RoboCop (1988 video game)#Release

{{Infobox video game

| title = RoboCop

| image = RoboCop arcade flyer.jpg

| caption = North American arcade flyer

| developer = {{collapsible list|title=Data East|{{ubl|Data East|{{small|(Arcade & NES)}}|Ocean Software {{small|(Amiga/Atari ST/C64/Game Boy/DOS/MSX/ZX Spectrum)}}|Quicksilver Software {{small|(Apple II)}}|AGC Hamburg {{small|(CPC)}}|Sakata SAS {{small|(NES)}}|Tandy Corporation {{small|(TRS-80 CoCo)}}}}}}

| publisher = {{collapsible list|title=Data East|{{ubl|Data East {{small|(Arcade/DOS/NES/Apple II)}}|Ocean Software {{small|(Amiga/Atari ST/C64/CPC/ZX Spectrum)}}|Erbe Software {{small|(DOS/MSX)}}|Tandy Corporation {{small|(TRS-80 CoCo)}}|Game Boy{{vgrelease|NA/EU|Ocean Software|JP|Epic/Sony Records}}}}}}

| designer = Yoshiyuki Urushibara
Tomo Adachi

| programmer = {{ubl|Ryōji Minagawa|Mr. Deco Men|Kenji Takahashi|S. Tamura|Masaaki Tamura}}

| artist = {{ubl|Tomo Adachi|Asami Kaneko|Mix Man|Yoshinari Kaiho}}

| composer = {{ubl|Hiroaki Yoshida|Hitomi Komatsu|Hiroyuki}}

| series = RoboCop

| platforms = Arcade, Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Apple II, Atari ST, Commodore 64, Game Boy, MS-DOS, MSX, NES, TRS-80 Color Computer, ZX Spectrum

| released = {{collapsible list|title=1988|Arcade{{vgrelease|JP|1988|WW|1988}} Amstrad CPC, MSX{{vgrelease|EU|1988}} Apple II{{vgrelease|NA|1988}} ZX Spectrum{{vgrelease|EU|1988}} Commodore 64{{vgrelease|EU|1988|NA|1989}} Atari ST{{vgrelease|EU|1989}} DOS, TRS-80 CoCo{{vgrelease|NA|1989}} Amiga{{vgrelease|EU|1989|NA|1990}} NES {{vgrelease|JP|25 August 1989{{cite web|url=http://tk-nz.game.coocan.jp/gamedatabase/software/DB_NTC1_FC1989.html|title=FAMICOM Soft > 1989|publisher=GAME Data Room|access-date=2018-09-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161020234721/http://tk-nz.game.coocan.jp/gamedatabase/software/DB_NTC1_FC1989.html|archive-date=2016-10-20|url-status=live}}|NA|December 1989|EU|25 April 1991}} Game Boy{{vgrelease|NA|December 1990|EU|1990|JP|1 March 1991{{cite web|url=http://tk-nz.game.coocan.jp/gamedatabase/software/DB_NTM1_GB1991.html|title=GAMEBOY Soft > 1991|publisher=GAME Data Room|access-date=2018-09-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180909112249/http://tk-nz.game.coocan.jp/gamedatabase/software/DB_NTM1_GB1991.html|archive-date=2018-09-09|url-status=live}}}}}}

| genre = Beat 'em up, run and gun

| modes = Single-player
Multiplayer {{small|(not in all versions)}}

| arcade system = Data East MEC-M1{{cite web|url=http://www.system16.com/hardware.php?id=939&page=1#18908|title=Data East MEC-M1 Hardware (Data East)|website=system16.com|date=2015-02-12|access-date=2018-09-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170921003840/http://system16.com/hardware.php?id=939&page=1#18908|archive-date=2017-09-21|url-status=live}}

