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Zombies Ate My Neighbors

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Zombies Ate My Neighbors
Cover art of the Sega Genesis release
Developer(s)LucasArts
Publisher(s)Konami
Designer(s)Mike Ebert
Platform(s)Super NES, Sega Mega Drive/Genesis
ReleaseUnited States July 21, 1993
Europe January 27, 1994
Genre(s)Run and gun
Mode(s)single player, multiplayer

Zombies Ate My Neighbors is a run and gun video game for the Super NES and Sega Mega Drive/Genesis gaming systems. The game was produced by LucasArts as a comical tribute to both classic and schlocky horror films of the 1950s and 1960s.

A sequel entitled Ghoul Patrol was released in 1994, but it was considered by many to lack the heart of the original, and to have thus killed the series off.

Gameplay

The player chooses between two teenage characters, Zeke and Julie, both of whom can be controlled in multiplayer mode. They navigate suburban neighborhoods, shopping malls, pyramids, and other areas, destroying a variety of horror-movie monsters, including vampires, werewolves, huge demonic babies, and the game's flagship, zombies. In each of the 55 stages the goal is to rescue all surviving neighbors, at which point a magical door opens that will take the player to the next stage. The game is lost when all of the neighbors die or the player(s) lose all of their lives. Scoring points earns players more neighbors to save, and extra lives.

The one powerful weapon is a bazooka, which can break through hedges and some walls but has a firing recoil which throws the user several paces backwards. Other weapons include water pistols, footballs, cutlery, plates, Martian bubble guns, popsicles (originally bananas in the Monsters beta version), tomatoes, and soda cans. However, the strongest weapon is the flamethrower found in the level, Revenge of the Tongue.


The player also has a variety of secondary items available; these include inflatable clowns which act as decoys, Pandora's Boxes (smart bombs), and health kits. Most interesting are the monster potions, which give a variety of transformations depending on the potion's colour. The player can become intangible (able to walk on water and straight through enemies to save the neighbors), or turn into a big purple Hulk-like monster who is indestructible and immensely strong, but unable to swim or use trampolines (this is a reference to the Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde novel). The potion with a question mark has one of a number of effects, at random. It can give the effects of the other potions, or heal or hurt the user, or even make them turn temporarily into a zombie, no longer controlled by the player but instead wandering aimlessly. If they come near a neighbor in this state they will attack and kill them.

Enemies

Zombies Ate My Neighbors is lauded by many not just for its immersive and addictive gameplay, but also for the fun and interesting repertoire of opposition the game has to offer. Practically every enemy in the game is an imitation of some real-life horror villain, and so the game, on one level, serves as a comical amalgamation of many horror films. Each monster is unique in their own respects, and have been described below.

