The Outfoxies (World, OU2)

Arcade Video game published 29 years ago:

The Outfoxies (c) 1995 Namco.

A platform 'versus' shoot'em up in which either one player (playing against the computer) or two players (playing against each other) attempt to destroy each other by any means necessary. The levels themselves are interesting and varied, with airships, planes etc. providing a detailed and highly interactive backdrop in which the players do battle. That interactivity is increased further with the introduction of destructible sections which, when blown up, can often open up new areas or rooms. Each level is littered with a variety of weapons that can be picked up and utilized by the player(s). Graphically, Outfoxies employed superb sprite scale and rotation techniques that elevated the already fun gameplay still further. The aeroplane level, for instance, dips and sways, bringing problems of inertia and gravity to the platform action. Also; the in-game camera zooms in and out of the level, depending on how far away the two opponents are from each other. Playable characters range from a monkey to a pair of psychotic school children, with each character choice offering the player different aptitudes (the monkey can jump higher, for example). A fun enough game in one-player mode, Outfoxies really came into its own when two human protagonists took part.

- TECHNICAL -

Namco System NB-1 hardware
Game ID : OU

Main CPU : Motorola 68EC020 (@ 24.192 Mhz), M37702 (@ 16.128 Mhz)
Sound Chips : C352 (@ 16.128 Mhz)

Control per player: 8-way joystick
Buttons per player: 3

- TRIVIA -

Even if the title screen says '1994', The Outfoxies was released in March 1995 in Japan.

Victor Entertainment released a limited-edition soundtrack album for this game (The Outfoxies : Namco Game Sound Express Vol.20 - VICL-15042) on 21/06/1995.

- STAFF -

Concept and design : Masateru Umeda
Main programmer : Yoshiyuki Honda
System programmer : Toshiharu Hijita
Game programmer : Koichi Motokoide
Character designer : Miki Maemori
Field designer : Taro Okamoto
Music and sound effects : Masahiro Fukuzawa
Graphic designer : Akira Usukura
Logo designer : Hideaki Ito
Chief directorer : Masuya Ohishi
Product manager : Shinichiro Okamoto, Hajime Nakatani
Producer : Akihiko Tokue, Shukuo Ishikawa