Corpse Killer

n/a

Mega-CD/Mega-CD 32X Saturn
Corpse Killer
System(s): Sega Mega-CD, Sega Mega-CD 32X, Sega Saturn
Publisher: Digital Pictures
Developer: Digital Pictures
Distributor: Acclaim Distribution (US, EU) Sega-Ozisoft (AU) Tec Toy (BR)
Peripherals supported: Menacer
Genre: Action
Number of players: 1
Release Date RRP Code US 1994-11 $59.9959.99 T-162055 EU 1995-03 T-162055-50 DE 1995 T-162055-50 FR 1995 T-162055-50 UK 1995-03 £34.9934.99 T-162055-50 AU 199x FCOR02SMR BR 1996-06 R$69.9969.99 063606 US 1995 $? T-16201F EU 1995-07 £? T-16201F-50 AU 1995 $? FCOR02SXR US 1995-11-02 T-16201H
Non-Sega versions 3DO Macintosh Windows PC
ESRB BBFC USK OFLC Tectoy

Corpse Killer is a full-motion video game developed and published by Digital Pictures. It was released for the Sega Mega-CD and 3DO game consoles and Windows and Macintosh computers. It was also one of five games released for the Sega Mega-CD 32X platform in North America. An enhanced version of the game, titled Corpse Killer: Graveyard Edition, was released for the Sega Saturn in North America.

Story

A United States Marine Corps special forces team is airdropped onto the tropical island of Cay Noir to apprehend the rogue government scientist Dr. Elgin Hellman, who has raised an army of zombies that he plans to unleash upon the world. The team is separated after jumping from their plane. The lieutenant is bitten by a zombie but rescued by the Rastafarian treasure hunter Winston, while the other marines were captured by Hellman.

Characters

Winston Croft

A Rastafarian fortune hunter who came to Cay Noir in search of buried treasure. He drives the player around the island in his jeep. He is trying to find lost gold and use it to buy a Hummer. He uses his knowledge of voodoo rites to help concoct items to help the player.

Julie Barnes

An enthusiastic journalist who is investigating the government's "Project Manpower" for a story. The trail of clues has led her to the island, where she crosses paths with the player and Winston.

Dr. Elgin R. Hellman

A necrobiologist who once worked for the Pentagon researching occult fields. He disappeared, then resurfaced on Cay Noir with a zombie army.

Gameplay

Mega-CD and Mega-CD 32X versions

Datapod

Satlink map

Corpse Killer is a light-gun shooting game where the player plays a marine trying to apprehend the mad scientist Dr. Hellman and rescue his marine comrades before he becomes a zombie himself. Stages consist of automatically scrolling full-motion video backgrounds with digitized sprites overlaid on top of actors portraying zombies. The goal of each stage is to shoot the zombies and avoid taking too much damage. Stages are interspersed with full-motion video sequences produced in the style of a campy zombie movie, which portray the story. The player can choose which stages to play. It is only necessary to complete the Fortress stages four times (to rescue the marine's comrades, who have been zombified by Dr. Hellman) and then visit Skull Mountain to fight Dr. Hellman in order to finish the game. However, other stages offer items after completing them, including special ammo that is necessary to defeat the bosses. These stages can be played multiple times to build an inventory of ammunition or to heal.

The characters have set up camp in a graveyard, and the player can retreat back to the graveyard at any time during gameplay. This sometimes plays a short stage where the graveyard is overrun by zombies. In the graveyard, the player accesses the "Datapod," a handheld communications system with multiple functions. The Datapod includes icons that play short FMV clips providing information about the game (such as the story, weapons, and enemies), access the Satlink map to choose a location on the island, or save the game to the console's internal memory.

