Judge Dredd

n/a

Mega Drive Game Gear
Judge Dredd
System(s): Sega Mega Drive, Sega Game Gear
Publisher: Acclaim Entertainment Acclaim Japan (JP)
Developer: Probe Entertainment
Distributor: SF Interactive Media (SE rental) Roadshow Interactive (AU - NTSC Import))
Peripherals supported: Six Button Control Pad
Genre: Action
Number of players: 1
Release Date RRP Code JP 1995-09-01 ¥7,8007,800 T-81203 US 1995-06-16 T-81306 EU 1995-07 T-81306-50 PT 199x UK 1995-07 T-81306-50 SE (Rental) 199x AU 199x FJUD00SMC AU (NTSC Import) 199x BR 1995-10 US 1995-06 T-81228 EU 1995-07 T-81228-50 PT 199x UK 1995-07 T-81228-50
Non-Sega versions Game Boy IBM PC Super NES
ESRA

Judge Dredd (ジャッジ・ドレッド) is a 1995 video game by Probe Software and Acclaim based on the 1995 Judge Dredd film, which itself is based on the post-apocalyptic British comic book series of the same name. The game was released for the SNES, Sega Mega Drive, and Sega Game Gear. A PC version was released a year later which received a re-release on Steam. Unlike the movie it was based on, the video game received mostly positive reviews. The Game Gear version features much more linear levels and ends after the final fight with Rico, unlike the Mega Drive version.

Interestingly, the game continues after solving the film's synopsis with a new story arc consisting of Dark Judged.

Story

Judge Dredd takes place in an post-apocalyptic world. The Justice Department, created by the pre-war United States government, was an agency to assist the overburdened law enforcement and judicial system to sentence the criminals on the spot. Judges can act as police officers, prosecutors, judges and, if necessary, executioners.

When the last president of the United States starts a global nuclear war, the Judges mutinise and sentence him for crimes against humanity. With the nuclear weapons annihilating billions and reducing the cities around the world to dust, the Judges become the only power in Mega City One, which is what is left of the United States of America. Ruling the city and keeping the peace with cold, machine-like adherence to the law, the Judges are uncompromising enforcers of the law, maintaining the order in an overcrowded city filled with unemployment, recycled food, criminals and soon-to-be criminals.

And even among them, there is one most respected, one most feared... His name is Dredd. He IS the Law.

Gameplay

The game is a typical run-and-gun game. Jumping is performed with the button, while the button fires Dredd's Lawgiver. Holding down the button without moving "locks" the gun in place, allowing Dredd to shoot in any direction. Likewise, holding down the button while moving locks the gun towards that location while moving. On a regular Control Pad, the button cycles through the types of ammo - when a Six Button Control Pad is being used, the button can be used to cycle backwards through the ammo.

Certain objects in the game can be pushed. Pressing allows Dredd to interface with computers and enter doors at the end of the levels. Double tapping or allows Dredd to run towards that direction. Holding then pressing or allows Dredd to crawl towards that direction. Ladders can be climbed by pressing or . Certain grippable surfaces can be travelled by jumping and pressing or .

When equipped with an anti-gravity belt, holding the button while using the D-pad allows Dredd to fly towards the desired location. When Dredd is very close to an enemy, pressing the button on a regular Control Pad (or the button on a Six Button Control Pad) will execute a close-quarters attack. This attack causes high damage but also leaves Dredd vulnerable to enemy's counterattack.

Sometimes, perps might surrender after taking enough damage. When this happens, the word "GUILTY" appears on the enemy. Walking over the enemy with a regular Control Pad or pressing the button on a Six Button Control Pad will arrest the suspect. This is not necessary, but arresting a perp without killing him will give more points and might even drop some power-ups. There is no penalty for killing a surrendered perp.

Weapons

Judge Dredd's signature weapon, the Lawgiver, is a DNA and voice-activated handgun capable of firing multiple ammunition types.

	General Purpose (Standard Execution)
	Weak, but fast and unlimited.
	Heat Seeker (Hot Shot)
	Chases down the nearest enemy and explodes.
	Ricochet
	Rubber-tipped bullets that bounce off hard surfaces. They cause minimal damage but can be used to force perps into surrendering. Careful though, as they can bounce back and hit Dredd.
	Incendiary
	Causes heavy damage to non-robotic enemies.
	Armor Piercing
	Causes heavy damage to most enemies, especially robotics.
	Grenade
	Launches a short-ranged explosive that will either detonate on impact or explode after a few seconds. Effective against most enemies. The most versatile ammunition type, so it would be wise to stock up on them.
	High Explosive
	Ranged explosive round. Causes same damage as grenade but with better range.
	Double-Whammy
	Fires two heat-seeking rounds at the same time. (Original round developed for the movie)
	Boing Bubble
	Traps an enemy inside a rubber balloon. Most enemies can break it open after a while. Best used for trapping the souls of the Dark Judges for extra points. (Original round developed for the game)
	Signal Flare
	Only avaiable during the fight with Rico.

