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Chase H.Q.ย
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Chase H.Q.ย is aย vehicular combatย racing game, originally released as anย arcade video gameย byย Taitoย in 1988. It is sometimes seen as a spiritual successor to Taito’s earlierย Full Throttle. The player assumes the role of aย police officerย named Tony Gibson, member of the “Chase Special Investigation Department”. Along with his partner, Raymond Broady, he must stop fleeing criminals in high-speed pursuits in a blackย Porsche 928.
Chase H.Q.ย wasย portedย to manyย home computersย byย Ocean Softwareย in 1989, including versions for theย ZX Spectrum,ย Amstrad CPC,ย Commodore 64,ย MSX,ย Amigaย andย Atari ST. Taito produced versions for theย Family Computerย (1989),ย Game Boyย (1990),ย Master Systemย (1990),ย TurboGrafx-16ย (1990),ย Game Gearย (1991), andย Saturnย (1996). It was released forย PlayStation 2ย in Japan in 2007 as part ofย Taito Memories II Volume 2.
The game was a commercial success, becoming Japan’s highest-grossing dedicated arcade game of 1989 while also becoming a hit overseas for arcades and home systems. The game was also well received by critics. It was followed by three arcade-based sequels:ย Special Criminal Investigationย (1989),ย Super Chase: Criminal Terminationย (1992) andย Chase H.Q. 2ย (2007). Two spin-offs were also released:ย Crime Cityย (1989) andย Quiz H.Q.ย (1990).
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| Chase H.Q. | |
|---|---|
US Arcade flyer | |
| Developer(s) | Taito |
| Publisher(s) | Taito |
| Designer(s) | Hiroguki Sakou |
| Programmer(s) | Takeshi Ishizashi Takeshi Murata Kyoji Shimamoto |
| Composer(s) | Takami Asano |
| Series | Chase |
| Platform(s) | |
| Release | September 1988 |
| Genre(s) | Racing,ย vehicular combat |
| Mode(s) | Single-player |
| Arcade system | Taito Z System |
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Gameplay
At the start of each level the player is informed who they are pursuing, a great distance away: They must apprehend the criminal before their time limit expires. The criminal’s car is constantly moving away, so if the player repeatedly crashes or drives too slowly, the criminal will escape. At some points during the game the road splits, and the correct turn must be taken, otherwise it will take longer to catch the criminal. When their vehicle is reached, the time limit is extended; the vehicle must be rammed a number of times until the criminal is forced to stop, then is arrested.
The game includes five levels. Both the initial time limit to reach the criminal and the time extension to ram the criminal are 60, 65, or 70 seconds.
When Nancy at Chase HQ (at the start of every level) calls on the radio, the frequency is often between 144 and 148ย MHz. This is actually theย 2-meter bandย of amateur orย ham radioย frequencies.
Although superficially similar in technology toย Sega‘sย Out Run,ย Chase HQย features significant technical advancements over that title in the presentation of perspective, hills and track splits.
Villains (for arcade versions):
- 1. Ralph, the Idaho Slasher (Whiteย Lotus Esprit)
- 2. Carlos, the New York armed robber (Yellowย Lamborghini Countach)
- 3. Chicago pushers (Silverย Porsche 911)
- 4. L.A. kidnapper (Blueย Ferrari 288 GTO)
- 5. Eastern Bloc Spy (Redย Porsche 928)
The last villain’s car is always listed as unidentified.
If the level is completed, bonus points are as follows: if completed without continuing, 100,000 times level in play, otherwise, 10,000; plus, 5,000 per second saved for completing level. A 5,000,000-point award is collected for beating the game.
Ports and related releases
Oceanย released versions of the game for theย ZX Spectrum,ย Amstrad CPC,ย Commodore 64,ย Commodore Amigaย andย Atari STย in December 1989. Theย MSXย version was released in February 1990 only in Spain, roughly one month later after the launch of the rest of Ocean’s versions in that market.
Taito produced ports (known asย Taito Chase H.Q.) for theย Family Computerย (1989),ย Game Boyย (1990/1991),ย Master Systemย (1990),ย TurboGrafx-16ย (1990) andย Game Gearย (1991). In 1992, it was released on theย Genesisย asย Chase H.Q. IIย (known asย Super H.Q.ย in Japan), with some minor changes, including alternative player vehicles.