The game can be played using a standard control pad or using either the Menacer and the GameGun light guns. Using a control pad, the player moves the targeting cursor around the screen using the D-Pad and fires by pressing . The marine's weapon is an automatic rifle with unlimited ammunition, so the button can be held down for continuous fire. Some enemies can only be killed using Datura-coated bullets, which can be obtained as a special item after completing some stages. Pressing once (which can be done while firing) switches to a Datura-coated bullet for a single round. Pressing two or three times switches to armor-piercing bullets or Datura-coated armor-piercing bullets until switched back to standard bullets by pressing four times. The current ammo levels are shown in a grid in the HUD. At any point, the player can retreat back to the graveyard by pressing . Using a light gun, pressing the trigger shoots and pressing the top button switches the ammo type. The player can retreat to the graveyard by shooting the "Abort" button in the HUD.

One type of zombie flashes between light and dark colors; it harms the player if it is shot while dark or kills every enemy on-screen if it is killed while light.

The marine's life is shown in a red cross in the HUD, starting at its maximum of 99. Life deteriorates by taking damage from zombies (who typically run at the player) but also slowly over time since the marine was bitten by a zombie after landing. The game ends if the marine runs out of life, but life can be restored by acquiring health potions.

Items

Item choice

After some stages, the player is awarded an item or given a choice between the two Datura-derived items.

	Breath
	A health potion concocted from the native Datura plant that restores some life to the marine.
	Armor-Piercing Bullets
	More powerful bullets than the regular bullets, though they are limited in supply. These can be acquired from APB Quests.
	Datura-Coated Bullets
	Bullets that are coated in Datura, which makes them very effective at killing zombies, including bosses. These can be acquired from Datura Quests.
	Hanja Root
	Enhances the power of Datura bullets.
	Ju-ju Stick
	Protects the marine against Black Magic Strawmen and Reapers, more dangerous enemies that take a large amount of life if the player does not possess this item.
	Baba-Koo Manbones
	Winston can use these bones to read the future.

Stages

	Airstrip
	This stage is always played at the beginning of the game.
	Graveyard
	This stage is sometimes played when returning to the Graveyard.

Zombietown

Zombietown map

After completing the first stage, the player enters Zombietown. After entering the Gate, the player can choose between the Village, the Swamp, or the Fortress. The Fortress must be played four times to rescue each of the marine's comrades before the final stage against Dr. Hellman can be played.

	Gate
	This stage must be played every time the player wants to enter Zombietown.
	Village
	Swamp
	Fortress
	The Fortress consists of four stages, played in sequence: the Fortress, the Courtyard, the Outer Altar, and the Inner Altar.
	Courtyard
	Outer Altar
	Inner Altar
	The player fights Magliano, PFC Fleming, Corporal Duffy, and the Captain here (on separate visits).

Skull Mountain

After rescuing all of the marines, the player can venture to Skull Mountain to fight Dr. Hellman.

	Skull Mountain
	Hellman
	This is the final boss fight, which must be completed to finish the game.

Winston's Quests

Winston's two quests take him on a search for lost pirate gold.

	Galleon
	Deep Jungle

Julie's Quests

Julie's two quests have the player assisting with her investigations on the island, which reward the player with more information cinematics in the Datapod when completed.

	Near Depot / Palace Ruin / Ruins
	Near Sub / Totems / Totem Ruins

Other

Other quests can be selected from the Satlink map, which play one of these stages randomly and award items when completed. The stages from Winston's quest or Julia's quest can also appear randomly.

	Ambush
	In the Mega-CD version, this stage is a single-screen with no scrolling where the player must shoot objects (such as skulls) thrown by enemies to avoid taking damage. In the Mega-CD 32X version, this stage is a conventional scrolling stage where the player shoots randomly appearing zombies.
	Riverbed

