Cliffhanger (video game)

Cliffhanger

Company type	Video game
Industry	Video games
Founded	1993
Products	Video game based on the motion picture "Cliffhanger"

Cliffhanger is a 1993 beat 'em up and platform game inspired by the motion picture of the same title.

Plot

An FBI plane shoots down an aircraft transporting terrorists who are attempting to hijack funds from a treasury plane. Although the terrorists survive the crash, they send out a distress signal that Gabe answers, unaware it is a setup. Upon arrival, Gabe’s partner Hal is taken hostage. To secure Hal’s release, Gabe must retrieve the stolen money.

Gameplay

Players take on the role of Gabe as he responds to the emergency call and tracks down the terrorists. Advancement involves either confronting or evading opponents using weapons such as knives and firearms. Periodic boss fights occur, culminating in a final confrontation with Qualen, the terrorist commander. Certain editions allow players to gather money bags to boost their score, with a top possible score of 958,845 achievable without losing a life.

Reception

The Super NES iteration was reviewed by Electronic Gaming Monthly, which dismissed it as an uninspired Double Dragon imitation, criticizing its unoriginality, sluggish controls, repetitive gameplay, and subpar visuals. Their assessment of the NES version was even more negative, highlighting delayed responsiveness, an irritating soundtrack, and outdated graphics. The Sega CD release received mixed reactions; while GamePro found the five platforming stages monotonous, they praised two snowboarding segments for their difficulty and enjoyment but felt the game leaned excessively on platforming elements.

In hindsight, AllGame’s Christopher Michael Baker described the NES edition as "one of the worst gaming experiences" and labeled it "a disgrace to video games," pointing out flaws in its visuals and control scheme. The title was awarded Worst Movie-to-Game of 1994 by Electronic Gaming Monthly, with Mega magazine branding it "a truly disgusting piece of software."

Versions

There are notable distinctions in gameplay between the 16-bit and 8-bit releases. The Genesis/Mega Drive, SNES, and Sega CD editions feature similar street brawler mechanics reminiscent of Double Dragon and Final Fight. The Sega CD version includes an additional 3D snowboarding escape sequence from an avalanche. In contrast, versions for Amiga, NES, Game Boy, and Game Gear present lower-resolution graphics and simpler side-scrolling gameplay.

Legacy

In December 2012, Chris Shrigley, who programmed the Sega Genesis version, made its source code publicly available for educational use.