Die Hard Arcade

aka: Dynamite Deka
Moby ID: 12828
Arcade Specs
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Conversion (official)

Description

Die Hard Arcade is a 3D beat 'em up game based on the first Die Hard movie. One or two players work their way up and down a skyscraper in attempting to rescue the President's kidnapped daughter. A large number of fighting moves are available through the simple controls of punch, kick and jump, plus movement. Many weapons are available from knives and broken bottles to machine guns and rocket launchers. Other objects can be picked up and used as weapons such as chairs, an aerosol and lighter combo and even a grandfather clock! Between several of the stages are reaction tests that require a button to be pressed quickly, usually punch, kick or jump. Failure means an extra fight has to be won often with little or no reward in terms of items. The climax sees the heroes fighting the mastermind (who has many swords on his person) on the roof of the skyscraper. Also included is an old Sega arcade game, Deep Scan, used to gain extra credits for the main game.

Spellings

  • ダイナマイト刑事 - Japanese spelling

Groups +

Screenshots

Credits (Arcade version)

40 People (23 developers, 17 thanks) · View all

Chief Programmer
Enemy Programmer
Sub Programmer
Chief Artist
Model Artist
Player Model Artist
Animation Artist
Back Ground Scr
Illustrator
Art Manager
Sound Director
Special Thanks
[ full credits ]

Reviews

Critics

Average score: 76% (based on 18 ratings)

Players

Average score: 3.7 out of 5 (based on 23 ratings with 3 reviews)

Takes some time to get into

The Good
Ask a Sega fan their favourite games, and it's very likely Streets of Rage 2 and Virtua Fighter 2 make the list. Ask if he'd like to have a mix of both games, and unless the answer is an enthusiastic "YES!", ask another, because he's not a true fan. OK, maybe that's a lie, but either way, both are among the most solid gaming experiences provided by the Japanese company during the 16 and 32 bit times.

Based on a ST-V game, (which is similar to the Saturn, so the experience should be the same with a good arcade stick), Die Hard Arcade promises that blend of classic side-scrolling brawlers with modern 3D arcade fighters, and delivers just as that, but only after the player tries, frustratingly, to play it as a vs. fighter and then an old-school brawler, and not before he learns all the combos and ways to save time or punish baddies in the meanest way possible. After that, it becomes a solid arcade experience, and even the "chore" of earning credits becomes fun. Details like arresting the terrorists using the handgun without starting a fight or finding a lighter and then use mace canisters as a mini-flamethrower work really well, and bring some depth to a genre where punch-punch-kick is the norm. There are a lot of moves, usually thrown in the same fashion as a 3D fighter, but the most hasty, button mashing players will miss the most exotic throws or moves.

The Bad
Due to technical limitations, the game barely plays like an old-school brawler - instead of sidescrolling though an alley, a street, a corridor or an elevator, the player visits a room (elevator entrance, toilet, lobby, office, etc), beats up a few baddies (usually not more than 4) and then proceeds to another room with a reflex sequence that requires the player to press a button to knock out a foe on the run (failing to do so means an avoidable fight). There's nothing wrong with this approach, but the reflex sequences could be a lot longer and more complex, instead of being a simple affair of pressing the right button. And the worst part of making them so small? After arresting and saving bigger weapons for the sub-bosses is mastered, the game can take less than 20 minutes to be cleared out. For an arcade, that's a lot of time. A lot. But for "home entertainment" it's not nearly enough to justify the (then) high price of the game. Other problem was a slight oversight when porting the game from ST-V's cartridges to Saturn's CDs. There are a lot of (very unspectacular) cutscenes, most of them no more than three seconds long, and all of them require some time to load data from the CD. Spending one second accessing data to see a dull cinematic doesn't cut it, and after a while, it's quite likely everyone will turn the things off altogether, as they add very little to the game, and even the Outro is a dull affair. Why don't they even explain why the characters lose their clothes between levels?

In a recent review, I've complained on how Virtua Fighter 2 saved too many things in bookeeping, requiring a lot of memory blocks. On the other hand, DHA saves nothing. Of course, options can be quickly changed, but saving them, keep track of the number of available credits, longest/shortest game and so on would take what, 10 blocks? Because of this, there aren't any unlockables - no fancy CG renders, an additional character, alternate routes, nothing.