Production credits

Mega-CD version

• Cast
  • Hellman: Vincent Schiavelli
  • Winston: Jeremiah Birkett
  • Julie: Brigett Butler
  • Magliano: John Cassini
  • Fleming: Gary Anthony Sturgis
  • Duffy: Erin Bobo
  • Captain: Bill Mosley
  • General: Charles Kahlenberg
• Production Supervisor: Ellen Gordon
• Production Coordinator: Thérese Cathcart
• Assistant Production Coordinator: Candance Modrell
• Production Secretary: Ruth de Thomas
• Associate Producer: Shari Little
• Additional Game Design: Noah Falstein
• Computer Graphics: Lode Coen, Cuyler Gee, Josh Solomon, Yarmila Seflova, Brian Andersen, Christina Carvalho
• First Assistant Director: Patrick Duffy
• Second Assistant Director: Bob Acosta
• Script Supervisor: Patricia Kangrga
• First Assistant Camera: Paddy Kean
• Second Assistant Camera: Arianne Peckham
• Film Loader: Julie Silver
• Steadicam Operator: Dave Chameides
• Art Director: Oana Bogdan
• Swing: Angel Pastrana
• Property Master: Randall Earnest
• Property Assistant: David Fitzpatrick
• Model Shop Supervisor: Dave Sharp
• Construction Supervisor: Clive Brown
• Set Decorator: Bonita Huffman
• Costume Design: Yana Syrkin
• Wardrobe Supervisor: Bo Slavin
• Set Costumer: Andrea Federman
• Key Make-up Artist: Diana Thomas
• Make-up Assistant: Marta Callender
• Prosthetic Make-up Artist: Bart Mixon
• Prosthetic Make-up Assistant: Earl Ellis
• Hair Dresser: Timothy Lasquade
• Stunt Coordinator: Keith Woulard
• Gaffer: Jim Gilson
• Best Boy Electric: Scott Young
• Electricians: Jose Hernandez, Raymond Orraca, Pedro Juan Lopez
• Key Grip: Terry Wimmer
• Best Boy Grip: Ramón Cuadrado
• Grips: Raul Rosado, Anibal Pabón
• Sound Mixer: Mary Jo Devenney
• Boom Operator: Peter Jones
• Production Accountants: Donna Cipriani, Tad Driscoll
• Assistant Accountant: Richard Fleming
• Location Manager: Ana Rica Groennou
• Casting Director: Zoraida Sanjurjo
• Still Photographer: Jose Cuevas
• Storyboard Artist: Robert Camargo
• Transportation Coordinator: Jose Luis Fuentes
• Drivers: Otni Vargas, Maniel Negrón, Felix Osorio, Luis Medina, Felix Juan Padua, Hector Lopez, Hector Chaparro, Ivan Lopez
• Technician Dance Consultant: Lisa Boiko
• Office Production Assistants: Karen Upholf, Malen Folch
• Key Set Production Assistant: Juan Esteban Suarez
• Set Production Assistants: Francisco Torres, Gilbert Medina
• Craft Service: Felix Perez

Los Angeles Unit

• Electricians: Steve Stelig, Shawn Blakeman
• Grip: Rafael Molinary
• Boom Operator: Kevin Kubota
• Casting Director: Valerie Massalas
• Extras Casting: Tom Thacker
• Still Photographer: Carol Westwood
• Transportation Coordinator: Paul Kowalczyk
• Office Production Assistant: Erika Schleich
• Set Production Assistants: Remo Packer, Basti Van Der Woude, Navid Sheydaei
• Caterer: Gourmet Chabar
• Craft Service: Stacy Briskman
• Post Production Supervisor: Eric Valente
• Editor: Peter Bazinski
• Assistant Editor: David Karson
• Post Production Assistant: Thérese Cathcart
• Percussion: Luis Conte
• Guitar: Marty Walsh
• Additional Music: Joel Goldsmith
• Additional Music Editor: Don Sanders
• Sound Effects Supervisor: Mace Matiosian
• Sound Effects Editor: David Beatle
• Additional Sound Effects: Albert Ibbotson
• ADR Mixer: Alfred T. Ferrante C.A.S.
• ADR Recordist: Daryl Lathrop
• Dialog Mixer: Chris Haire C.A.S.
• Sound Effects Mixer: Doug Cavey
• Music Mixer: Richard L. Morrison C.A.S.
• Additional Mixing: Tim Clamam
• Recordist: Chris Elam
• Foley Mixer: Marty Church
• Post Production Coordinator: Dan MacDonald
• Effects Composing: Mark Itravotolo
• Color Timer: Ed Rowin
• On Line Editor: Roger Berger
• Digital Artists: Robert McInnis, Marta Carter, Brian Conlon
• Head Tester: David Popovich
• Lead Game Tester: Rob Macy
• Assistant Lead: Randall K. Hughes
• Game Testers: Bill Bound, Ken Brink, Ayham Celebi, Harry Chavez, Erik Colasanti, Paul Franco, Karl Frese, Lawrence Gibson, Paul Gluck, Stefan M. Nelson

Filmed on location in Puerto Rico and at Praxis Film Works in Los Angeles, California.

