Machine Guides

Game History

The House of the Dead arcade machine, released by Sega in 1996, is a landmark title that defined the horror light gun shooter genre. Developed by Sega's AM1 division, it followed AMS agents Rogan and G as they fought through a research facility filled with bio-engineered creatures created by the mad Dr. Curien.

Running on Sega's powerful Model 2 hardware, the game was praised for its impressive 3D graphics and atmospheric horror aesthetic. Its gameplay innovations, including branching paths based on player performance and a rescue mechanic for saving scientists, set it apart from other shooters of the era and significantly boosted its replay value.

The game's notorious difficulty and intense action made it a standout in arcades worldwide. Its immense success spawned a long-running franchise with numerous sequels and spin-offs, as well as ports to home consoles. The original House of the Dead is remembered as a pioneering title that established many conventions for horror-themed action games and remains a highly sought-after arcade machine among collectors today.

How to Play

Objective

The main goal of The House of the Dead is to progress through each level by defeating all enemies in your path and ultimately confront and defeat the boss at the end of each stage. You play as an AMS agent investigating a mysterious incident, and your objective is to survive the onslaught of creatures and uncover the source of the outbreak. The game is completed when you successfully navigate all levels and defeat the final boss.

Controls

• Light Gun Controller: The primary input device is a light gun that you point at the screen
• Trigger: Press the trigger to shoot at enemies on screen
• Off-Screen Reload: Point the gun away from the screen and pull the trigger to reload your weapon when ammunition is depleted

Gameplay

• Starting the Game: Press the Start Button to begin your mission.

• Progression: The game advances automatically through each level. You control the crosshair on screen to aim and shoot at enemies that appear.

• Combat: Shoot at approaching enemies to defeat them before they can attack you. Each enemy requires a certain number of hits to be defeated.

• Rescuing Hostages: Throughout the levels, you'll encounter scientists being held captive. Shooting their captors will free them, while accidentally shooting the hostages will result in a penalty.

• Health System: You have limited health that decreases when enemies attack you. The game ends if your health is completely depleted.

• Boss Battles: At the end of each level, you'll face a powerful boss enemy with specific attack patterns and weak points that must be identified and targeted to defeat them.

• Branching Paths: At certain points, the path may split depending on your actions, leading to different routes through the game.

• Game Over: The game ends when you run out of health or continue credits. Your final score is displayed based on your performance.