Midnight Mutants
A Halloween-themed action-adventure for the Atari 7800.
Midnight Mutants is an action-adventure game released for the Atari 7800 ProSystem in 1990. It was developed by Radioactive Software and published by Atari Corporation. The game uses the likeness of actor Al Lewis, dressed as his character Grandpa Munster, who appears as "Grampa." Along with *Sentinel*, it was one of the last titles Atari put out for the 7800.
The story takes place on Halloween night in 1992. A young boy named Jimmy Harkman finds his grandfather, Grampa, trapped inside a pumpkin by a resurrected villain called Dr. Evil. Dr. Evil is getting revenge for being burned at the stake as a witch by Jimmy’s ancestor, Johnathon Harkman, on Halloween night in 1747. Jimmy sets out on a Halloween quest to free him. The countryside is overrun with zombies, werewolves, and other scary creatures that can hurt Jimmy physically or make his blood impure. Grampa, though stuck in pumpkin form, can offer advice when a button is pressed. Jimmy collects weapons and items to fight evil creatures, giant bosses, and eventually Dr. Evil himself.
The gameplay is a scrolling action-adventure with a horror theme, shown from a pseudo-isometric viewpoint in a free-roaming world. Jimmy travels across the countryside, exploring locations like an old haunted mansion, a secret laboratory, caverns, a haunted forest, a pumpkin patch, a haunted graveyard, and an old shipwreck. At first, Jimmy cannot fight and must rely on his wits and Grampa’s advice. Contact with creatures causes physical injury or blood impurity, both of which can be fatal. As the game goes on, he finds weapons of increasing power, health power-ups, and other useful items. Key parts of the game involve battles against giant boss creatures that fill most of the screen.
The development team at Radioactive Software included programmer and designer Peter Adams, writer Tammy Moore, artist Les Pardew, and composer Paul Webb. Former Atari programmer Chuck Peavey told *Retro Gamer* that while he worked on an unreleased 7800 adaptation of the 1984 film *Missing in Action*, his boss Adams was working on another game called *Grandpa's Attic*, centered on Grandpa Munster. Peavey claimed it was cancelled due to poor quality. The cover and in-game graphics for *Midnight Mutants* feature Al Lewis as this character, but neither the actor nor the show *The Munsters* are credited in the game or its packaging.
Quick Facts
- Title
- Midnight Mutants
- Developer
- Radioactive Software
- Publisher
- Atari Corporation
- Designer
- Peter Adams
- Writer
- Tammy Moore
- Artist
- Les Pardew
- Composer
- Paul Webb.
- Released
- NA · 1990
- Genre
- Action-adventure
- Modes
- Single-player
- Platforms
- Atari 7800
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Midnight Mutants was developed by Radioactive Software, a team consisting of programmer and designer Peter Adams; writer Tammy Moore; artist Les Pardew; and composer Paul Webb. Former Atari programmer Chuck Peavey told Retro Gamer that while he worked on an unreleased 7800 adaptation of the 1984 film Missing in Action, his boss, Adams, was working on another game titled Grandpa's Attic, centered around Grandpa Munster from the sitcom The Munsters. Peavey alleged it was cancelled due to poor quality. The cover for Midnight Mutants, as well as its in-game graphics, feature actor Al Lewis as this character, whom he portrayed in the show. Neither the actor nor the show are credited or mentioned within the game or within its packaging. According to the Game Developers Research Institute, both this cover and that of the 1989 Nintendo Entertainment System game Fester's Quest were done by Michael Mendheim. Hidden in the code for Midnight Mutants is a secret, misspelled message stating, 'IT'S A WONDER PETER EVER GOT THIS PROGRAM BEDUGGED!'
Reader's Guide
Midnight Mutants is a scrolling action-adventure game with a horror theme, displayed from a pseudo-isometric viewpoint and featuring a completely free-roaming world design. The plot follows young Jimmy Harkman on Halloween night 1992, as his grandfather 'Grampa' has been imprisoned inside a pumpkin by a resurrected villain named Dr. Evil, who is taking revenge for being burned at the stake as a witch by their ancestor Johnathon Harkman on Halloween night in 1747. Jimmy travels across the countryside, exploring locations such as an old haunted mansion, a secret laboratory, caverns, a haunted forest, a pumpkin patch, a haunted graveyard, and an old shipwreck. He collects weapons, health power-ups, and other items to defeat creatures like zombies and werewolves, and battles giant boss creatures. The game features a background musical soundtrack and an animated introduction. In a retrospective review, Atari 7800 Forever gave the game a 4.5 out of 5, praising the humor, approachable in-game menus, and excellent boss battles. IGN listed it as the third-best 7800 game, citing 'some real longevity' due to its large map and solid exploration gameplay. Retro Gamer attributed its late release as the reason for being one of the most advanced games for the 7800, allowing it to rival its console contemporaries.
Did You Know?
- The game features a likeness of Al Lewis, dressed as Grandpa Munster, but neither the actor nor the show are credited or mentioned within the game or its packaging.
- Hidden in the code is a secret, misspelled message: 'IT'S A WONDER PETER EVER GOT THIS PROGRAM BEDUGGED!'
- The cover and in-game graphics were done by Michael Mendheim, who also did the cover for the 1989 NES game Fester's Quest.
- Former Atari programmer Chuck Peavey alleged that an earlier game titled Grandpa's Attic, centered around Grandpa Munster, was cancelled due to poor quality.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Midnight Mutants and what system is it on?
Midnight Mutants is a Halloween-themed action-adventure game that hit the Atari 7800 ProSystem in 1990. Radioactive Software developed it, and Atari Corporation handled publishing.
Who do you play as and what's the basic premise?
You control Jimmy Harkman, a young boy who discovers his grandfather Grampa locked inside a pumpkin on Halloween night in 1992. A resurrected villain named Dr. Evil is behind the trap, seeking revenge for an old execution by fire.
Where does the Grampa character design come from?
The character's likeness is borrowed from actor Al Lewis, specifically his iconic Grandpa Munster persona. Radioactive Software dressed the in-game model in that familiar Munster look and simply renamed him Grampa.
Why do collectors care about Midnight Mutants?
Together with Sentinel, it was one of the last two titles Atari Corporation ever shipped for the 7800 ProSystem. That makes it a sought-after late-era cartridge for anyone completing a 7800 library.
What's the villain's motive in the story?
Dr. Evil has been resurrected and is out for payback after being burned at the stake in the past. His first act of revenge is trapping Grampa inside a pumpkin, which sets off Jimmy's rescue mission.
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