Midnight Raiders

From Sega Retro

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MidnightRaiders title.png

Midnight Raiders
System(s): Sega Mega-CD
Publisher: Sega
Developer:
Distributor: Ecofilmes (PT), Tec Toy (BR)
Genre: Action

















Number of players: 1
Release Date RRP Code
Sega Mega-CD
US 		4439
ESRB: Teen
Sega Mega-CD
EU 		4439-50
ELSPA: 11+ OK
Sega Mega-CD
PT
Sega Mega-CD
UK 		£49.9949.99[3] 4439-50
ELSPA: 11+ OK
Sega Mega-CD
AU 		$99.9599.95[4] FMID04SMR
Sega Mega-CD
BR 		063470
Tectoy: 13+

Midnight Raiders is a Sega Mega-CD game. It is heavily reliant on full-motion video.

A Mega-CD 32X version was once planned[5] for November[1], later December 1994[6], but was later cancelled (despite appearing in promotional material[7]).

Story

A pair of Apache AH-64 helicopters, the Dragonfly and the Ladybug, have been sent on "Operation Midnight," a covert mission to rescue a scientist who is being held hostage deep in enemy territory by the fictional Al Shakkur terrorist organization. Early in the mission, two allied trooper carriers are shot down, and the helicopter crews are left without their support. The team must infiltrate an enemy chemical weapons facility, extract the hostage, plant explosives, and escape.

Characters

Midnight Raiders, Characters, Joker.png

"Joker"
The player character. A hotshot rookie who is the gunner for the Dragonfly.

Midnight Raiders, Characters, Stryker.png

"Stryker"
The veteran pilot of the Dragonfly.

Midnight Raiders, Characters, Sparks.png

"Sparks"
The pilot of the accompanying helicopter, the Ladybug.

Midnight Raiders, Characters, Grimsby.png

Colonel Grimsby
The team's military commander.

Midnight Raiders, Characters, Adams.png

Adams
A high-level CIA agent who is in charge of Operation Midnight.

Midnight Raiders, Characters, Mensch.png

Professor Victor Mensch
A nerve gas expert who has been kidnapped by terrorist forces.

Gameplay

Midnight Raiders is a full-motion video shooting game. The player takes the role of the rookie gunner "Joker," part of the crew for the Apache helicopter Dragonfly alongside the veteran pilot "Stryker." They are accompanied by a sister helicopter, the Ladybug, and its pilot, "Sparks." The team's mission takes three phases: in the air, on foot, and in a Jeep.

Gameplay consists of short shooting segments against fast-moving targets, interspersed with numerous dramatized cutscenes. When an enemy appears, the player has a brief amount of time to aim (using the D-Pad) and fire at the enemy. If the player fails to shoot the enemy (or misses), the enemy fires and costs the player a life.

The game has options for toggling the target boxes (green overlays that show the hitboxes of targets to assist with aiming) and changing the difficulty (Easy or Hard, which affects the number of missiles given).

Phases

Midnight Raiders, Stage 1-1.png

Midnight Raiders, Stage 1-2.png

Midnight Raiders, Stage 1-3.png

Midnight Raiders, Stage 1-4.png

Midnight Raiders, Stage 1-5.png

Midnight Raiders, Stage 1-6.png

  • Midnight Raiders, Stage 1-1.png

  • Midnight Raiders, Stage 1-2.png

  • Midnight Raiders, Stage 1-3.png

  • Midnight Raiders, Stage 1-4.png

  • Midnight Raiders, Stage 1-5.png

  • Midnight Raiders, Stage 1-6.png

Targets Ahead
This phase of the mission is played in the helicopter. B fires Sidewinder missiles against air targets (enemy helicopters), C fires Hellfire missiles at ground targets (tanks and SAM sites). On Easy, the helicopter is equipped with 50 of each missile; on Hard, the helicopter only has 15 of each missile.

