Crack Down
From Sega Retro
Crack Down | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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System(s): Sega System 24, Sega Mega Drive, Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, Commodore 64, IBM PC, ZX Spectrum, Virtual Console, Steam | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Publisher: Sega Sage's Creation (US) U.S. Gold | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Developer: Sega AM1, HOT-B[1] Arc Developments | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Genre: Action | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Number of players: 1-2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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CERO
Missing Parameter! |
Crack Down (クラックダウン) is a top-down arcade shoot-'em-up title developed by Sega for their Sega System 24 arcade board.
Contents
Gameplay
The game features two heroes, Ben Breaker and Andy Attacker, who have to get through a series of levels as quickly as possible by placing bombs on marked X spots scattered around the levels. The levels are heavily defended, but the player has an array of weaponry including a cannon, machine gun, and superbombs at their disposal in order to stay alive.
Crack Down is unusual in that its System 24 roots mean that the screen is always split into two. As a result, one of the main complaints for weaker systems (with lower screen resolutions) is that the majority of the screen is not used when playing a one-player game.
History
Legacy
Crack Down' has subsequently been ported to a variety of systems, including the Sega Mega Drive, Commodore Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, Commodore 64, DOS and ZX Spectrum. The Mega Drive version is a common choice for compilations, and has therefore seen several re-releases among other early Mega Drive titles. It has also been brought to the Wii's Virtual Console service.
For whatever reason, Sega had Sage's Creation publish the Mega Drive port in North America (it may have had to do with HOT-B making the port).
Versions
Amiga and Atari ST versions
The Amiga and Atari ST versions were created simultaneously by Arc Developments, following their home computer conversions of Forgotten Worlds.
While an arcade machine was obtained to help with the conversions, the lack of any sort of pause button or tile viewer on the unit meant initially the team were forced to copy the graphics by eye in Deluxe Paint III[9]. Attempts were made to reverse engineer the System 24 hardware (or more specifically the internal floppy disk format)[9], but this proved unsuccessful and Sega of Japan refused to give the team any technical details[10]. Sega did provide a black and white copy of some of the game's graphics, however[10].
Graphics were drawn on Amigas, before being transferred over to IBM PC compatibles (using the Amiga-to-IBM file utility Dos2Dos) for the main development of the game[10]. Once on the PC, a bespoke program would be run to strip the graphics files of unnecessary data prior to use. During development the graphics spanned at least 36 floppy disks[10].
The Amiga and Atari ST versions omit the intermission screens to save space.
There is a known glitch in the Amiga version of the game which causes the final level to crash. While more recent patches by fans have fixed the problem, it was never addressed during the game's original production run.
Amstrad CPC and ZX Spectrum versions
The Amstrad CPC and ZX Spectrum versions were also created by Arc Developments, and also used a similar system of drawing the graphics on an Amiga with Deluxe Paint III, while writing the code on an IBM PC[11]. Two weeks were spent bringing the game to the Amstrad CPC[12], after which a further two weeks were spent converting the CPC code to the Spectrum[12].
Using a technique developed in the Spectrum ports of Forgotten Worlds and X-Out, graphics scroll two pixels at a time[12]. This technique does not affect the way the Spectrum draws graphics on-screen however, so in order to overcome colour clash all in-game graphics share the same two colours[12].
Production credits
Mega Drive version
- Planning: Kobupan
- Screenplay: 2468Drive, Kanazawa
- Programming: SA.160A, EC.NA.DF.OE, Ebuc, Soft MA
- Graphic Design: Kanazawa, Nagasaki, Gunma
- Music Composed by: Sega
- Music Arranged by: Mecanoize
- Sound Design: YMOIMO by MS
- Special Thanks to: Hokkaido, Chiba, Kanagawa, Help 1, Help 2, Help 3
- Director: SA.160A
- Producer: 2468Drive
Digital manuals
Magazine articles
- Main article: Crack Down/Magazine articles.
