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Space Pirates (video game)
Encyclopedia
Space Pirates is a live-action laserdisc video game
, released by American Laser Games
for the arcade and various platforms between 1992 (see 1992 in video gaming
) and 1994 (see 1994 in video gaming
). The title is considered one of the poorer releases by the company, due to badly digitized special effects, poor acting and an overly simple plotline, though the latter is often an argument against most of the American Laser Games releases. The game was re-released for several platforms by Digital Leisure
around 2003 (see 2003 in video gaming
), with updated sound and video, among others.
called Colonial Star One. The SOS
call lets the player know that the ship has been invaded by an evil group called the Black Brigade, led by Captain Tallinn. As the entire colony on board the ship is in danger, the player answers the distress call and attempts to confront the Brigade.
The player's goal is to eliminate all the opposing villains, and ultimately Captain Tallinn, and destroy the Black Brigade's ship, the Black Dragon. The final objective must be completed using the Star-Splitter Cannon, whose elements - as well as the crystals needed to power it - are spread throughout various locations, from which they must be collected and used to assemble the weapon.
The Black Brigade is and its allies attempt to stop the player's progress, and the only way to defeat them is to shoot them using the default laser weapon. As in all American Laser Games releases except Who Shot Johnny Rock?
, the player character
's name is not given, and he is referred to throughout the game as "Star Ranger". Following a short target practice tutorial, consisting of shooting at fast-moving asteroid
s, the player heads out to the Black Dragon to defeat the space pirates.
If the player is successful in freeing the captives aboard, including Commander Skye, the next task is to find and assemble the Star-Splitter Cannon, which, aside from its main component, requires three crystals to work: the Aqua Blue, the Crimson Red and the Emerald Green. Each of the components can be found on a separate planet, bringing the total of planets the player can visit in any order up to four. However, the crystals must be placed in the weapon in a specific order, which is given to the Star Ranger by Commander Skye. On the four planets, the player encounters heavy opposition, but once the elements are collected, the final task is to destroy the Black Dragon with the Star-Splitter Cannon, then eliminating its captain.
releases by American Laser Games in that the player rarely makes decisions other than selecting a planet and shooting villains. The action is propelled automatically, and only stops when one fails to kill a foe - who, in such cases, does not spare the player - or hits an innocent civilian
or colonist. When this happens, energy units are deducted from the Star Ranger's life-support system, and a short clip is shown in which an old man - played by Ben Zeller, the prospector
and stagecoach
driver in Mad Dog McCree
and Mad Dog II: The Lost Gold
, respectively - gives general advice and scolds the player for the mistake made.
The Star Ranger's weapon of choice is a laser gun, which also happens to be used by the Black Brigade. The energy in the gun is limited, but can be quickly restored an infinite number of times. The gun is also used to choose paths and make simple decisions like shooting the appropriate spot in order to free prisoners. In the PC
version of the game, the player can use either a mouse
or a light gun
to control the action; the PC
version lacks a two-player mode.
Laserdisc video game
A laserdisc video game is an arcade game that uses pre-recorded video played from a laserdisc, either as the entirety of the graphics, or as part of the graphics.-History:...
, released by American Laser Games
American Laser Games
American Laser Games was a company based in Albuquerque, New Mexico that created a wide variety of light gun laserdisc video games. The company was founded in the late 1980s by Robert Grebe, who had originally created the system to train police officers under the company name ICAT , and adapted the...
for the arcade and various platforms between 1992 (see 1992 in video gaming
1992 in video gaming
-Events:-Notable releases:* Gremlin Graphics releases Zool, Amiga's answer to Mario and Sonic. It goes on to become the best selling Commodore Amiga game, boosting the already popular computer to be the leading gaming machine in Europe....
) and 1994 (see 1994 in video gaming
1994 in video gaming
-Events:*Nintendo calls this year "1994: The Year of the Cartridge".*Nintendo Australia Pty. Ltd, the Australian subsidiary of Nintendo Co., Ltd is established and opened by Hiroshi Yamauchi and effectively ends Mattel Australia's distribution of Nintendo's products throughout Australia.*"Project...
). The title is considered one of the poorer releases by the company, due to badly digitized special effects, poor acting and an overly simple plotline, though the latter is often an argument against most of the American Laser Games releases. The game was re-released for several platforms by Digital Leisure
Digital Leisure
Digital Leisure, Inc. is a Canadian publisher of software. The company formed in 1997 with the vision to acquire, remaster, and publish numerous classic video-based arcade games such as Dragon's Lair, Dragon's Lair II: Time Warp and Space Ace. These three games were among the first to use...
around 2003 (see 2003 in video gaming
2003 in video gaming
-Events:*February 27 — Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences hosts 6th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards; inducts Yu Suzuki of Sega to the AIAS Hall of Fame....
), with updated sound and video, among others.
