Challenger (video game)
An archaeologist races to rescue a princess across varied levels.
Challenger is a 1985 action-platform game from Hudson Soft for the Famicom. It blends side-scrolling, top-down shooting, and fixed-screen action across a 100-screen map. The player controls an archaeologist rescuing a princess from a villain.
Quick Facts
- Developer
- Hudson Soft
- Composer
- Takeaki Kunimoto
- Released
- October 15, 1985 (JP)
- Genre
- Action, platform
- Modes
- Single-player
- Platforms
- Famicom
- Game Boy Advance
- mobile phone
Facts from the source article.
History
Challenger was originally planned as a port of the ZX Spectrum game Stop the Express, released by Sinclair Research Ltd in 1983. That game contained only the first train level; three levels were added for Challenger. The title screen displays the slogan "Realtime Action Adventure". The game has been re-released as a mobile phone application, on the Nintendo Wii Virtual Console in May 2007 for 500 Wii Points, and on the 3DS Virtual Console in March 2013. It was also included in the Hudson Best Collection Vol. 3 Action Collection for Game Boy Advance in December 2005, and a mobile version with gameplay changes appeared in 2005.
Plot
The protagonist, Challenger, is an archaeologist seeking to rescue Princess Maria from the villain Don Waldorado in Pleasio Land. The character's profession pays homage to the Indiana Jones franchise, and his name may allude to Conan Doyle's Professor Challenger. In the first level, the princess is taken away in a scripted scene that cannot be prevented regardless of player speed. The background music for that level is an arranged version of a military march by Franz Schubert.
Gameplay
The player controls Challenger, who must reach the goal in each level. He attacks by throwing knives, though some enemies require a power-up or a hidden character to defeat. In levels 1, 3, and 4, touching any enemy results in a loss. The player can jump in side-scrolling scenes and duck in the first level; throwing a knife while on the connecting area between train cars causes the player to fall off. A life gauge is used only in the second level, where touching enemies depletes it; the player loses when it reaches zero. The top-view second level has no jump button, but the player can explore the island for items. A timer appears on screen in all levels; the player loses a life when it reaches zero. Falling from heights or hitting traps also causes a loss, and the game over screen appears when no lives remain. The title screen offers 16 difficulty settings; lower settings reduce enemy count but make it harder to obtain required items, so the lowest setting is not necessarily easiest. The first level, "STOP THE EXPRESS!", has Challenger pursuing Don Waldorado's train after the princess is abducted; Waldorado cuts the connection and pushes Challenger off. The second level, "SEARCH PRINCESS!", takes place on Waldorado island with a 4-directional scrolling map; entering caves or buildings may advance the game or cause instant death.
Mobile version
An i-appli mobile version of Challenger was released on August 1, 2005 in Japan, and is also available on the EZweb network. It includes a classic mode identical to the Famicom version and an arranged mode with improved graphics and gameplay changes. The arranged mode reduces difficulty settings from 16 to 3, adds conversation scenes between levels, gives Challenger a life gauge for all levels, and remakes the level 2 map with a sub-menu view. Challenger can move diagonally in the top-view level and throw knives while jumping in the other three levels. Waldorado is tougher with new attack patterns, changing color and flying after several hits. An ending screen replaces the classic version's level-cycle loop, and a save option was added to both modes.
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