Levels

	Block War
	In the first level, Block War, there are riots taken place in Heavenly Haven, a grim and filthy city. Squatters are causing trouble and it's up to Dredd to stop it! Dredd's primary objective in this level is to destroy the ammunition supplies littering the streets, and his secondary objective is to either sentence or arrest all Squatters causing the Block War.
	Breakout At Aspen
	A vicious inmate sparks a riot at the Aspen Penal Colony, and it's up to Dredd to stop it! His mission leads him through the halls of the prison, and even underground through the Sewers. His primary objective is to lock all the Security Doors via Computer Consoles, while his Secondary Objective is to Sentence or Arrest all perps.
	Shuttle Crash In Cursed Earth
	As part of a secret plot, Judge Dredd is framed for the murder of a news man named Hammond. Because tradition allows a Chief Judge one last final ruling before retirement, Chief Judge Fargo changes Dredd's original sentence from death to life without parole in Aspen Penal Colony. While in transit to the prison, the shuttle transporting Dredd was shot down by the crazed Angel Clan. Dredd survives the crash. His primary objective is to locate Judge Fargo, and seek his wisdom and later the Book of Law which contains a vital information that can prove Dredd's innocence. His secondary mission is to arrest or sentence all perps in the Cursed Earth.
	Prepare for the Final Fight
	Dredd finds out that Rico, a corrupt Judge he sentenced years ago was his brother who was also cloned from Fargo's DNA. With the knowledge that can prove his innocence, Dredd infiltrates the Mega City One via the sewers and looks for any supplies he can find for the difficult fight ahead.
	Locate Rico
	Dredd enters the Halls of Justice to prove his innocence. However, corrupt Judge Griffin's Special Judicial Squad troops are everywhere and looking for him. Dredd must reach the central hall and provide the evidence he has found. Secondary objective is to avoid killing SJS members. (Hint: Grenade weapon can disarm SJS judges, allowing you to arrest them without voiding the secondary objective. Grenade is also very effective against the annoying mini-tanks in this level.)
	Escape from the Judge Hunters
	Dredd must escape with his Lawmaster hover bike while being chased by SJS members. This level has a standard shoot-em-up style gameplay. While Dredd is flying the Lawmaster, his "sidekick" Fergie must shoot the SJS bikes approaching from behind. (In the SNES version, this level is a rail shooter segment.) Thankfully this is the only level you will see Rob Scheider's character.
	Access the Janus Lab
	Labs of the Janus project, which gave birth to Dredd and Rico, is located at the basement of the old Statue of Liberty. Dredd must break into the heavilty protected lab and prepare for the final showdown with Rico before he unleashes his clone army upon Mega-City One. Dredd must eliminate the powerful ABC robots that are guarding the entrance before storming the lab. (HINT: Use High-Explosive or Armor Piercing for the Robots. Exploding zombies can be killed with either incendiary or any other explosive weapon.)
	Enter the Janus Lab
	Now inside the labs, Dredd must destroy all computer consoles that are powering up the cloning process. As a secondary objective, he must also destroy all cloning tubes in the level. (Hint: Use explosive rounds to destroy tubes and computers)
	Showdown with Rico
	Cleared of all charges, Dredd must now confront his evil genetic twin on top of the Statue of Liberty and finish him off. Are you a bad enough Judge to be the Law? (HINT: Shoot Rico until he drops Signal Flare rounds. Use these rounds to damage him. Aim carefully as Flare has poor accuracy.)
	Invasion by Gila Munja
	With Rico's threat over. Dredd is back to do what he does best: maintaining the peace within Mega City One. His first mission after his re-instatement is to eliminate Gila Munja, a group of deadly mutant assassins who are attempting to infiltrate the city via the sewers. As a secondary objective, Dredd must sentence all the perps in the area.
	RC4 Hostage Situation
	A hostage situation in the Radical Carbon 4 processing plant is taking place, instigated by the disgruntled employees. Dredd must eliminate all leaking RC4 canisters in the level. As secondary objective he must release all hostages taken captive by the workers.
	Riots in Mega City One
	Just another day in the office. A group of Sky Jumpers have whipped up a frenzy in the Mega City One, a city filled with frustrated people who are looking for an excuse to start shooting each other anyway. Dredd must sentence all Sky Jumper leaders, (perps with hover surfs) and as usual sentence all perps in the level as a secondary objective.
	Aboard Justice One
	With the Dark Judges have resurfaced, Dredd travels to the Justice One, massive space ship that is also used as containment unit for dimension jump device. Dark Judges are planning to use the jump device to bring themselves to our dimension. Dredd must first activate all security systems aboard the ship to prevent the theft and sentence all perps in the ship as a secondary objective. He must then defend the jump device with his life.
	Final Judgement
	The final mission of the game takes place in the Dark Judges' own twisted dimension. Dredd must show the Dark Judges that even in the hellish scape of Dead World, no perp, dead or alive, can escape from the law.

