is a 2D

platform game A platformer (also called a platform game, and sometimes a jump 'n' run game) is a subgenre of action game in which the core objective is to move the player character between points in an environment. Platform games are characterized by levels wi ...

developed by

Human Entertainment was a Japanese video game developer and Video game publisher, publisher founded in 1983. The company produced games for a number of platforms, including home consoles, portable consoles, and personal computers. Human declared bankruptcy in 2000 ...

and published by

HAL Laboratory formerly shortened as HALKEN, is a Japanese video game developer based in Chiyoda, Tokyo. It was founded on February 21, 1980 by Mitsuhiro Ikeda. The company started out developing games for home computers of the era, but has since establishe ...

for the

Nintendo Entertainment System The Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) is an 8-bit home video game console developed and marketed by Nintendo. It was first released in Japan on 15 July 1983 as the and was later released as the redesigned NES in several test markets in the ...

. It was originally released on December 21, 1990, in Japan and was released in January 1991 for the North American market before being released in Europe on February 20, 1992.

Plot

In the year 2056, a virus has appeared in the main defense computer of the planet Earth. The origin and nature are unknown. Players adopt the

persona A persona (plural personae or personas) is a strategic mask of identity in public, the public image of one's personality, the social role that one adopts, or simply a fictional Character (arts), character. It is also considered "an intermediary ...

of 25-year-old Colonel Scott O'Connor, a military agent who has transferred his brain into raw

binary Binary may refer to: Science and technology Mathematics * Binary number, a representation of numbers using only two values (0 and 1) for each digit * Binary function, a function that takes two arguments * Binary operation, a mathematical op ...

code using experimental technology in order to combat a rogue program in the main defense computer. When O'Connor enters the system, his body forms the self-image of his great-great-grandfather, who was a

kabuki is a classical form of Theatre of Japan, Japanese theatre, mixing dramatic performance with Japanese traditional dance, traditional dance. Kabuki theatre is known for its heavily stylised performances, its glamorous, highly decorated costumes ...

actor. The virus in the virtual world takes on properties of an actual virus-it leaves behind debris, mutant creatures, and parasite environments of a biological nature. At the final

level Level or levels may refer to: Engineering *Level (optical instrument), a device used to measure true horizontal or relative heights * Spirit level or bubble level, an instrument designed to indicate whether a surface is horizontal or vertical *C ...

, it is revealed that the virus is of alien origin, having been picked up by the lost Hyperion probe launched to a neighboring planet. O'Connor stops it before the virus can order the Hyperion to fire its laser weapons and destroy the human population.

Gameplay

The field is generally side-scrolling, with a single room with a

boss Boss may refer to: Occupations * Supervisor, often referred to as boss * Air boss, more formally, air officer, the person in charge of aircraft operations on an aircraft carrier * Crime boss, the head of a criminal organization * Fire boss, ...

at the end of each level. O'Connor uses his long hair and chip-based weaponry to attack enemies inside the computer. The chip-weaponry includes the Energy Gun, Fusion Gun, Quantum Bombs and Remote-Controlled Bolo.

Regional differences

The

Family Computer The Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) is an 8-bit home video game console developed and marketed by Nintendo. It was first released in Japan on 15 July 1983 as the and was later released as the redesigned NES in several test markets in the U ...

version was designed as a tie-in to the 1990

Kaizo Hayashi is a Japanese film director and screenwriter. He made his directorial debut with '' To Sleep so as to Dream'' (1986). He is best known for his neo-noir '' Maiku Hama'' trilogy, ''The Most Terrible Time in My Life'' (1994), '' Stairway to the Dist ...

film '' Zipang''. In this version, a fifteen-year-boy named Bobby Yano transforms into his samurai ancestor, Jigoku Gokurakumaru, and enters a supercomputer on a space station to clear it of viruses. References to the film were removed in the international releases.

Reception

''Kabuki: Quantum Fighter'' received mixed to positive reviews upon its release. Nintendo Power described the game as sci-fi action. It received a rating of 3.6 out of 5 for Graphics and Sound, 3.6 out of 5 for Play Control, 3.5 out of 5 for Challenge, and a 3.7 out of 5 for Theme and Fun.

Paul Glancey Paul Glancey is a video game producer and former journalist in the United Kingdom. He made his first steps into the videogame industry as a writer with ''Zzap!64'' and '' CVG'' before contributing a few reviews to ''Mean Machines'' ('' Wrestle Wa ...

and Paul Rand of Computer and Video Games magazine gave an overall score of 82 out of 100 in their review. The reviewers praised the detailed graphics but criticized the sound. Despite some initial skepticism, they found the game enjoyable after getting used to its difficulty and peculiar storyline. The game's ratings in specific categories were as follows: 85 for graphics, 53 for sound, 79 for playability, and 84 for lastability.

References

{{Authority control 1990 video games Cyberpunk video games Fiction set in 2056 HAL Laboratory games Human Entertainment games Nintendo Entertainment System games Nintendo Entertainment System-only games Pack-In-Video games Platformers Side-scrolling video games Single-player video games Video games about viral outbreaks Video games developed in Japan Video games set in computers Video games set in the 2050s