View source for Software:RoboCop (1988 video game)

{{Infobox video game
| title         = RoboCop
| image         = RoboCop arcade flyer.jpg
| caption       = North American arcade flyer.
| developer     = {{collapsible list|title=[[Company:Data East|Data East]]|titlestyle=font-weight:normal;font-size:inherit;background:transparent;text-align:left|{{ubl|[[Company:Data East|Data East]]|{{small|(Arcade)}}|[[Company:Ocean Software|Ocean Software]] {{small|(Amiga/Atari ST/C64/Game Boy/DOS/MSX/ZX Spectrum)}}|[[Company:Quicksilver Software|Quicksilver Software]] {{small|(Apple II)}}|AGC Hamburg {{small|(CPC)}}|Sakata SAS {{small|(NES)}}|[[Company:Tandy Corporation|Tandy Corporation]] {{small|(TRS-80 CoCo)}}}}}}
| publisher     = {{collapsible list|title=Data East|titlestyle=font-weight:normal;font-size:inherit;background:transparent;text-align:left|{{ubl|Data East {{small|(Arcade/DOS/NES/Apple II)}}|Ocean Software {{small|(Amiga/Atari ST/C64/CPC/ZX Spectrum)}}|Erbe Software {{small|(DOS/MSX)}}|Tandy Corporation {{small|(TRS-80 CoCo)}}|'''Game Boy'''{{vgrelease|[[Earth:North America|NA]]/[[Earth:Europe|EU]]|Ocean Software|JP|[[Company:Epic Records Japan|Epic/Sony Records]]}}}}}}
| designer      = Yoshiyuki Urushibara<br>Tomo Adachi
| programmer    = {{ubl|Ryōji Minagawa|Mr. Deco Men|Kenji Takahashi|S. Tamura|Masaaki Tamura}}
| artist        = {{ubl|Tomo Adachi|Asami Kaneko|Mix Man|Yoshinari Kaiho}}
| composer      = {{ubl|Hiroaki Yoshida|Hitomi Komatsu|Hiroyuki}}
| series        = ''RoboCop''
| platforms     = [[Software:Arcade video game|Arcade]], [[Engineering:Amiga|Amiga]], Amstrad CPC, Apple II, [[Engineering:Atari ST|Atari ST]], [[Engineering:Commodore 64|Commodore 64]], [[Engineering:Game Boy|Game Boy]], [[Software:MS-DOS|MS-DOS]], [[Engineering:MSX|MSX]], [[Engineering:Nintendo Entertainment System|NES]], [[Engineering:TRS-80 Color Computer|TRS-80 Color Computer]], [[Engineering:ZX Spectrum|ZX Spectrum]]
| released      = {{collapsible list|title=1988|titlestyle=font-weight:normal;font-size:inherit;background:transparent;text-align:left|'''Arcade'''{{vgrelease|JP|1988|WW|1988}} '''Amstrad CPC, MSX'''{{vgrelease|EU|1988}} '''Apple II'''{{vgrelease|NA|1988}} '''ZX Spectrum'''{{vgrelease|EU|1988}} '''Commodore 64'''{{vgrelease|EU|1988|NA|1989}} '''Atari ST'''{{vgrelease|EU|1989}} '''DOS, TRS-80 CoCo'''{{vgrelease|NA|1989}} '''Amiga'''{{vgrelease|EU|1989|NA|1990}} '''NES''' {{vgrelease|JP|25 August 1989<ref>{{cite web|url=http://tk-nz.game.coocan.jp/gamedatabase/software/DB_NTC1_FC1989.html|title=FAMICOM Soft > 1989|publisher=GAME Data Room|access-date=2018-09-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161020234721/http://tk-nz.game.coocan.jp/gamedatabase/software/DB_NTC1_FC1989.html|archive-date=2016-10-20|url-status=live}}</ref>|NA|19 December 1989|EU|25 April 1991}} '''Game Boy'''{{vgrelease|NA|December 1990|EU|1990|JP|1 March 1991<ref>{{cite web|url=http://tk-nz.game.coocan.jp/gamedatabase/software/DB_NTM1_GB1991.html|title=GAMEBOY Soft > 1991|publisher=GAME Data Room|access-date=2018-09-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180909112249/http://tk-nz.game.coocan.jp/gamedatabase/software/DB_NTM1_GB1991.html|archive-date=2018-09-09|url-status=live}}</ref>}}}}