}}

RoboCop is a run & gun and beat 'em up video game developed and published by Data East for arcades and Ocean Software for home computers in 1988 based on the 1987 film of the same name.{{cite web|url=https://www.arcade-history.com/?n=robocop-the-future-of-law-enforcement&page=detail&id=2240|title=RoboCop - The Future of Law Enforcement|website=arcade-history.com|access-date=2018-09-12|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180912131312/https://www.arcade-history.com/?n=robocop-the-future-of-law-enforcement&page=detail&id=2240|archive-date=2018-09-12|url-status=live}}{{cite magazine|last=Kenjō|first=Kōji|url=https://archive.org/stream/micomBASIC_1988-10#page/n249/mode/2up|title=Video Games - ビデオゲーム新作インフォメーション|magazine=Micom BASIC Magazine|issue=76|publisher=The Dempa Shimbunsha Corporation|date=October 1988|pages=268–269|lang=ja}} It was sub-licensed to Data East by Ocean Software, who obtained the rights from Orion Pictures at the script stage.{{cite web|last=Mason|first=Graeme|url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2014-01-19-the-making-of-robocop|title=The making of Robocop - Thank you for your co-operation|publisher=Eurogamer|date=January 19, 2014|access-date=2018-09-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180906130259/https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2014-01-19-the-making-of-robocop|archive-date=2018-09-06|url-status=live}}{{cite magazine|last=Mellor|first=Robert|url=http://www.retrogamer.net/retro_games80/the-making-of-robocop/|title=The Making Of: RoboCop|magazine=Retro Gamer|issue=46|publisher=Future Publishing|date=January 2008|pages=62–65|access-date=2018-09-05|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202002640/http://www.retrogamer.net/retro_games80/the-making-of-robocop/|archive-date=2017-02-02|url-status=live}} Data East and Ocean Software worked in conjunction with each other to release games for the Arcade and home computers respectively for a joint release, with the home computer versions translating the sections that Data East had shown Ocean from an early unfinished build of the game which Ocean then had to expand upon.{{cite web | url=https://archive.org/details/sinclair-user-magazine-082/page/n11/mode/1up?view=theater | title=Sinclair User Spectrum Review C64 Review}}at ZZap64

The game was a critical and commercial success. The arcade game was the highest-grossing arcade game of 1988 in Hong Kong, and reached number-two on Japan's monthly Game Machine arcade charts. On home computers, the game sold over {{nowrap|1 million}} copies worldwide, and it was especially successful in the United Kingdom where it was the best-selling home computer game of the 1980s.

Gameplay

File:Robocoparc.png

The gameplay is similar to Data East's arcade game Bad Dudes Vs. DragonNinja, released earlier the same year.{{cite magazine |title=Arcade Action: RoboCop |magazine=Computer and Video Games |date=November 1988 |issue=86 (December 1988) |pages=149–52 |url=https://archive.org/details/cvg-magazine-086/page/n148}} Robocop includes elements from both beat 'em up and run and gun video games.

Release

During development of the arcade game in 1988, Ocean worked on bringing the computer version of the property to 8-bit home computers, converting what was made available to them at the time while also adding original content to make it different from the arcade original. This version was produced for the Commodore 64, MSX, ZX Spectrum, TRS-80 Color Computer 3, Amstrad CPC, and MS-DOS, meaning that home computers ended up with two different versions of Robocop for North American and European audiences.

Ports for the Apple II, Amiga, and Atari ST; ports for DOS, NES, and TRS-80 Color Computer 3 followed in 1989. The Apple II and IBM PC ports were developed by Quicksilver Software, while the Amiga and Atari ST versions were developed directly by Ocean. The NES version was developed primarily by Data East with programming handled by Sakata SAS Co, and Ocean ported and published a version for the Game Boy in 1990. A port of the game for the Atari Jaguar was planned but never released.{{cite web|url=http://www.jaysmith2000.com/|title=Atari Jaguar Sector II Forum Link|website=jaysmith2000.com|access-date=September 5, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061202130245/http://www.jaysmith2000.com/|archive-date=December 2, 2006|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.janatari.de/atari-jaguar/jaguar-lost-games/|title=Atari Jaguar Lost Games|website=janatari.de|access-date=2018-09-05|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180906052745/https://www.janatari.de/atari-jaguar/jaguar-lost-games/|archive-date=2018-09-06|url-status=live}}

Data East published the game in North America.{{citation needed|date=September 2024}}