If the helicopter is shot down by an enemy, "Joker" and "Stryker" are rescued by the Ladybug and continue with a spare helicopter. If shot down during the last section, however, the mission is aborted and the game ends.

Midnight Raiders, Stage 2-1.png

Midnight Raiders, Stage 2-2.png

Midnight Raiders, Stage 2-3.png

Midnight Raiders, Stage 2-4.png

Midnight Raiders, Stage 2-5.png

Midnight Raiders, Stage 2-6.png

  • Midnight Raiders, Stage 2-1.png

  • Midnight Raiders, Stage 2-2.png

  • Midnight Raiders, Stage 2-3.png

  • Midnight Raiders, Stage 2-4.png

  • Midnight Raiders, Stage 2-5.png

  • Midnight Raiders, Stage 2-6.png

The Factory Run
This phase of the mission is played on foot as "Joker" infiltrates the enemy installation. A fires the handgun. To reload, move the crosshair to the lower-right of the screen to make the bullets appear and then press A while over one of the bullets. The handgun holds 15 rounds and can be reloaded 10 times.

The player only has one life for this section. The game ends if an enemy shoots "Joker," though the game sometimes gives the player another chance after missing an enemy. When there are multiple targets, it is only necessary to shoot one to proceed safely.

Midnight Raiders, Stage 3-1.png

Midnight Raiders, Stage 3-2.png

Midnight Raiders, Stage 3-3.png

Midnight Raiders, Stage 3-4.png

  • Midnight Raiders, Stage 3-1.png

  • Midnight Raiders, Stage 3-2.png

  • Midnight Raiders, Stage 3-3.png

  • Midnight Raiders, Stage 3-4.png

Rescue
The final phase of the mission is played on foot and in a Jeep as "Joker" and "Sparks" make a getaway before the chemical plant explodes. It plays the same as the second phase, with the player armed with a gun with the same ammunition and only getting one life with which to complete the mission.

