of the button is almost always the fire the main character's gun to fend off against attackers. If the player shoots too soon, he will be hanged for murder. Failing to fire in time, however, will result in being killed by the attack. As the player progresses, the timing becomes more precise. The game was very particular about firing at the right time, which made it very difficult and often unplayable. At one point Buck must shoot a snake and fire at the snake at the exact second to succeed. It is even possible for Buck to shoot himself in sequences where it shows him. Distributed by Centuri in the U.S., it was Konami's only laserdisc game.

This article is about the 1984 western shooter laserdisc video game by Konami. For the Midway racing game, see Badlands (video game). For the 2013 game, see Badland (video game).

Badlands
North American arcade flyer
Developer(s)Konami
Publisher(s)Konami
Centuri
Platform(s)Arcade, MSX
Release1984
Genre(s)Interactive movie
Mode(s)Up to 2 players, alternating turns

Plot

The player assumes the role of Buck, a hardworking family man, whose wife and children are murdered by a band of outlaws. One by one, for his revenge on them if so, Buck tracks down the various outlaws, earning higher and higher bounties as he progresses. The final foe is the outlaw leader, Landolf.[1]

"We were living a quiet life, when one day for no reason my wife and my children were killed in cold blood! And I was wounded, unable to help them. Why this? Why us? Why? I won't let them get away with it. I'll get every last one of 'em!"

— Buck (narrator), Badlands prologue

"When this coin hits the ground one of us will fall with it..."

— Landolf

Gameplay

Despite the game's apparent old west setting, its storyline sent the hero, Buck, into some noticeably non-realistic settings. For example, at one point Buck walks through a cave and ends up in a prehistoric jungle populated with dinosaurs. Also, the game provided Buck with three lives. As he lost those lives, the player would see him limp by humorously on crutches, or be carried away on a stretcher — a noticeable break from the game's otherwise dark and mature themes. If the player ran out of lives, Buck would turn into a super deformed angel during which time the "game over" text would appear. In addition, some of the game's "miss" sequences (which occur when the player loses a life) are humorous as well (including, but not limited to a scorpion giving Buck a Mohawk, or Buck being cut in half by an axe).

In the end, if Buck could kill Landolph and his henches, the player would see him ride off into the sunset.

The outlaws, ranked in order of their bounties, are as follows:

  1. Gas, for $2,500
  2. Doug, for $2,500
  3. Smith, for $3,000
  4. Paco, for $3,000
  5. Bull, for $4,000
  6. Lloyd, for $5,000
  7. Liston, for $5,000
  8. Hawk, for $6,000
  9. Mary, for $7,000
  10. Landolf, for $10,000

Reception

In Japan, Game Machine listed Badlands on their September 15, 1984 issue as being the second most-successful upright arcade unit of the year.[2]

References
  1. "Video Game Flyers: Badlands, Konami". The Arcade Flyer Archive. Retrieved March 7, 2018.
  2. "Game Machine's Best Hit Games 25 - アップライト, コックピット型TVゲーム機 (Upright/Cockpit Videos)". Game Machine (in Japanese). No. 244. Amusement Press, Inc. 15 September 1984. p. 31.
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