The Bottom Line
Die Hard Arcade is a fun experience, but too short for it's own good. A regular play session shouldn't take more than 30 minutes, with no added replay value after each session other than to improve. While it plays and looks (except some of the brighter colours) well, there aren't any factors that make the game worthy of long sessions of play, which cuts down it's value on the long run. Still, it is worthy of a place in the "must see" list of the platform.

SEGA Saturn · by Luis Silva (13444) · 2006

A good game... "GOOD"

The Good
There are many good things about this game say for instance; the wide (for an arcade game) range of levels the sound effects and music and the best thing... the "VIOLENCE". Come on even the nicest people like a bit of beat\shoot em' up action to finish off their day... and it was fun burning them bad guys with the lighter and spray can combo... am I right?

Well anyway this is a fairly decent game that would complete or add to a collection (IMO) and was worth buying at the time, Good luck now though this game sells for about $25! on eBay OUCH! ...

Well I hope this review has given you a fair idea about the game.

The Bad
The main negative of this game would have to be the graphics, I mean sure they're good but they didn't compete with some of the other titles at that time.

The Bottom Line
A game that was worth buying a few years ago but i only suggest trying to buy it now if you were a "Die Hard" fan of the game... get it... die hard... oh never mind. Well goodbye for now I'm going to sleep.

SEGA Saturn · by kevin mcilwain (4) · 2005

"Yippie-Ki-Yay Mr. Sociester!"-From TV edit of Die Hard-

The Good
Die Hard Arcade, is a game I originally played in the arcade years ago. I knew of the Saturn port but with out the console I was SOL. Anyhow years later, I bought a Sega Saturn, and this was one of the first games I got for it.

Based loosely on the film Die Hard, the game was actually called Dynamite Cop in Japan, Die Hard Arcade has John McClane out to save 30 hostages taken by terrorists whom have seized control of Nakatomi Plaza, to make things worse, the President’s daughter is among the hostages.(What she is doing there in the first place is never explained.)

The game plays just like a beat em up of days gone by, such as Streets Of Rage. And packs enough action to be a Die Hard film. There are tons of moves at your disposal, from basic punches and kicks, to multi button combos, and grapple moves that range from basic throws to combo body slams, these are among some of the most interesting moves to watch. You can even handcuff enemies to dispose of them quickly.

As most games of this genre there are many weapons that can be used. From your basic handgun, which is the only weapon that can be taken with you from scene to scene. As well as submachine guns, an anti tank gun, pipes, knives, and some unusual items such as a grandfather clock. Some items can even be combined to make special weapons, a lighter combined with mace make a mini-flamethrower!

During the various scenes you will always have to face a boss to proceed to the next area. Each boss has their own strategy and learning them will help you take down the boss that much easier.

Between the scenes there are often segments in which you must push the correct button in time. These simple segments add to the game, if you succeed you will earn a scene of the baddie getting there arse kicked. If you fail you will have to face the brigand one on one. While no where near as complex as the QTE’s of Shenmue, they are still a nice diversion.

The graphics in the game are pretty good. Very faitful to the arcade game, this is likely due to the arcade chip having simular power to that of the Saturn.

The sound department is soild. With good sound effects, music. And passable voiceovers.

To earn more credits you have to play the arcade game Deep Scan, which is an interesting feature. This old skool arcade game is actually sort of fun. It just seems a little odd.

Speaking of credits, this game can easily be beaten with 20-30 Credits.(You only get 1 life per credit.) If you are a connoisseur of the genre like myself you can likely finish the game with many less credits say 5-10.

The Bad
The game could have been better. There could have been a Saturn mode, with special things not seen in the arcade. Or multiple paths, and unlockables.

This game is short even for a beat em up. It can be cleared in 15 minutes!

Fortunately this is one Sega Saturn game that is easy to find and inexpensive. It usually goes for about 20 dollars(US). Which is cheap considering when it was new it retailed for $50!

The Bottom Line
Overall fans of the genre should check this game out. Especially seeing as there are very few good 3D brawlers like this. The only other one that comes close is probably Gekido. So if you have a Saturn and you have 20 bucks you could do worse than to check out Die Hard Arcade.

SEGA Saturn · by MasterMegid (723) · 2007

Trivia

German index

On July 31, 1997, Die Hard Arcade was put on the infamous German index by the BPjS. More information about this topic can be found in the game group.

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  • MobyGames ID: 12828
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Contributors to this Entry

Game added by ruggero.

Arcade added by Pseudo_Intellectual.

Additional contributors: Terok Nor, Xoleras, ケヴィン, Patrick Bregger.

Game added April 13, 2004. Last modified February 4, 2024.