Red Alarm
You are mankind's last hope. An angry computer system known as KAOS is bent on destroying all of humanity and has released its robotic armies onto our world. The only weapon left to fight KAOS is a Tech-Wing Fighter, a small spacecraft with a deadly arsenal at its disposal. Your mission is to infiltrate KAOS from within -- destroying any and all resistance in the process.
Red Alarm is a 3D shooter in every sense of the word. Travel freely through space avoiding weapon systems and enemy fighters while making your way toward the ultimate showdown with KAOS. At the end of each stage, you will encounter a boss character; once cleared, you are free to watch replays of your actions from multiple camera angles. The Tech-Wing Fighter is equipped with standard shields, homing missiles and a rapid-fire cannon.
Four power-up items are dispersed throughout the levels, allowing you to upgrade your basic weapons and shields as well as adding boosters and bonus points to your score. If you are unhappy with the default view of behind the ship, you can also choose a tight view (bringing you closer behind the craft), cockpit view or a three-quarter top view. Suit up soldier, KAOS awaits! ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide
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Product Details
| UPC: | 045496770044 |
|---|---|
| Release Date: | 1994 |
| Platform: | Nintendo Virtual Boy |
| Genre: | Simulation |
| Style: | Space Combat Simulation |
Review
Red Alarm is an intense 3D shooter that almost overwhelms you with so much going on at once. While for most games in the genre this is positive, for Red Alarm it becomes rather disorienting. If you are looking for a Virtual Boy game to make you bump into the furniture immediately after playing, this is it. The problem stems from the way the graphics are presented.All objects are detailed wire-frames, meaning the game is drawn using only straight lines, similar to the arcade classic Battlezone. This makes structures hard to see because there is empty space between the lines defining them. Add multiple enemy fighters and ground defenses into the mix, and it can be very difficult to navigate your ship, especially when you are trying to fight back! You will have to concentrate very hard to take in all the game throws at you if you plan on making it through unscathed.
Still, the game does deliver a true sense of depth like you've never experienced from a home console until now. You can fly into the background by speeding up -- or stop on a dime and fly in reverse -- with a simple button press. There are also multiple camera angles that can help you navigate, but the default view (behind the ship) is the most effective.
The cockpit mode would have been perfect if not for one glaring fault: you can't tell the outline of your ship, making it easy to crash into obstacles you think you've cleared. In addition, the game is filled with surrounding walls that make it difficult to negotiate in this mode -- if you were flying in open space it would be much more practical.
It's really hard to fault the developers of this game, as they have created a very detailed setting for which to fight in. Walls have faces stretching out of them like a scene from The Abyss, there are several interesting bosses to combat, and you'll even hear some speech. Deep down there is a fine shooter that is simply hard to enjoy due to the limitations of the hardware...and that is truly a shame. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide
Credits
| Name | Role |
|---|---|
| T&E Soft, Inc. | Developer |
| Nintendo of America, Inc. | Manufacturer/Publisher |
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© 2009 All Media Guide, LLC. Content provided by All Game Guide®, a trademark of All Media Guide, LLC. 