| genre         = [[Software:Beat 'em up|Beat 'em up]], run and gun
| modes         = [[Software:Single-player video game|Single-player]]<br>[[Software:Multiplayer video game|Multiplayer]] {{small|(not in all versions)}}
| arcade system = Data East MEC-M1<ref name="s16">{{cite web|url=http://www.system16.com/hardware.php?id=939&page=1#18908|title=Data East MEC-M1 Hardware (Data East)|website=system16.com|date=2015-02-12|access-date=2018-09-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170921003840/http://system16.com/hardware.php?id=939&page=1#18908|archive-date=2017-09-21|url-status=live}}</ref>
}}
'''''RoboCop''''' is a [[Software:Beat 'em up|beat 'em up]] / run and gun video game developed and published by [[Company:Data East|Data East]] for [[Software:Arcade video game|arcades]] in 1988 based on the 1987 film of the same name.<ref name="ah">{{cite web|url=https://www.arcade-history.com/?n=robocop-the-future-of-law-enforcement&page=detail&id=2240|title=RoboCop - The Future of Law Enforcement|website=arcade-history.com|access-date=2018-09-12|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180912131312/https://www.arcade-history.com/?n=robocop-the-future-of-law-enforcement&page=detail&id=2240|archive-date=2018-09-12|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="MBASICM76">{{cite magazine|last=Kenjō|first=Kōji|url=https://archive.org/stream/micomBASIC_1988-10#page/n249/mode/2up|title=Video Games - ビデオゲーム新作インフォメーション|magazine=Micom BASIC Magazine|issue=76|publisher=The Dempa Shimbunsha Corporation|date=October 1988|pages=268–269|lang=ja}}</ref> It was sub-licensed to Data East by [[Company:Ocean Software|Ocean Software]], who obtained the rights from Orion Pictures at the script stage.<ref name="EGtmor">{{cite web|last=Mason|first=Graeme|url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2014-01-19-the-making-of-robocop|title=The making of Robocop - Thank you for your co-operation|publisher=Eurogamer|date=January 19, 2014|access-date=2018-09-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180906130259/https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2014-01-19-the-making-of-robocop|archive-date=2018-09-06|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="RG46">{{cite magazine|last=Mellor|first=Robert|url=http://www.retrogamer.net/retro_games80/the-making-of-robocop/|title=The Making Of: RoboCop|magazine=Retro Gamer|issue=46|publisher=Future Publishing|date=January 2008|pages=62–65|access-date=2018-09-05|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202002640/http://www.retrogamer.net/retro_games80/the-making-of-robocop/|archive-date=2017-02-02|url-status=live}}</ref> Data East and Ocean Software subsequently adapted the arcade game for [[Engineering:Home computer|home computer]]s.