Promotional material
also published in:
- Electronic Gaming Monthly (US) #20: "March 1991" (1991-xx-xx)[13]
- Sega Visions (US) #4: "April/May 1991" (1991-xx-xx)[14]
- Game Players Sega Guide! (US) #0203: "Vol. 2, No. 3: June/July 1991" (1991-0x-xx)[15]
also published in:
Physical scans
System 24 version
Sega Retro Average | ||||
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N/A | |
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Based on 0 reviews |
System 24, US | ||||
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System 24, JP | ||||
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Mega-Tech version
Mega Drive version
70 | |
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Based on 32 reviews |
Mega Drive, AU |
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Amiga version
Sega Retro Average | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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77 | |
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Based on 8 reviews |
Amiga, UK |
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|
Amstrad CPC version
Sega Retro Average | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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75 | |
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Based on 4 reviews |
Amstrad CPC, UK (cassette) |
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Atari ST version
Sega Retro Average | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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78 | |
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Based on 6 reviews |
Atari ST, UK |
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Commodore 64 version
Sega Retro Average | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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76 | |
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Based on 11 reviews |
Commodore 64, UK |
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Commodore 64, ES |
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DOS version
ZX Spectrum version
Sega Retro Average | |||||||||||||||||||
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72 | |
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Based on 3 reviews |
ZX Spectrum, UK |
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Technical information
ROM dump status
System | Hash | Size | Build Date | Source | Comments | |||||||||
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✔ |
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512kB | 1990-10 | Cartridge (US) | ||||||||||
✔ |
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512kB | 1990-10 | Cartridge (EU) | ||||||||||
✔ |
|
512kB | 1990-10 | Cartridge (JP) |
External links
References
- ↑ http://gdri.smspower.org/wiki/index.php/Interview:Kimihiro_Endou
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 File:GamePro US 022.pdf, page 38 Cite error: Invalid
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tag; name ":File:GamePro US 022.pdf_p38" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 File:Raze UK 10.pdf, page 51 Cite error: Invalid
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tag; name ":File:Raze UK 10.pdf_p51" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ File:Supergame BR 06.pdf, page 38
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 File:Generation4 FR 021.pdf, page 11
- ↑ File:CGW US 080.pdf, page 8
- ↑ File:CVG UK 101.pdf, page 8
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 File:CommodoreFormat UK 22.pdf, page 48 Cite error: Invalid
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tag; name ":File:CommodoreFormat UK 22.pdf_p48" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ 9.0 9.1 File:TheOne UK 15.pdf, page 51
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 File:TheOne UK 15.pdf, page 52
- ↑ File:SinclairUser UK 094.pdf, page 64
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 File:SinclairUser UK 094.pdf, page 65
- ↑ Electronic Gaming Monthly, "March 1991" (US; 1991-xx-xx), page 49
- ↑ Sega Visions, "April/May 1991" (US; 1991-xx-xx), page 7
- ↑ Game Players Sega Guide!, "Vol. 2, No. 3: June/July 1991" (US; 1991-0x-xx), page 86
- ↑ ACE, "May 1990" (UK; 1990-04-xx), page 29
- ↑ File:CVG UK 092.pdf, page 78
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 File:AcaoGames BR 002.pdf, page 31 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>
tag; name ":File:AcaoGames BR 002.pdf_p31" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ File:BeepMD_JP_1991-01.pdf, page 35
- ↑ File:SSM_JP_19950901_1995-09.pdf, page 87
- ↑ 21.0 21.1 File:Generation4 FR 030.pdf, page 102 Cite error: Invalid
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tag; name ":File:Generation4 FR 030.pdf_p102" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ File:HobbyConsolas ES 006.pdf, page 29
- ↑ 23.0 23.1 File:MegaTech UK 01.pdf, page 77 Cite error: Invalid
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tag; name ":File:MegaTech UK 01.pdf_p77" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ 24.0 24.1 File:MeanMachines UK 05.pdf, page 66 Cite error: Invalid
