Maximum Force

From Sega Retro

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MaximumForce title.png

Maximum Force
System(s): Sega Saturn
Publisher: Midway Home Entertainment (US), GT Interactive Software (EU)
Developer:
Licensor: Atari Games
Original system(s): Arcade boards
Peripherals supported: Virtua Gun
Genre: Shoot-'em-Up

















Number of players: 1
Release Date RRP Code
Sega Saturn
US
T-9707H
ESRB: Mature
Sega Saturn
EU
T-25417H-50
BBFC: Suitable for 15 years and over (15)
Sega Saturn
DE
T-25417H-50
USK: 18
Sega Saturn
ES
T-25417H-50
Sega Saturn
UK
T-25417H-50
BBFC: Suitable for 15 years and over (15)
Sega Saturn
PL
Non-Sega versions

Maximum Force is a light-gun arcade game that was ported to the Sega Saturn. It is a successor to Area 51.

Story

Players take the roles of top counter-terrorism agents with missions to dismantle three terrorist organizations that are plotting to unleash worldwide chaos: Ground Zero, a group of animal activists who want to eliminate most of humanity to depopulate the world; the Fiduciary Liberation Front, who believe that money is alive and want to liberate it from the global banking system; and the Somnolia Cartel, who want to enslave people through a nefarious snack food ingredient.

Gameplay

The game is a light-gun rail shooter. Players are assigned this role of an unnamed anti-terrorism special agent and spy hitman engaging in three of these major combat zones: a freight liner at a dock, a large bank, and a jungle. Stages use digitized video sprites for enemies and innocent bystanders, laid over prerendered 3D environments. The game supports two-player cooperative play.

Players can use control pads or Virtua Guns. Using a control pad, the D-Pad moves the crosshair, C shoots, and B reloads. Players start the game with semi-automatic pistols that hold 8 rounds each. Using a light gun, pulling the trigger while the gun is pointed at the screen shoots while pulling the trigger while aiming away from the screen reloads.

Players have a limited amount of lives, depicted by skulls on the bottom of the screen. When an enemy appears, players have a limited amount of time to shoot the enemy before taking damage from it and losing a life. Shooting an innocent civilian also costs a life. Enemies wear black or other dark colors; innocents wear white or other light colors. Players revert to the standard pistol when they lose a life. The game ends if the player runs out of lives but can be continued if the player has a credit remaining.

The game contains numerous secret rooms, unlocked by shooting certain objects.

There are five selectable difficulty levels (Coward, Hill Billy, Grunt, Commando, and Green Beret). Players can also set the starting number of lives in the options prior to starting the game.

Objects

Maximum Force, Items, Shotgun.png

Maximum Force, Items, Machine Gun.png

  • Maximum Force, Items, Shotgun.png

  • Maximum Force, Items, Machine Gun.png

Power Up
Shooting a Power Up equips players with either a shotgun (green) or a machine gun (pink). Shotguns have 6 rounds and do area damage. Machine guns carry 12 rounds, which can be rapidly fired by holding down the fire button or trigger.

Missions

Maximum Force, Stage Select.png

Mission select

The first two missions can be played in either order. The last mission unlocks once the other two missions have been completed.

The game returns to the mission select screen after the final mission has been completed, and players can replay any of the missions.

Easter Island

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Stage 1

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Maximum Force, Stage 1-2-3.png

Maximum Force, Stage 1-2-4.png

  • Maximum Force, Stage 1-2-1.png

  • Maximum Force, Stage 1-2-2.png

  • Maximum Force, Stage 1-2-3.png

  • Maximum Force, Stage 1-2-4.png

Stage 2

Maximum Force, Stage 1-3-1.png

Maximum Force, Stage 1-3-2.png

Maximum Force, Stage 1-3-3.png

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  • Maximum Force, Stage 1-3-1.png

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Stage 3

World City Bank

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Maximum Force, Stage 2-1-3.png

