Target: Terror
A light-gun shooter against terrorists at U.S. landmarks.
Target: Terror is a shooter arcade game released in 2004 by Raw Thrills, designed by Eugene Jarvis. It was known as Target: Force in Japan. The game gained attention for its controversial premise of shooting terrorists at iconic U.S. locations.
Quick Facts
- Developer
- Raw Thrills; Leviathan Games (Wii)
- Publisher
- Raw Thrills (Arcade)JP (NA); Taito (Arcade)Konami Digital Entertainment (Wii)
- Designer
- Eugene Jarvis
- Genre
- Light gun shooter
- Modes
- Up to 2 players simultaneously
- Arcade system
- PC with NVidia Graphics, custom I/O
- Platforms
- Arcade, Wii
Facts from the source article.
Gameplay
Players use optical guns to fight terrorists at the Golden Gate Bridge, Los Alamos nuclear power plant, and Denver International Airport. The final mission involves stopping a hijacked airliner from crashing into the White House. The Gold version adds bonus rooms, such as shooting bomb-laden turkeys or intercepting ICBMs like Missile Command. Combat medals are awarded after missions. Modes include 2-player simultaneous play and Justice Mode, which lets one player use both guns. Characters are portrayed by live actors.
Plot
After eliminating all terrorists and saving officials and innocents at the three locations, the player is sent to a hijacked Boeing 747. They must fight to the cockpit to prevent a suicide attack on the White House. Success triggers the president thanking the player and calling them a hero. In the arcade version, terrorists then capture the president and shoot the player; on Wii, the speech cuts to static. Regardless of platform, a “To Be Continued” screen appears, but no sequel was made.
Development
Target: Terror was Raw Thrills' first arcade game, designed by Eugene Jarvis and inspired by post-9/11 paranoia in the United States. Raw Thrills believed the controversial premise would generate publicity, but avoided ethnic stereotypes. Characters were animated with motion capture for realism. A nonviolent paintball option was included. The final level, stopping a hijacked 747 from hitting the White House, was inspired by United Airlines Flight 93 and speculation about its target; this scene led Walmart to ban the game from its arcades. The game debuted at the January 2004 Amusement Trades Exhibition International in London alongside Raw Thrills' The Fast and the Furious and ICE/Play Mechanix's Johnny Nero Action Hero. Taito published it in Japan. Konami ported it to the Wii in 2008 with Wii Zapper support. The Wii version received generally negative reviews, with Jeff Gerstmann criticizing its difficulty and IGN awarding it “Worst Visuals” in 2009. In 2022, Retro Gamer ranked it 19th in a list of top light-gun games, praising its live-action visuals.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who developed Target: Terror?
Target: Terror was developed by Raw Thrills and Leviathan Games (Wii).
Who published Target: Terror?
Target: Terror was published by Raw Thrills (Arcade)JP (NA) and Taito (Arcade)Konami Digital Entertainment (Wii).
More in Konami Games of the 2000s
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