Alien Carnage
Encyclopedia
Alien Carnage, originally called Halloween Harry, is a side-scrolling platform game
written by SubZero Software and distributed by Apogee Software
. The game features 256 colour VGA graphics and background music in MOD
format. Alien Carnage is composed of four episodes. The first episode was released as shareware
, and the rest were distributed commercially.
In May 2007, John Passfield and 3D Realms released Alien Carnage as freeware.
that want to take over control of Earth by turning its population into green-skinned zombie
s. Some of the enemies reference Aliens
, Gremlins
, and Elvis Presley
. Harry is helped by controller Diane, who gives him information via a video link.
In the game, the player has to shoot zombies and aliens with his flamethrower
and other weapons, rescuing hostages along the way. Instead of jumping, Harry uses a jetpack to reach higher platforms. His jetpack shares ammo with his flamethrower, which means it is best for the player to use both sparingly.
Harry can eat and drink junk food
to gain health (rescuing hostages also restores Harry to full health), and upgrade to different kinds of ammo by using ammo dispensers. The player needs to collect coins dropped by killed enemies to buy this ammo. They can also pick up other power-up
s with various effects, including a wrapped gift (additional ammo for Harry's current weapon), a money bag (30 additional credits; coins dropped by enemies are worth 5 credits each), and a 1-up
icon (an extra life, plus full health).
The game progress can be saved through the use of computer terminals scattered across the levels
. To advance to the next level, Harry needs to rescue all the hostages, then use the elevator.
The game was originally titled Halloween Harry, and it was released under this title for the first two versions. After v1.2, Apogee suggested to the developers that the title should be changed because it might be viewed as a seasonal Halloween
-themed game, limiting sales during the rest of the year. They renamed it to Alien Carnage, and it was re-released as "Alien Carnage v1.0" in 1994. Along with the name change, episodes one and three were switched, and with Apogee's shareware
model, this meant that half of the game could be played for free.
Halloween Harry was originally written and released commercially in 1985 by John Passfield as a game for the Australian Microbee
computer system.
.
based on the third, future Alien Carnage game. The cartoon was to include Harry and Diane, the NPCs, as well as probably recurring alien and zombies characters. The script was roughly based on the script for Zombie Wars, but both the game and the cartoon were never made.
Platform game
A platform game is a video game characterized by requiring the player to jump to and from suspended platforms or over obstacles . It must be possible to control these jumps and to fall from platforms or miss jumps...
written by SubZero Software and distributed by Apogee Software
3D Realms
3D Realms is a current video game publisher and former video game developer based in Garland, Texas, United States, established in 1987...
. The game features 256 colour VGA graphics and background music in MOD
MOD (file format)
MOD is a computer file format used primarily to represent music, and was the first module file format. MOD files use the “.MOD” file extension, except on the Amiga where the original trackers instead use a “mod.” prefix scheme, e.g. “mod.echoing”...
format. Alien Carnage is composed of four episodes. The first episode was released as shareware
Shareware
The term shareware is a proprietary software that is provided to users without payment on a trial basis and is often limited by any combination of functionality, availability, or convenience. Shareware is often offered as a download from an Internet website or as a compact disc included with a...
, and the rest were distributed commercially.
In May 2007, John Passfield and 3D Realms released Alien Carnage as freeware.
Story
The cartoon-style game features agent Halloween Harry, who has to save the world from aliensExtraterrestrial life in popular culture
In popular cultures, "extraterrestrials" are life forms — especially intelligent life forms— that are of extraterrestrial origin .-Historical ideas:-Pre-modern:...
that want to take over control of Earth by turning its population into green-skinned zombie
Zombie
Zombie is a term used to denote an animated corpse brought back to life by mystical means such as witchcraft. The term is often figuratively applied to describe a hypnotized person bereft of consciousness and self-awareness, yet ambulant and able to respond to surrounding stimuli...
s. Some of the enemies reference Aliens
Xenomorph (Alien)
The Alien is a fictional endoparasitoid extraterrestrial species that is the primary antagonist of the Alien film series. The species made its debut in the 1979 film Alien, and reappeared in its sequels Aliens , Alien 3 , and Alien Resurrection , two crossovers Alien vs...