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tag; name ":File:MeanMachines UK 05.pdf_p66" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ 25.0 25.1 File:Joystick FR 014.pdf, page 118 Cite error: Invalid
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tag; name ":File:Joystick FR 014.pdf_p118" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ 26.0 26.1 File:PlayerOne FR 010.pdf, page 37 Cite error: Invalid
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tag; name ":File:PlayerOne FR 010.pdf_p37" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ 27.0 27.1 File:SegaPro UK 02.pdf, page 21 Cite error: Invalid
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tag; name ":File:SegaPro UK 02.pdf_p21" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ 1700 igr dlya Sega, "" (RU; 2001-xx-xx), page 52
- ↑ Beep! MegaDrive, "January 1991" (JP; 1990-12-08), page 35
- ↑ The Complete Guide to Sega, "" (UK; 1991-05-xx), page 110
- ↑ Console XS, "June/July 1992" (UK; 1992-04-23), page 128
- ↑ Mean Machines: The Essential Sega Guide, "" (UK; 1993-11-18), page 34
- ↑ Famitsu, "" (JP; 1990-1x-xx), page 1
- ↑ Games-X, "14th-20th June 1991" (UK; 1991-06-14), page 20
- ↑ Hippon Super, "January 1991" (JP; 1990-12-04), page 42
- ↑ Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming, "January 1993" (UK; 199x-xx-xx), page 91
- ↑ Mega Drive Fan, "March 1991" (JP; 1991-02-08), page 99
- ↑ Mega, "August 1994" (UK; 1994-07-21), page 79
- ↑ Micromanía (segunda época), "Agosto 1991" (ES; 1991-0x-xx), page 37
- ↑ Mean Machines Sega, "October 1992" (UK; 1992-09-xx), page 138
- ↑ Power Play, "4/91" (DE; 1991-03-15), page 135
- ↑ Sega Power, "June 1991" (UK; 1991-05-02), page 12
- ↑ Sega Power, "October 1991" (UK; 1991-09-05), page 53
- ↑ Sega Pro, "April 1993" (UK; 1993-03-11), page 64
- ↑ Sega Saturn Magazine, "September 1995" (JP; 1995-08-08), page 87
- ↑ Tilt, "Mai 1991" (FR; 1991-0x-xx), page 80
- ↑ Tricks 16 bit, "Tricks Sega Gold 800 igr" (RU; 1998-03-20), page 11
- ↑ User, "Ioúnios 1991" (GR; 1991-0x-xx), page 66
- ↑ VideoGames & Computer Entertainment, "March 1991" (US; 1991-0x-xx), page 40
- ↑ Video Games, "1/91" (DE; 1991-03-27), page 79
- ↑ 51.0 51.1 File:CUAmiga UK 002.pdf, page 33 Cite error: Invalid
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tag; name ":File:CUAmiga UK 002.pdf_p33" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ 52.0 52.1 52.2 52.3 File:Joystick FR 006.pdf, page 128 Cite error: Invalid
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tag; name ":File:Joystick FR 006.pdf_p128" defined multiple times with different content Cite error: Invalid<ref>
tag; name ":File:Joystick FR 006.pdf_p128" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ The Australian Commodore Review, "Vol. 7 No. 9: September 1990" (AU; 1990-0x-xx), page 79
- ↑ Amiga Joker, "Juni/Juli '90" (DE; 1990-05-25), page 52
- ↑ Aktueller Software Markt, "August/September 1990" (DE; 1990-07-27), page 69
- ↑ 56.0 56.1 Power Play, "5/90" (DE; 1990-04-12), page 40
- ↑ User, "Ioúlios-Ávgoustos 1990" (GR; 1990-0x-xx), page 52
- ↑ 58.0 58.1 Zzap!64, "April 1990" (UK; 1990-03-15), page 10
- ↑ 59.0 59.1 59.2 59.3 File:Zzap IT 46.pdf, page 32 Cite error: Invalid
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tag; name ":File:Zzap IT 46.pdf_p32" defined multiple times with different content Cite error: Invalid<ref>
tag; name ":File:Zzap IT 46.pdf_p32" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ 60.0 60.1 60.2 Aktueller Software Markt, "Juni/Juli 1990" (DE; 1990-05-25), page 18
- ↑ CPC Attack!, "August 1992" (UK; 1992-07-04), page 30
- ↑ 62.0 62.1 File:TGM UK 29.pdf, page 43 Cite error: Invalid
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tag; name ":File:Joystick FR 004.pdf_p116" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ ST Action, "April 1990" (UK; 1990-0x-xx), page 36
- ↑ 66.0 66.1 File:CVG UK 100.pdf, page 72 Cite error: Invalid
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tag; name ":File:CVG UK 100.pdf_p72" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ 67.0 67.1 67.2 67.3 File:TGM UK 30.pdf, page 61 Cite error: Invalid
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tag; name ":File:TGM UK 30.pdf_p61" defined multiple times with different content Cite error: Invalid<ref>
tag; name ":File:TGM UK 30.pdf_p61" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ 68.0 68.1 File:YourCommodore UK 68.pdf, page 17 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>
tag; name ":File:YourCommodore UK 68.pdf_p17" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ C-Lehti, "4/90" (FI; 1990-09-13), page 61
- ↑ Power Play, "7/90" (DE; 1990-06-15), page 116
- ↑ Svet Kompjutera, "Oktobar 1990" (YU; 1990-xx-xx), page 58
- ↑ Zzap!64, "August 1992" (UK; 1992-07-xx), page 44
- ↑ 73.0 73.1 File:SinclairUser UK 125.pdf, page 42 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>
tag; name ":File:SinclairUser UK 125.pdf_p42" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ Micromanía (segunda época), "Junio 1990" (ES; 1990-0x-xx), page 24
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