Area 51
From Sega Retro
Area 51 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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System(s): Sega Saturn | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Publisher: Midway Home Entertainment (US), GT Interactive Software (EU), SoftBank (JP) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Developer: Atari Games, Mesa Logic, Tantalus Entertainment, Perfect Entertainment | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Original system(s): Arcade boards | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sound driver: SCSP (1 track) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Peripherals supported: Virtua Gun | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Genre: Shoot-'em-Up | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Number of players: 1-2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Official in-game languages: | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Area 51 (エリア51) is a 1995 arcade light-gun game developed by Mesa Logic and released by Atari Games. It was ported to the Sega Saturn in late 1996 by Tantalus Interactive and Perfect Entertainment and published by Midway Games, alongside versions for PlayStation and Windows PCs.
Area 51 was followed by Maximum Force, produced by the same team at Mesa Logic, but with an entirely different setting.
Contents
Gameplay
Area 51 is an arcade, on-the-rails shoot-'em-up built around light guns. The graphics are pre-rendered, using human actors (similar to Mortal Kombat) for soldiers, and full motion video so simulate moving through the world.
Versions
The Saturn version of Area 51 is relatively close to its arcade counterpart, but chooses to present itself with an added border - a feature that remains through the entire experience and is absent from other versions. The resulting smaller field of view means that all 2D graphics and full motion video clips are rendered at a lower resolution than their arcade (and PlayStation) counterparts.
The nature of disc-based media means transitions between scenes have a slight delay as the game loads in new data. This is particularly noticeable in the attract sequence.
Like Virtua Cop, Tiger also produced a handheld version of Area 51 as a part of their Laser Games series of minature lightgun games. The folding gun included with this version is reliant on infra-red technology.
Magazine articles
- Main article: Area 51/Magazine articles.
Promotional material
- Main article: Area 51/Promotional material.
Physical scans
Sega Retro Average | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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67 | |
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Based on 20 reviews |
Technical information
ROM dump status
System | Hash | Size | Build Date | Source | Comments | |||||||||
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✔ |
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384,102,768 | CD-ROM(EU) | T-25408H-50 V1.000 | ||||||||||
✔ |
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384,102,768 | 1996-12-04 | CD-ROM(JP) | T-18613G V1.000 | |||||||||
✔ |
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385,942,032 | CD-ROM(US) | T-9705H V1.000 |
References
- ↑ Computer & Video Games, "April 1997" (UK; 1997-03-12), page 48
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Mean Machines Sega, "February 1997" (UK; 1997-01-xx), page 76
- ↑ Intelligent Gamer, "January 1997" (US; 1996-xx-xx), page 71 (73)
- ↑ Mean Machines Sega, "February 1997" (UK; 1997-01-xx), page 76/77 (76)
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Saturn Power, "July 1997" (UK; 1997-05-28), page 75
- ↑ Sega Saturn Magazine, "April 1997" (UK; 1997-03-15), page 62/63 (62)
- ↑ Sega Saturn Magazine (readers), "Final data" (JP; 2000-03), page 11 (13)
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Ultra Game Players, "February 1997" (US; 1997-01-28), page 74
- ↑ Ação Games, "Março 1997" (BR; 1997-xx-xx), page 8
- ↑ Electronic Gaming Monthly, "February 1997" (US; 199x-xx-xx), page 58
- ↑ Freak, "2/97" (IL; 1997-xx-xx), page 1
- ↑ Gambler, "9/1997" (PL; 1997-xx-xx), page 1
- ↑ GamePro, "February 1997" (US; 1997-xx-xx), page 82
- ↑ Game Informer, "February 1997" (US; 199x-0x-xx), page 59
- ↑ Intelligent Gamer, "January 1997" (US; 1996-xx-xx), page 73
- ↑ MAN!AC, "02/97" (DE; 1997-01-08), page 80
- ↑ Playmag, "Mai 1997" (FR; 1997-0x-xx), page 116
- ↑ Saturn Fan, "1997 No. 3" (JP; 1997-01-31), page 177
- ↑ Saturn Fan, "1997 No. 6" (JP; 1997-03-14), page 110
- ↑ Secret Service, "Kwiecień 1997" (PL; 1997-xx-xx), page 32
- ↑ Sega Magazin, "März 1997" (DE; 1997-02-12), page 81
- ↑ Sega Power, "Októmvrios-Noemvrios 1997" (GR; 1997-xx-xx), page 61
- ↑ Sega Saturn Magazine, "April 1997" (UK; 1997-03-15), page 62
- ↑ Sega Saturn Magazine, "1997-03 (1997-02-14)" (JP; 1997-01-31), page 154
- ↑ Sega Saturn Magazine, "Readers rating final data" (JP; 2000-03), page 13
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