Front Line (video game)
| Front Line | |
|---|---|
| Developer(s) | Taito |
| Publisher(s) | Taito |
| Designer(s) | Tetsuya Sasaki |
| Platform(s) | Arcade (original) Atari 2600, ColecoVision, FM-7, MSX, NES/Famicom, PC-6001, PC-8801, PC-9801, Sharp X1 |
| Release date(s) |
Arcade
|
| Genre(s) | Run and gun |
| Mode(s) | Single player, multiplayer |
| Arcade system | Taito SJ System |
| Display | Raster |
| Review score | |
|---|---|
| Publication | Score |
| AllGame | Arcade:   Coleco:  Atari:
|
| Award | |
|---|---|
| Publication | Award |
| Arcade Awards (1983) | Coin-Op Game of the Year (Certificate of Merit) |
Front Line (フロントライン Furonto Rain?) is a military-themed run & gun shooter game released by Taito for arcades in 1982. It was one of the first video games to feature a ground combat theme and grenades, a precursor to many similarly-themed games of the mid to late 1980s. The original arcade version of Front Line consists of a joystick, a single button, and a rotary dial that can be pushed in like a button. The single button is used to throw grenades and to enter and exit tanks, while the rotary dial controls and fires the player's gun.
The game was created by Tetsuya Sasaki. He was influenced by Space Invaders and Galaga. 1985's Ikari Warriors follows the conventions established by Front Line, including the vertically scrolling levels, entering/exiting tanks, and not dying when an occupied tank is destroyed.
Playing as a lone soldier, the player's ultimate objective is to lob a hand grenade into the enemy's fort, first by fighting off infantry units and then battling an armada of tanks before finally reaching the opponent's compound.
The player begins with two weapons: a pistol and grenades. The ammunition supply for both items is unlimited, so there is no need to acquire ammunition during gameplay. Once the player has advanced far enough into enemy territory, there's a "tank warfare" stage in which the player commandeers tanks to fight off enemy tanks.
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Wikipedia