Midnight Resistance

Midnight Resistance

Game No.	411
Voting	8.17 points, 24 votes
Developer	Design: Kōji Akibayashi Programming: Robert W. Tinman Grafics: Ivan Davies
Company	Development: Data East Corporation Port: Special FX Software
Publisher	Ocean Software Ltd., The Hit Squad
Musician	Keith Tinman
HVSC-File	MUSICIANS/ T/ Tinman_Keith/ Midnight_Resistance.sid
Release	1990
Platform	Arcade, Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, C64, Mega Drive, ZX Spectrum
Genre	Shoot'em Up, Platformer
Gamemode	Single player
Operation
Media
Language
Information	Forerunner: Heavy Barrel

Description[edit | edit source]

Midnight Resistance can be put into the genre of the action games (mixture of Jump'n'Run and Shoot 'em up) and was released as a follower of Heavy Barrel in 1989 by the Data East Corporation, first as an arcade machine. The game principle reminds strongly of the Contra / Probotector saga, that was published by Konami and ported on the C64 under the name Gryzor by the software company Ocean. Unfortunately, the cooperative 2-player mode was left out in the conversion for the C64.

With a character resembling Rambo you need to free your kidnapped family. During this you need to face soldiers, tanks, jets and many other enemies in nine levels. Some of the defeated opponents lose red keys with which you can buy different weapons at the end of each level. If you lose a life, extra weapons and keys do not get lost. The end of the game depends on how many members of the family are rescued before the end fight. To be able to free all family members, you need 6 red keys in the 8th level. Each member of the family represents a different weapon.

Design[edit | edit source]

... images from level 1-9 and the end screen...

... a tank is no problem for our substitute rambo ...

A very exact conversion - except for the missing two-player option and some small missing details in the levels - of the arcade machine with nine levels that scroll smoothly into all directions. The graphics are elaborated in - for a C64 - details and the level buildup is well thought-through. Through the precise controls the game is very well playable. Noticeable is the good conversion of the shooting into all directions independently from the walking direction.

Hints[edit | edit source]

Controls

While standing:
= jump or climb up
= jump into the corresponding direction
= walk into the corresponding direction
= crawl into the corresponding direction
= duck (crawl) or climb down

While crawling:
= jump (get up) into the corresponding direction
= crawl into the corresponding direction

With pressed fire button:
With the fire button you trigger the weapon that is chosen. During this, the movement that was done before that (standing, walking, crawling) is continued. With the fire button pressed you decide the shooting direction with the stick. I.e. you can shooting into all directions independent from the walking/crawling direction.

Further controls:
- Space to fire the weapon in the satchel (nitro, etc.) press the space key
- To pick up an item (e.g. key or weapon) simply walk over it
- To climb a ladder press the joystick forwards when you are at the right position.

The armoury

It is located at the end of each section (level). You can carry up to 6 keys that you can swap here against equipment and weapons. In each armoury there are 6 different weapons that each cost a different number of keys. The weapon name can be seen on the sign above each weapon and informs you about the type of weapon. The weapons that you can buy with your keys are flashing. To choose a weapon you need to jump in front of the weapon and then pick up the dropped weapon. To leave the armoury simply go to the right.

Solution[edit | edit source]

Tips:

Although there is no time limit: Do not waste any time with collecting the keys as there are very many carriers of keys and you can only carry 6 of them.(In Level 8 you even meet solely soldiers with keys). Do not take too much time in the armoury or you will be without a weapon at the end.

The right choice of weapons can make the game easier: In levels 2, 3, 8 and 9, for example, the "Threeway Gun" is helpful. But also the parallel use of Nitro and Shotgun is not bad. From level 4 onwards you can also use the flamethrower as you seldom are shot at by the approaching soldiers. The Nitro is especially helpful when you face cannons, jets and saw blades. The flamethrower is also not a bad weapon: E.g. in a YouTube Longplay by "Retro Games" the "Threeway Gun" is used in levels 2 and 3 and after that only the flamethrower (Flame) is used. The Homing Missiles are, unfortunately, rather slow, but they can be helpful in the final level 9 in combination with the "Threeway Gun", as you have to deal with many flying objects here.

With some practice it is also possible to fight all the enemies with the flame thrower.

In level 8 you should prefer the left lader as there is not as much going on here. You sould not go to the left or right on the ladders, because this could result in losing a life. In the armoury you now see "family members", of which each one stands for a different weapon. You can "free" thema but please do not colleact each and every weapon because of this!

In the final level 9 the combination with the "Threeway Gun" and Homing Missiles can be helpful, as you have to deal with many flying objects here. In the end screen you see the player and his family (only the ones you have also "collected" in the armoury!) in front of a nice sunset.

Cheats[edit | edit source]

The version by "Angels" offers next to different trainers also a saveable highscore list and has all 9 levels!!.

Voting[edit | edit source]

Voting of the C64-Wiki users (10=the best vote):
8.17 points at 24 votes (rank 70). You need to be logged in to cast a vote.
64er	7	Issue 2/91
C64Games	8	8th March 2009 - "super" - 2976 downs
Lemon64	8,2	8th March 2009 - 86 votes
Kultboy.com	8,48	19th July 2009 - 17 votes
ASM	10/12	Issue 10/90
ZZap64	90 %	Issue 90/12

Reviews[edit | edit source]

H.T.W: "The level design is just great. Very diversified and although you partially encounter the same enemies, something new happens again and again. Be it, that you need to shoot your way through the ground or that you need to eliminate end bosses in the shape of a battle cruiser or fighter jets. With the extra weapons that you can buy at the end of each level, the game gets a slightly strategical touch. Although I am not really a fan of this genre I have to say: Highly recommended, just worth playing!".