In December 1990, the game was included on theย Wheels Of Fireย compilation, which also featuredย Hard Drivin,ย Power Driftย andย Turbo OutRunย on the Commodore 64. In June 1991, the game was released on theย Power Upย compilation, which also featured also on the C64ย Altered Beast,ย Turrican,ย Rainbow Islandsย andย X-Out.
In 1991, the game was released for theย FM Towns.
In 1993, Taito releasedย Super Chase H.Q.ย (known in Japan asย Super H.Q. Criminal Chaser) for the Super NES. Unlike other home versions, it is played in first person perspective and is based uponย Super Chase: Criminal Terminationย rather than the originalย Chase H.Q.ย Gameplay is modeled on the original with some aspects ofย S.C.I.ย incorporated. A PAL version ofย Super Chase H.Q.ย was released exclusively in Australia in 1993 byย Mattelย (Nintendo’s ANZ distributor until 1994) and re-released by Nintendo Australia thereafter. There is also aย Super Chase H.Q.ย for theย Game Boy, which was released exclusively in North America, in 1994. The game is similar to the Game Boy’sย Taito Chase H.Q.ย (1991).
In 1996, Taito released an emulation of the arcade original for theย Sega Saturnย in Japan, bundled together withย Special Criminal Investigationย on one disc.
In 2000,ย Chase H.Q. Secret Policeย was released for theย Game Boy Color.
In July 2008, the TurboGrafx-16 version of the game was re-released on theย Wiiย Virtual Console.
A spin-off was released in 1989 titledย Crime City. The game play deviates from the traditional third-person driving and is instead a side scrolling type shooter.
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Reception
| ย | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Review scores | ||||
| Publication | Scores | |||
| Arcade | Computer | Console | Handheld | |
| ACE | Positive | 840 (AMI) 868 (ZX) | 928 (PCE) | ย |
| Computer + Video Games | Positive | 93% (AMI) 93% (ST) 97% (ZX) 36% (C64) 97% (CPC) | 86% (SMS) | 31% (GB) 90% (GG) |
| Crash | ย | 95% (ZX) | ย | ย |
| Famitsu | ย | ย | 24/40 (Famicom) 18/40 (SMD) 30/40 (PCE) | 23/40 (GG) |
| Gรฉnรฉration 4ย | ย | 92% (AMI) 92% (ST) | 85% (PCE) | ย |
| Joystick | ย | 92% (AMI) 92% (CPC) 90% (ST) | 89% (PCE) 93% (SMS) | 83% (GG) |
| Sinclair User | 9/10 | 96% (ZX) | ย | ย |
| The Games Machine | ย | 840/1000 (AMI) 868/1000 (ZX) | ย | ย |
| Tilt | ย | ย |  ย (SMS) | ย |
| Your Sinclair | ย | 94% (ZX) | ย | ย |
| Commodore User | 9/10 | 70% (AMI) | ย | ย |
| Awards | ||||
| Publication | Awards | |||
| Gamestย Awardsย | Hit Game of the Yearย (10th) | |||
| Golden Joystick Awards | Best 8-Bit Coin-Op Conversion, Best 8-Bit Soundtrack | |||
| Your Sinclair | Readers’ Top Game of All Time, Megagame | |||
| Computer and Video Games | C+VG Hit | |||
| Crash | Crash Smash | |||
| Sinclair User | SU Classic | |||
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Commercial
Upon release in arcades,ย Game Machineย listedย Chase H.Q.ย on their 15 November 1988 issue as being the second most-successful uprightย arcade cabinetย of the month in Japan. It went on to become Japan’s highest-grossing dedicated arcade game of 1989. In the United Kingdom, it was a hit in the arcades, becoming the top coin-on arcade game at one point.
The home computer conversions topped the UK sales chart in Christmas 1989. The ZX Spectrum version of the game was later number 2 on the UK sales charts in early 1990, behindย Rainbow Islands.