History

Development

Sega 32X and Sega Saturn versions were planned (the latter for October 1996), but cancelled.

Prerelease

The Game Gear version was once scheduled to be published in Japan by Acclaim Japan.

Magazine articles

Main article: Judge Dredd/Magazine articles.

Promotional material

Flyer (RU)

Print advert in Sega Visions (US) #24: "May 1995" (1995-xx-xx)

Print advert in VideoGames (US) #77: "June 1995" (1995-0x-xx)

Print advert in Game Players (US) #0807: "Vol. 8 No. 7 July 1995" (1995-0x-xx)

Print advert in Mean Machines Sega (UK) #33: "July 1995" (1995-05-27)

Print advert in Games World Magazin (DE) #0708 (1995-0x-xx)

Print advert in AS Magazin-Video Igrice (YU) #15: "Novembar 1995" (1995-xx-xx)

Physical scans

Mega Drive version

Sega Retro Average
Publication Score Source

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Based on 0 review

Sega Retro Average

Publication Version Score 1700 igr dlya Sega (RU) 80 Cool Gamer (RU) 60 Computer & Video Games (UK) 86 Digitiser (UK) 76 Electronic Gaming Monthly (US) NTSC-U 66 Entsiklopediya luchshikh igr Sega. Vypusk 1 (RU) 70 Famitsu (JP) NTSC-J 48 Freak (IL) 86 Fusion (US) 42 MAN!AC (DE) PAL 64 Mega (UK) PAL 75 Mega Force (FR) PAL 90 Mega Fun (DE) PAL 71 Mega Play (US) NTSC-U 63 Mean Machines Sega (UK) PAL 80 Player One (FR) 85 Play Time (DE) 74 Power Up! (UK) 80 Sega Magazin (DE) 79 Sega Magazine (UK) PAL 82 Sega Power (UK) PAL 66 Sega Pro (UK) PAL 78 Sega Mega Drive Review (RU) 72 Sonic the Comic (UK) PAL 87 Todo Sega (ES) 83 Tricks 16 bit (RU) 85 Video Games (DE) PAL 75 VideoGames (US) NTSC-U 60

	74
Based on 28 reviews

Judge Dredd

Mega Drive, JP
Cover
Cart Manual

Mega Drive, US
Cover
Cart Manual PCB

Mega Drive, EU
Cover
Cart PCB

Mega Drive, PT
Cover

Mega Drive, SE rental (SF)
Cover

Mega Drive, AU (PAL)
Cover

Mega Drive, AU (NTSC)
Cover
Cart Manual

Mega Drive, BR
Cover
Cart

Game Gear version

Sega Retro Average
Publication Score Source

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

Sega Retro Average
Publication Version Score Computer & Video Games (UK) 87 Mega Fun (DE) PAL 66 Play Time (DE) 69 Sega Magazin (DE) 73 Sega Power (UK) PAL 74 Todo Sega (ES) 76 Video Games (DE) PAL 75 VideoGames (US) 60

	73
Based on 8 reviews

Judge Dredd

Game Gear, US
Cover
Cart Manual

Game Gear, EU
Cover
Cart Manual

Game Gear, PT

Technical information

Main article: Judge Dredd/Technical information.

References

Games based on movies starring Sylvester Stallone for Sega systems
	Rambo: First Blood Part II (1986) | Rocky (1987) | Rambo III (1988)
	Rambo III (1989) | Cliffhanger (1993) | Demolition Man (1995) | Judge Dredd (1995)
	Cliffhanger (1993) | Demolition Man (1995)
	Cliffhanger (1993) | Judge Dredd (1995)
	Rambo (2008)