Replicart

Box artwork for Replicart.

Replicart
Developer(s)	Dual
Publisher(s)	Sony Computer Entertainment, Taito Corporation
Year released	1987
System(s)	MSX2, Family Computer Disk System, NEC PC-8801

Japanese title	レプリカート
Genre(s)	Action
Players	1-2
Modes	Single player

Replicart is an action game originally developed by Dual and published for the MSX2 in 1987 by Sony. It is to the original Snake game what Arkanoid is to Breakout; an upgrade that takes the core features of the game and expands upon them by adding enemies, power-ups and more elaborate play settings. This original version contains 300 different stages where the player must navigate a robotic snake through mazes in an effort to collect a required number of pieces before the exit will open. The snake's length extends by one unit for every piece collected. If the snake's head touches any of the walls, enemies or its own body, it is destroyed and the player loses one life.

In 1988, Taito purchased the rights to the game and published it on two more systems. The conversion to the NEC PC-8801 is roughly a straight port and contains no significant differences. However, the conversion to the Famicom Disk System is quite different. The number of levels has been reduced to 100, but between every 10 levels, a boss battle occurs in which the player must chase a monster around the screen and blast it until the monster takes enough damage. A bonus level is provided for the player after each boss is defeated before they progress to the next level.

• 

  PC-88 cover

• 

  FDS cover

• 

  MSX2 title screen

• 

  FDS title screen

Story

The game takes place at the end of the 21st century. A gigantic snake-like alien called Sonada invades Earth and constructs a base under the soil. Sonada attacks various locations, stealing precious resources, and appears invulnerable to all forms of modern offenses. Engineers regroup and construct a base where a new weapon can be developed. They create the Replicart in the image of Sonada, and give it the power to convert resources into new material that can extend the Replicart and increase its strength until it reaches enough power to destroy the invader.

Controls

Note that the Replicart moves forward at all times under its own power and speed. The only thing that the player can do to control the Replicart is to steer the head to the left or right.

• : Turn the head of the Replicart 90 degrees counter-clockwise.
• : Turn the head of the Replicart 90 degrees clockwise.
• : Press the B button to fire the Replicart's weapons whenever a boss is present, or when you have collected the F power-up.

Walkthrough

In Replicart, the player begins each stage by entering in from the right side of the screen. Play is paused until the player presses a key to begin the stage. Once moving, the Replicart will not stop moving. The player must steer the Replicart through each stage by rotating the head 90 degrees to the left or to the right. In order to exit a stage, the player must collect a predetermined number of Biteslimes. For every Biteslime collected, the length of the Replicart extends by one unit (unless the Keep power-up is activated.) In order to survive the stage, the head of the Replicart must not collide with any wall, any part of itself, or any enemy. Some stages contain simple enemies that move about the screen. When the exit opens, these enemies transform into a different, sometimes large enemy that can pass through barriers. If no enemies are present on the stage, one such enemy will appear after the exit opens.

• 

  MSX screenshot

• 

  FDS screenshot

• 

  FDS boss battle

Power-ups

Power-ups can be found by moving the snake through particular locations on certain stages. Some power-up locations are initially visible, while others are hidden. Once the head of the Replicart touches a power-up, it will be revealed, but it can't be collected and activated until the body of the Replicart has completely passed over it. Some power-up tiles do not contain power-ups at all, but rather hide empty holes that will kill the player if he or she falls into one.

Letter	Name	Description
W	Warp plate	Touching this plate will warp the player to another stage, advancing the player ahead several levels.
A	All-crash	All of the enemies present on the screen are instantly destroyed.
B	Barrier	For a temporary period of time, the Replicart is protected from all collisions.
D	Speed down	The speed at which the Replicart travels is decreased.
F	Fire	The Replicart gains the ability to fire, even if a boss is not present.
K	Keep	Twenty pieces of Biteslime can be collected without increasing the length of the Replicart.
N	Next floor	The exit of the current stage to the next stage is immediately opened before the needed number of Biteslimes have been collected.
R	Reset	The length of the Replicart is reset back to the smallest size possible.
S	Speed up	The speed at which the Replicart travels is increased.
T	Time stop	Time on the current stage is stopped, freezing all enemies on the screen for one minute.