Rampage

Rampage is a 1986 arcade action game developed and published by Bally Midway. Inspired by classic monster movies, it lets one to three players control giant monsters as they demolish cities across North America. The game's side-scrolling perspective has players punching and kicking buildings to rubble while eating humans for health and battling military forces that fight back with tanks and helicopters. The cartoonish, humorous art style set it apart from more serious monster games of the era.

The story follows three humans transformed into monsters: George, a construction worker exposed to radiation; Lizzie, a fashion model mutated by a chemical spill; and Ralph, a mobster altered by a radioactive drink. The game spans 128 levels (days) across cities, looping with increased difficulty. Rampage was a commercial success, with its NES port selling over 1 million copies. It was inducted into the World Video Game Hall of Fame in 2019 and spawned five sequels, plus a 2018 film adaptation starring Dwayne Johnson that grossed over $428 million worldwide.[edit]

Rampage is a side-scrolling arcade game where players control giant monsters destroying buildings. Each monster can punch, kick, and climb structures. The goal is to reduce every building to rubble by attacking each floor. Players must also eat humans that run out of buildings or shake from windows to restore health. Military enemies include tanks, helicopters, and soldiers that shoot at the monster. Players can duck to avoid gunfire and climb to escape ground attacks. The game has 128 levels (days), each set in a different North American city. After completing all 128 days, the game loops with increased difficulty. Up to three players can play simultaneously, cooperating to destroy cities faster or competing for points. Players can also attack each other, though this is usually counterproductive.[edit]

Three humans become giant monsters due to scientific accidents. George is a construction worker who drinks a mysterious formula and is exposed to radiation. Lizzie is a fashion model who falls into a chemical spill and is doused with insecticide. Ralph is a mobster who drinks a radioactive beverage and undergoes illegal gene-splicing. Transformed into colossal beasts, they rampage across the United States, destroying cities from New York to San Francisco. The military attempts to stop them, but the monsters persist. After 128 days, the cycle repeats, suggesting the destruction is endless.[edit]