Smash TV#Ports
{{About|the arcade game|the show|Smash (TV series)|the Maltese television network|Smash Television}}
{{short description|1990 video game}}
{{Infobox video game
|title = Smash TV
|image = SmashTV flyer.jpg
|caption = Arcade flyer
|developer = Williams (arcade)
Probe Software (Genesis, Master System, Game Gear, Spectrum, C64)
Beam Software (NES, SNES)
|publisher = Williams
|designer = Eugene Jarvis
|programmer = Mark Turmell
|artist = John Tobias
Tim Coman
|composer = {{collapsible list
| Arcade
Jon Hey
NES, SNES
Marshall Parker
Game Gear, Genesis
Matt Furniss
Amiga, ST
Tony Williams
C64
Jeroen Tel
}}
|platforms = Arcade, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, Amiga, Commodore 64, Game Gear, Genesis, Master System, NES, Super NES, ZX Spectrum
|released = {{vgrelease|NA|April 1990}}
|genre = Multidirectional shooter
|modes= Single-player
Two-player co-op
|arcade system = Midway Y Unit
}}
Smash TV is a 1990 arcade video game created by Eugene Jarvis and Mark Turmell for Williams Electronics Games.{{KLOV game|id=9591|name=Smash TV}} It is a twin-stick shooter in the same vein as 1982's Robotron: 2084, which was co-created by Jarvis. The Super Nintendo Entertainment System, Genesis, Master System, and Game Gear versions are titled Super Smash TV.
The game takes place in a dystopian television game show in the then-future year of 1999. One or two contestants shoot waves of attackers while collecting money, prizes, and temporary power-ups. After an arena has been cleared of adversaries, the contestants choose an exit, each leading to another room. One room contains an end-of-level boss. With two players, the game is cooperative, but at the end of the level the player who collected the most cash and prizes receives an extra reward. The arcade game has a high difficulty and leans on being able to pay to continue. A bonus feature was added after release allowing players to collect keys throughout the levels to reach the "pleasure dome".
Plot
The themes were borrowed from the dystopian films RoboCop and The Running Man, both from 1987.{{Cite web |last=Gerstmann |first=Jeff |author-link=Jeff Gerstmann |date=November 29, 2005 |title=Smash TV Review |url=http://www.gamespot.com/xbox360/action/smashtv/review.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090217030339/http://www.gamespot.com/xbox360/action/smashtv/review.html |archive-date=February 17, 2009 |access-date=March 17, 2009 |website=GameSpot}}{{Cite web |last=Soboleski |first=Brent |date=December 7, 2005 |title=Smash TV Review (Xbox 360) |url=http://reviews.teamxbox.com/xbox-360/1093/Smash-TV/p1/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090119063034/http://reviews.teamxbox.com/xbox-360/1093/Smash-TV/p1/ |archive-date=January 19, 2009 |access-date=March 17, 2009 |website=TeamXbox}} The player competes on what the attract mode calls "the most violent game show of all time", in the not-too-distant future of 1999. The goal is to survive while earning both cash and prizes such as VCRs and toasters. A sadistic host oversees the show and also takes part as the final boss. Verbal interjections from the host punctuate gameplay: including "Total carnage! I love it!", "Big money! Big prizes!", and "I'd buy that for a dollar!". The first of these became the title of the 1992 follow-up, Total Carnage. The last phrase is from a fictional TV show within the film RoboCop.
Gameplay
The core gameplay is similar to that of Eugene Jarvis' earlier Robotron: 2084, with twin-joystick controls and series of single-screen arenas. While most of the enemies in Robotron are visible at the start of a fight, in Smash TV they enter the arena in waves.
In each arena, players shoot hordes of enemies which enter via passages on the four edges while collecting temporary power-ups and weapons, piles of money, and gift-wrapped prizes. When all enemies have been killed, one or more exits appear, leading to additional arenas. After completing the first arena in a level, a map shows the overall arrangement of the level and the location of the end-of-level boss. Players cannot backtrack to previously completed areas.
Among the game's items are keys. If enough are collected, players can access a bonus level called the Pleasure Dome where players can "collect" hundreds of blue bikini-clad blonde and buxom "babes" akin to other prizes in the game.{{cite web|url=http://www.polygon.com/features/2013/1/9/3848592/total-carnage-confusing-ending|title=The story behind Total Carnage's confusing ending|publisher=Vox Media|work=Polygon|date=January 9, 2013|last=Leone|first=Matt|access-date=March 29, 2013}}
Development
Mark Turmell recounted: "When Hasbro pulled the plug on an interactive movie project I was working on, I went to Williams to design coin-op games. I moved to Chicago, hired John Tobias, and together we did our first coin-op, Smash T.V."{{cite magazine|title=Making his Mark: Programmer Mark Turmell|magazine=GamePro|issue=86|publisher=IDG|date=November 1995|pages=36–37}}
The announcer in the game is voiced by sound designer Paul Heitsch. The script was created by the game's composer and sound designer Jon Hey.
