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10 SCORCHING HOT FIREFIGHTING GAMES

26/7/2018

19 Comments

 
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"Fire, I'll take you to burn.
Fire, I'll take you to learn.
You're gonna burn! 
You're gonna burn!
You're gonna burn! 
Burn, burn, burn, burn, burn,
burn, burn, burn, burn, burnahhhhhhhhh!
Fire, I'll take you to burn.
Fire, I'll take you to learn.
Fire, I'll take you to burn.

Fire, fire ahhhhh...!"

So sung 
Arthur "Brown" from The Crazy World of Arthur Brown, on their 1968 single Fire. And never has a truer word been spoken. 

Given how exciting and dangerous fire can be, it's surprising that there haven't been more purely fire-based games released over the years. Perhaps it's because fire is so difficult to recreate, or maybe it's because gamers prefer shooting foreigners. However, there have been at least a handful of bold attempts to simulate the firefighting experience. And here? Here are but ten of them. 

"Button" of them. Button... Butt... bum...? Bumbum... poo! 

<FIRE ENGINE SIREN NOISE>
FIRE TRUCK
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Yeah, I know I wrote about this 1978 arcade game the other day, but - hey - I like repeating myself. So sue me already!

What I didn't mention is that there was also a one-player version of Atari's Fire Truck called Smokey Joe, that was identical barring the lack of a second steering wheel. Both featured little in the way of firefighting; the aim was to manoeuvre the fire truck through traffic without crashing. Which, yes, is an important aspect of being a firefighter, I guess.

"Remember not to crash the fire engine on your way to the fire, Tom..."

"Okay, chief!"

THE REN AND STIMPY SHOW: FIRE DOGS
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For some reason, the Super NES was the premiere platform in the 90s for fire-based games. It all started here, rather unexpectedly, with a game based upon Nickelodeon's controversial Ren & Stimpy cartoon.

The aim was thus: playing as dimwitted Stimpy, players had to make their way through a firestation, collecting fire-fighting equipment while avoiding perils such as confused firemen, water sprinklers, and - something you'll find in every firestation - free-roaming balls of fire (frankly, if your own firestation is on fire, somebody isn't doing their job).

From there you'd proceed to a mini game where you would have to catch falling objects - chickens, clocks, statues - on one of those bouncy trampoline things. It was nicely animated, but horribly repetitive, and lacking the series' trademark humour... barring the occasional florid insult from Ren.
THE FIREMEN
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This was more like it; The Firemen is something of a lost gem in the Super NES catalogue. Essentially a top-down shoot 'em up, albeit with hoses and water grenades instead of guns and bombs, and fire instead of traditional enemies, levels would climax with a battle against a "boss" fire.

I've certainly had a few bosses I'd like to set on fire!!!!! (That's just a joke. Please don't blacklist me...)

​An equally-forgotten sequel was released on the PlayStation in 1995, but didn't make it out of Japan until it appeared on the PlayStation Network in 2014.

As good as it was, you could say it didn't exactly set the world on fire!!!!! I think I made that joke the other day. Oh well. Cheque, please! 
THE IGNITION FACTOR
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Another SNES release, The Ignition Factor was pretty much the same idea as The Firemen, but with less of the charm, blander graphics, and more of a strategic element. Players were tasked with rescuing people trapped in burning buildings, having first selected their firefighting equipment, depending on the type of fire; retardant foam for chemical fires, and damp tea towels for chip pan fires etc.
FARENHEIT
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Developed initially for the 32X/Mega CD before also coming out as a standalone Mega CD title, Sega's Fahrenheit was a fairly typical full-motion video nonsense... but with more fire.

As with most of these games, scenes would play out, with the player occasionally being prompted to make decisions - left, right, etc. Let down by the limitations inherent in this sort of "interactive movie", the graphics were grainy even or the Mega CD.

Notably, the script was written by one Peter M. Lenkov, who went on to write for, among other things, the movie Demolition Man, 24 and the recent Hawaii 5-0 reboot. I wonder if he's ever been - ha ha - "fired" from a job!!!!

Pathetic.
ROSCO MCQUEEN FIREFIGHTER EXTREME
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A PlayStation fire-fighting nonsense released by Psygnosis, as with all the games on this list the aim was to - yes - extinguish fires.