Corpse Killer uses Digital Pictures' patent pending InstaSwitch technology. Digital video captured using Digital Pictures' DigiChrome process.

Corpse Killer is a trademark of Digital Pictures, Inc. DigiChrome and U-Direct are registered trademarks of Digital Pictures, Inc. InstaSwitch is a trademark of Digital Pictures, Inc.

Corpse Killer was created, produced and published by Digital Pictures, Inc.

Copyright ©1994 Digital Pictures, Inc.

Source:

In-game credits

---

• Executive Producers: Tom Zito, Tyler Johnson
• Interactive Design: Ken Soohoo, Kenneth Melville
• Music: Bradley Smith
• Production Design: Anthony Tremblay
• Director of Photography: Anthony Palmieri
• Screenplay: Kenneth Melville
• Computer Programming: Ken Soohoo
• Produced by: Charles Ogden, Wolfgang Marum
• Directed by: John Lafia
• Computer Graphics: Kim Tempest
• Packaging and Manual: The Design Office of Wong & Yeo

Source:

US manual

Mega-CD 32X version

The credits for this version are the same as the Mega-CD version, except for the following.

• Associate Producer: Carina Chocano
• Additional Programming: Gene Kusmiak
• Lead Game Tester: Randall K. Hughes
• Assistant Lead: Rob Macy
• Game Testers: Bill Bound, Paul Franco

Source:

In-game credits

Saturn version

• Cast
  • Hellman: Vincent Schiavelli
  • Winston: Jeremiah Birkett
  • Julie: Brigett Butler
  • Magliano: John Cassini
  • Fleming: Gary Anthony Sturgis
  • Duffy: Erin Bobo
  • Captain: Bill Mosley
  • General: Charles Kahlenberg
• Stunt Coordinator: Keith Woulard
• Corpse Killer: Graveyard Edition Produced by: Shari L. Little
• Production Supervisor: Ellen Gordon
• Production Coordinator: Thérese Cathcart
• Associate Producer: Maureen Phalon
• Asst. Production Coordinator: Candance Modrell
• Production Secretary: Ruth de Thomas
• Additional Game Design: Noah Falstein
• Computer Graphics: Lode Coen, Cuyler Gee, Jarmila Seflova, Brian Andersen, Christina Carvalho
• Preproduction Development: Kevin Welsh
• First Assistant Director: Patrick Duffy
• Second Assistant Director: Bob Acosta
• Script Supervisor: Patricia Kangrga
• First Assistant Camera: Paddy Kean
• Second Assistant Camera: Arianne Peckham
• Film Loader: Julie Silver
• Steadicam Operator: Dave Chameides
• Art Director: Oana Bogdan
• Swing: Angel Pastrana
• Property Master: Randall Earnest
• Property Assistant: David Fitzpatrick
• Miniature Effects Supervisor: David B. Sharp
• Construction Supervisor: Clive Brown
• Set Decorator: Bonita Huffman
• Costume Design: Yana Syrkin
• Wardrobe Supervisor: Bo Slavin
• Set Costumer: Andrea Federman
• Key Make-up Artist: Diana Thomas
• Make-up Assistant: Marta Callender
• Prosthetic Make-up Artist: Bart Mixon
• Prosthetic Make-up Assistant: Earl Ellis
• Hair Dresser: Timothy Lasquade
• Gaffer: Jim Gilson
• Best Boy Electric: Scott Young
• Electricians: Jose Hernandez, Raymond Orraca, Pedro Juan Lopez
• Key Grip: Terry Wimmer
• Best Boy Grip: Ramón Cuadrado
• Grips: Raul Rosado, Anibal Pabón
• Sound Mixer: Mary Jo Devenney
• Boom Operator: Peter Jones
• Production Accountants: Donna Cipriani, Tad Driscoll
• Assistant Accountant: Richard Fleming
• Location Manager: Ana Rica Groennou
• Casting Director: Zoraida Sanjurjo
• Still Photographer: Jose Cuevas
• Storyboard Artist: Robert Camargo
• Transportation Coordinator: Jose Luis Fuentes
• Drivers: Otni Vargas, Maniel Negrón, Felix Osorio, Luis Medina, Felix Juan Padua, Hector Lopez, Hector Chaparro, Ivan Lopez
• Technical Dance Consultant: Lisa Boiko
• Office Production Assistants: Karen Upholf, Malen Folch
• Key Set Production Assistant: Juan Esteban Suarez
• Set Production Assistants: Francisco Torres, Gilbert Medina
• Craft Service: Felix Perez

