Lost In Translation/Narc

About The Game
Narc is an arcade video game.

A graphically violent 1 or 2-player side-scrolling shoot-em-up in which players take on the role of "NARCS"; futuristic police officers whose duty it is to either arrest of kill drug dealers, junkies and attack dogs. The NARCS have machine guns and rocket launchers at their disposal, and players can also pick up discarded drugs and money to earn extra points. These are totaled up at the end of each level. In addition, a special colour-specific 'Keycard' must often be found before players can progress to the next section of the level.

Trivia
Released in December 1988, NARC was the first arcade game to use a 32-bit processor (TMS34010).

Max Force (Player One) was a part of Acclaim's (who made the NES version of NARC) 'Power Team' along with Tyrone ("Arch Rivals"), Kuros (Wizards and Warriors/Ironsword), Bigfoot (the monster truck) and Kwirk the tomato, in an animated series featuring the characters. Three of the NARC bosses : Mr. Big, Dr. Spike Rush and Joe Rockhead were the villains on the series.

Grunge band the Pixies released a cover of the tune from level 2-1 of this game in 1991 as 'Theme From Narc', as a B-side to the single 'Planet Of Sound'. It can also be found on the later 'Pixies Complete B-Sides' album.

A NARC unit appears in the 1990 movie 'Don't Tell Her It's Me', in the 1990 movie 'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles' and in the 1991 movie 'Terminator 2 - Judgment Day'.

Tips and tricks

 * While coming out of any door, move the joystick Left. IMMEDIATELY after your character appears, move the joystick Up. If you do everything correctly, your cop will be 'stuck' to the wall, and will be able to walk on the wall to the next stage.


 * A specific Ase For The Same Trick : an easy way to get free lives is on the first level. Right after you leave the subway, keep your joystick pointed up. If you do this, you will 'stick' to the wall and nobody can touch you, though you can arrest tons of people (50 is the max). You can do this in other levels, though it does not seem to be as useful. One problem occurs right when you get out of the subway. There is a barrel which obstructs your path in/on the wall. You can just rocket it away if there are people behind the barrel (in respect to you). You can stay on the wall all the way to the passkey spot and into the door.


 * To get ridiculous numbers of points and free men, you need to get to the end of the game, or at least where Mr. Big is. Once you've killed him (the little one *and* the big one), and you get to enter the treasure vault, just collect all the big gold blocks, and just wait. Don't do anything, just wait. After a while, the machine will send a pack of those annoying dogs after you. Let them kill you. You'll be sent back a stage in the game. And you have to fight your way back to the next 'bonus' exit door... once you do, mega-points and mega-men.


 * Note the automatic teller machines present in a few places. March your character up to the machine and push into it; it should start spitting out money (evidence). Not HUGELY useful, but it's still kind of neat.

Staff

 * Designer:
 * Eugene Jarvis (DRJ)


 * Music:
 * Brian Schmidt (BLS)
 * Marc LoCascio ('Busted Rap')


 * Audio System Programming, Sounds, & Speech:
 * Marc LoCascio


 * Staff:
 * Jack E. Haeger (JEH)
 * John Newcomer (JRN)
 * Tim Elliott (TJE)
 * (LIN)
 * Mark Loffredo (ML )
 * Glenn Shipp (GWS)
 * Al Lasko (AL )
 * (JRH)
 * (J P)
 * Doug Watson (DTW)
 * (D P)
 * Ray Czajka (RAY)
 * Warren Davis (WBD)
 * (KJF)
 * Larry DeMar (LED)
 * Steve Ritchie (SSR)
 * George N. Petro (GNP)
 * (NDN)
 * (J B)
 * Todd Allen (TRA)

Ports

 * Consoles :
 * Nintendo Famicom (1989)
 * Microsoft XBOX (2004, "Midway Arcade Treasures 2")
 * Nintendo GameCube (2004, "Midway Arcade Treasures 2")
 * Sony PlayStation 2 (2004, "Midway Arcade Treasures 2")
 * Microsoft XBOX (2005, as an unlockable in "NARC")
 * Nintendo GameCube (2005, as an unlockable in "NARC")
 * Sony PlayStation 2 (2005, as an unlockable in "NARC")


 * Computers :
 * Amstrad CPC (1990)
 * Commodore Amiga ("Narc", 1990, Ocean)
 * Atari ST (1990)
 * Sinclair ZX Spectrum (1991)
 * PC [MS Windows, CD-ROM] (2006, "Midway Arcade Treasures Deluxe Edition")


 * Others :
 * LCD handheld game (1989) (Released by Acclaim)

