Midway's seminal twin-stick shooter Smash TV, the bloody, futuristic game show arcade game of yore, may be getting a proper update from Midway. And the guy saying that's in a position to know.
Mark Turmell, programmer on the original Smash TV and its spin-off Total Carnage, says on the RetroGaming with Racketboy podcast that Midway, before it "hit the fan," was already hard at work on a modern day revival of the game. While it sounds like work on the game—a 3D revival, but still a top-down shooter—was halted, Turmell says the project moved at least as far as the programming stage.
He expects that Smash TV "will rise again" at Midway's new home Warner Bros. given the media conglomerate's snapping up of the classic IP and, presumably, the popularity of twin-stick shooters on digital platforms like XBLA and PSN. We're expecting big money, big prizes and to love it.
This certainly seems interesting. I played the shit out of Smash TV as a kid, and I'm game for a revival, even if (knowing Midway post-90s) it may not be that good. Good luck to the guys making it under Warner Bros.
They'll need it.
Well, I thought it was funny.
Syd Lexia Site Admin
Title: Pop Culture Junkie
Joined: Jul 30 2005
Location: Wakefield, MA
Posted:
Nov 06 2009 11:36 pm
What twin-stick shooters are available on XBLA and PSN? Hell, what other games even EXIST besides Smash TV and Total Carnage where you have one stick for moving and one stick for shooting?
Title: Cold Hearted Bastard
Joined: Feb 21 2009
Location: MD
Posted:
Nov 07 2009 12:39 am
Syd Lexia wrote:
What twin-stick shooters are available on XBLA and PSN? Hell, what other games even EXIST besides Smash TV and Total Carnage where you have one stick for moving and one stick for shooting?
Robotron 2084, how did you forget that?
Syd Lexia Site Admin
Title: Pop Culture Junkie
Joined: Jul 30 2005
Location: Wakefield, MA
Title: Andrew is a Funklord
Joined: Jan 30 2007
Location: Richmond, VA
Posted:
Nov 07 2009 01:17 am
jackfrost wrote:
Syd Lexia wrote:
What twin-stick shooters are available on XBLA and PSN? Hell, what other games even EXIST besides Smash TV and Total Carnage where you have one stick for moving and one stick for shooting?
Title: Captain Oblivious
Joined: Sep 01 2007
Location: That Rainy State
Posted:
Nov 07 2009 03:46 am
Hey I just watched the Running Man last night, and it really reminded me of this game.
Slayer1
Title: King Of Apathy
Joined: Sep 23 2008
Location: I would say hell...
Posted:
Nov 07 2009 12:36 pm
Blackout wrote:
Hey I just watched the Running Man last night, and it really reminded me of this game.
That horrible movie with AH-Nuld that nothing to do with the book?
Anyways, I'm hoping this will supply the bloodlust that I desire in a shooting game where you can win big prizes
BITCH I GOT A BOMB!
Syd Lexia Site Admin
Title: Pop Culture Junkie
Joined: Jul 30 2005
Location: Wakefield, MA
Posted:
Nov 07 2009 12:46 pm
Running Man is a fantastic movie!
And Smash TV seems more inspired by Verhoeven than Running Man.
Title: King Of Apathy
Joined: Sep 23 2008
Location: I would say hell...
Posted:
Nov 07 2009 07:16 pm
Ice2SeeYou wrote:
Slayer1 wrote:
Blackout wrote:
Hey I just watched the Running Man last night, and it really reminded me of this game.
That horrible movie with AH-Nuld that nothing to do with the book?
They made a book out of that movie? Sweet!
You'd be better off watching Bourne Identity and saying it's close to the book then this movie...
Quote:
Few Steven King movies do. King goes into SO MUCH FUCKING DETAIL that cuts and changes are almost always necessary.
Agreed, but it seemed like the whole premise of the book was destroyed. Ben Richards already a terrorist? Cameras on him the whole time? That was the beauty of the book, hiding in plain sight that he had a real purpose for entering the show not just his two prison escapee partners were being threatened, and he did it upon his own freewill. Though I must say, it's more faithful then say... THE LAWNMOWER MAN!
But I'll stop derailing the thread. I just bought Bionic Commando, and I'm rooting for the people who are working on Smash TV to impress me like the people at GRiN did with that game.
BITCH I GOT A BOMB!
Syd Lexia Site Admin
Title: Pop Culture Junkie
Joined: Jul 30 2005
Location: Wakefield, MA
Posted:
Nov 07 2009 07:32 pm
I imagine you're talking about Bionic Commando Rearmed, the amazing PSN/XBLA title, and not Bionic Commando, the disappointly forgettable 360/PS3 title.
Title: King Of Apathy
Joined: Sep 23 2008
Location: I would say hell...
Posted:
Nov 07 2009 11:37 pm
FNJ wrote:
what was so bad about bionic commando? I feel that I got my fifty dollars worth with it.
As well as my Fifteen dollars!
BITCH I GOT A BOMB!
Mr. Bomberman 2009 Forum Champion
Title: (still) token black.
Joined: Jan 27 2006
Location: Home of the lost towers
Posted:
Nov 08 2009 05:43 pm
I would totally be down for a Smash TV sequel. The site's article got me here and I played the shit out of the SNES port.
Also, I haven't played the new BC yet, but heard it was good despite what critics say (and who the fuck listens to them anyway?)
Shame about what happened to GRIN, though. Shame, shame, shame...
Xbox Live: HazNobody, pronounced "HAz". | Haven't went to IRC yet? Go! #sydlexia @ DALnet.
Slayer1
Title: King Of Apathy
Joined: Sep 23 2008
Location: I would say hell...
Posted:
Nov 08 2009 06:53 pm
I just had to read up on GRIN... damn I didn't know that happened to them... fucking Square. So I take it that there will be no more GRAW games and they won't be working on Smash TV any time soon...