​But get this: your lantern-jawed hero also needed to destroy robots with an axe. Somebody needs to release a game set in the offices of Boston Dynamics where the aim is to do that and only that. Robots that can open doors and carry your shopping? It has gone too far. 

Fun and colourful, Rosco McQueen was nevertheless let down by a terrible camera, and repetitive action. Both of which are criticisms which could be levelled at many famous celebrity sex tapes.
BURNING RANGERS
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Possibly the best known example of video game firefighting, Sega's Burning Rangers was as close as the Saturn ever got to a classic game.

Typically, however - this being a Saturn game - it was let down by the system itself, with glitchy graphics that often rendered levels a mess.

Produced by Sega icon Yuji Naka and his Sonic Team, it had more of a sci-fi setting than the other games in this list, with the player being equipped with a jetpack as well as the requisite firehose. Get this: it used the same game engine as Nights Into Dreams, and featured animated cutscenes created by the team behind the Akira movie.

Unfortunately, it was released at the arse-end of the Saturn's life, and - for all its glitches - probably deserved better than Sega could offer. Didn't we all, ladies and gentlemen?!?
EMERGENCY FIRE RESPONSE
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A more serious sort of firefighting game that has spawned two sequels (including the absurdly named Firefighter Command Raging Inferno), 2003's Emergency Fire Response was essentially a real-time strategy game... but with firemen.

​Players were required to utilise the unique skills of the firefighting squad's members. Each level would present different challenges - protecting evidence in the event of a suspected arson, squirting a quoit, or moistening a flaming wig, for example. 
REAL HEROES: FIREFIGHTER
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Released on the Wii, as well as the 3DS, Real Heroes: Firefighter played like a first-person shooter, with some neat cel-shaded visuals (spoiled only by the all-important fire effects), and some decent voice acting.

It did a pretty decent "fist" of recreating the chaos of entering a burning building, though slightly diluted the tension by featuring on-screen "KABOOM!"-type sound-effect bubbles, in the manner off the 1960s Batman TV series. Also, aiming your hose with the Wiimote was particularly challenging, albeit not in the manner intended. Well, presumably.
FIREFIGHTERS 2014
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A PC firefighting game set in the space year 2014 AD (and, coincidentally, released in 2014 AD), Firefighters 2014 was another attempt at making a first-person firefighting game.

Admittedly a low-budget Steam title, despite being released four years after Real Heroes: Firefighter, it looked as if it had come out ten years before. The character animations were static, and the voice acting wooden (which was a risk, given that one of the most flammable materials around - do you see?).

It tried to simulate more of the real experience of being a firefighter; you could explore your firestation, interact with other characters, have a shower, and get drinks from vending machines. In fact, the only thing it left out were evenings spent watching mucky films with your colleagues.

More excitingly, you could even get to drive the fire engine. Less excitingly, your journeys were punctuated by long loading screens. Just like in real life!!!!!

Goodbye.
19 Comments
DEAN
26/7/2018 10:19:55 am

Some very nice fire games there.

More importantly, it made me think about operating a pump and that inspired this rather incredible idea for an iPhone game.

Okay, so anybody with a car will have played this - refuel your car to an exact amount - twenty quid, fiver... just stick in a tenner, mate...

Basically that but a game of that on your iPhone.

If I was doing it then I'd set it at one of those old American ones where the chap in a hat called Ted comes and refuels your car.

The jeopardy for our gallant Ted is that if he goes over the client's designated budget, it comes out of HIS wages and he's trying to buy Mary-Sue an engagement ring so that he can make 3rd base.

I'd call the game PUMP! (like that Aerosith (Joe Vader on lead guitar) album) and I'd insist on calling gas petrol even though in context it's gas.

In all seriousness, why do people buy scratch cards?
I'd rather just give the person at the till a quid and have them give me a firm NO. Every now and then they'd just hand it back.


Reply
Mrtankthreat
26/7/2018 07:28:35 pm

Have to admit I sometimes buy scratch cards. Usually it's if I've bought something for about 4 quid I'll use the change from a fiver to possibly win a bit more. The thing that annoys me is the whole matching three amounts. I'd rather just scratch off to find a massive "You didn't win" than four pairs of amounts that don't win. Especially when they put like two 10000s and a 1000 and for a second you think you've actually won a decent amount. I'd love to read a psychological report about what trick that's doing to your brain.

