Virtua Cop

aka: Virtua Squad
Moby ID: 5022
Arcade Specs
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Conversion (official) Included in Special Edition See Also

Description official description

Virtua Cop is a light gun rail shooter and first game in the series. Cast as one of two brave cops, players are charged with bringing down an evil crime syndicate that is running riot in some unspecified town.

Dropped into a series of locations, one or two players must arm up and shoot their way through three death filled levels, in an attempt to restore peace and order. Played from a first person perspective view, players can use keys or joypad, to aim and fire at the multitude of sharp shooters who come gunning for them. Starting the game armed with just a trusty old six-shooter, players can pick up more powerful, state-of-the-art weapons -- such as machine guns and shotguns -- as they progress. As these are hidden away in crates and the like, finding these weapons is an important part of the game and they can give players extra firepower when they most need it. In particular, such weapons can be extremely useful when trying to take on the customary end-of-level bosses. Made of stern stuff, you'll need all the help you can get in dispatching them off to hell.

Spellings

  • バーチャコップ - Japanese spelling

Groups +

Screenshots

Promos

Credits (Arcade version)

16 People

Main Programmer and Director
Main Design
2nd Programmer
Programmers
Designers
Sound Composer
Design Support
Planning Support
Cabinet Design
  • AM R and D Dept 4
Supervisor
Presented by
  • SEGA
Innocents in game

Reviews

Critics

Average score: 76% (based on 39 ratings)

Players

Average score: 3.9 out of 5 (based on 43 ratings with 1 reviews)

Still an action packed ride

The Good
The best thing about this game is how it holds up by today's standards. The reasons for this game standing the test of time are the graphics and smooth frame rate. Not only does it manage to be one of the better looking 3D Saturn titles but it keeps the action moving at a solid fps.

The action in this game is one of the most gripping factors. The gameplay ensures the game has your attention throughout and the fact that you can add more lives and credits allows for the game to be played at your own pace and to set to your own challenge.

The Bad
The main downside to this game is the fact that it only features 3 levels. While these levels all feel unique it does limit the game's scope drastically. The game can be beaten within the first hour of gameplay, especially if you don't care about beating all three levels in one sitting.

The level situation is worsened by the replay value. While the game is a blast there is next to no reason to replay any levels. You could try to beat the game without using as many continues or do all three levels in one sitting but that is the only replay factor here.

The last negative for this game is the controller. If you are playing on a modern TV you are going to be stuck with the controller and while it is an option it will mean you are gonna be facing a much harder challenge.

The Bottom Line
Despite all the negatives mentioned this game is an absolute blast and well worth playing today. The game succeeds in standing out from games released at the same time but also in feeling truly special and something worth coming back to for a quick level or two.

SEGA Saturn · by Thomas Crew (10) · 2021

Trivia

On March 27, 1997, Virtua Cop was put on the infamous German index by the BPjS. For more information about what this means and to see a list of games sharing the same fate, take a look here: BPjS/BPjM indexed games.

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Related Games

Virtua Cop 2
Released 1996 on SEGA Saturn, Windows, Dreamcast
Virtua Cop (Stunner Bundle)
Released 1995 on SEGA Saturn
Virtua Athlete 2000
Released 2000 on Dreamcast, 2002 on Arcade
Virtua Racing
Released 1992 on Arcade, Genesis, 2019 on Nintendo Switch
Virtua Fighter Remix
Released 1995 on Arcade, 1995 on SEGA Saturn, 1996 on Windows
Virtua Tennis
Released 1999 on Arcade, 2000 on Dreamcast, 2002 on Windows
Virtua Racing Deluxe
Released 1994 on SEGA 32X
Virtua Striker 2002
Released 2002 on Arcade, GameCube
Virtua Striker 2
Released 1999 on Dreamcast, 2000 on Arcade

Identifiers +

  • MobyGames ID: 5022
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Contributors to this Entry

Game added by James1.

Arcade added by chirinea. SEGA Saturn added by Kartanym.

Additional contributors: Xoleras, ケヴィン.

Game added September 24, 2001. Last modified March 15, 2024.