chasehqnostalgia.bebopcommunications.it Open in urlscan Pro
2a0c:79c0:1:a::4  Public Scan

Form analysis
0 forms found in the DOM

Text Content

Vai al contenuto
 * The beginning
 * The levels
 * Portability
 * Spin-off

Play it online!
 * The beginning
 * The levels
 * Portability
 * Spin-off

Play it online!


IT’S ALL COVERED HERE


ACADE, SPECTRUM, AMIGA,
GENESIS, MASTER SYSTEM, C64.
ALL OF CHASE HQ,
IN ALL IT’S GLORY.

Discover more


I'VE BEEN WANTING TO DISCUSS THIS GAME FOR A LONG TIME!

Chase HQ is, by far, my top choice for a desert island arcade machine, despite
the fact that it can be completed in just 10 minutes with some skillful play.


THE BEGINNING

In the late 80s, Taito was at its peak, with notable releases such as Arkanoid,
Bubble Bobble, Darius, Rastan, Rainbow Islands, and Operation Wolf.

Chase HQ, released in October 1988 and designed by Hiroyuki Sakou, was a
standout title from this era. While it shares graphical similarities with Sega’s
Outrun, it features enhancements like better perspective, hill presentation, and
track continuity.

The game used Taito’s Z-System, which included dual Motorola 68000 graphics and
Z80 sound processors, similar to the Sega Outrun board, allowing for advanced
graphics and sprite scaling.

Chase HQ is often seen as a spiritual successor to Taito’s Full Throttle (or Top
Speed), which inspired the turbo button and had similar graphics. Full Throttle
was based on older hardware also used for Operation Thunderbolt. Notably,
billboards in Full Throttle hint at Taito’s next game, influenced by a Miami
Vice press image.

Instead of Crockett and Tubbs from Miami Vice, the elite officers of Chase HQ
are Tony Gibson and Raymond Brody. Working in the special Chase Unit, their
undercover vehicle and weapon of choice is a sleek Porsche 928, crucial for
pursuing those fast European sports cars driven by criminals.

At Chase HQ, your mission is to track down lawbreakers in high-performance
sports cars and ram them off the road once you’ve caught up. You have 60 seconds
to navigate the course and locate the offender, followed by another 60 seconds
to force them off the road. Utilize the 3 turbo boosts available to quickly
close the gap if you stray off course, hit the criminal too hard, or misjudge
your timing, and need to catch up.


TONY GIBSON & RAYMOND BROADY




20 PENCE TO GO

Inserting 20 pence into the slot gives you your first credit, which, if you’re
experienced, could potentially carry you through to the end of the game, thanks
to its generous difficulty curve.

Each mission is communicated to you by Nancy at Chase Headquarters, who provides
details about the suspect you’re pursuing and their vehicle, starting with the
Idaho Slasher in a white Lotus Esprit. While not explicitly named, the car’s
British design makes its identity clear.

You receive a map showing a somewhat vague “Street lined with large buildings.”
Brody offers some encouraging words, and then you’re off—gear lever in one hand,
steering wheel in the other.

From this point on, you’ll experience an arcade thrill like no other, combining
all those 80s cop chase scenes into a hands-on adventure. The graphics, music,
engine sounds, and digitized speech create a rush of excitement as you race
against the clock to catch your suspect. If you’re quick, you get extra time to
force him off the road; if not, he escapes. The game remains a race against
time, but now you have a mission: maneuver your car to cause maximum damage
while maintaining speed. Watch for the “Criminals here” arrow, enjoy Brody’s
enthusiasm, and fill the damage meter to the brink of explosion. Apprehend your
suspect (maybe Robert De Niro) and read his rights (is that George Takei?). In
this pixelated world, it’s a fun twist on policing, but let’s keep it light.




THE LEVELS

Your mission is to chase down the criminals and stop them before time runs out.
There are also dip switch settings to adjust certain aspects of the game, and
you can configure the controls in the way that suits you best. Use the nitro for
a brief boost of enhanced acceleration. Practicing will help you improve your
skills in this game.
To start the game, insert a coin and then press the "start" button.
Give it your best shot!

LEVEL 1

The headquarters will inform you which criminal to pursue. Ralph “the Ripper”
from Idaho is fleeing towards the outskirts. The target vehicle is a white
British sports car, a Lotus Esprit. The first level is particularly easy due to
the wide roads, but that doesn’t mean it’s entirely simple: you’ll still need to
downshift to steer better and avoid civilian cars during slippery turns. There’s
also a fork in the road, so follow the direction indicated by the arrow;
otherwise, you might take the wrong path and take longer to catch the fugitive.
Use the turbo to briefly speed up and hit the fugitive more easily. The suspect
will be arrested on suspicion of murder.

Riproduci video

LEVEL 2

The headquarters will inform you which criminal to pursue. Carlos, the armed
robber from New York, has been spotted on the highway driving a yellow sports
car, a Lamborghini Countach. The second level is relatively easy: a helicopter
will indicate whether the fugitive has turned left or right at the fork in the
road, so listen carefully to the pilot’s directions, who will say “left” or
“right.” Be careful not to take the wrong road by mistake. The suspect will be
arrested on charges of armed robbery and murder.

Riproduci video

LEVEL 3

The headquarters will inform you which criminal to pursue. A gang of drug
dealers from Chicago is fleeing towards the outskirts. The target vehicle is a
gray German sports car, a Porsche 911 Turbo Model 930. The third level is
similar to the first, but a bit more challenging because the roads are narrower
and there are more slalom turns. There’s another fork in the road, so follow the
arrow that indicates the correct direction to take. The suspects will be
arrested on charges of drug trafficking.