Critical
The arcade game was well received by critics.ย Computer and Video Gamesย gave it a positive review, stating “at last” a “racing game with something more to do than just whizzing around a track to beat the course time”. They concluded that it is “fast and challenging with great graphics” and “good clear sound effects” and is “definitely a winner”.ย ACEย said that the “Out Runย theme keeps being expanded and presented in different ways” likeย Power Driftย but consideredย Chase HQย better than the former. They concluded that the game’s driving and violence is “a winning coin-up combination”.ย Crashย said it “is a great game” and “the ultimate arcade version of cops-and-robbers movies”. According toย Arcade History, it “was arguably the first sprite-scaled racer since”ย Out Runย “to truly capture the gaming public’s imagination”.
The home computer conversions were also mostly well received by critics. The 16-bit Amiga and Atari ST versions received positive reviews, while the 8-bit ZX Spectrum and Amstrad CPC conversions received high review scores and are generally recognised as the most accurate and most playable of the Ocean Software home computer releases. All three of the ZX Spectrum magazines awarded it 94% or above, praising the speed of the game and the originality.ย Crashย gave the game 95%, whileย Sinclair Userย awarded it 96%. On the other hand, the 8-bit Commodore 64 conversion received a generally negative reception.
The Master System conversion was well received by critics.ย Computer and Video Gamesย said the “gameplay is as exciting as it was in the arcades” and “the high-speed thrills of this conversion” makes this game worth to look at it.
Accolades
At Japan’s 1989ย Gamestย Awards, the arcade version was nominated forย Hit Game of the Year, for which it was voted 10th place.ย According to an Ocean Software advert in 1989, the arcade version was voted Arcade Game of the Year.
At the 1989/1990ย Golden Joystick Awards, the 8-bit home computer versions were awarded Best 8-Bit Coin-Op Conversion and Best 8-Bit Soundtrack. The Spectrum version also toppedย Computer and Video Games‘ย “The Best Games of ’89” list (along withย Super Mario Bros. 2).ย The Spectrum version was voted number 1 in theย Your Sinclairย poll ofย Readers’ Top 100 Games of All Timeย in 1993.
Records
Brian Kuhย fromย Weirs Beach, New Hampshireย holds the official arcade world record with a score of 3,596,680 points achieved on 1 June 2006 atย Funspot Family Fun Center,ย Weirs Beach, New Hampshire. Robert Gray fromย Dumfriesshire,ย Scotlandย holds the officialย MAMEย world record with a score of 11,490,280 points achieved on 13 June 2010.
Legacy
Chase H.Q.ย was successful enough to earn two arcade-based sequels – the widely releasedย Special Criminal Investigationย released in 1989 and the extremely rareย Super Chase: Criminal Terminationย released in 1992. It also earned two spin-offs – theย run and gunย Crime City, and theย quizย gameย Quiz H.Q..
Special Criminal Investigationย expands on the original with the addition of guns – the passenger can rise out of theย T-topย of hisย Nissan 300ZX Z32ย and shoot at oncoming targets. To take advantage of this, enemies are placed throughout the level and will attempt to shoot at or ram the player as they attempt to pursue the main criminal. Deviating from the relatively realistic tracks on offer in the original, the sequel features pursuits through waterfalls and unfinished sections of elevated highway.
Super Chase: Criminal Terminationย was the third arcade release in theย Chase H.Q.ย series, released in 1992.
The 1997ย PlayStationย gameย Ray Tracers, developed and released by Taito, has been described as “more or less a follow up” to the game, with “only a few differences” such as a different speed-boost system and a greater variety of targets.
In February 2006,ย Chase H.Q.: Nancy Yori Kinkyuu Renrakuย (Chase H.Q. – An Urgent Call From Nancy) was presented at the Arcade Operator’s Union (AOU) trade show inย Tokyo. It was shown again at AOU 2007. The game was released asย Chase H.Q. 2ย in December 2007.
Saint Etienneย recorded a demo dance track called “Chase HQ” that was inspired byย Chase H.Q.ย It includes samples of the “Oh man!” and “Punch the pedal!” exclamations from the game action. The track was released as a bonus track on the 2009 Deluxe reissue of the band’s 1991 album,ย Foxbase Alpha.
Chase HQ‘s gameplay, which involved ramming the enemy car while avoiding oncoming traffic, has been cited as a precursor to the gameplay of later titles such asย Driverย andย Burnout.
