Smash T.V.
[Coin-Op] Arcade Video Game by Williams Electronics Games, Inc. [Chicago, IL, USA]
Type of the game: [Coin-Op] Arcade Video Game
Smash T.V. © 1990 Williams Electronics Games, Inc.
The year is 1999. Television has adapted to the more violent nature of man. The most popular form of television remains the game show. One show in particular has dominated the ratings. That show is SMASH TV. The most violent game show of all time. Two lucky contestants compete for cash and prizes. Each contestant is armed with an assortment of powerful weapons and sent into a closed arena. The action takes place in front of a studio audience and is broadcast live via satellite around the world. Be prepared. The future is now. You are the next lucky contestant!
Smash TV Game Rules :
1. Move with LEFT joystick to avoid enemies and gather prizes (cash and game show gifts).
2. Fire weapons with RIGHT joystick and collect power-up icons for increased firepower.
3. Advance to next game arena when enemies are gone.
Smash T.V. © 1990 Williams Electronics Games, Inc.
The year is 1999. Television has adapted to the more violent nature of man. The most popular form of television remains the game show. One show in particular has dominated the ratings. That show is SMASH TV. The most violent game show of all time. Two lucky contestants compete for cash and prizes. Each contestant is armed with an assortment of powerful weapons and sent into a closed arena. The action takes place in front of a studio audience and is broadcast live via satellite around the world. Be prepared. The future is now. You are the next lucky contestant!
Smash TV Game Rules :
1. Move with LEFT joystick to avoid enemies and gather prizes (cash and game show gifts).
2. Fire weapons with RIGHT joystick and collect power-up icons for increased firepower.
3. Advance to next game arena when enemies are gone.
PICTURE :
1
Click to enlarge (members only)
Williams Y Unit hardware
Game No. 3044-U1
Main CPU : TMS34010
Sound CPU : M6809
Sound Chips : YM2151, DAC), HC55516
Players : 2
Control : Double 8-way joysticks
Smash T.V. was released in April 1990.
A superb sequel to 1982's legendary single screen shoot-em-up, "Robotron - 2084". The Classic Robotron game-play is enhanced further with the addition of power-ups and imaginative and challenging end-of-level bosses. The two-player game introduced a very high level of competitiveness as both players try to beat each other to the power-ups, prizes and keys.
The game seems to be based, at least in part, on the sci-fi action movie, 'The Running Man', starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. This movie itself was based on a book of the same name by Stephen King (under the pseudonym 'Richard Bachman').
One of Smash TV's more memorable elements was the game show host; at random intervals, a garishly suited, grinning host would pop up and enthusiastically announce such memorable sound-bites as, 'Total carnage! I love it!', 'I'll buy that for a dollar!' (taken from the 1987 movie Robocop), 'I love it!', 'Big money! Big prizes! I love it!'.
A Smash T.V. sequel was planned, but the project never got past the planning stage and nothing more was heard of it. While Smash TV has yet to see a fully-fledged sequel, it WAS followed by a semi-sequel in the form of 'Total Carnage'; a military-themed scrolling shoot-em-up which was housed in a cabinet very similar to that of Smash T.V.s and shared the same dual joystick controls. Upon completion of Total Carnage's incredibly difficult first level, a message screen appeared stating that "all Smash T.V. players should quit and flee from this machine" before Total Carnage's already high difficulty level increased further. A solid follow-up to an already challenging game.
On the 2005 video game "Grand Theft Auto - Liberty City Stories", there is a side-mission called 'Slash TV', which parodies this game, where the player's character is surrounded by enemies, and is awarded cash for eliminating waves of them. The camera angle changes from the game's traditional third-person to a slightly angled overhead view so it looks like the original.
A superb sequel to 1982's legendary single screen shoot-em-up, "Robotron - 2084". The Classic Robotron game-play is enhanced further with the addition of power-ups and imaginative and challenging end-of-level bosses. The two-player game introduced a very high level of competitiveness as both players try to beat each other to the power-ups, prizes and keys.
The game seems to be based, at least in part, on the sci-fi action movie, 'The Running Man', starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. This movie itself was based on a book of the same name by Stephen King (under the pseudonym 'Richard Bachman').
One of Smash TV's more memorable elements was the game show host; at random intervals, a garishly suited, grinning host would pop up and enthusiastically announce such memorable sound-bites as, 'Total carnage! I love it!', 'I'll buy that for a dollar!' (taken from the 1987 movie Robocop), 'I love it!', 'Big money! Big prizes! I love it!'.
A Smash T.V. sequel was planned, but the project never got past the planning stage and nothing more was heard of it. While Smash TV has yet to see a fully-fledged sequel, it WAS followed by a semi-sequel in the form of 'Total Carnage'; a military-themed scrolling shoot-em-up which was housed in a cabinet very similar to that of Smash T.V.s and shared the same dual joystick controls. Upon completion of Total Carnage's incredibly difficult first level, a message screen appeared stating that "all Smash T.V. players should quit and flee from this machine" before Total Carnage's already high difficulty level increased further. A solid follow-up to an already challenging game.
On the 2005 video game "Grand Theft Auto - Liberty City Stories", there is a side-mission called 'Slash TV', which parodies this game, where the player's character is surrounded by enemies, and is awarded cash for eliminating waves of them. The camera angle changes from the game's traditional third-person to a slightly angled overhead view so it looks like the original.
Revision 1 :
* Software version 3.01.
Revision 2 :
* Software version 4.00.
Revision 3 :
* Software version 5.00.
* Added the 'Reset secret warp' (see 'Tips And Tricks' section for more info).
* Reduced difficulty (Factory setting : 3 (easy) instead of 5 (medium)).
Revision 4 :
* Software version 6.00.