Plot
The player assumes the role of a "Star Ranger" who picks up and responds to a transmission by Ursula Skye, the commander of a starshipStarship
A starship or interstellar spacecraft is a theoretical spacecraft designed for traveling between the stars, as opposed to a vehicle designed for orbital spaceflight or interplanetary travel....
called Colonial Star One. The SOS
SOS
SOS is the commonly used description for the international Morse code distress signal...
call lets the player know that the ship has been invaded by an evil group called the Black Brigade, led by Captain Tallinn. As the entire colony on board the ship is in danger, the player answers the distress call and attempts to confront the Brigade.
The player's goal is to eliminate all the opposing villains, and ultimately Captain Tallinn, and destroy the Black Brigade's ship, the Black Dragon. The final objective must be completed using the Star-Splitter Cannon, whose elements - as well as the crystals needed to power it - are spread throughout various locations, from which they must be collected and used to assemble the weapon.
The Black Brigade is and its allies attempt to stop the player's progress, and the only way to defeat them is to shoot them using the default laser weapon. As in all American Laser Games releases except Who Shot Johnny Rock?
Who Shot Johnny Rock?
Who Shot Johnny Rock? is the title of a live-action full motion video laserdisc video game produced by American Laser Games and released in the arcade in 1991, as well as for DOS, Sega CD, 3DO and CD-i in or around 1994...
, the player character
Player character
A player character or playable character is a character in a video game or role playing game who is controlled or controllable by a player, and is typically a protagonist of the story told in the course of the game. A player character is a persona of the player who controls it. Player characters...
's name is not given, and he is referred to throughout the game as "Star Ranger". Following a short target practice tutorial, consisting of shooting at fast-moving asteroid
Asteroid
Asteroids are a class of small Solar System bodies in orbit around the Sun. They have also been called planetoids, especially the larger ones...
s, the player heads out to the Black Dragon to defeat the space pirates.
If the player is successful in freeing the captives aboard, including Commander Skye, the next task is to find and assemble the Star-Splitter Cannon, which, aside from its main component, requires three crystals to work: the Aqua Blue, the Crimson Red and the Emerald Green. Each of the components can be found on a separate planet, bringing the total of planets the player can visit in any order up to four. However, the crystals must be placed in the weapon in a specific order, which is given to the Star Ranger by Commander Skye. On the four planets, the player encounters heavy opposition, but once the elements are collected, the final task is to destroy the Black Dragon with the Star-Splitter Cannon, then eliminating its captain.
Gameplay
Space Pirates is similar to all other full motion videoFull motion video
Full motion video based games are video games that rely upon pre-recorded TV-quality movie or animation rather than sprites, vectors, or 3D models to display action in the game. In the early 1990s a diverse set of games utilized this format...
releases by American Laser Games in that the player rarely makes decisions other than selecting a planet and shooting villains. The action is propelled automatically, and only stops when one fails to kill a foe - who, in such cases, does not spare the player - or hits an innocent civilian
Civilian
A civilian under international humanitarian law is a person who is not a member of his or her country's armed forces or other militia. Civilians are distinct from combatants. They are afforded a degree of legal protection from the effects of war and military occupation...
or colonist. When this happens, energy units are deducted from the Star Ranger's life-support system, and a short clip is shown in which an old man - played by Ben Zeller, the prospector
Prospecting
Prospecting is the physical search for minerals, fossils, precious metals or mineral specimens, and is also known as fossicking.Prospecting is a small-scale form of mineral exploration which is an organised, large scale effort undertaken by mineral resource companies to find commercially viable ore...
and stagecoach
Stagecoach
A stagecoach is a type of covered wagon for passengers and goods, strongly sprung and drawn by four horses, usually four-in-hand. Widely used before the introduction of railway transport, it made regular trips between stages or stations, which were places of rest provided for stagecoach travelers...
driver in Mad Dog McCree
Mad Dog McCree
Mad Dog McCree is the first live-action laserdisc video game released by American Laser Games. It originally appeared as an arcade shooting game in 1990....
and Mad Dog II: The Lost Gold
Mad Dog II: The Lost Gold
Mad Dog II: The Lost Gold is a live-action laserdisc video game produced by American Laser Games, released for the arcade, Sega CD, 3DO, CD-i and PC , the first release being in 1992; the quality of the video is the lowest on Sega CD...
, respectively - gives general advice and scolds the player for the mistake made.
The Star Ranger's weapon of choice is a laser gun, which also happens to be used by the Black Brigade. The energy in the gun is limited, but can be quickly restored an infinite number of times. The gun is also used to choose paths and make simple decisions like shooting the appropriate spot in order to free prisoners. In the PC
Personal computer
A personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose size, capabilities, and original sales price make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end-user with no intervening computer operator...
version of the game, the player can use either a mouse
Mouse (computing)
In computing, a mouse is a pointing device that functions by detecting two-dimensional motion relative to its supporting surface. Physically, a mouse consists of an object held under one of the user's hands, with one or more buttons...
or a light gun
Light gun
A light gun is a pointing device for computers and a control device for arcade and video games.Modern screen-based light guns work by building a sensor into the gun itself, and the on-screen target emit light rather than the gun...
to control the action; the PC
Personal computer
A personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose size, capabilities, and original sales price make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end-user with no intervening computer operator...
version lacks a two-player mode.