Originally the arcade game shipped without the Pleasure Dome bonus level implemented, although there was text mentioning it in the game. The design team had not been sure that players would actually get to the end of the game. However, players did finish the game and after arcade operators informed Williams of player complaints of being unable to finish it, the company sent out a new revision that included the Pleasure Dome level.
Ports
Smash TV was ported to the Nintendo Entertainment System, Super NES, Game Gear, Master System, and Genesis consoles. Ocean published ports for the ZX Spectrum, Commodore 64, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, and Amiga, all released in early 1992.
On some home systems such as the NES, players have the option to use the directional pad on the second controller to control the direction the character will shoot on-screen. Using this option for both players requires a multitap.{{cite web|url=http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=1307&tab=review|title=Smash T.V. – Controls|publisher=Rovi|work=Allgame|access-date=March 29, 2013|archive-date=December 10, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141210235840/http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=1307&tab=review|url-status=dead}} The dual control aspect of the game works particularly well on the SNES, as its four main buttons, A, B, X and Y, are laid out like a D-pad, enabling the player to shoot in one direction while running in another.{{cite web|url=http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=2608&tab=controls|title=Super Smash T.V. – Controls|publisher=Rovi|work=Allgame|access-date=March 29, 2013|archive-date=December 12, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141212042517/http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=2608&tab=controls|url-status=dead}}
Reception
{{Video game reviews
| title = Reviews (home conversions)
| AAction = 96%Amstrad Action magazine, issue 75, Future Publishing
| CVG = SMD: 83/100{{cite magazine|last1=Keen|first1=Steve|last2=Anglin|first2=Paul|date=November 1992|url=https://archive.org/details/Computer_Video_Games_Issue_132_1992-11_EMAP_Publishing_GB/page/n121/mode/2up?q=%22Smash+TV%22|title=Smash TV|magazine=Computer and Video Games|issue=132|pages=90–91|accessdate=August 19, 2021}}
SMS: 38/100
SNES: 92/100{{cite magazine|last1=O'Connor|first1=Frank|last2=Boone|first2=Tim|date=May 1992|url=https://archive.org/details/cvg-magazine-126/page/n19/mode/2up?q=%22Smash+TV%22|title=Smash T.V.|magazine=Computer and Video Games|issue=126|pages=20–21|accessdate=August 19, 2021}}
| MM = SNES: 92%{{cite magazine|author1=Julian|author2=Rich|date=May 1992|url=https://archive.org/details/mean-machines-20/page/52/mode/2up?q=%22Smash+TV%22|title=Smash T.V.|magazine=Mean Machines|issue=20|pages=52–54|accessdate=August 19, 2021}}
| MMS = SMD & SMS: 88/100{{cite magazine|author1=Gus|author2=Paul|author3=Rad|date=October 1992|url=https://archive.org/details/mean-machines-sega-magazine-01/page/n83/mode/2up?q=%22Smash+TV%22|title=Smash TV|magazine=Mean Machines Sega|issue=1|pages=84–87|accessdate=August 19, 2021}}
| rev1 = MicroHobby (ES)
| rev2 = MegaTech
| rev2Score = SMD: 70%Smash TV rating, MegaTech issue 12, page 96, December 1992
| rev3 = Mega
| rev3Score = SMD: 37%Mega review, issue 1, page 57, October 1992
| rev4 = Sega Master Force
| award1Pub = Crash
| award1 = Crash Smash!
| award2Pub = Sinclair User
| award2 = SU Silver
| award3Pub = Amstrad Action
| award3 = 6th best game of all time {{cite web|url=http://retroactionmagazine.com/retroactionextra/amstrad-action-all-time-top-10-games/ |title=Amstrad Action All Time Top 10 Games • Retroaction |publisher=Retroactionmagazine.com |access-date=2013-06-15}}
}}
The arcade game was generally well-received. The Amusement & Music Operators Association (AMOA) gave it the "most innovative game" award in 1990.{{cite magazine |title=AMOA 1989-90 Award Winners Announced |magazine=Cash Box |date=November 10, 1990 |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Music/Archive-Cash-Box-IDX/90s/1990/CB-1990-11-10-OCR-Page-0025.pdf}}
The home conversions of Smash TV received positive to mixed reviews.
