Lost In Translation/Satan's Hollow

About The Game
Satan's Hollow is an arcade video game shoot-em-up.

When playing this game, the Rocket Launcher is under YOUR control. YOU make it move back and forth across the screen to launch Rockets that will eliminate your attackers. These attackers are displayed in groups, called 'racks', across the top of the screen. The first rack is made up of a small number of attackers. The second rack is made up of a larger number of these attackers. And intermixed with the racks of attackers is a rack with only a single fire-breathing Devil's head.

The attackers and the Devil's Head will try to wipe out your Rocket Launcher. If they do, you lose one player. In emergencies, you have a Shield which goes all around your Rocket Launcher for a short period of time. It is activated by pushing the Shield button on the control console. BUT BE CAREFUL!! This consumes a lot of power and will only last a VERY SHORT TIME!

Each attacker eliminated will cause a Bridge Section to appear at the lower left corner of the screen EXCEPT : when there is already a Bridge Section there or when you have a Bridge Section in tow under your Rocket Launcher. Pick these Sections up with your Rocket Launcher and move them over to build a Bridge across the gorge at the right side of the screen leading into the land of SATAN.

When you complete your Bridge into the land of SATAN, you can cross it and do battle with him. If you win you will be rewarded by increased fire power for your Rocket Launcher. If SATAN defeats you, you lose one player.

As your skill level increases, the number of attackers is increased and the speed that the fire-breathing Devil's Head moves is increased also.

Bonus Rocket Launchers are awarded to you periodically throughout the game as you reach or pass certain preselected point values. Each attacker has an assigned point value.

The object of the game is to HAVE FUN while constantly improving your skills as you play, eliminating as many attackers as possible each time to get the highest score.

Trivia
Designed and programmed by Arcade Engineering, who designed a slew of games for Midway before being bought out by them in 1985.

The game was released in 1982. The copyright date on the screen says 1981 but Jeff was still working on it when Brian was hired in the fall of 1982.

The game drew some criticism in the Bible Belt for its theme.

Some wiring harnesses are labelled 'Satan's Master' and others have 'Satan's Power' on the tag. These may have been pre-production titles for the game.

It seems like this game has copied its ideas from many other places:
 * Enemies going down and attacking your stock is similar to the ducks from "Carnival".
 * The elaborate, mostly static background reminds of "Pleiads".
 * The shield idea is used similarly to the shield in "Phoenix" (though you couldn't move when using it then, and it took longer to recharge).
 * The diving enemy concept was used first in "Galaxian".
 * The shot-increasing power-up concept originated in "Galaga".

A Satan's Hollow unit appears in the 1983 movie 'Joysticks'.

Tips and tricks
A bonus flag is added each time a battle has been successfully completed. Each bonus flag is worth 1,000 additional points. To collect the bonus build the bridge into the land of Satan and defeat Satan.

Each time Satan is defeated, an additional barrel is added to the base up to a maximum of 3 barrels.

Staff

 * Designed By:
 * Bill Adams


 * Staff:
 * Jim Love
 * Jeff Nauman

Ports

 * Consoles :
 * Sony PlayStation 2 (2003, "Midway Arcade Treasure")
 * Nintendo Gamecube (2003, "Midway Arcade Treasure")
 * Microsoft XBOX (2003, "Midway Arcade Treasure")


 * Computers :
 * Commodore C64 (1984)
 * PC [MS Windows, CD-ROM] (2004, "Midway Arcade Treasure")