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Stage 1

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Maximum Force, Stage 2-2-2.png

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  • Maximum Force, Stage 2-2-1.png

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Stage 2

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Maximum Force, Stage 2-3-2.png

Maximum Force, Stage 2-3-3.png

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  • Maximum Force, Stage 2-3-1.png

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Stage 3

Jungle Cartel

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Maximum Force, Stage 3-1-3.png

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  • Maximum Force, Stage 3-1-1.png

  • Maximum Force, Stage 3-1-2.png

  • Maximum Force, Stage 3-1-3.png

  • Maximum Force, Stage 3-1-4.png

Stage 1

Maximum Force, Stage 3-2-1.png

Maximum Force, Stage 3-2-2.png

Maximum Force, Stage 3-2-3.png

Maximum Force, Stage 3-2-4.png

  • Maximum Force, Stage 3-2-1.png

  • Maximum Force, Stage 3-2-2.png

  • Maximum Force, Stage 3-2-3.png

  • Maximum Force, Stage 3-2-4.png

Stage 2

Versions

As with its predecessor, Area 51, the Saturn version of Maximum Force introduces a border, reducing the size of the playfield and by extension, the resolution of full-motion video and assets. This is not seen in other versions of the game.

Production credits

Arcade Games Squad
  • Producer: Rob Rowe
  • Programmer: Charlie Grisafi
  • Video Production: Brent Englund
  • Lead Technician: Darrell Robinson
  • Product Manager: Derryl DePriest
  • Audio & Music: John Paul
  • Hardware Engineer: Brian McKee
Midway Home Entertainment Squad
  • Executive Producer: Bill Hindorff
  • Producer: Howard Lehr
  • Test Supervisor: Mike Kruse
  • Lead Tester: Randy Slafsky
  • Testers: Todd Papy, Chris Thornton, Jesse Meza & Pablo Buitrago
  • Print Desion & Production: Debra Austin, Shawn Murphy, Jon Mongelluzzo, Erin Shems, Robert Shepherd & Dave Young
Mesa Logic Squad
  • Concept & Game Design: Robert Weatherby
  • 3D Animators: James Mestemaker, Guy Fumagalli, Hector Silva & James Webb
Tantalus Entertainment Squad
  • Programmer: Trevor Nuridin
  • Artist: Alun Bjorksten
  • Executive Producer: Trevor Nuridin
  • Quality Assurance: John Szoke
  • Technical Director: Andrew Bailey
Perfect Entertainment Squad
  • Producer: Tim Larby
  • Quality Assurance: Matt Stamps
  • Special Thanks: Deborah Fulton
Source:
US manual
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[5]

Magazine articles

Main article: Maximum Force/Magazine articles.

Promotional material

Logo-pdf.svg
Print advert in Electronic Gaming Monthly (US) #99: "October 1997" (1997-xx-xx)
Logo-pdf.svg

Physical scans

Sega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
{{{{{icon}}}|L}} Division by zero.
Based on
0 review
Sega Retro Average 
Publication Version Score
Game Informer (US)
70
[6]
Sega Saturn Magazine (UK) PAL
71
[7]
Sega Saturn
71
Based on
2 reviews

Maximum Force

Saturn, US
MaximumForce Saturn US Box Back.jpgMaximumForce Saturn US Box Front.jpg
Cover
Maximumforce sat us manual.pdf
Manual
Saturn, EU
MaximumForce Saturn EU Box.jpg
Cover

Technical information

Main article: Maximum Force/Technical information.

ROM dump status

System Hash Size Build Date Source Comments
Sega Saturn
 ?
CRC32
MD5
SHA-1
518,220,864 CD-ROM (EU) T-25417H-50 V1.000
Sega Saturn
 ?
CRC32
MD5
SHA-1
1997-06-13 CD-R Page

References


Maximum Force

MaximumForce title.png

Main page | Comparisons | Hidden content | Development | Magazine articles | Reception


Sega Saturn
Prototypes: 1997-06-13