Normal Enemies

  • Doppelganger: Strange extra-terrestrial beings, Doppelgangers are alien impersonators. They spawn about as frequently as Zombies (though they are much less common, featured in only seven levels) via strange plant-like pods that are engendered in areas hit by meteors. These meteorites, glowing in heat, apparently offer the necessary nutrients to allow Doppelgangers to exist. These meteors also give rise to Pod Plants, Mushroom Men and hazardous weeds. Doppelgangers are as weak as Zombies, so the Water Gun is very useful against them (one hit kill). Doppelganger Point Value: 20
  • Evil Doll: Resembling Chucky of the Child's Play series, Evil Dolls spawn either from cardboard boxes in factories, in factory assembly lines, or out of bags of toys in supermarkets. They possess an innumerable number of axes, and frequently throw them across the screen in an attempt to badly lacerate Zeke or Julie. Their sinister laugh is memorable and Evil Dolls are also well-known for being immune against the Bazooka (they simply duck under the missile). Silverware kills Evil Dolls with one hit, but it is a very rare weapon and so the easiest weapon to use are the Soda Cans, also a one-hit kill. Evil Doll Point Value: 200
  • Fire Demon: Sometimes, upon being killed, an Evil Doll transforms into a Fire Demon. Essentially, these are Evil Dolls on fire, but they are considered a separate enemy for two main reasons: 1. Their toughness and reaction to certain weapons differs from that of the Evil Dolls, and 2. Fire Demons sometimes spawn from fires by themselves without ever having existed as an Evil Doll, though this is rare. Fire Demons are one of the tougher normal enemies, with nine Water Gun blasts being needed to destroy one. Logically, only one shot from the Fire Extinguisher kills a Fire Demon, so it is definitely the weapon of choice against these formidable conflagrations. They are also the most valuable normal enemy, worth 400 points, they can be seen spawning from the lava in the Bonus Level "Someplace very warm".
  • Giant Black Ant: First appearing in Level 16: Ants, Giant Black Ants are the fourth toughest normal enemy. They are pretty fast (though not as fast as Chainsaw Maniacs) and have the ability to climb over walls that Zeke or Julie would otherwise have to find a different route around. These massive insects can also pick up items and carry them away before the player is able to retrieve them. The best weapon to use against them is the Martian Bubble Gun (one-hit kill), but this is a rare weapon and you may not have much ammo, if at all. Otherwise, it takes ten Water Gun blasts to kill one. Giant Black Ant Point Value: 300
  • Giant Red Ant: Upgrades of the previous enemy, Giant Red Ants appear only in two stages (Level Thirty-Two: Giant Ant Farm (alongside their weaker counterparts) and Level Forty-Five: Danger in Picnic Park). Giant Red Ants hold the record of the second-toughest normal enemy (twenty Water Gun blasts to kill) and the fastest enemy in the entire game, able to run exactly as quickly as Zeke or Julie. In terms of weaponry they are tougher than Giant Black Ants, though the Martian Bubble Gun still kills them with one hit. Giant Red Ant Point Value: 300
  • Jelly Blob: Inarguably one of the most dangerous and vexatious enemies in all of Zombies Ate My Neighbors, Jelly Blobs are animate masses of red goo spawning from toxic wastelands. They have the ability to "spit" off a chunk of their "body," which is called a Jelly Bomb Attack. The detached glob of goo will then land on the ground, on a victim, or on Zeke or Julie. If it lands on a victim it will kill them after a couple seconds. If it lands on Zeke or Julie it will take away three health units, making the Jelly Blob the only enemy that can take away more than one health unit at a time. The only weapons that can kill a Jelly Blob are Pandora's Boxes, the Fire Extinguisher and, surprisingly, the usually-mediocre Popsicles (one-hit kill). Jelly Blob Point Value: 200
  • Martian: Big-brained aliens from Mars, these guys are very nimble on foot and carry Martian Bubble Guns, which work in the same fashion as the available weapon under the same name. A single Water Gun shot will cause a Martian to teleport elsewhere, but they are never truly "killed." Even destroying the Martian Spaceship will not end in the species' termination. Martians are partly notorious for enveloping victims in a bubble from their guns and leaving them to die. However, you can save a bubbled-up victim by touching them in time. Martian Point Value: 200
  • Mummy: Mummies are an all-around average enemy. They are worth 100 points and require five Water Gun shots to be killed. Soda Cans are useful (one-hit kill) but are often inefficient due to the fact that Mummies are constantly on the run and it can be hard to aim the grenade-like cans. Often it is easier just to go with the Water Gun. The best technique is to step back and fire away. If there is not enough time, the player can easily freeze the Mummy and then switch back to the Water Gun.
  • Mushroom Man: Spawning from extra-terrestrial weeds, Mushroom Men are living fungi. They do not form from all weeds; only specifically-programmed patches. For example, Mushroom Men typically only spawn from the weeds in the northeastern corner of Level Five: Weird Kids on the Block, even though there are weeds elsewhere in the level. They are very short creatures, but as tough as Tentacles, which is still not considerably tough. The Water Gun is the easiest weapon to use against these guys, since it only takes two shots and most other weapons are too valuable to waste on such a pusillanimous specimen. Mushroom Man Point Value: 50
  • Pod Plant: Always found surrounded by extra-terrestrial weeds, Pod Plants are blossoming gargantuans of the floral aspect of life and the toughest normal enemy. They are purple in color and have several tube-like projections jutting out from their upper side. From a distance, Pod Plants appear to be inanimate. However, whenever the player steps too close to one it will spew injurious plant juices from its tubes, which have incredible potential range (the entire screen). The Water Gun is ineffective against the Pod Plant and so the most effective weapon to use against it (partly because it helps to deal with the weeds as well) is the Weed Whacker (13 ammo is needed). Pod Plant Point Value: 200
  • Spider: These tiny nuisances are absolutely abominable when it comes to killing victims (meaning they do it very, very well). They are the tiniest enemies in the game and thus are difficult to kill. It only takes one shot with the Water Gun to kill them, but they are such quick little buggers (literally) that sometimes it's easier to run away, if at all possible. Spider Point Value: 50
  • Gillman of the Blue Lagoon: The Zombies Ate My Neighbors version of The Creature from the Black Lagoon, Gillmen are the only enemy in the entire game that can swim underwater. Therefore, they are the only enemy that can kill an Inner-Tuber, the maritime victim who floats on an inner-tube and drinks lemonade. They appear to have been programmed with the exact toughness and reaction to weapons as the Evil Doll, since it takes four Water Gun shots to kill, as well as one Silverware attack. Still, they are slightly more formidable because they can kill the usually-safe Inner-Tuber. Squidmen Point Value: 200
  • Tentacle: Tentacles appear only in Level One's bonus level, Day of the Tentacle and the Credit Level, Monsters Among Us. They do not spawn on-screen, but rather appear sporadically as the player moves around the stage. Due to this, many times victims normally safe from any dangers may be killed from a randomly-spawning Tentacle. These weird creatures move around surprisingly quickly when attacking, and require two Water Gun blasts to destroy. Another good weapon to use against Tentacles is the Martian Bubble Gun (one hit kill). Tentacle Point Value: 200
  • Werewolf: Werewolves are the third toughest normal enemy, dying after eleven Water Gun blasts. They either appear like other enemies (spawning randomly) or in certain levels containing Werewolf-Tourist Victims. These special victims, which, when featured, always appear in threes, individually turn into Werewolves after certain time intervals. The Silverware kills Werewolves with one hit, playing off the old belief that a Silver Bullet can take a Werewolf down. Werewolf Point Value: 300
  • Zombie: The undeniable flagship of the game, Zombies are absolutely everywhere. It is unknown how so many corpses came alive, but it is likely that Dr. Tongue played a role in it. Zombies are among the weakest enemies, dying with a single hit of any offensive weapon. Because of this, the Water Gun is the best weapon to use against them, as it is often widely available and has great accuracy and speed. Zombie Point Value: 100