Los Angeles Unit

• Electricians: Steve Stelig, Shawn Blakeman
• Grip: Rafael Molinary
• Boom Operator: Kevein Kubota
• Casting Director: Valerie Massalas
• Extras Casting: Tom Thacker
• Still Photographer: Carol Westwood
• Transportation Coordinator: Paul Kowalczyk
• Office Production Assistant: Erika Schleich
• Set Production Assistants: Remo Packer, Basti Van Der Woude, Navid Sheydaei
• Caterer: Gourmet Chabar
• Craft Service: Stacy Briskman
• Post Production Supervisor: Eric Valente
• Post Production Coordinator: Dan MacDonald
• On Line Editor: Roger Berger
• Editor: Peter Bazinski
• Assistant Editor: David Karson
• Effects Compositing: Mark Itravotolo
• Color Timer: Ed Rowin
• Post Production Assistant: Thérese Cathcart
• Additional Music: Joel Goldsmith
• Additional Music Editor: Don Sanders
• Sound Effects Supervisor: Mace Matiosian
• Sound Effects Editor: David Beatle
• Additional Sound Effects: Albert Ibbotson
• ADR Mixer: Alfred T. Ferrante C.A.S.
• ADR Recordist: Daryl Lathrop
• Dialog Mixer: Chris Haire C.A.S.
• Sound Effects Mixer: Doug Cavey
• Music Mixer: Richard L. Morrison C.A.S.
• Additional Mixing: Tim Clamam
• Recordist: Chris Elam
• Foley Mixer: Marty Church
• Percussion: Luis Conte
• Guitar: Marty Walsh
• Digital Artists: Robert McInnis, Marla Carter, Brian Conlon

Quality Assurance for Digital Pictures

• Lead Console Tester: David Popovich
• Lead Game Tester: Paul Franco
• Game Testers: Richard Wong, Erik Griss, Bill Bound Jr., Michael J. Brown, Tony Giovanni, Tim D. Whiteman, Alan Balodis, Dave Martin, Ric Silva, Frank Valoria
• Special Thanks to the rest of the Digital Pictures SEGA Saturn Development Team (in alphabetical order): Steve Cole, Warren Gee, Scott Nelson, Jerome Stratch

Filmed on location in Puerto Rico and at Praxis Film Works in Los Angeles, California.

Corpse Killer uses Digital Pictures' patent pending InstaSwitch technology. Digital video captured using Digital Pictures' DigiChrome process.

Corpse Killer is a trademark of Digital Pictures, Inc. DigiChrome and U-Direct are registered trademarks of Digital Pictures, Inc. InstaSwitch is a trademark of Digital Pictures, Inc.

Corpse Killer was created, produced and published by Digital Pictures, Inc.

Copyright ©1995 Digital Pictures, Inc.

All Rights Reserved.

Source:

In-game credits

History

Legacy

Screaming Villains digitally re-released the game with higher quality video as Corpse Killer: 25th Anniversary Edition for Steam and the PlayStation 4 in 2019 and for the Nintendo Switch in 2020. Limited Run Games produced physical copies of the PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch versions, including a "Collector's Edition."

