Game of the Day - Total Carnage

Of all the games I've found on MAME that I never played in the arcades, Total Carnage is in my top 5 favorites.  To be fair, Total Carnage is a dual joystick game in the mold of (and closely related to) Smash T.V.,  and I'm a sucker for dual joystick games.

Just like Robotron or previous GOTD - Black Widow or Smash T.V., you move with the left joystick and shoot the direction you want with the right js.  It is an age old (yet not done often enough) control scheme that I find to be very enjoyable.  There is one added control wrinkle in Total Carnage not in those other games, you can toss bombs/grenades by pushing the start button (with what, your dick?).

Of course the controls alone don't make a great game.  Total Carnage is presented in a very colorful, cartoony and humorous way.  The graphics of the landscape, your enemies, the explosions and especially your powered up weapons are very crisp, sharp and fun to see.  The upgrades to your weapons come in several varieties and there are bombs to collect everywhere.  But that's not all...

In addition to killing enemies, vehicles (that you are constantly trying to avoid) and collecting power-ups and bombs, there are a few other things to look out for...


1. Human hostages - (rescue them if you feel like it - except the whiny kids.  The game keeps count)
2. Teleporters - Spinning discs that transport you immediately to another (finite) area (you'll come back)
3. Password teleporters - If you have the passwords, you can jump to specific areas
4. Keys - collect 220 for the "surprise" ending
5. Land Mines - Don't run into them or you will be blown sky high (although it's fun to see)
6. Direction choices - In many areas you get to choose where you go next

Total Carnage is an action-packed, eye-candy-laden, exhilarating game that is just about the most pure fun I've had on MAME.

Oh, one other thing, it's BITCH hard.