Reception

{{Video game reviews

| CVG = 95%{{cite web |url=http://www.worldofspectrum.org/showmag.cgi?mag=C+VG/Issue087/Pages/CVG08700042.jpg |title=Archive - Magazine viewer |publisher=World of Spectrum |access-date=August 20, 2012}}

| CRASH = 92%{{cite web |url=http://www.worldofspectrum.org/showmag.cgi?mag=Crash/Issue59/Pages/Crash5900024.jpg |title=Archive - Magazine viewer |publisher=World of Spectrum |access-date=August 20, 2012}}

| SUser = 94%{{cite web |url=http://www.worldofspectrum.org/showmag.cgi?mag=SinclairUser/Issue082/Pages/SinclairUser08200013.jpg |title=Archive - Magazine viewer |publisher=World of Spectrum |access-date=August 20, 2012}}

| YSinclair = 8/10{{cite web |url=http://ysrnry.co.uk/articles/robocop.htm |title=Robocop |publisher=Ysrnry.co.uk |access-date=August 20, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120419095554/http://www.ysrnry.co.uk/articles/robocop.htm |archive-date=April 19, 2012 }}

| rev1 = ACE

| rev1Score = 807/1000{{cite web |url=http://www.worldofspectrum.org/showmag.cgi?mag=ACE/Issue16/Pages/ACE1600103.jpg |title=Archive - Magazine viewer |publisher=World of Spectrum |access-date=August 20, 2012}}

| rev2 = The Games Machine

| rev2Score = 81%{{cite web |url=http://www.worldofspectrum.org/showmag.cgi?mag=TheGamesMachine/Issue15/Pages/TheGamesMachine1500045.jpg |title=Archive - Magazine viewer |publisher=World of Spectrum |access-date=August 20, 2012}}

| award1Pub = Crash

| award1 = Crash Smash

| award2Pub = Computer and Video Games

| award2 = Game of the Month

}}

RoboCop was a commercial success in arcades, especially in Hong Kong where it was the highest-grossing arcade game of 1988.{{cite magazine|date=6 April 1989|title=The World's Largest Arcade|url=https://archive.org/details/ACE_Issue_20_1989-05_Future_Publishing_GB/page/n22/mode/1up|magazine=ACE|issue=20 (May 1989)|page=23}} In Japan, Game Machine listed RoboCop on their February 1, 1989 issue as being the second most-successful table arcade unit of the month.{{cite magazine|title=Game Machine's Best Hit Games 25 - テーブル型TVゲーム機 (Table Videos)|magazine=Game Machine|issue=349|publisher=Amusement Press, Inc.|date=1 February 1989|page=25|lang=ja}}

On home computers, the game sold over {{nowrap|1 million}} copies worldwide. It was especially successful in the United Kingdom, where it was the best-selling home computer game of the 1980s. The ZX Spectrum version in particular was the best-selling home video game of 1989.{{Cite magazine|date=16 December 1989|title=The Best Games of '89|url=https://archive.org/stream/cvg-magazine-098/CVG_098_Jan_1990#page/n7/mode/2up|magazine=Computer and Video Games|issue=98 (January 1990)|page=9}} The ZX Spectrum RoboCop was one of the biggest selling games of all time on that platform and remained in the Spectrum software sales charts for over a year and a half;[http://www.ysrnry.co.uk/articles/completeguidetoshootemups2.htm "The YS Complete Guide To Shoot-'em-ups Part II"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070701223341/http://www.ysrnry.co.uk/articles/completeguidetoshootemups2.htm |date=July 1, 2007 }} from Your Sinclair issue 56, August 1990; retrieved from The Your Sinclair Rock 'n' Roll Years it entered the charts in December 1988{{cite magazine |title=Top Twenty Full Price Games|magazine=New Computer Express|issue=|publisher=Future Publishing|date=24 December 1988|page=|url=https://archive.org/details/NH2021_New_Computer_Express_Issue007.pdf/page/n1/mode/2up|access-date=1 December 2021}} and was still in the top five in February 1991.{{cite web |url=http://ysrnry.co.uk/ys62.htm |title=The YS Rock'n'Roll Years - Issue 62 |publisher=Ysrnry.co.uk |access-date=August 20, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120907211825/http://www.ysrnry.co.uk/ys62.htm |archive-date=September 7, 2012 }} It also topped the UK all-format charts for a record 36 weeks until it was knocked off the number one position by Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade in August 1989.{{cite magazine |title=Indy Topples Robocop|magazine=New Computer Express|issue=|publisher=Future Publishing|date=9 September 1989|page=|url=https://archive.org/details/NH2021_New_Computer_Express_Issue044.pdf/page/n2/mode/1up|access-date=1 December 2021}}

