Chiller (video game)

Exidy

Industry	Video games
Founded	1973
Headquarters	United States
Products	Chiller (1986)

Chiller is a light gun arcade title developed by Exidy and released in 1986. An unofficial version was made available for the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1990, distributed by American Game Cartridges in the United States and by HES (Home Entertainment Suppliers) in Australia. This version supports both the standard NES controllers and the NES Zapper accessory.

Players take on the role of an invisible torturer responsible for inflicting harm and executing bound non-player characters (NPCs) within a variety of dungeon-inspired environments. Most of these NPCs do not retaliate; thus, the primary gameplay challenge lies in quickly dispatching the victims.

Gameplay

The game consists of four principal stages: torture chamber, rack room, haunted house hallway, and graveyard. Achieving a high enough score upon completing these stages grants access to a final bonus round that emphasizes rapid target shooting. Additionally, between stages, players have the opportunity to increase their points through a slot machine mini-game.

In the initial two levels, players confront human NPCs confined by medieval torture apparatuses. Success depends on discovering how to trigger these devices effectively to expedite kills, as merely shooting the victims only damages flesh without causing immediate death.

Later stages transition into conventional shooting gameplay where players face supernatural adversaries such as zombies, ghosts, and mummies.

Reception

The title experienced poor sales within the United States, largely due to arcade operators' reluctance to acquire it. Nevertheless, Exidy found commercial success by promoting the game in emerging markets. Contemporary critics frequently condemn the game for its gratuitous violence and for promoting torture and killing of seemingly defenseless characters instead of featuring opponents capable of fighting back.