Machine Guides

Game History

The House of the Dead III is a horror-themed rail shooting game developed by Sega AM1 and released by Sega to arcades in 2002. It serves as the third installment in the main House of the Dead series and was initially developed for the Sega NAOMI arcade board before being switched to the Sega NAOMI 2 and finally the Sega Chihiro hardware, for which it was a launch title.

The game introduced significant gameplay changes from its predecessors, most notably replacing the traditional pistol light guns with shotgun controllers that reloaded automatically rather than requiring players to point off-screen. This change was implemented to accommodate the game's focus on fighting larger hordes of enemies. The game also modified the lives system, allowing players to accumulate up to nine lives at a time, with any additional lives converted to bonus points.

How to Play

Objectives

The main goal of The House of the Dead 3 is to survive waves of zombie and creature attacks while progressing through each level and ultimately defeating the boss at the end of each stage. You play as AMS agents investigating a zombie outbreak in a post-apocalyptic setting. The game emphasizes fast-paced shooting action with hordes of enemies using shotgun weaponry.

Controls

• Shotgun Light Guns: The primary input devices are shotgun controllers that you point at the screen
• Trigger: Press to shoot your weapon at enemies
• Pump Action: Pump the shotgun to reload your weapon (or automatic reload depending on cabinet configuration)

Gameplay

• Starting the Game: Press the Start Button to begin your investigation of the zombie outbreak.

• Shotgun Combat: Aim and shoot at enemies with your shotgun, which has a wider spread than traditional pistols, making it effective against groups of enemies.

• Reloading System: Reload your shotgun by pumping the action (or automatically, depending on the cabinet configuration) when ammunition is depleted.

• Enemy Hordes: Face massive numbers of zombies and creatures with improved graphics compared to previous games in the series.

• Weak Point Targeting: Aim for critical weak points on enemies (typically the head) to defeat them more efficiently.

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

• Lives System: Accumulate up to nine lives at a time, with any additional lives converted to bonus points.

• Two-Player Mode: Play cooperatively with a second player to tackle enemies together and share the survival experience.

• Score System: Earn points for defeating enemies, with bonus points awarded for accuracy and quick completions.

• Game Over: The game ends when you lose all your lives. Your final score is displayed based on enemies defeated, accuracy, and other performance metrics.