Production credits

  • Associate Producers: Tony Shepherd, Michael Philip
  • First Assistant Director: Anthony Fiorino
  • Second Assistant Director: Annie Cadman
  • Assistant Editor: Jonathan Budd
  • Video Compositing: Steve Melchiorre
  • Assistant Video Compositing: David Sherman
  • Script Supervisor: Collette Panah
  • Programmers: Brendan Murphy, Joe Sengir
  • Assistant Programmer: David Frankham
  • Quicktime Editor: Jaison Stritch, Ian Strang
  • Assistant to Mr. Nicholson: Jane Hoye
  • Production Coordinators: Charles Howard, Larry Gobel
  • Facilities Supervisor: Patrick Reed
  • Casting Director: Patrick Rush
  • Extras Casting: TBS Casting, Barbara Bloverson
  • Location Manager: Mark Zimmer
  • Stunt Coordinator: Ray Baum
  • Motion Control Operator: Robert Menapace
  • Camera Operator: David Armstrong
  • Assistant Camera: Gaston Vidou, Steve Melchiorre
  • Key Grip: George Wells
  • Grips: Jerry Vaughn, Michael Graef
  • Gaffer: Peter Cornford
  • Best Boy Electric: Niles McElroy
  • Electrics: Gus Olvias, Ruben Arizpe, Mark Lorona
  • Driver/Swing: Ron Edmonson
  • Sound Mixer: Steve Tibbo
  • Boom Operator: Rocky Quiroz
  • Guitar: Mark Haugh
  • Sound EFX: Josh Darlington
  • Audio Engineer: Will Alexander
  • Digital Editor: Nigol Tchalakian
  • Audio Technician: Richard Bugg
  • Audio Assistant: Ian Strang, Luke Denitto
  • Key Make-up/Hair: Danny Mark
  • Costume Designer: Brenna Charlebois
  • Costumer: Mark Cheung
  • Prop/Costume Design: Robert Miller
  • Production Designer: Tom Buderwitz
  • Set Decorator: Bill Mitchell
  • Set Dresser: Richard Mendenhall
  • Property Master: Bill King, Kevin Kavanaugh
  • Production Accountant: Robin Ginsberg, Dorothy Duder
  • Assistant Accountants: Cyrena Vladish, Tonya Long, Tina Hill
  • Model Shop Supervisor: Ziggy Carr
  • Miniatures: Paul Ozzomi, Tom Coston, Larry Detwiler, Justin Krauss, Dean Satkowski, Ans Ellis, Erica Frazier, Rick Frazier, Rick Hilgner, Mykel Denis, Jack Edjourian, Brian Ranger, Tracy Singleton
  • Painters: Paulette Fox, Babette Brunelle
  • Gun Wranglers: Mykel Denis, Stembridge Gun Rentals, Harry Lu
  • "Apache Helicopter" Cockpit Interior Designed by: Alessandro Zezza
  • Construction Coordinator: Sean Frazier
  • Carpenters: John Doloszycki, Matt Powell, Leif Cole, Angel Gonzalez
  • Machinists: Martin Gonzalez, David Shroeder
  • Mechnical Effects: Michael Haase, Ron Strathman, Eddie McClintock, Everett Byrom III
  • Pyrotechnics: Robert Hutchins, Mike Lambert
  • Electronic Effects Supervisor: Todd Mahon
  • Electronics: Arthur Meier, Joe Urbanovitch, Luke Denitto
  • Craftservice: John Palumbo
  • Catering: Lori's Catering
  • Production Assistants: Alibno Marsetti, Jeremy Craves, Corey King, Ross Vinstein, Daryl Schmidt, Nancy Lowry, Tany Sousana
  • Production Coordinator, Sega Studios (Los Angeles): Berj Beramian
  • Assistant Producer, Sega Studios (Los Angeles): Vy Nong
  • Special Thanks to: The Sega Test Department, Joe Miller, Shinobu Toyoda
  • Apache AH-64 Helicopter Stock Footage Courtesy of: McDonnell Douglas
Source:
In-game credits
Midnight Raiders MCD credits.pdf
[8]
Source:
US manual
Error creating thumbnail: /bin/bash: line 1: 3218413 Done '/usr/bin/gs' '-sDEVICE=jpeg' '-sOutputFile=-' '-dFirstPage=1' '-dLastPage=1' '-dSAFER' '-r150' '-dBATCH' '-dNOPAUSE' '-q' '/home/sonicret/domains/segaretro.org/public_html/images/b/b2/Midnightraiders_mcd_us_manual.pdf' 3218414 Segmentation fault | '/usr/bin/convert' '-depth' '8' '-quality' '95' '-resize' '2197' '-' '/home/sonicret/domains/segaretro.org/public_html/images/temp/transform_e8d9a474d1f2.jpg'
[9]

Magazine articles

Main article: Midnight Raiders/Magazine articles.

Promotional material

Logo-pdf.svg
Print advert in (US) #65: "December 1994" (1994-xx-xx)
also published in:
  • (US) #22: "December/January 1994/1995" (1994-xx-xx)[10]
  • (US) #1: "Premiere Issue 1995" (1994-12-08)[11]
  • (US) #66: "January 1995" (199x-xx-xx)[12]
Logo-pdf.svg

Artwork

  • US Mega-CD prototype cover

  • US Mega-CD 32X prototype cover

Physical scans

Sega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
{{{{{icon}}}|L}} Division by zero.
Based on
0 review
Sega Retro Average 
Publication Version Score
(US) NTSC-U
25
[13]
(US) NTSC-U
58
[14]
(US) NTSC-U
78
[15]
(FR)
60
[16]
(DE) NTSC-U
64
[17]
(DE) PAL
64
[18]
(US) NTSC-U
25
[19]
(FR)
60
[20]
(DE) PAL
66
[21]
(UK) PAL
70
[22]
(CZ)
70
[23]
(UK) PAL
30
[24]
(UK) NTSC-U
81
[25]
(ES)
55
[26]
(DE) PAL
9
[27]
(US)
30
[28]
Sega Mega-CD
 53
Based on
16 reviews