Revision 5 :
* Software version 8.00.
* Added the famous 'Pleasure Dome'.
* Changed some 'in-game texts'.
* Software version 3.01.
Revision 2 :
* Software version 4.00.
Revision 3 :
* Software version 5.00.
* Added the 'Reset secret warp' (see 'Tips And Tricks' section for more info).
* Reduced difficulty (Factory setting : 3 (easy) instead of 5 (medium)).
Revision 4 :
* Software version 6.00.
Revision 5 :
* Software version 8.00.
* Added the famous 'Pleasure Dome'.
* Changed some 'in-game texts'.
* Secret Warp (Works on 5.00 and Up) : when you start a game of Smash T.V. on the first level, reset the machine, it'll take you to the 'Secret Warp 3' and take you to the third boss stages.
* Difficulty : the game is known to adjust its difficulty by the daily high score list. If the high scores are too high, making the game too hard, just reset the machine :).
* Don't try to conserve ammo. Your shots should be efficient and kill as much as possible, and you won't have time to think about conserving shots (especially in the latter stages). The pattern of moves you should follow at the end of each board to reach the easiest boards is :
Level 1 : right, up; and then you have no choices.
Level 2 : up, right; and then again, no choices.
Level 3 : right, right, down; and then you have no choices.
* When playing with 2 people, if one player finishes the level near an exit, the other will 'walk through the wall' to the next room. Can be useful on some levels.
* Difficulty : the game is known to adjust its difficulty by the daily high score list. If the high scores are too high, making the game too hard, just reset the machine :).
* Don't try to conserve ammo. Your shots should be efficient and kill as much as possible, and you won't have time to think about conserving shots (especially in the latter stages). The pattern of moves you should follow at the end of each board to reach the easiest boards is :
Level 1 : right, up; and then you have no choices.
Level 2 : up, right; and then again, no choices.
Level 3 : right, right, down; and then you have no choices.
* When playing with 2 people, if one player finishes the level near an exit, the other will 'walk through the wall' to the next room. Can be useful on some levels.
Smash TV Design Team: Mark Turmell (MJT), John Tobias (JON), Tim Coman (TIM), Eugene Jarvis (DRJ), Todd Allen, George N. Petro, Larry DeMar, Jack E. Haeger, Cary Mednick, Glenn Shipp (GWS), Al Lasko, Sheridan Oursler, Ray Gay, Mark Loffredo, Ray Czajka, Greg Freres, Jim Nichols, Tim Elliot (TJE), Rob Ashworth
Music and Sounds: Jon Hey (JON) (HEY)
Voice of the MC: Ed Boon
Others from High Score Table: (LIP), (MLZ), (ALT), Brian Schmidt (BLS), (DJT), (NLN), (MTN), (TLC), (FAW), (FOO), (BAT), (MAN)
Music and Sounds: Jon Hey (JON) (HEY)
Voice of the MC: Ed Boon
Others from High Score Table: (LIP), (MLZ), (ALT), Brian Schmidt (BLS), (DJT), (NLN), (MTN), (TLC), (FAW), (FOO), (BAT), (MAN)
Consoles:
Nintendo NES
(1991) Nintendo NES
(September 1991) [Model NES-5V-USA] Sega Game Gear
(1992, "Super Smash TV") Sega Genesis/Mega Drive
(1992, "Super Smash T.V.") Sega Master System
(1992, "Super Smash T.V.") [Model MK-27044] Nintendo SNES
(February 1992; "Super Smash T.V. [Model NSN-TV-USA]") Nintendo Super Famicom
(March 27, 1992; "Super Smash T.V. [Model SHVC-TV]") Nintendo SNES
(February 18, 1993; "Super Smash T.V. [Model SNSP-TV]") Sega Game Gear
(1994, "Super Smash T.V.") Sega Game Gear
(July 29, 1994) [Model T-81057] Sony PlayStation
(September 30, 1999; "Arcade Party Pak [Model SLUS-00952]") Sony PlayStation
(February 23, 2001; "Arcade Party Pak [Model SLES-02339]") Sony PlayStation 2
(November 18, 2003; "Midway Arcade Treasures [Model SLUS-20801]") Microsoft XBOX
(November 24, 2003, "Midway Arcade Treasures") Nintendo GameCube
(December 18, 2003; "Midway Arcade Treasures [Model DL-DOL-GAKE-USA]") Microsoft XBOX
(February 6, 2004, "Midway Arcade Treasures") Sony PlayStation 2
(February 6, 2004; "Midway Arcade Treasures [Model SLES-51927]") Microsoft XBOX 360 [XBLA]
(November 24, 2005) [Retired in 2010]Microsoft XBOX 360 [XBLA]
(December 2, 2005) [Retired in 2010]Microsoft XBOX 360 [XBLA]
(December 19, 2005) [Retired in 2010]Microsoft XBOX 360 [XBLA]
(February 24, 2006) [Retired in 2010]Microsoft XBOX 360 [XBLA] [AU] (March 23, 2006) [Retired in 2010]
Microsoft XBOX 360
(November 6, 2012, "Midway Arcade Origins") Sony PlayStation 3
(November 6, 2012, "Midway Arcade Origins")Computers:
Sinclair ZX Spectrum
(1991) Commodore C64
(1991) Amstrad CPC
(1991) Commodore Amiga
(1991) Atari ST
(1991) PC [MS Windows, CD-ROM]
(August 27, 2004, "Midway Arcade Treasures") PC [MS Windows, CD-ROM]
(November 23, 2004, "Midway Arcade Treasures") Others:
LCD handheld game
(1991) : released by Acclaim.
Game's rom.
Game's picture.
Game's picture.
Page last modified on January 11, 2013
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