The game was a critical and commercial success. The arcade game was the highest-grossing arcade game of 1988 in Hong Kong, and reached number-two on Japan's monthly ''Game Machine'' arcade charts. On home computers, the game sold over {{nowrap|1 million}} copies worldwide, and it was especially successful in the United Kingdom where it was the best-selling home computer game of the 1980s.

== Gameplay ==
[[File:Robocoparc.png|thumb|left|Arcade screenshot]]

The gameplay is similar to Data East's arcade game ''[[Software:Bad Dudes Vs. DragonNinja|Bad Dudes Vs. DragonNinja]]'', released earlier the same year.<ref name="CVG">{{cite magazine |title=Arcade Action: RoboCop |magazine=Computer and Video Games |date=November 1988 |issue=86 (December 1988) |pages=149–52 |url=https://archive.org/details/cvg-magazine-086/page/n148}}</ref> ''Robocop'' includes elements from both [[Software:Beat 'em up|beat 'em up]] and run and gun video games.

== Release ==
In 1988, Ocean adapted Data East's ''Robocop'' arcade game for 8-bit home computers, converting much of the arcade game while also adding original content to make it different from the arcade original.<ref name="RG46" /> This version was produced for the [[Engineering:Commodore 64|Commodore 64]], [[Engineering:MSX|MSX]], [[Engineering:ZX Spectrum|ZX Spectrum]], [[Engineering:TRS-80 Color Computer#Color Computer 3 (1986–1991)|TRS-80 Color Computer 3]], Amstrad CPC, and [[Software:MS-DOS|MS-DOS]], meaning that home computers ended up with two different versions of ''Robocop'' for North American and European audiences.

Ports for the Apple II, [[Engineering:Amiga|Amiga]], and [[Engineering:Atari ST|Atari ST]]; ports for DOS, [[Engineering:Nintendo Entertainment System|NES]], and TRS-80 Color Computer 3 followed in 1989. The Apple II and IBM PC ports were developed by Quicksilver Software, while the Amiga and Atari ST versions were developed directly by Ocean. The NES version was developed primarily by Data East with programming handled by Sakata SAS Co, and Ocean ported and published a version for the [[Engineering:Game Boy|Game Boy]] in 1990. A port of the game for the Atari Jaguar was planned but never released.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.jaysmith2000.com/|title=Atari Jaguar Sector II Forum Link|website=jaysmith2000.com|access-date=September 5, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061202130245/http://www.jaysmith2000.com/|archive-date=December 2, 2006|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.janatari.de/atari-jaguar/jaguar-lost-games/|title=Atari Jaguar Lost Games|website=janatari.de|access-date=2018-09-05|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180906052745/https://www.janatari.de/atari-jaguar/jaguar-lost-games/|archive-date=2018-09-06|url-status=live}}</ref>

Data East published the game in North America.

{{Clear}}

== Reception ==
{{Video game reviews
| CVG = 95%<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.worldofspectrum.org/showmag.cgi?mag=C+VG/Issue087/Pages/CVG08700042.jpg |title=Archive - Magazine viewer |publisher=World of Spectrum |access-date=August 20, 2012}}</ref>
| CRASH = 92%<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.worldofspectrum.org/showmag.cgi?mag=Crash/Issue59/Pages/Crash5900024.jpg |title=Archive - Magazine viewer |publisher=World of Spectrum |access-date=August 20, 2012}}</ref>
| SUser = 94%<ref name="worldofspectrum1">{{cite web |url=http://www.worldofspectrum.org/showmag.cgi?mag=SinclairUser/Issue082/Pages/SinclairUser08200013.jpg |title=Archive - Magazine viewer |publisher=World of Spectrum |access-date=August 20, 2012}}</ref>
| YSinclair = 8/10<ref>{{cite web |url=http://ysrnry.co.uk/articles/robocop.htm |title=Robocop |publisher=Ysrnry.co.uk |access-date=August 20, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120419095554/http://www.ysrnry.co.uk/articles/robocop.htm |archive-date=April 19, 2012 }}</ref>
| rev1 = ''ACE''
| rev1Score = 807/1000<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.worldofspectrum.org/showmag.cgi?mag=ACE/Issue16/Pages/ACE1600103.jpg |title=Archive - Magazine viewer |publisher=World of Spectrum |access-date=August 20, 2012}}</ref>
| rev2 = ''The Games Machine''
| rev2Score = 81%<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.worldofspectrum.org/showmag.cgi?mag=TheGamesMachine/Issue15/Pages/TheGamesMachine1500045.jpg |title=Archive - Magazine viewer |publisher=World of Spectrum |access-date=August 20, 2012}}</ref>
| award1Pub = ''Crash''
| award1 = Crash Smash
| award2Pub = ''Computer and Video Games''
| award2 = Game of the Month
}}