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Dr Peanuts
26/7/2018 10:41:10 am

Biffo, this recent run of articles makes me want to deliver this URGENT MESSAGE: You're on fire! AGAIN!

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Tony Nuts
26/7/2018 01:31:45 pm

When I saw the title I was hoping Burning Rangers would be included. And there it is! I wish they could make a new one - I hear owner of the rights wants none of it though.

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Spiney O'Sullivan
26/7/2018 06:33:39 pm

I also came in here just to check that it hadn't been left off the list.

I absolutely loved that game due to its unusual concept, ambitious gameplay and anime style (both admittedly beyond what the Saturn could really handle), and jazz-accompanied animated intro which ranks up there with the Sonic CD opening. And also because the Saturn basically had no games, so I kind of had to love anything available on it.

I'd sort of like to see an update, but I don't think I could handle the emotional devastation of another Nights: Journey of Dreams, so I'll see how Shenmue 3 turns out before I go pining for any more classic Sega game remakes... That said, I was happy to hear that there is at least one track based on Burning Rangers in Sonic and Sega Allstars Racing Transformed.

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Lee
26/7/2018 09:18:57 pm

A few members of the Sonic Mania dev team have expressed interest in making a new Burning Rangers game.

The original game is a bit too short and rough around the edges, but very charming, unique and full of great ideas. Exactly the kind of game that could use a good sequel.

Tony Nuts
27/7/2018 01:56:40 pm

I also remember the "email" system outside of the main game, where the people you rescued from the levels would contact your character to express their gratitude.
I remember if you played one level enough times, Claris & Elliot from NiGHTS would become your little pen-friends.

Spiney O’Sullivan
27/7/2018 05:58:14 pm

@Lee: The Sonic Mania guys want to do it? Please don’t toy with my heart... I wouldn’t trust Sonic Team with it, but those guys do great work. Here’s hoping Sega don’t blow it with them.

@Tony Nuts: I loved that touch. It brought so much to the game’s world, and really hammered home that you were a life-saver, not just a badass with a jetpack. In fact, the scene where you rescued someone without your jetpack (I think it was actually Elliot) was a standout moment in that respect.

Also in addition to the Nights kids, the members of Sonic Team were in there and rewarded you for saving them with cheat codes and the eventual ruination of the Sonic franchise.

S Hawke
26/7/2018 07:14:11 pm

There was a Atari 8 bit game called Fire Chief which was pretty cool

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RichardM
26/7/2018 11:37:18 pm

The Firemen is ace! Didn’t know there was a sequel. Anyone up on PS emulation these days? ePSXe still where it’s at?

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Marro
27/7/2018 04:42:41 am

It Came From The Desert had a fire extinguisher mini game. You just had to select the option "Hand me that red one" when your gormless assistant asks what to do with the glowing meteorites.
It teaches a valuable lesson to not "handle" (treat as human) the "red ones" (GIngers).

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Jim
27/7/2018 09:03:18 am

Sense a spilit second

Treasure the life

Have goddess on your wings

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Tony Nuts
27/7/2018 01:58:02 pm

Now that takes me back!

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Spiney O’Sullivan
27/7/2018 06:01:28 pm

The fact that “spilit” got in there is still funny to me 20 years on...

And the English language didn’t really get any better from there: Sight of night I cheer to embrace the magic melody from the future, can you hear it?

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Chris
27/7/2018 10:38:39 am

There was a slightly crap (BASIC-y) Spectrum game which had you putting out fires, I think. I can' t remember the name of it and Google doesn't return anything useful.

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Seam
28/7/2018 07:41:51 am

There was “Piromania” on the spectrum which I remember playing, but a quick search suggests it was also known as”Infernal Combustion”.

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Sam the Fireman
30/7/2018 01:29:05 am

Not Spectrum classic "Fireman Sam" from Alternative Software? (A crap Postman Pat)

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Chris
30/7/2018 08:38:46 am

Could have been that, although I don't think it was as "zoomed in". Definitely getting warmer!

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Chris Wyatt
30/7/2019 05:33:17 pm

I was also expecting to see this in the list. We had this on our family Speccy, but the game only ever loaded ONCE, so I never really got much of a chance to play it.

It's a pretty good game though, I think.

Reply



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