Vigilante Longplay (Arcade) [QHD]

Game Info
---------------------------------------------------
Developer: Irem
Publisher: Irem
Year of Release: 1988
Game Review & Impressions
---------------------------------------------------
This is the second time I've longplayed Irem's spiritual successor to Kung Fu Master, mainly because I wanted to upload a better quality encoding, but I also wondered if I could figure out the totally baffling collision mechanics the programmers implemented in the end-of-level boss fights.
The game is practically identical in design to Kung Fu Master, with the exception of set of nunchakus you collect to biff opponents. Your tough-as-nails dude must punch, kick and generally subdue all manner of bad guys who pop into existence from the edges of the screen, or from doorways set into the background of the level. Each level climaxes with a fight against an oversized boss which, as any player will discover, are some of the most unsatisfying and frustrating encounters to grace a coin-op.
The reason for frustration is the frequent immunity bosses gain to any of your combat moves. Most games which do this generally signal or telegraph any such immunity via a warm-up animation preceding the state change, conveying to the player that the immunity is coming, but that isn't the case here. Punches and kicks against certain bosses will have absolutely no effect, while others might display a block animation, but in both cases, there's no indication to the player when the boss's invulnerability has warn off.
As far as I can tell, the changes are dictated by how many times you've hit the boss, which generally become invulnerable to avoid the player trivialising the encounter. Exiting invulnerability is somehow linked into getting the boss to attack you, which requires you to avoid the attack, but I think it's also linked to animation cycles.
Whatever the case, I REALLY hate this design choice. It spoils what is an otherwise fun, if rather simple belt-scrolling fighter. The character design, featuring large, bold sprites accentuated by black outlines look great, and duffing up the regular minions can be fun, but the boss fights and their stupid mechanics are just a total turn-off; such a disappointment.
Chapters
---------------------------------------------------
TBC

[@shadowjack239]

The sounds of duffing up the bad guys is truly worthy of a late 80's action film! Great and fun longplay - despite the design flaws, cheers!

[@Tommi1981]

What flaws! 😂

[@asimavi8803]

Excellent punching sound effect And avesome nunchaku hit effect

[@Snyperwolf91]

One of the classic beat'em ups that still sounds and looks awesome . Would be cool to see games in such style and premise again . A vigilante that saves his girl and crushes the gangs once and for all . Would fit in todays chaotic social state we are in .

[@Matthew_Paul]

They probably would make a game where a masculinized woman were to rescue her girlfriend or something like that.

[@Zebpro]

That punch sound is so good! 😀

[@theodorehsu5023]

This was Irem’s follow up to “Kung Fu Master” I think. A few things: 1). You only got a time bonus for finishing each level. You didn’t get a health-based point bonus, nor did you get healed in any way after a level. 2). You only got the nunchaku as a weapon, and those only lasted one hit. You couldn’t get the weapons of other beaten enemies (though that made sense as one had a gun). 3). The enemy bosses could heal after a while, so that meant you had to work quick to beat them before they beat you (and YOU couldn’t heal). Always nice to see you play!

[@murrayreid2748]

Oh yes,Vigilante...on one hand it perfectly copies the Kung-fu template...but even IF you manage to keep the all mighty nunchucks until the boss,you find out you might as well be hitting them with a chopstick!😱😂

[@chainreaction8977]

"Thanks for risking life and limb to save me, but I'm into taller guys..." - Madonna

[@edfolway6103]

Love these old DOS-games. 😁👍

[@garycormack]

Used to be able to 1cc this game back in the day without sustaining a single hit, always found the bosses easy to cheese, sweep.. jump sweep jump .. sweep jump

[@brianxyagami1159]

Its weird that the Player has the same outfit that Gohan used on Frieza's saga

[@ArttuTheCat]

The Arcade version of VIGILANTE seems much better 😺👍🕹️ than the Commodore 64 and Amiga versions 😹.

[@AL82RetrogamingLongplays]

The C64 version is absolute trash, but I've never played the Amiga version...need to check it out one day.

[@HrvojeGrahovac]

This is nice evolution art wise when compared to Kung Fu Master

[@ArttuTheCat]

​@@HrvojeGrahovacOh, absolutely. I had KUNG FU MASTER for my Commodore 64 as a tape version many years ago. It was frustrating 😹, but legendary 😺👍🕹️.

[@wordman3624]

HI COMMA, HI COMMA!

[@asimavi8803]

No😂 he say hey come on in rudeway😂😂

[@sorunyaratanadam]

Hey com'on 😄

[@turbomario]

Enemies are called “skinheads”, yet almost all of them have hair. lol

[@Rocketknightgeek]

It's such a very 80s Japan thing to have the villains called skinheads and then just chuck in some colored members for variety, despite the name's primary association with the National Front by that time. Eh, maybe it's just set in the 60's.

[@일정-g2o]

쌍팔년도 시절에 나온 추억의 게임 올림픽과 함께 구석에서 원코인 클리어 하던 기억이 남니다😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁

[@jon.m.100]

QUE TIEMPOS.

[@davidbermudez7704]

Kung-Fu 2 😊

[@davebear9825]

Some of the Bosses can be Tricky mainly the Twins of Stage 2 and the Final Boss. The First Boss is Simple... as there is a Trick/Hack... you have to catch him ideally up against the Truck... Flying Kick to knock him off Balance then Ground Kick to Trip him over... once this is done and you are CLOSE.. then crouch and bash the Punch and Kick Buttons at the same time and watch HIS ENERGY METER Drain Super Fast (Seconds).... If you master this Trick the First Boss is SIMPLE

[@megatron8461]

February 1988, big trouble in the big Apple! And Madonna has been held captive by the skinheads! Will the lone vigilante prevail before it’s too late?! Check it out for yourself!

[@Tommi1981]

Friggin skinheads! 😅

[@Dáviddavidzoom]

avenger .

[@nosotrosloslobosestamosreg4115]

Who, when, where and how did discover the trick for the first boss I wonder?

[@AgentofLADON]

Not enough nunchucks in video games nowadays.

[@yossiged7053]

מעניין אם אפשר להוריד את המשחק הזה עדין???

[@HrvojeGrahovac]

Madonna😂😂😂

[@Bammer2001]

No, they don't mean Madonna the music artist. 😝

[@jeanfsondutra1836]

play chakan sega genesis, please

[@Bob.Roberts]

Damn this game is such a low effort design, lol. I was expecting to see a lot more spikes and mohawks on the enemies. Still fun to watch though.