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Satan's Hollow 1981 Bally Midway

1981

Satan's Hollow (c) 1981 Bally Midway.
SATAN'S HOLLOW is a 1- or a 2-player game. When playing this game, the Rocket Launcher is under YOUR control. YOU make it move back and forth across the screen to launch Rockets that will eliminate your attackers. These attackers are displayed in groups, called 'racks', across the top of the screen. The first rack is made up of a small number of attackers. The second rack is made up of a larger number of these attackers. And intermixed with the racks of attackers is a rack with only a single fire-breathing Devil's head.
The attackers and the Devil's Head will try to wipe out your Rocket Launcher. If they do, you lose one player. In emergencies, you have a Shield which goes all around your Rocket Launcher for a short period of time. It is activated by pushing the Shield button on the control console. BUT BE CAREFUL!! This consumes a lot of power and will only last a VERY SHORT TIME!
Each attacker eliminated will cause a Bridge Section to appear at the lower left corner of the screen EXCEPT : when there is already a Bridge Section there or when you have a Bridge Section in tow under your Rocket Launcher. Pick these Sections up with your Rocket Launcher and move them over to build a Bridge across the gorge at the right side of the screen leading into the land of SATAN.
When you complete your Bridge into the land of SATAN, you can cross it and do battle with him. If you win you will be rewarded by increased fire power for your Rocket Launcher. If SATAN defeats you, you lose one player.
As your skill level increases, the number of attackers is increased and the speed that the fire-breathing Devil's Head moves is increased also.
Bonus Rocket Launchers are awarded to you periodically throughout the game as you reach or pass certain preselected point values. Each attacker has an assigned point value.
The object of the game is to HAVE FUN while constantly improving your skills as you play, eliminating as many attackers as possible each time to get the highest score.

>>> TECHNICAL DETAILS
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This game had a dedicated cabinet that was just plain evil. It is red with realistic demons on both the sideart and the marquee. Flames and a blacklight on the control panel area add to the cool factor. In fact, this machine is up there with 'Tron' in the ranking for coolest looking game around. The game was controlled by means of a 2-way trigger stick that was red and sort of translucent. This is the same basic stick that was used for 'Tron', it is just colored differently. No one makes this exact stick anymore, but any trigger stick would make a fine replacement.
The cocktail version came in the standard Midway cocktail table (the same one as 'Galaga' and 'Pac-Man'). It used standard joysticks with separate fire buttons, which had to be used with your right hand rather than your left, because of where they put the button.
Bally Midway MCR 2 hardware
Main CPU : Z80 (@ 2.496 Mhz)
Sound CPU : Z80 (@ 2 Mhz)
Sound Chips : (2x) AY8910 (@ 2 Mhz)
Screen orientation : Vertical
Video resolution : 480 x 512 pixels
Screen refresh : 30.00 Hz
Palette colors : 64
Players : 2
Control : 2-way joystick
Buttons : 2

>>> TRIVIA
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Designed and programmed by Arcade Engineering, who designed a slew of games for Midway before being bought out by them in 1985.
The game was released in 1982. The copyright date on the screen says 1981 but Jeff was still working on it when Brian was hired in the fall of 1982.
The game drew some criticism in the bible belt for its theme.
Some wiring harnesses are labeled 'Satan's Master' and others have 'Satan's Power' on the tag. These may have been pre-production titles for the game.
It seems like this game has copied its ideas from many other places. Check it out :
* Enemies going down and attacking your stock is similar to the ducks from 'Carnival'.
* The elaborate, mostly static background reminds of 'Pleiads'.
* The shield idea is used similarly to the shield in 'Phoenix' (though you couldn't move when using it then, and it took longer to recharge).
* The diving enemy concept was used first in 'Galaxian'.
* The shot-increasing power-up concept originated in 'Galaga'.
A Satan's Hollow unit appears in the 1983 movie 'Joysticks'.
- SCORING -
GARGOYLE : 120 points
BRIDGE BOMBER : 225 points
EGG THROWER : 225 points
BEELZEBUB : 250 points
OLD NICK : 500 points
LUCIFER : 1,000 points
SATAN : 1,000 points

>>> TRICKS AND TIPS
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BONUS : A bonus flag is added each time a battle has been successfully completed. Each bonus flag is worth 1,000 additional points. To collect the bonus build the bridge into the land of Satan and defeat Satan.
Each time satan is defeated, an additional barrel is added to the base up to a maximum of 3 barrels.

>>> DESIGNERS / PROGRAMMERS / STAFF
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Designed by : Bill Adams
Staff : Jim Love, Jeff Nauman

>>> GAME PORTS TO OTHER SYSTEMS
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* Consoles :
Sony PlayStation 2 (2003, 'Midway Arcade Treasure')
Nintendo Gamecube (2003, 'Midway Arcade Treasure')
Microsoft XBOX (2003, 'Midway Arcade Treasure')
* Computers :
Commodore C64 (1984)
PC [MS Windows, CD-ROM] (2004, 'Midway Arcade Treasure')

>>> OTHER GAME RESOURCES
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Game's rom.
Machine's picture (bossyman15)

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