Versions

On the Saturn, the shooting sequences were re-made, though aside from differing graphics, enemy placements (including zombies that get much closer to the screen), and extra difficulty levels, the core structure of moving to the right while shooting remains the same. No form of light gun is supported in the Saturn release. The Saturn version uses two discs, so the disc must occasionally be swapped.

Despite its claims to the contrary on the PAL Mega-CD 32X packaging, the game is not optimised for the Six Button Control Pad.

Production photographs

• 

  John Lafia (director) and Tom Zito (producer)

• 

  Tom Zito (producer) with zombies

• 

  Jeremiah Birkett (Winston) and Bridget Butler (Julie)

• 

  Jeremiah Birkett (Winston) and Bridget Butler (Julie)

• 

  Bridget Butler on beach for ending sequence

Magazine articles

Main article: Corpse Killer/Magazine articles.

Promotional material

Print advert in Next Generation (US) #1: "Premiere Issue 1995" (1994-12-08)

Print advert in GamePro (US) #68: "March 1995" (1995-xx-xx)
also published in:

• Next Generation (US) #4: "April 1995" (1995-03-21)
• GamePro (US) #69: "April 1995" (1995-xx-xx)

Saturn print advert in Electronic Gaming Monthly (US) #77: "December 1995" (1995-xx-xx)
also published in:

• Fusion (US) #0106: "Volume 1, Number 6: January 1996" (199x-xx-xx)

Print advert in Mean Machines Sega (UK) #31: "May 1995" (1995-03-28)

Physical scans

Mega-CD version

Sega Retro Average
Publication Score Source

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Based on 0 review

Sega Retro Average

Publication Version Score Consoles + (FR) PAL 82 Freak (IL) 84 Game Players (US) NTSC-U 69 GamePro (US) NTSC-U 73 Game Informer (US) NTSC-U 61 Joypad (FR) PAL 75 MAN!AC (DE) PAL 45 Mega Force (FR) PAL 62 Mega Fun (DE) PAL 60 Mean Machines Sega (UK) PAL 63 Player One (FR) 70 Play Time (DE) 58 Sega Magazine (UK) PAL 71 Sega News (CZ) 71 Sega Pro (UK) NTSC-U 59 Video Games (DE) PAL 61 VideoGames (US) NTSC-U 80

	67
Based on 17 reviews

Corpse Killer

Mega-CD, US
Cover
Disc Manual

Mega-CD, EU
Cover
Disc Manual

Mega-CD, DE
Cover
Disc Manual

Mega-CD, FR
Cover
Disc Manual

Mega-CD, AU

Mega-CD, BR
Cover

Mega-CD 32X version

Sega Retro Average
Publication Score Source

{{{{{icon}}}|L}}
Based on 0 review

Sega Retro Average
Publication Version Score Electronic Games (1992-1995) (US) NTSC-U 50 Electronic Gaming Monthly (US) NTSC-U 53 GamePro (US) NTSC-U 73 Mega Force (FR) PAL 60 Mega Fun (DE) PAL 60 Next Generation (US) NTSC-U 0 Sega Magazin (DE) PAL 55 Sega Power (UK) PAL 22 SuperGamePower (BR) NTSC-U 60 Video Games (DE) PAL 52

	48
Based on 10 reviews

Corpse Killer

Mega-CD 32X, US
Cover
Disc Manual File:CorpseKiller-SegaCD32X-U-QRC.pdf Reg Card

Mega-CD 32X, EU
Cover
Spinecard Disc Manual

Mega-CD 32X, AU
Cover

Saturn version

Sega Retro Average
Publication Score Source

{{{{{icon}}}|L}}
Based on 0 review

Sega Retro Average
Publication Version Score Electronic Gaming Monthly (US) NTSC-U 44 GamePro (US) NTSC-U 70 Ultimate Gamer (US) NTSC-U 60

	58
Based on 3 reviews

Corpse Killer

Saturn, US
Cover
Manual

Technical information

Main article: Corpse Killer/Technical information.