Satan's Hollow (set 1) - MAME machine

Arcade Video game published 43 years ago:

Satan's Hollow © 1981 Bally Midway.

Satan's Hollow is a 1- or a 2-player game. When playing this game, the Rocket Launcher is under YOUR control. YOU make it move back and forth across the screen to launch Rockets that will eliminate your attackers. These attackers are displayed in groups, called 'racks', across the top of the screen. The first rack is made up of a small number of attackers. The second rack is made up of a larger number of these attackers. And intermixed with the racks of attackers is a rack with only a single fire-breathing Devil's head.

The attackers and the Devil's Head will try to wipe out your Rocket Launcher. If they do, you lose one player. In emergencies, you have a Shield which goes all around your Rocket Launcher for a short period of time. It is activated by pushing the Shield button on the control console. BUT BE CAREFUL!! This consumes a lot of power and will only last a VERY SHORT TIME!

Each attacker eliminated will cause a Bridge Section to appear at the lower left corner of the screen EXCEPT: when there is already a Bridge Section there or when you have a Bridge Section in tow under your Rocket Launcher. Pick these Sections up with your Rocket Launcher and move them over to build a Bridge across the gorge at the right side of the screen leading into the land of SATAN.

When you complete your Bridge into the land of SATAN, you can cross it and do battle with him. If you win you will be rewarded by increased fire power for your Rocket Launcher. If SATAN defeats you, you lose one player.

As your skill level increases, the number of attackers is increased and the speed that the fire-breathing Devil's Head moves is increased also.

Bonus Rocket Launchers are awarded to you periodically throughout the game as you reach or pass certain preselected point values. Each attacker has an assigned point value.

The object of the game is to HAVE FUN while constantly improving your skills as you play, eliminating as many attackers as possible each time to get the highest score.

TECHNICAL
Upright model
Game No. 941

This game had a dedicated cabinet that was just plain evil. It is red with realistic demons on both the sideart and the marquee. Flames and a blacklight on the control panel area add to the cool factor. In fact, this machine is up there with "Tron" in the ranking for coolest looking game around. The game was controlled by means of a 2-way trigger stick that was red and sort of translucent. This is the same basic stick that was used for "Tron", it is just colored differently. No one makes this exact stick anymore, but any trigger stick would make a fine replacement.

Bally Midway MCR 2 hardware

Main CPU: Zilog Z80 (@ 2.496 Mhz)
Sound CPU: Zilog Z80 (@ 2 Mhz)
Sound Chips: (2x) General Instrument AY8910 (@ 2 Mhz)

Players: 2
Control: 2-way joystick
Buttons: 2

TRIVIA
Satan's Hollow was designed and programmed by Arcade Engineering, who designed a slew of games for Midway before being bought out by them in 1985.

Satan's Hollow was released in 1982. The copyright date on the screen says 1981 but Jeff was still working on it when Brian was hired in the fall of 1982.

The game drew some criticism in the bible belt for its theme.

Some wiring harnesses are labeled 'Satan's Master' and others have 'Satan's Power' on the tag. These may have been pre-production titles for the game.

It seems like this game has copied its ideas from many other places. Check it out:

• Enemies going down and attacking your stock is similar to the ducks from "Carnival".
• The elaborate, mostly static background reminds of "Pleiads".
• The shield idea is used similarly to the shield in "Phoenix" (though you couldn't move when using it then, and it took longer to recharge).
• The diving enemy concept was used first in "Galaxian".
• The shot-increasing power-up concept originated in "Galaga".

A Satan's Hollow unit appears in the 1983 movie 'Joysticks'.

SCORING
Gargoyle: 120 points
Bridge Bomber: 225 points
Egg Thrower: 225 points
Beelzbub: 250 points
Old Nick: 500 points
Lucifer: 1,000 points
Satan: 1,000 points

TIPS AND TRICKS
BONUS: A bonus flag is added each time a battle has been successfully completed. Each bonus flag is worth 1000 additional points. To collect the bonus build the bridge into the land of Satan and defeat Satan.

Each time Satan is defeated, an additional barrel is added to the base up to a maximum of three barrels.

STAFF
Designed by: Bill Adams
Staff: Jim Love, Jeff Nauman

PORTS

• CONSOLES:

[US] Sony PS2 (nov.18, 2003) "Midway Arcade Treasures [Model SLUS-20801]"
[US] Microsoft XBOX (nov.24, 2003) "Midway Arcade Treasures"
Nintendo GameCube [US] (dec.18, 2003) "Midway Arcade Treasures [Model DOL-GAKE-USA]"
[EU] Microsoft XBOX (feb.6, 2004) "Midway Arcade Treasures"
[EU] Sony PS2 (feb.6, 2004) "Midway Arcade Treasures [Model SLES-51927]"
Microsoft XBOX 360 [US] (nov.6, 2012) "Midway Arcade Origins"
Sony PlayStation 3 [US] (nov.6, 2012) "Midway Arcade Origins [Model BLUS-31083]"
[EU] Microsoft XBOX 360 (nov.15, 2012) "Midway Arcade Origins"
Sony PlayStation 3 [EU] (nov.15, 2012) "Midway Arcade Origins [Model BLES-01768]"

• COMPUTERS:

[US] Commodore C64 [EU] (1984)
[US] PC [MS Windows, CD-ROM] (aug.27, 2004) "Midway Arcade Treasures"
[EU] PC [MS Windows, CD-ROM] (nov.23, 2004) "Midway Arcade Treasures"

CONTRIBUTE
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