Semi-Bosses

  • Chainsaw Maniac: A parody of Jason Voorhees of the Friday the 13th series. Altought this enemy is found on many levels and in many numbers, it is incredibly tough and takes 152 Water gun shoots to be killed, it can break through walls and hedges just like the bazooka and the Potion purple-monster effect, its better avoided with decoy clowns or frozen.
  • Flying Head: This unique enemy is a play on the final boss of the game and appears only in the Credit Level, Monsters Among Us. Apart from being a comical foe to end the game, it is unusually tough, requiring 51 Water Gun blasts to destroy. One of the jokes involving this entity is the fact that it is a characterization of a real-life boss and is, in fact, a video game's semi-boss. Flying Head Point Value: 10
  • Martian Spaceship: Found on levels like "Mars needs cheerleaders" featuring martians, it isn't technically a boss sice killing it is optional and it's not needed to finish the stagebut you get a special point bonus for destroying it. Attacks dashing across the screen and shooting electrical bolts. It can be killed with soda cans fired to its door once the spaceship stops and opens it.
  • Tonguenstein: A representation of Frankenstein's monster, these tough brutes are hodgepodges of various human being parts assembled and reanimated by the pernicious Dr. Tongue. Tonguensteins are only found in Dr. Tongue's laboratories, and so their numbers are few. In fact, there are only nine Tonguensteins in the entire game. They are insanely powerful, practically at the level of the Chainsaw Maniac. In fact, they take 151 Water Gun blasts to kill, just one less than the Chainsaw Maniac. A good combination of weaponry to use on Tonguensteins is 30 ammo of Fire Extinguisher followed by 16 Tomatoes. Why? Because almost everyone who ever plays Zombies Ate My Neighbors dislikes Tomatoes, and you might as well use them up against a formidable opponent. Tonguenstein Point Value: 1000
  • Vampire: Vlad Belmont by name, these semi-bosses are not as tough as Chainsaw Maniacs or Tonguensteins (63 or so Water Gun blasts will kill one) but their defensive and offensive maneuvers are the most advanced of any Zombies Ate My Neighbors adversary. They can turn into bats and fly around the level, following Zeke or Julie. They can dispatch a bat which can turn corners and injure Zeke or Julie or kill a victim. They can even disappear temporarily and reappear in a different location. The best weapons to use against them are the Weed Whacker and the Ancient Artifact (the latter is the "intended" weapon of choice, but the Weed Whacker arguably works even better). The last name Belmont is an ironic reference to the generational Vampire hunters of the Castlevania series. Vampire Point Value: 2000

In-game references

The game makes several references to horror movies, including An American Werewolf in London, Child's Play, Dracula, Night of the Living Dead, Friday the 13th, Them!, Creature from the Black Lagoon, The Day of the Triffids, and Tremors, as well as the classical novel Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde.

One of the levels is called "Where the Red Fern Growls", and is a parody of Wilson Rawls' novel Where the Red Fern Grows. There is also a level called "Dances with Werewolves", which is a parody of the movie Dances with Wolves.

There is another level called "Martians Go Home," which is reference to the Fredric Brown story of the same name.

A hidden bonus level, Day of the Tentacle, is a reference to the LucasArts adventure game of the same name. This is an example of an Easter egg.

Censorship

Due to the theme of the game, it was subject to some censorship. In some countries the name was considered unsuitable, and so it was renamed simply Zombies. The chainsaw-wielding lunatics were replaced with lumberjacks with axes, and levels such as "Chainsaw Hedgemaze Mayhem" were renamed to suit.

Trivia

  • The abbreviation for Zombies Ate My Neighbors (ZAMN) is what some deem a "Perfect Alphabetical Average." It consists of a Z, the final letter in the English alphabet, an A, the first letter in the English alphabet, and M and N, the two middle letters of the English alphabet.
  • The box cover art for Zombies Ate My Neighbors shows two male Zombies along with a female Zombie. However, all Zombies in the game are male. These photos are taken from the movie Night of the Living Dead by George A. Romero.
  • While the "Zombies Ate My Neighbors" franchise dissolved after the sequal, LucasArts would release a game for the PlayStation called Herc's Adventures that was set in the world of ancient Greece and has a similar format to the ZAMN games.
  • The strategy of jumping over trampolines is used in the popular zombie spoof movie Shaun of the Dead as an homage to this game.
  • Currently (summer of '06) an independent horror movie is in the works that is called Zombies Are My Neighbors. The title is an homage to Zombies Ate My Neighbors. However, the plot is unrelated to the game.
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