''RoboCop'' was a commercial success in arcades, especially in Hong Kong where it was the highest-grossing arcade game of 1988.<ref>{{cite magazine|date=6 April 1989|title=The World's Largest Arcade|url=https://archive.org/details/ACE_Issue_20_1989-05_Future_Publishing_GB/page/n22/mode/1up|magazine=ACE|issue=20 (May 1989)|page=23}}</ref> In Japan, ''Game Machine'' listed ''RoboCop'' on their February 1, 1989 issue as being the second most-successful table arcade unit of the month.<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Game Machine's Best Hit Games 25 - テーブル型TVゲーム機 (Table Videos)|magazine=Game Machine|issue=349|publisher=Amusement Press, Inc.|date=1 February 1989|page=25|lang=ja}}</ref>

On home computers, the game sold over {{nowrap|1 million}} copies worldwide. It was especially successful in the United Kingdom, where it was the best-selling home computer game of the 1980s.<ref name="RG46"/> The [[Engineering:ZX Spectrum|ZX Spectrum]] version in particular was the best-selling home video game of 1989.<ref name="CVG98">{{Cite magazine|date=16 December 1989|title=The Best Games of '89|url=https://archive.org/stream/cvg-magazine-098/CVG_098_Jan_1990#page/n7/mode/2up|magazine=Computer and Video Games|issue=98 (January 1990)|page=9}}</ref> The ZX Spectrum ''RoboCop'' was one of the biggest selling games of all time on that platform and remained in the Spectrum software sales charts for over a year and a half;<ref>[http://www.ysrnry.co.uk/articles/completeguidetoshootemups2.htm "The YS Complete Guide To Shoot-'em-ups Part II"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070701223341/http://www.ysrnry.co.uk/articles/completeguidetoshootemups2.htm |date=July 1, 2007 }} from ''Your Sinclair'' issue 56, August 1990; retrieved from The Your Sinclair Rock 'n' Roll Years</ref> it entered the charts in December 1988<ref name='newcomputerexpress241288'>{{cite magazine |title=Top Twenty Full Price Games|magazine=New Computer Express|issue=|publisher=Future Publishing|date=24 December 1988|page=|url=https://archive.org/details/NH2021_New_Computer_Express_Issue007.pdf/page/n1/mode/2up|access-date=1 December 2021}}</ref> and was still in the top five in February 1991.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://ysrnry.co.uk/ys62.htm |title=The YS Rock'n'Roll Years - Issue 62 |publisher=Ysrnry.co.uk |access-date=August 20, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120907211825/http://www.ysrnry.co.uk/ys62.htm |archive-date=September 7, 2012 }}</ref> It also topped the UK all-format charts for a record 36 weeks until it was knocked off the number one position by ''Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade'' in August 1989.<ref name='newcomputerexpress090989'>{{cite magazine |title=Indy Topples Robocop|magazine=New Computer Express|issue=|publisher=Future Publishing|date=9 September 1989|page=|url=https://archive.org/details/NH2021_New_Computer_Express_Issue044.pdf/page/n2/mode/1up|access-date=1 December 2021}}</ref>

The arcade game was critically well-received.<ref name="CVG"/> The ZX Spectrum version also achieved critical acclaim, receiving a CRASH Smash award from ''CRASH'',<ref>[http://www.crashonline.org.uk/59/robocop.htm ''RoboCop''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180828135227/http://www.crashonline.org.uk/59/robocop.htm |date=2018-08-28 }} review from ''CRASH'' issue 59,  December 1988; retrieved from CRASH Online</ref> 94% in ''Sinclair User''<ref name="worldofspectrum1"/> and ''Your Sinclair'' gave 8.8 out of 10,<ref>[http://www.ysrnry.co.uk/articles/robocop.htm ''RoboCop''] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070301152113/http://www.ysrnry.co.uk/articles/robocop.htm |date=March 1, 2007 }} review from ''Your Sinclair'' issue 39, March 1989; retrieved from The Your Sinclair Rock 'n' Roll Years</ref> also placing it at number 94 in the ''Your Sinclair'' official top 100. The overall opinion was that it captures the original material, with smooth scrolling and animation, sampled speech and sound effects highlighted.

