MobyRank MobyScore
PlayStation
...
3.2
Xbox 360
81
3.3
SEGA Saturn
...
3.3

Description

Aliens have landed in futuristic Los Angeles and it's up to the Duke to bring the pain and show them the door. After the initial entries of side-scrolling platform games, Duke Nukem 3D introduced a first-person perspective to the series and turned the game in a full-fledged shooter with 2.5D graphics.

Duke's arsenal includes pistols, pipe bombs, laser trip mines, Nordenfelt guns, a chain gun and various rocket launchers, but also his mighty foot to kick enemies. The game sports a high level of interactivity. Many objects in the environment can be broken or interacted with, such as pool tables, arcade machines, glass, light switches and security cameras. As a mature game, the protagonist is also able to hand strippers a dollars to have them remove their top.

The character, voiced by Jon St. John, also regularly delivers commentary on the events through one liners. There are 28 levels, divided over three episodes, set in locations such as streets, a church, a space station, a Japanese villa, a football field and many modern environments. Enemies mainly include aliens, mutated humans and members of the police force that have been turned into Pig Cops. Next to weapons, Duke also has access to medikits, steroids to enhance his speed, nightvision, protective boots, a hologram known as the holoduke, and a jet pack to reach higher areas. Most of the gameplay is action-oriented, but there is also an amount of puzzles needed to progress or access secret areas.

The game includes network play through the IPX protocol, for deathmatch and cooperative games.

Alternate Titles

  • "毀滅公爵" -- Chinese DOS spelling (traditional)
  • "Duke Nukum 3D" -- Working title
  • "Duke Nukem: Total Meltdown" -- US PlayStation title
  • "Duke Nukem" -- European PlayStation title
  • "Duke3D" -- Informal title
  • "デューク ニューケム トータル メルトダウン" -- Japanese PlayStation spelling

Part of the Following Groups


Merchant Title Platform Price  
Amazon
Duke Nukem: Total Meltdown PlayStation    
Duke Nukem 3D SEGA Saturn $20.00  
Duke Nukem 3D DOS $4.28  
ebay.com
Duke Nukem 3D    
GOG
Duke Nukem 3D: Atomic Edition $5.99  
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User Reviews

The Most Original and Fun FPS Yet DOS Halmanator Bronze Star Contributing Member (537)
The first game that can be legitimately called a Doom killer DOS Maw (827)
I want to be like Duke when I grow up. DOS Zovni (9205)
Parallel to Quake - and pretty much the last good 2.5D game. DOS Quackbal (46)
The last great 2.5D game. DOS Smackmud (5)
"My name's Duke Nukem...and I'm coming to get the rest of you alien bastards..." DOS Mr. Me (36)
It's time to kick ass and chew bubble-gum... and I'm all out of gum. DOS Steve Hall Bronze Star Contributing Member (322)
The best damned 2.5D shooter out there. DOS Andy Voss (1633)
Memorable and innovative: the second great FPS DOS Chris Wright (93)
The most fun FPS game to play DOS Steve . (138)

The Press Says

High Score DOS Apr, 1996 5 out of 5 100
Electric Games DOS 1996 98 out of 100 98
1UP Xbox 360 Sep 26, 2008 A- 91
Absolute Playstation PlayStation Jan, 1998 89 out of 100 89
GameFocus Xbox 360 Sep 29, 2008 8.1 out of 10 81
Jolt (UK) Xbox 360 Oct 13, 2008 8 out of 10 80
PC Player (Germany) DOS Jun, 1996 4 Stars4 Stars4 Stars4 Stars4 Stars 80
JeuxVideoPC.com DOS Dec 21, 2003 16 out of 20 80
HonestGamers DOS Nov 02, 2007 7 out of 10 70
PlayDevil Xbox 360 Jan 08, 2009 3 Stars3 Stars3 Stars3 Stars3 Stars 60

Forums

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Trivia

There is an interesting story regarding the Australian release of Duke Nukem 3D.

The OFLC, the Office of Film and Literature classification, refused to classify the uncensored version, which was distributed in the US as well as the UK. The local distributors were told that Duke3D would not pass inspection of its uncensored form, so they released a crippled version with all violence, nudity, and language removed. Furthermore, the adult lock feature was permanently switched on.

Later, die-hard gamers developed a crack that allowed access to the uncensored version, and gamers were playing the proper game in no time. When the OFLC found out that this was happening, they recalled the game for reclassification and all copies of the game were withdrawn from sale around the country.

A court found that the censors had exceeded their authority, and irritated by the controversy, the distributors encourage people to sign a petition that asked for an R18+ classification to be added to computer games, but its fate is unknown.

In April 1997, the censors decided to release the US uncensored version of Duke3D, but it is unclear why the OFLC changed their minds - whether it had been due to the new Classification Board membership, or to slightly political attitudes that changed regarding computer games.

Source: http://anthonylarme.tripod.com/phantas/phdanger.html


This entry was contributed by Picard (24457), Trixter Bronze Star Contributing Member (8860), keth (179), Sciere Bronze Star Contributing Member (126942) and murcalumis (714)
 

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