High Noon (computer game)
Encyclopedia
High Noon is a Shoot 'em up
game for the Commodore 64
, created by Ocean Software
in 1984.
The game has five levels
. The player takes the role of the good (white) sheriff
in the American Old West
. He must defend his town against outlaw
s looking to abduct women from the local "Saucy Sue's Saloon" and rob the local bank
, by shooting them. Shooting can be done in a horizontal, vertical or diagonal direction.
After each level there is a bonus duel
, featuring the sheriff and an outlaw, requiring a fast reaction time from the player. In level 1 through 4, an undertaker from "Rig+ Mortis
Undertakers" collects any bodies lying around during the game.
Level 5 takes place in a different setting. The stage is set in a field surrounding a central cave opening, from which outlaws may appear. After surviving level 5, the game returns to level 1.
Shoot 'em up
Shoot 'em up is a subgenre of shooter video games. In a shoot 'em up, the player controls a lone character, often in a spacecraft or aircraft, shooting large numbers of enemies while dodging their attacks. The genre in turn encompasses various types or subgenres and critics differ on exactly what...
game for the Commodore 64
Commodore 64
The Commodore 64 is an 8-bit home computer introduced by Commodore International in January 1982.Volume production started in the spring of 1982, with machines being released on to the market in August at a price of US$595...
, created by Ocean Software
Ocean Software
The British company Ocean Software was one of the biggest European video game developers/publishers of the 1980s and 90s...
in 1984.
The game has five 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...
. The player takes the role of the good (white) sheriff
Sheriff
A sheriff is in principle a legal official with responsibility for a county. In practice, the specific combination of legal, political, and ceremonial duties of a sheriff varies greatly from country to country....
in the American Old West
American Old West
The American Old West, or the Wild West, comprises the history, geography, people, lore, and cultural expression of life in the Western United States, most often referring to the latter half of the 19th century, between the American Civil War and the end of the century...
. He must defend his town against outlaw
Outlaw
In historical legal systems, an outlaw is declared as outside the protection of the law. In pre-modern societies, this takes the burden of active prosecution of a criminal from the authorities. Instead, the criminal is withdrawn all legal protection, so that anyone is legally empowered to persecute...
s looking to abduct women from the local "Saucy Sue's Saloon" and rob the local bank
Bank robbery
Bank robbery is the crime of stealing from a bank during opening hours. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Uniform Crime Reporting Program, robbery is "the taking or attempting to take anything of value from the care, custody, or control of a person or persons by force or threat of...
, by shooting them. Shooting can be done in a horizontal, vertical or diagonal direction.
Levels
The game consists of five levels. In each level, the difficulty goes up a notch:- Level 2 introduces outlaws on horseback
- Level 3 introduces outlaws planting sticks of dynamiteDynamiteDynamite is an explosive material based on nitroglycerin, initially using diatomaceous earth , or another absorbent substance such as powdered shells, clay, sawdust, or wood pulp. Dynamites using organic materials such as sawdust are less stable and such use has been generally discontinued...
- Level 4 features outlaws hiding behind windows
After each level there is a bonus duel
Duel
A duel is an arranged engagement in combat between two individuals, with matched weapons in accordance with agreed-upon rules.Duels in this form were chiefly practised in Early Modern Europe, with precedents in the medieval code of chivalry, and continued into the modern period especially among...
, featuring the sheriff and an outlaw, requiring a fast reaction time from the player. In level 1 through 4, an undertaker from "Rig+ Mortis
Rigor mortis
Rigor mortis is one of the recognizable signs of death that is caused by a chemical change in the muscles after death, causing the limbs of the corpse to become stiff and difficult to move or manipulate...
Undertakers" collects any bodies lying around during the game.
Level 5 takes place in a different setting. The stage is set in a field surrounding a central cave opening, from which outlaws may appear. After surviving level 5, the game returns to level 1.