The readers of ''YS'' voted it the 9th best game of all time.<ref>Your Sinclair magazine issue 93, Future Publishing, September 1993, page 58</ref>

The title theme of the Ocean Software versions (composed by Jonathan Dunn) has become well known for its serene, calm tune, which heavily contrasted the tone of both the actual game and the source material; the version of the theme heard in the Game Boy port was later licensed by European kitchen appliance company Ariston for use in a series of TV adverts.<ref name="Robosong">{{cite news |last1=Person |first1=Chris |title=What do Robocop, Washing Machines, Dilbert & Lil B have in Common? |url=http://kotaku.com/5885431/what-do-robocop-washing-machines-dilbert--lil-b-have-in-common |access-date=October 25, 2016 |work=Kotaku |date=February 16, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161026075359/http://kotaku.com/5885431/what-do-robocop-washing-machines-dilbert--lil-b-have-in-common |archive-date=2016-10-26 |url-status=live }}</ref> The song was also used as the theme song for Charlie Brooker's documentary ''How Videogames Changed the World'',<ref>{{cite news |last1=Whitehead |first1=Dan |title=TV review: How Videogames Changed the World |url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2013-12-05-tv-review-how-videogames-changed-the-world |access-date=October 25, 2016 |work=Eurogamer |date=December 5, 2013 |language=en-UK |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161025111155/http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2013-12-05-tv-review-how-videogames-changed-the-world |archive-date=2016-10-25 |url-status=live }}</ref> and was one of Brooker's selections on [[Desert Island Discs]]. It was also used as the music for the Internet short "Dilbert 3"<ref name="Robosong"/> and was sampled in Lil B's song "In Down Bad" from his mixtape "White Flame".<ref name="Robosong"/><ref>{{cite news |last1=Rougeau |first1=Michael |title=Gameboy "Robocop"'s Theme Song Also Sold Washers, Made Dilbert Homicidal And Got Sampled By Lil B |url=http://www.complex.com/pop-culture/2012/02/gameboy-robocops-theme-song-also-sold-washers-made-dilbert-homicidal-and-got-sampled-by-lil-b |access-date=October 25, 2016 |date=February 16, 2016 |work=Complex |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161026002528/http://www.complex.com/pop-culture/2012/02/gameboy-robocops-theme-song-also-sold-washers-made-dilbert-homicidal-and-got-sampled-by-lil-b |archive-date=2016-10-26 |url-status=live }}</ref>

{{clear}}

== References ==
{{reflist|30em}}

== External links ==
* {{moby game|id=/robocop|name=RoboCop (Data East)}}
* {{moby game|id=/robocop__|name=RoboCop (Ocean Software)}}
* {{IMDb title|tt0302975}}
*[https://archive.org/details/1989-11-computegazette/page/n37/mode/2up Review] in ''Compute!'s Gazette''
*[https://archive.org/details/rainbowmagazine-1990-05/page/n73/mode/2up Review] in ''The Rainbow''
*[https://archive.org/details/info-magazine-26/Info_Issue_26_1989_May_Jun/page/n59/mode/2up Review] in ''Info''


[[Category:Arcade video games]]
[[Category:DOS games]]
[[Category:Multiplayer and single-player video games]]
[[Category:Run and gun games]]

{{Sourceattribution|RoboCop (1988 video game)}}