KKnD (video game)

KKnD takes place in a post-apocalyptic setting, where two factions are fighting for control over the few natural resources left.

The single-player campaign chronicles a futuristic war in 2140 from the perspective of one of two factions chosen by the player: humans (the 'Survivors') and mutants (the 'Evolved'). Each faction has its own campaign consisting of 15 missions each. KKnD also features a multiplayer mode which allows up to 6 people to play via LAN or modem/serial connection.

in 2079 tensions between the great powers of the world had resulted in the war of 2079 that resulted in a nuclear holocausts many people had decided to live in underground bunkers and became the last remants of humanity the rest mutated by nuclear radiation had became the evolved 30 years later the survivors wanted to reclaimed the surface but the evolved mutants resists this resulted in conflict between two factions/race

Beam Software reported that anticipation for the game was high. A demo, released December 1996, ranked third in international software download charts.{{cite web|title=Beam International Ltd - Summary of News for February 1997|url=http://www.beam.com.au/0303971.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19970607085652/http://www.beam.com.au/0303971.htm |archive-date=1997-06-07 |publisher=Beam Software|date=February 1997|access-date=July 19, 2022}} KKnD was released in the United States and Australia on March 5, and in Europe on March 21.

Beam Software reported the game shipped over 200,000 units in 1996, well in excess of anticipated figures.{{cite web|title=Beam International Releases Half Yearly Financial Results|url=http://www.beam.com.au/1103971.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19970607085716/http://www.beam.com.au/1103971.htm |archive-date=1997-06-07 |publisher=Beam Software|date=March 11, 1997|access-date=July 19, 2022}} KKnD met considerable success in international markets. The game was released with localisation for French, German, Spanish and Mandarin-speaking countries, and licensed through Electronic Arts to several international publishers.{{cite web|title=Beam Announced Release Date for KKnD|url=http://www.beam.com.au/2602971.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19970607085659/http://www.beam.com.au/2602971.htm |archive-date=1997-06-07 |publisher=Beam Software|date=February 26, 1997|access-date=July 19, 2022}} Beam Software reported that the game was the best-seller in Media Markt German retails sales charts for the week of 21 March 1997.{{cite web|title=KKnD Shows Early Success in International Markets|url=http://www.beam.com.au/2603971.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19970607085733/http://www.beam.com.au/2603971.htm |archive-date=1997-06-07 |publisher=Beam Software|date=March 26, 1997|access-date=July 19, 2022}} The game was reportedly the third-highest selling computer game in Korea in July 1997.{{cite web|first=Mark|last=Lawrence|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/97754348/the-sydney-morning-herald/|title=Opening Korean doors|newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald|page=58|date=September 16, 1997|accessdate=March 16, 2022|via=Newspapers.com}}

{{Video game reviews

|CVG={{Rating|3|5}}{{Cite journal|last=Key|first=Steve|date=April 1997|title=Krush, Kill 'N' Destroy|url=https://archive.org/details/Computer_and_Video_Games_Issue_185_1997-04_EMAP_Images_GB|journal=Computer & Video Games|issue=185|pages=85}}

|Edge=8/10{{Cite journal|date=March 1996|title=KKND|journal=Edge Magazine|issue=43|pages=52–53}}

|GSpot=6.2 (KKnD){{cite web|title=KKND Review|url=https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/kknd-review/1900-2535543/|last=Kujawa|first=Kraig|date=1 May 2000|access-date=16 July 2022}}
5.5 (KKnD: Extreme){{cite web|title=KKND Xtreme Review|url=https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/kknd-xtreme-review/1900-2535635/|last=Kujawa|first=Kraig|date=1 May 2000|access-date=16 July 2022}}

|PCPP=90%{{Cite journal|last=King|first=David|date=November 1996|title=KKND|url=https://archive.org/details/PCPowerplay-007-1996-11|journal=PC PowerPlay|issue=7|pages=52–53}}

|PCZone=85%{{Cite journal|last=Mitchell|first=Andy|date=March 1997|title=Krush, Kill 'N' Destroy|url=https://archive.org/details/PC_Zone_48_March_1997|journal=PC Zone|issue=48|pages=74–75}}

}}

Reviews of the game upon release were generally positive. David King of PC PowerPlay highly praised the "varied strategy, frenetic action, gorgeous visuals and handy AI" in the game. Edge Magazine stated the game "distinguishes itself as a ubiquitous classic...by virtue of a subtle sense of humour and a superb one-player game, thanks to some brilliantly written AI routines", with the units being "some of the best of the genre". Andy Mitchell of PC Zone praised the "well-produced" nature of the game", with "well designed" levels and more challenging gameplay due to the "speed at which things take place".

