Stop the Express

Infobox VG| title = Stop the Express


developer = Hudson Soft
publisher = Sinclair Research Ltd
designer =
engine =
released = 1983
genre = Action
modes = Single player
ratings = N/A
platforms = ZX Spectrum, Commodore 64, MSX
media = tape
requirements =
input = keyboard, joystick

"Stop the Express" (in Japan, the game was known as "Bousou Tokkyuu SOS" ("暴走特急SOS")) is a ZX Spectrum video game made by Hudson Soft in 1983. There were also versions for the Commodore 64 and the MSX.

Gameplay

In "Stage 1", the player runs along the top of an express train, jumping between carriages while avoiding enemy knives and obstacles. Half-way along the train, the player enters the train, and "Stage 2" begins. The player must then proceed through the carriages, towards the front of the train, so that it can be stopped.

Upon the completion of each level, the game displays the Engrish message “Congraturation! You Sucsess!”. The game then repeats from Stage 1, with more enemies. Enemies, known as "redmen" initially pursue from the rear on the roof of the train, and the front once inside, and will throw knives which the player must dodge by ducking under, or jumping over, them. In addition, once inside the train, the player can jump up and hang from the overhead straps out of the way of the redmen. However, ghosts flit up and down the carriages making it extremely dangerous to stay there too long. Once a few levels have been completed, redmen will approach from both front and rear.

The player has only two weapons at his disposal. When on the roof of the train, he can catch birds that fly overhead and then release them to run along the carriage and knock the redmen off, as well as high kicking them. Whilst inside, the high kick is the only option.

Critical acclaim

"Stop the Express" was rated as the 4th best Spectrum game by "Your Sinclair", in their list of the top 100 Spectrum games.

Remake

In 2004, a remake of "Stop The Express" by [http://www.jdgames.co.uk Jetmans Dad] took second place in the [http://www.retroremakes.com Retro Remakes] competition. The remake is faithful to the original in most respects, although some aspects of the gameplay are tweaked slightly - the player can now pick up knives discarded by the redmen to assist in his task, and the ghosts have been replaced by robot sentries which also fire lasers on higher levels.

There was a NES/Famicom port being planned, but due to only having the first train level, three levels were added and became "Challenger", which was released only in Japan.

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External links

*moby game|id=/stop-the-express
*WoS game|id=0004916
* [http://www.crashonline.org.uk/06/stopexp.htm Crash magazine review]
* [http://www.sincuser.f9.co.uk/029/ssftwre.htm Sinclair User magazine review]
* [http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-5850125455309991028 A walkthrough video of "Stop the Express" on the ZX Spectrum]
* [http://www.jdgames.co.uk/games/express.html Jetmans Dad's remake of "Stop the Express" for Windows PCs]
* [http://www.myspeccy.com/en/games/stop-express "Stop the Express" at MySpeccy.com]