Alien vs Predator [Model J9008E]

Atari Jaguar cart. published 30 years ago by Atari Corp.

Listed in MAME

Alien vs Predator [Model J9008E] screenshot

Info

Alien vs Predator © 1994 Atari Corp.

Alien Vs. Predator is a tactical simulator depicting the events following the fall of Camp Golgotha Colonial Marine Training Base to a group of xenomorphs (aliens) not yet fully classified. Limited data from the incident also allow for reasonably extrapolated simulations from the viewpoints of the two alien groups believed to have participated in the incident. The data contained herein is considered top secret as of this release, and any duplication, distribution or display is punishable by court martial with a maximum penalty not to exceed seven years imprisonment in the Yuggoth penal colony, SYS Aldeberan IV. (USCMC, 53622a).

Players can be a Colonial Marine, a Predator, or a Xenomorph. The gameplay changes up depending on which you go with, the Colonial Marine being the most extensive since you can unfold the story by accessing computers and you have to find your way through the base using both the air ducts and elevators.

Xenomorphs cannot use the elevators, so must navigate the game using air ducts; Predators cannot use the air ducts due to their size. The other trade-offs here are that Xenomorphs have little health and must cocoon humans to save their progress, while Predators are tanks and can take a lot of damage while they also "save" medkits to use for health regen whenever the player wants.

The Predator earns weapons by honorable kills (tracked with your score); dishonorable kills are when you kill anyone while cloaked and those will detract from your score. Melee kills earn more points than ranged.

The Marine must find weapons spaced through the facility, which are often locked behind security doors, so you must also located all 10 security cards to gain access to certain areas of the base.

The quests for each character are also different:

MARINE: Set the self-destruct mechanism and escape the base in under 2 minutes.

PREDATOR: Reach the Xenomorph ship and kill the Alien Queen as the ultimate hunter prize.

ALIEN: Reach the Predator ship and free the Queen from prison.

TECHNICAL

CART ID: J9008E
CART SIZE: 4MB

TRIVIA

Released on October 20, 1994 in North America.

This was one of the first "open world" first-person shooters that did not use a linear level structure like DOOM. Instead, you can go to any open sublevel via the elevators or air ducts. It also contains a storyline in the Marine mode, which you can reveal by accessing the computers around the base and reading the log.

Atari contemplated doing a straight port of the SNES game Alien vs. Predator for the Atari Jaguar, but changed direction after designers realized they did not have the legal rights to the Dark Horse comic series on which the SNES game was based.

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TIPS AND TRICKS

As the Marine, you can obtain the Motion Tracker relatively fast by heading down to sublevel 5. The tiny room with the tracker is fairly close to the elevator that takes you there (go right, then left, then first room on your right), which is the same one you need to use to get from the Command Center to the Escape Pod at the end of the game.

* Activate 'Hold that Fuji!' (during game play): (Pause + Option) + (1+3, 2+5+7+9) Predator laugh confirms
Commands:
Security Clearance = Raise:Option+6; Lower:Option+9
Motion Tracker Toggle = Option+8
Recharge all weapons = Option+1+2+3+4
Shotgun toggle = Option+1
Pulse Rifle toggle = Option+2
Flame Thrower toggle = Option+3
Smart Gun toggle = Option+4

* Activate 'Banana Stops' (ST=STar, PO=POund) (during game play):
Pause,Option,6,1+3
B,A,9,A,9,A 'BANANA'
ST,Option,6 'STOPS'
PO,ST 'POST'
ST,Option 'STOP'
2,Option 'TOP' (Predator laugh confirms)
Commands:
- All commands from 'Hold that Fuji!'
- Level Select = Option+A (Up), Option+B (Down) (Up = 5,4,3,2,1, Pred. Ship, Alien Ship, Airducts)
- God mode = Option+5 (Invincible and auto weapons power-up. Must have ammo first)

* Freeze Alien Queen (just outside the Queen's Lair): Save game, then reload. Queen will be frozen and can be damaged. She'll die when you unfreeze her by walking through entrance.

* Shoot Predators first (in the Predator ship): Before collecting the smart gun, use the pulse rifle or shotgun to shoot around (or at where you know Predator(s) will appear when you get the smart gun). You'll see the blood, and if you've used enough ammo, the Predator(s) will die as soon as you collect the smart gun.

* Shortcut to Alien Ending: Enter the 'Banana Stops' cheat. Make a cocoon and when it is mature, get your alien killed (don't enable God mode, obviously). As the screen fades dark and the cocoon is hatching, press Option+A/B (for level up/down) and the screen will fade to the Alien Ending.

* Easter Eggs:
Global Positioning (during game play): (Pause) + (Option, 1+3, Option) Shotgun sounds confirms.
- dec(xx,yy) = your X/Y Coordinates 'course' position
- hex(aaaa,bbbb) = your X/Y Coordinates 'fine' position
- l(01) through l(05) = Sublevels 1 through 5
- l(06) through l(13) = Airducts 1B,2B,3B,3C,4B,4C,5B,5C
- l(14) = Alien Ship
- l(15) = Predator Ship

STAFF

Producer: James Purple Hampton
Programmers: Mike Beaton (Rebellion), Andrew Whittaker
Additional Coding: Mike Pooler
Art: Tony Harrison-Banfield (Rebellion), Stuart Wilson (Rebellion), Jeffery Gatrall, Keoni Los Banos
Sound Effects/Music: James Grunke, M Stevens, Nathan Brenholdt, Will Davis, Paul Foster, Tom Gillen, Alex Quarmby (Rebellion)
Level Design: Hank Cappa, Hans Jacobsen, Andrew Keim, Lance Lewis, Dan McNamee, Sean Patten
Testers: Hank Cappa, Tom Gillen, Scott Hunter, Hans Jacobsen, Andrew Keim, Lance Lewis, Dan McNamee, Martin Muellar, Sean Patten, Joe Sousa
Continuity To Films & Technical Advisor: Sean Patten
Writer: Chris Hudak, Lance Lewis
Intro text: Chris Hudak
Computer Text: Lance Lewis
Box Art/Title Screen: Andrew H. Denton (on Lightwave 3D)
Image Touch-Up: Jeffery Gatrall

Special Thanks To: Terry Bratcher, Mat Clayson, Tom Gillen, David Johny, Scott Marcus, Susan McBride, Sandra Miller (& Baby), Lena Tan Cheng Im, Phil O'Pray, Ed Sicard, Kathie Sleeper, Tom Sloper, James Sposato, Carrie Tahquechi, Ted Tahquechi, Tabitha Tosti, Sean Yew, The Whittaker Family, 46 Western Rd.

SOURCES

Game's ROM.