The Amiga version scored 895 out of a possible 1,000 in a UK magazine review,{{cite magazine|last=Douglas|first=Jim|date=December 1991|url=https://archive.org/details/ACE35Aug90/ACE/ACE51-Dec91/page/n67/mode/2up|title=Smash TV|magazine=ACE|pages=80–85|issue=51|accessdate=August 30, 2021}} and the Spectrum magazine CRASH awarded the ZX version 97%, making it a Crash Smash.
=Accolades=
In 1997 Electronic Gaming Monthly listed Smash TV as the 6th best arcade game of all time.{{cite magazine |title=The 10 Best Arcade Games of All Time |magazine=Electronic Gaming Monthly|issue=100 |publisher=Ziff Davis |date=November 1997|page=130}} In 2004, Smash TV was inducted into GameSpot's list of the greatest games of all time.{{cite web|url=http://www.gamespot.com/gamespot/features/all/greatestgames/p-46.html|title=The Greatest Games of All Time: Smash TV|website=GameSpot|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071009153941/http://www.gamespot.com/gamespot/features/all/greatestgames/p-46.html | archive-date=October 9, 2007}} In 1995, Total! rated Super Smash TV 51st on its "Top 100 SNES Games" list.{{Cite journal |date=July 1995 |title=Top 100 SNES Games |url=https://archive.org/details/total-43/page/n45/mode/2up |journal=Total! |issue=43 |pages=46 |access-date=March 1, 2022}} In 1996, GamesMaster ranked the game 84th on their "Top 100 Games of All Time" list.{{Cite journal |date=July 1996 |title=Top 100 Games of All Time |url=https://retrocdn.net/images/c/cf/GamesMaster_UK_044.pdf |journal=GamesMaster |issue=44 |pages=75}}
Legacy
The 1992 Williams arcade game Total Carnage shares many elements with Smash TV and was also programmed by Turmell, but is not a sequel.
=Re-releases=
Smash TV is part of Arcade Party Pak released for the PlayStation in 1999.{{cite web|last=Gerstmann|first=Jeff|title=Arcade Party Pak Review|url=http://www.gamespot.com/arcade-party-pak/reviews/arcade-party-pak-review-2546598/|work=GameSpot|publisher=CBS Interactive|date=November 1, 1999|access-date=30 March 2013}}
It is included in the Midway Arcade Treasures collection, which is available for Microsoft Windows, Nintendo GameCube, Xbox and PlayStation 2 and was released in 2003. These versions give the player the option to save high scores.{{cite web|last=Tracy|first=Tim|title=Facebook Tweet Midway Arcade Treasures Review|url=http://www.gamespot.com/midway-arcade-treasures/reviews/midway-arcade-treasures-review-6083823/|date=November 18, 2003|work=GameSpot|publisher=CBS Interactive|access-date=30 March 2013}} Smash TV is also part of the 2012 compilation Midway Arcade Origins.{{cite web|url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/11/14/midway-arcade-origins-review |title=Midway Arcade Origins Review |website=IGN.com |date=2012-11-13 |access-date=2016-05-07}}
Smash TV was made available for download through Microsoft's Xbox Live Arcade service on the Xbox 360 and was the first version of the game to officially allow two players to play the game online.{{cite web|last=Onyett|first=Charles|title=Smash TV|url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2005/12/09/smash-tv|website=IGN|date=December 9, 2005|access-date=30 March 2013}} It was delisted from the service in February 2010{{cite web|last=Hatfield|first=Daemon|title=More XBLA Games Delisted|url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2010/02/17/more-xbla-games-delisted|website=IGN|date=February 17, 2010|access-date=30 March 2013}} after the dissolution of Midway Games.
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.racketboy.com/retro/podcast/2009/11/retrogaming-with-racketboy-podcast-episode-2.html Racketboy.com's Smash TV Podcast featuring interviews with Eugene Jarvis and Mark Turmell]
- [http://www.arcade-history.com/index.php?page=detail&id=2476 Smash TV] at Arcade History
- {{KLOV game|id=9591}}
- {{WoS game|id=0004576}}
- [http://www.coinop.org/Game/100445/Smash_TV Smash TV] at Coinop.org
{{Robotron: 2084}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Smash Tv}}
Category:Cooperative video games
Category:Nintendo Entertainment System games
Category:Super Nintendo Entertainment System games
Category:Video games developed in the United States
Category:Xbox 360 Live Arcade games
Category:Original Xbox Live Arcade games
Category:Video games about death games
Category:Video games scored by Jonathan Hey
Category:Video games set in 1999