, Gremlins
Gremlins
Gremlins is a 1984 American horror comedy film directed by Joe Dante, released by Warner Bros. The film is about a young man who receives a strange creature—called a Mogwai—as a pet, which then spawns other creatures who transform into small, destructive, evil monsters. It was followed by a sequel,...
, and Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
. Harry is helped by controller Diane, who gives him information via a video link.
Gameplay
Flamethrower
A flamethrower is a mechanical device designed to project a long controllable stream of fire.Some flamethrowers project a stream of ignited flammable liquid; some project a long gas flame. Most military flamethrowers use liquids, but commercial flamethrowers tend to use high-pressure propane and...
and other weapons, rescuing hostages along the way. Instead of jumping, Harry uses a jetpack to reach higher platforms. His jetpack shares ammo with his flamethrower, which means it is best for the player to use both sparingly.
Harry can eat and drink junk food
Junk food
Junk food is an informal term applied to some foods that are perceived to have little or no nutritional value ; to products with nutritional value, but which also have ingredients considered unhealthy when regularly eaten; or to those considered unhealthy to consume at all...
to gain health (rescuing hostages also restores Harry to full health), and upgrade to different kinds of ammo by using ammo dispensers. The player needs to collect coins dropped by killed enemies to buy this ammo. They can also pick up other power-up
Power-up
In computer and video games, power-ups are objects that instantly benefit or add extra abilities to the game character as a game mechanic. This is in contrast to an item, which may or may not have a benefit and can be used at a time chosen by the player...
s with various effects, including a wrapped gift (additional ammo for Harry's current weapon), a money bag (30 additional credits; coins dropped by enemies are worth 5 credits each), and a 1-up
1-up
1-up , pronounced "one up", is a term in console video gaming that commonly refers to an item that gives the player an extra life, to complete the game. In certain games, it is possible to receive multiple extra lives at once...
icon (an extra life, plus full health).
The game progress can be saved through the use of computer terminals scattered across the levels
Level (computer and video games)
A level, map, area, or world in a video game is the total space available to the player during the course of completing a discrete objective...
. To advance to the next level, Harry needs to rescue all the hostages, then use the elevator.
The name
Halloween
Hallowe'en , also known as Halloween or All Hallows' Eve, is a yearly holiday observed around the world on October 31, the night before All Saints' Day...
-themed game, limiting sales during the rest of the year. They renamed it to Alien Carnage, and it was re-released as "Alien Carnage v1.0" in 1994. Along with the name change, episodes one and three were switched, and with Apogee's shareware
Shareware
The term shareware is a proprietary software that is provided to users without payment on a trial basis and is often limited by any combination of functionality, availability, or convenience. Shareware is often offered as a download from an Internet website or as a compact disc included with a...
model, this meant that half of the game could be played for free.
Halloween Harry was originally written and released commercially in 1985 by John Passfield as a game for the Australian Microbee
MicroBee
MicroBee was a series of home computers by Applied Technology, later known as MicroBee Systems.The original MicroBee computer was designed in Australia by a team including Owen Hill and Matthew Starr...
computer system.
Zombie Wars
In 1996 a sequel called Zombie Wars was released. In this game, which takes place three years after the original story, the aliens return to Earth to try and enslave its population. Harry and Diane, who has been promoted to field agent and is now also a playable character, have to save the world again. A number of other friendly characters have been added as NPCsNon-player character
A non-player character , sometimes known as a non-person character or non-playable character, in a game is any fictional character not controlled by a player. In electronic games, this usually means a character controlled by the computer through artificial intelligence...
.
Cartoon
Gee-Whiz Entertainment (formerly Interactive Binary Illusions) made plans for an animated cartoonAnimated cartoon
An animated cartoon is a short, hand-drawn film for the cinema, television or computer screen, featuring some kind of story or plot...
based on the third, future Alien Carnage game. The cartoon was to include Harry and Diane, the NPCs, as well as probably recurring alien and zombies characters. The script was roughly based on the script for Zombie Wars, but both the game and the cartoon were never made.