Midnight Raiders

Mega-CD, US
MidnightRaiders MCD US Box Back.jpgMidnightRaiders MCD US Box Front.jpg
Cover
MidnightRaiders MCD US Disc.jpg
Disc
Midnightraiders mcd us manual.pdf
Manual
Mega-CD, EU
MidnightRaiders MCD EU Box Back.jpgMidnightRaiders MCD EU Box Front.jpg
Cover
MidnightRaiders MCD EU spinecard.jpg
Spinecard
Midnight Raiders MCD EU Disc.jpg
Disc
Midnight Raiders MCD EU Manual.jpg
Manual
Mega-CD, PT
MidnightRaiders MCD PT Box Front.jpg
Cover
Midnight Raiders MCD EU Disc.jpg
Disc
Midnight Raiders MCD PT Manual.jpg
Manual
Midnight Raiders MCD EU Manual.jpg
EU Manual
Mega-CD, AU

Mega-CD, BR
MidnightRaiders MCD BR back.jpgNospine.pngMidnightRaiders MCD BR Box Front.jpg
Cover
MidnightRaiders MCD US Disc.jpg
Disc

Technical information

Main article: Midnight Raiders/Technical information.

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Sonic Times, "Volume 2 Number 9: October 1994" (US; 1994-xx-xx), page 8
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Mean Machines Sega, "February 1995" (UK; 1994-12-30), page 36
  3. ↑ Mega Power, "May 1995" (UK; 1995-0x-xx), page 7
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 File:NewReleasesCatalogueApril-May1995AU.pdf, page 20
  5. ↑ Mean Machines Sega, "September 1994" (UK; 1994-07-30), page 9
  6. ↑ Mega Power, "November 1994" (UK; 1994-10-20), page 6
  7. ↑ Sega Visions, "February/March 1995" (US; 199x-xx-xx), page 9
  8. ↑ File:Midnight Raiders MCD credits.pdf
  9. ↑ File:Midnightraiders mcd us manual.pdf, page 16
  10. ↑ Sega Visions, "December/January 1994/1995" (US; 1994-xx-xx), page 69
  11. ↑ Next Generation, "Premiere Issue 1995" (US; 1994-12-08), page 101
  12. ↑ GamePro, "January 1995" (US; 199x-xx-xx), page 9
  13. ↑ Electronic Games (1992-1995), "May 1995" (US; 1995-0x-xx), page 82
  14. ↑ Game Players, "Vol. 8 No. 2 February 1995" (US; 1995-0x-xx), page 40
  15. ↑ GamePro, "April 1995" (US; 1995-xx-xx), page 53
  16. ↑ Joypad, "Septembre 1995" (FR; 1995-0x-xx), page 56
  17. ↑ MAN!AC, "05/95" (DE; 1995-04-12), page 36
  18. ↑ MAN!AC, "10/95" (DE; 1995-09-13), page 75
  19. ↑ Next Generation, "March 1995" (US; 1995-02-21), page 100
  20. ↑ Player One, "Septembre 1995" (FR; 1995-0x-xx), page 118
  21. ↑ Sega Magazin, "September 1995" (DE; 1995-08-16), page 16
  22. ↑ Sega Magazine, "August 1995" (UK; 1995-07-13), page 92
  23. ↑ Sega News, "Listopad 1996" (CZ; 1996-1x-xx), page 32
  24. ↑ Sega Power, "October 1995" (UK; 1995-08-17), page 64
  25. ↑ Sega Pro, "Easter 1995" (UK; 1995-03-23), page 48
  26. ↑ Super Juegos, "Agosto 1995" (ES; 1995-0x-xx), page 108
  27. ↑ Video Games, "10/95" (DE; 1995-09-27), page 107
  28. ↑ VideoGames, "April 1995" (US; 1995-0x-xx), page 74


Midnight Raiders

MidnightRaiders title.png

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