The arcade game was critically well-received. The ZX Spectrum version also achieved critical acclaim, receiving a CRASH Smash award from CRASH,[http://www.crashonline.org.uk/59/robocop.htm RoboCop] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180828135227/http://www.crashonline.org.uk/59/robocop.htm |date=2018-08-28 }} review from CRASH issue 59, December 1988; retrieved from CRASH Online 94% in Sinclair User and Your Sinclair gave 8.8 out of 10,[http://www.ysrnry.co.uk/articles/robocop.htm RoboCop] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070301152113/http://www.ysrnry.co.uk/articles/robocop.htm |date=March 1, 2007 }} review from Your Sinclair issue 39, March 1989; retrieved from The Your Sinclair Rock 'n' Roll Years also placing it at number 94 in the Your Sinclair official top 100. The overall opinion was that it captures the original material, with smooth scrolling and animation, sampled speech and sound effects highlighted.

The readers of YS voted it the 9th best game of all time.Your Sinclair magazine issue 93, Future Publishing, September 1993, page 58

The title theme of the Ocean Software versions (composed by Jonathan Dunn) has become well known for its serene, calm tune, which heavily contrasted the tone of both the actual game and the source material; the version of the theme heard in the Game Boy port was later licensed by European kitchen appliance company Ariston for use in a series of TV adverts.{{cite news |last1=Person |first1=Chris |title=What do Robocop, Washing Machines, Dilbert & Lil B have in Common? |url=http://kotaku.com/5885431/what-do-robocop-washing-machines-dilbert--lil-b-have-in-common |access-date=October 25, 2016 |work=Kotaku |date=February 16, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161026075359/http://kotaku.com/5885431/what-do-robocop-washing-machines-dilbert--lil-b-have-in-common |archive-date=2016-10-26 |url-status=live }} The song was also used as the theme song for Charlie Brooker's documentary How Videogames Changed the World,{{cite news |last1=Whitehead |first1=Dan |title=TV review: How Videogames Changed the World |url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2013-12-05-tv-review-how-videogames-changed-the-world |access-date=October 25, 2016 |work=Eurogamer |date=December 5, 2013 |language=en-UK |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161025111155/http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2013-12-05-tv-review-how-videogames-changed-the-world |archive-date=2016-10-25 |url-status=live }} and was one of Brooker's selections on Desert Island Discs. It was also used as the music for the Internet short "Dilbert 3" and was sampled in Lil B's song "In Down Bad" from his mixtape "White Flame".{{cite news |last1=Rougeau |first1=Michael |title=Gameboy "Robocop"'s Theme Song Also Sold Washers, Made Dilbert Homicidal And Got Sampled By Lil B |url=http://www.complex.com/pop-culture/2012/02/gameboy-robocops-theme-song-also-sold-washers-made-dilbert-homicidal-and-got-sampled-by-lil-b |access-date=October 25, 2016 |date=February 16, 2016 |work=Complex |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161026002528/http://www.complex.com/pop-culture/2012/02/gameboy-robocops-theme-song-also-sold-washers-made-dilbert-homicidal-and-got-sampled-by-lil-b |archive-date=2016-10-26 |url-status=live }}

References

External links

{{moby game|id=/robocop|name=RoboCop (Data East)}}
{{moby game|id=/robocop__|name=RoboCop (Ocean Software)}}
{{IMDb title|tt0302975}}
[https://archive.org/details/1989-11-computegazette/page/n37/mode/2up Review] in Compute!'s Gazette
[https://archive.org/details/rainbowmagazine-1990-05/page/n73/mode/2up Review] in The Rainbow
[https://archive.org/details/info-magazine-26/Info_Issue_26_1989_May_Jun/page/n59/mode/2up Review] in Info