What better way to celebrate the carnage of Christmas than with a game like Dynamite Deka? Dynamite Deka (also known as Die Hard Arcade outside Japan where this game received a movie license), Sega were able to bring arcade beat ’em up action to the Sega Saturn. Developed by AMI and Sega Technical Institute, the game was developed with the movie license in mind and is considered the first 3D Beat ’em up to use texture-mapped graphics. Even though the arcade and home console versions were developed at the same time, Die Hard Arcade hit the arcades in 1996, ahead of the Sega Saturn release in 1997.
Not necessarily very seasonal, Dynamite Deka does feel like a Die Hard film (excluding the robot spiders). You play as Bruno ‘Mister Dynamite’ Delinger in one player, with Cindy joining you in two-player mode. The building is packed with terrorists… and giant robot spiders, but you’ve got plenty of weapons at your disposal as well as an extensive move roster. Nearly anything in the environment can be used as a weapon, mops, poles, barrels and a grandfather clock. You also get an incredible array of rifles, missile launchers and the humble handgun. If you’re carrying a handgun, it’s possible to arrest the bad guys, saving you the fight.
What else was out there?
As far as Beat ’em up games go, Dynamite Deka is unique as one of the firsts (and looking at the Saturn library, only) fully 3D examples of the genre. On the Sega Saturn games like Batman Forever, Guardian Heroes and Dungeons & Dragons show us how capable the system was at delivering incredible 2D experiences.
On systems like the Sony Playstation, Fighting Force was released around the same time, originally developed as a concept for Streets of Rage 4. In my opinion, Fighting Force allows a lot more movement and interaction with the environments. Overall it feels like a much more polished game. Dynamite Deka has a broader move set and sense of humour, but the core gameplay consists of clearing room-after-room with quick-time events and cut-scenes to help link areas.
Over on the Sega Dreamcast we got to see Sega revisit the franchise with Dynamite Cop! (Dynamite Deka 2 in Japan). The plot is nearly the same, terrorists take over X and you need to save the President’s daughter, but there’s significantly more weapons, items and a change of scenery. We also got to see games like Zombie Revenge on the Dreamcast, taking the world of House of the Dead, and giving us the opportunity to beat up zombies with our fists.
Looking for something to colour in?
For Christmas this year, we already released a custom Christmas Card designed using Sega’s Art Alive. I wanted to keep the magic alive and offer a picture of Sad Santa you can print and colour-in at home! I’d love to see your artwork over on Instagram and Facebook, just tag me so I can see it too. Instagram: leftover_culture_review
