The Super Spy

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The Super Spy
Composer(s)
Masahiko Hataya
Platform(s)
Release
8 October 1990
  • Arcade
    • WW: 8 October 1990
    Neo Geo AES
    • October 1996
action role-playing
Mode(s)
Arcade system
Neo Geo MVS

The Super Spy

first-person game where the player character's arms and weapons are visible on screen.[3][4] In 1991, ADK's Crossed Swords had similar gameplay, but with more role-playing elements and hack & slash combat instead of shooting and fist-fighting.[5]

Plot

The plot revolves around a

CIA agent, named Roy Heart,[6] who needs to traverse office buildings, and warehouses to stop a group of terrorists, known as the Zolge King terrorist group, led by a man named King (who bears a slight resemblance to Geese Howard in his business suit from the Fatal Fury and The King of Fighters
franchises, both also by SNK). The group is responsible for the horrible murders of thousands caused by destroying the subways with bombs. As Mr. Heart, the player hunts through the terrorists' bomb factory for those responsible.

Gameplay

Gameplay screenshot

Movement in the game is done by mainly strafing and only moving forwards or backwards in corridors. Additional moves include ducking, sidestepping and blocking. The player can only progress after all enemies in sight are cleared. Occasionally, the player can move forward into rooms to save hostages or ambush a boss or other enemies. Saving hostages will grant the player healing items, chances to repair or upgrade his weaponry, or random moments of exposition. Eliminating enemies grants the player experience points used to raise a level, granting more power in attacks.[7][8]

Much of the close combat system resembles

pistol-whip
to conserve shots. Finally from certain hostages the player can gain a submachine gun which has a wider range than the pistol. Firearms can also be used to blow up various explosive materials in the background against enemies.

Enemies consist mainly of palette-swapped ski-masked men, ninjas and gunmen who get stronger as the player progresses through the levels. There are occasional sub-bosses including engineers, scientists and strongmen. To finish the game, both bosses in the first mission must be eliminated and all six in the second mission.[9]

Development and release

Reception

In Japan, Game Machine listed The Super Spy on their December 15, 1990 issue as being the fifth most-successful table arcade unit of the month, outperforming titles such as Columns and its sequel.[19] In North America, RePlay reported The Super Spy to be the seventh most-popular arcade game in January 1991.[20]

The game has been received with an overall mixed reception from critics since its initial release.[21][22]

Notes

  1. ^ Japanese: ザ・スーパー・スパイ, Hepburn: Za Sūpā Supai

References

  1. ^ "Oh! Neo Geo Vol. 14 - ザ•スーパー•スパイ". Beep! Mega Drive (in Japanese). No. 49. SoftBank Creative. October 1993. p. 142.
  2. ^ "Neo•Geo CD: The Arcade In A Box - The Super Spy". GamePro. No. Premiere Supplement. IDG. Spring 1996. p. 108.
  3. AllGame. Archived from the original
    on 2014-01-01.
  4. Killer List of Videogames
  5. AllGame. Archived from the original
    on 2014-01-01.
  6. ^ "The Super Spy for Neo Geo (1991)".
  7. ^ "VG: ザ・スーパー・スパイ". Beep! Mega Drive (in Japanese). No. 14. SoftBank Creative. November 1990. pp. 130–131.
  8. ^ The Super Spy user's manual (Neo Geo AES, US)
  9. ^ "The Super Spy Review".
  10. CBS Interactive
    . 2019. Retrieved 2019-06-26.
  11. Nintendo Life
    . Nlife Media. Retrieved 2019-06-26.
  12. All Media Network. Archived
    from the original on 2014-11-16. Retrieved 2019-06-26.
  13. ^ Rignall, Julian (November 1990). "Complete Guide to Consoles - The Complete Games Guide - Neo Geo - Super Spy". Computer and Video Games Mean Machines. No. 4. EMAP. pp. 86–88.
  14. ^ "Neo Geo For Real! - Previously Played... - Top Player's Golf". GamePro. No. 30. IDG. January 1992. p. 103. Archived from the original on 2019-01-06. Retrieved 2019-06-26.
  15. Hobby Hi-Tech (in Spanish). No. 1. Axel Springer SE
    . March 1995. p. 29.
  16. ^ Noak, Philipp; Hellert, Stefan (August 1993). "Special - Neo Geo - The Super Spy". Mega Fun (in German). No. 11. CT Computec Verlag GmbH & Co. KG. pp. 28–30. Archived from the original on 2018-10-21. Retrieved 2019-06-26.
  17. ^ Yanma; Itabashi (July 1992). "Super Soft 大特集 - 今、『NEO・GEO』がおもしろい！: ザ・スーパースパイ". Micom BASIC Magazine (in Japanese). No. 121. The Dempa Shimbunsha Corporation. p. 208.
  18. Raze. No. 12. Newsfield
    . p. 58.
  19. ^ "Game Machine's Best Hit Games 25 - テーブル型TVゲーム機 (Table Videos)". Game Machine (in Japanese). No. 394. Amusement Press, Inc. 15 December 1990. p. 25.
  20. ^ "The Player's Choice - Top Games Now in Operation, Based on Earnings-Opinion Poll of Operators: Best Software". RePlay. Vol. 16, no. 4. RePlay Publishing, Inc. January 1991. p. 4.
  21. ^ Drevet, Cyril; Scamps, Olivier (December 1990). "Stop Info - La Neo-Geo De S.N.K. -- Super Spy". Player One (in French). No. 4. Média Système Édition. pp. 14–16.
  22. ^ "Tests - Néo Géo - Super Spy". Génération 4 (in French). No. 30. Computec Media France. February 1991. p. 73.

External links

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Super_Spy&oldid=1182579600"