Riproduci video

LEVEL 4

The headquarters will inform you which criminal to pursue. The kidnapper from
Los Angeles is speeding towards the suburbs in a two-seater blue car, a Ferrari
288 GTO. The fourth level is similar to the second, but more difficult due to
narrow roads and winding curves, so it’s advisable to downshift frequently when
necessary. Listen carefully to the pilot’s directions regarding which way to go
at the fork in the road. The suspect will be arrested on charges of kidnapping.

Riproduci video

LEVEL 5

The headquarters will inform you which criminal to pursue. The Eastern Bloc spy
from Washington is fleeing towards the suburbs. The target vehicle is unknown.
The final level is similar to the second and fourth but highly challenging.
Listen carefully to the brief instructions from the helicopter pilot before you
reach the fork in the road. Once you’ve chosen the correct direction, proceed
with maximum alertness and skill, and don’t let the fugitive’s frantic movement
pressure you. The suspect will be arrested on charges of espionage and murder.

Riproduci video


CONGRATULATIONS ON COMPLETING THE GAME!

You will receive extra points if you finish it with only one coin.

Of course, no classic gaming experience is complete without a range of home
conversions, and Chase HQ is well-represented in this regard. Despite this, I
never had the opportunity to obtain any of these conversions during my youth. In
those days, finding games involved painstakingly searching through magazine
advertisements or physically visiting local stores, a process that made it
challenging to keep up with every release. It wasn’t until I acquired a Sega
Mega Drive that I discovered the ports, although, unfortunately, the Mega Drive
version of this classic game was not released in Europe.

Among the most noteworthy adaptations are the 1989 Z80 versions produced by
Ocean, which include programming by Jon O’Brien and graphics by Bill Harbison.
These versions, available for MSX, ZX Spectrum, and Amstrad CPC, stand out for
their animated titles, synthesized speech, and a well-crafted end-of-game
sequence. They provide a significantly improved experience compared to the
earlier Outrun conversions, showcasing the advances made in home gaming
adaptations.


PORTABILITY

Unfortunately, the Commodore 64 version, released in 1989, presents a
significantly different experience. This version feels more like a poorly
executed slideshow rather than an engaging game. It is marked by jarring sound
effects that contribute to an overall frustrating gameplay experience. The
contrast with other versions is quite stark, as this adaptation lacks the
smooth, immersive qualities of its counterparts and fails to capture the
excitement of the original.
ZX Spectrum
The same year also brought the Teque-developed Atari ST version and a rather
basic Amiga port with identical graphics. On the positive side, the Amiga
version featured notably better music and in-game sound effects. Although it
wasn't universally acclaimed, I would have been quite pleased with it if I had
owned it at the time. Despite its less-than-optimal frame rate and somewhat
unresponsive controls, it still provides a recognizable and enjoyable Chase HQ
experience.
Commodore 64
Next came the Famicom version, which performs well as an 8-bit arcade conversion
but was unfortunately never released outside Japan. The 1990 Sega Master System
version also featured smaller sprites but brought its own charm with the
system’s enhanced color palette. While it lacks the road undulations present in
other versions, it, like the Famicom edition, includes a car upgrade shop
between levels, adding a nice touch to the gameplay.
Amiga/Atari ST
Ideal for a quick gaming session, Chase HQ was also adapted for the Game Boy,
though it comes with a notably steep difficulty curve and a repetitive
landscape. The game featured different criminal names and crimes, such as "Ralph
the Car Thief," "Antonio the Foreign Terrorist," and "Tyrone the Wanted
Criminal." It seems that, in this port, some of the criminal descriptions were
less imaginative, reflecting a more basic adaptation of the original game.
Master System
While the West saw several ports of the game, Japan received a more extensive
range of adaptations, including versions for the PC Engine, FM Towns, and the
unique Sharp X68000. The Super Chase HQ on the SNES introduced a first-person
view, and Chase HQ II on the Mega Drive, though available in North America,
offered new vehicles and levels.The game's evolution to its sequels is complex.
Many see the 1989 Special Criminal Investigation as the true arcade follow-up, a
sentiment supported by Ocean, who added Chase HQ 2 to home ports. Taito also
released Super Chase: Criminal Termination in 1993 and an officially named Chase
HQ 2 in arcades in 2006, adding to the confusion.
FM Towns


SPIN-OFF

During this period, various spin-offs of the original game made their way to
home consoles. Notably, Chase HQ Secret Police was released for the Game Boy
Color in 2000, and Taito’s Ray Tracers for the PlayStation, described as a loose
follow-up, featured gameplay reminiscent of the original Chase HQ.

Additionally, Taito expanded the franchise with an arcade spin-off called Crime
City in 1989. This game shifted the focus from high-speed chases to street-level
brawling, bringing together Gibson and Brody for an action-packed experience in
a different setting.


CRIME CITY WITH GIBSON & BROADY

Despite all the sequels, spin-offs, and conversions, the original arcade format
remains the version that truly resonates with me. While I also enjoyed Special
Criminal Investigation, nothing quite matches the simplicity, excitement, and
coolness of the original game, which has influenced the racing genre.

Regarding the ZX Spectrum versions, both the 48k and 128k variants are excellent
and were rated higher than the Amiga versions in one computer magazine. I’ve
recently seen the CPC version, which is very colorful and smooth, similar to the
Enterprise version. However, HQ2 seems to be somewhat disappointing, making
preferable the arcade version of OutRun.

MARCO TONAZZINI - Esame di Web Design