Vigilante

Game Details:

Vigilante, released in 1988 by the renowned Japanese developer Irem, is a milestone 2D side-scrolling beat 'em up arcade game. Heavily influenced by the gritty action movies of the era, the game is set in a lawless and crime-ridden New York City. When the protagonist's girlfriend, Madonna, is kidnapped by the notorious "Skinheads" punk gang, he takes to the streets as a vigilante to rescue her, fighting through five iconic zones including Chinatown, a junkyard, the subway, and a skyscraper. The game inherits Irem's signature meticulous art style and features solid, heavy hit feedback, making it a definitive classic of the Golden Age of arcade action games.

Game Guide:

Deeply influenced by the mechanics of Kung-Fu Master, the core gameplay centers on rhythm control and the precise switching between high and low attacks. The primary moves consist of high punches, low kicks, and the devastating "Nunchaku" (which can be picked up during stages but is dropped upon taking damage).

When facing groups of grunts, avoid rushing in blindly; instead, use "crouching low kicks" to create space and safely defeat enemies. For ranged enemies using guns or Molotov cocktails, use jump attacks to quickly close the gap and take them down.

Each stage boss has a unique hit-stun mechanic. For the first stage's heavyset boss, the optimal strategy is to bait his punch and then strike with a short jump kick or Nunchaku for a "hit-and-run" combo. Throughout your run, always mind the countdown timer at the top of the screen. Staying mobile and prioritizing enemies that spawn behind you to ambush you is the essence of achieving a 1CC (One Coin Clear).