Some reviewers were less positive, with many comparing it to the recently-released Command & Conquer. Steve Key of Computer & Video Games Magazine dismissed the game as a "blatant Command & Conquer rip off", with identical variations on the same game mechanics. Kraig Kujawa of GameSpot also noted the game followed the "same stale story" as its competitors, and would have "benefited from a little more polishing". Whilst positive in his review, Andy Mitchell of PC Zone noted the game "begs every comparison to Command & Conquer" given that "the basic game structure is almost identical".

Retrospective assessments of the game have varied. Tim Ansell of The Creative Assembly remarked that the game was an "absolute piece of crap" and an example of low-quality clones of Command & Conquer that were outperforming other games in the market. This trend influenced Ansell to enter the real-time strategy genre and develop Shogun: Total War.{{cite web | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070715060840/http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=104147 | url=http://www.computerandvideogames.com:80/article.php?id=104147 | title=Games That Changed The World: Shogun: Total War | date=May 7, 2004 | author=PC Zone Staff | work=PC Zone | archivedate=July 15, 2007 | url-status=dead | access-date=February 11, 2020 }} However, Alex Walker for Kotaku Australia praised the game as "one of the best strategy games to come from Australia and "maybe even a little better than Command & Conquer: Red Alert, singling out its sense of humour, user interface and mission design.{{cite web|title=There's A New Trademark for Aussie RTS Classic Krush Kill 'n Destroy|url=https://www.kotaku.com.au/2020/08/theres-a-new-trademark-for-aussie-rts-classic-krush-kill-n-destroy/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200810021417/https://www.kotaku.com.au/2020/08/theres-a-new-trademark-for-aussie-rts-classic-krush-kill-n-destroy/|url-status=dead|archive-date=August 10, 2020|last=Walker|first=Alex|date=20 August 2020|access-date=16 July 2022}}

• Backstab #6{{cite web | url=https://archive.org/details/backstab-magazine-french-06/page/n41/mode/2up | title=Backstab Magazine (French) Issue 06 }}

KKnD: Xtreme was a revised version of KKnD released on October 14, 1997.{{cite web|url=https://melbournehouse.kknd2.com/kkndxtreme/latest_news.html|title=KKnD Extreme - Latest News |publisher=Beam International |date=October 1997 |accessdate=21 July 2022}} Extreme featured new content, including twenty new missions and a 'skirmish mode' ('KAOS') allowing the player to play against the computer on custom maps. It also featured technical improvements, including an improved user interface, expanded network support and tweaks to the AI. In a review of Extreme, Kraig Kujawa of GameSpot argued that whilst the game "fixes some of the original's shortcomings, unfortunately, its improvements prove to be nothing more than a cheap face-lift of a rapidly aging game".

A sequel, KKND2: Krossfire, was released in 1998.{{cite web|url=http://pc.ign.com/objects/003/003564.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020718145619/http://pc.ign.com/objects/003/003564.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 18, 2002 |title=KKND 2: Krossfire - PC - IGN |publisher=Pc.ign.com |date=1998-10-31 |accessdate=2015-06-06}}

A fan project aims to make the originals compatible with modern systems while improving online functionality, modding capabilities, support for a broader range of resolutions and operating systems by using the OpenRA engine.Alex Walker: [https://web.archive.org/web/20181217044525/https://www.kotaku.com.au/2018/12/one-of-australias-great-rtss-is-getting-a-fan-remake/ One Of Australia's Greatest RTS's Is Getting A Fan Remake], Kotaku, Dec 17 2018 The game is openly developed at GitHub. It requires the original assets, which can be bought at online stores like GOG.[https://www.gamingonlinux.com/articles/the-kknd-remake-using-the-openra-engine-has-a-first-release-out.13178 The KKnD remake using the OpenRA engine has a first release out]

{{Reflist}}

• [http://melbournehouse.kknd2.com/kknd/about.htm Official site]
• {{moby game|id=-group/kknd-series|name=KKnD (video game) series}}

Category:1997 video games

Category:Beam Software games

Category:DOS games

Category:Multiplayer and single-player video games

Category:Post-apocalyptic video games

Category:Real-time strategy video games

Category:Video games developed in Australia

Category:Windows games

Category:World War III video games

Category:Video games set in the 22nd century