================= A L I E N vs PREDATOR ================= the arcade game (tm)capcom 1994 faq by hundley4ever@lycos.com version 1.00 what's new? 2.19.2001, v 1.00 >>this faq! >>send corrections to the address above. contents i.....introduction ii....story iii...gameplay iv....heroes v.....villains vi....miscellany vii...kudos I - I N T R O D U C T I O N Alien vs. Predator, the biggest battle of two movie creatures since Godzilla vs. King Kong. How did it begin? Well, the original Alien movie was released in 1980 (followed up by three sequels) and original Predator movie was released in 1985. "Alien" was the movie that made Sigourney Weaver a star. It was about a spaceship and its crew, who are taken out one by one by a dangerous stowaway -- a big, bad alien. "Predator" was a similar movie -- except it took place in the present and in a South American Jungle. In it, an elite commando unit (part of which is the Terminator himself, Arnold Schwarzenegger) is taken out by a mysterious alien hunter. But it really all began with the release of Predator 2. Near the end of the movie, the Predator retreats to his spaceship. In a case is an impressive trophy collection -- including the head of an alien, inserted by producers as a joke. But sci-fi fans everywhere were abuzz about this development, and rumors about an Alien vs. Predator movie started and spread like wildfire. Years after there has been comic books, beta scripts and yes, video games, but no movie. One of the better things to come out of this mayhem is Alien vs. Predator the arcade game, by Capcom, released in 1994. And it is that great game that this faq addresses. Though there's another BETTER faq that covers the moves more in depth, I just HAD to do a faq on this game. II - S T O R Y Sometime in the not-so-distant future, earth is being overrun by an alien invasion. In the American state of California, the Colonial Marines try to combat the alien invasion. In the thick of the action are Maj Schaefer and Lt. Kurosawa. Cornered by a massive group of aliens, the situation looks bad. The two are resolved to fight this onslaught to the end though. But just when the fight looks to be over, a beam of light appears. With a flash, an entire group of aliens is reduced to nothing. As the dust settles, a light crackle of electricity sounds and three creatures appear out of thin air. The one in the center beckons the marines to come with them. Realizing they have no choice if they want to get out alive, Kurosawa and Schaefer join their mysterious new companions. Are they friend or foe? And will they being able to stop the alien scourge? III - G A M E P L A Y Alien vs. Predator is a beat'em up in the vain of other classic Capcom fighters - Final Fight, Captain Commando and Knights of the Round to name a few. So is plays like most every other beat'em up, but with some differences. Attack Combos: As expected in every beat'em up, each character has his/her own attack combo, used by pressing the Attack button repeatedly. These combos may change depending on whether or not you have a weapon (see primary weapons) Primary Weapons: Each character has a primary weapon, except for Major Dutch Schaefer. Your character always has these weapons, unless he/she is hit hard and drops the weapon. When you drop your weapon, you have limited time to pick it up until it disappears. If you don't retrieve it in time, you have to wait to find the weapon in a barrel or similar container to get it back. You will automatically get a new weapon when you lose a life. You may only carry one weapon at a time with one extra gun (see secondary weapons). If your character picks up another character's weapon, your character can only throw that weapon at an enemy. Secondary Weapons: Secondary weapons are weapons you pick up. You find them in barrels and other containers as you go along. You can also take them from your opponents. You can carry both your primary and a secondary weapon at the same time, but if you pick up your primary weapon while holding a secondary one, you'll drop the secondary weapon and have to pick it up. ============================================================ List of Secondary Weapons Predator Disc: This sharp disc can be make mincemeat out of enemies, and like a boomerang, it returns to its thrower. Knife: Relatively weak, but plentiful. Pulse Gun: Shoots rapid fire energy rounds. Smartgun: Has limited ammo, but never overheats. Flamethrower: Extra tasty, or crispy-fried alien? Pipe: Major Dutch Schaefer can swing the pipe, but other characters just throw it. Grenade Launcher: Propels grenades at horders of enemies. Grenades: Able to take out a whole cluter of enemies at once. ============================================================= Guns: Every character in the game carries a gun. The Colonial Marines have regular guns, while the Predators have shoulder-mounted laser cannons. Press and hold the gun button to use them, along with a stick direction to aim. You can't fire an enemies on a different plane as you (i.e. on top or bottom of you), but you will take out any enemies near you and in the general direction that you fire, regardless of the plane they're on. Each gun has unlimited ammo, but is prone to overheating or reload times. Major Schaefer's smartgun and the Predators' lasers are prone to overheating, while Linn's pistol must be reloaded periodically. The meter on the bottom of the screen under your character's life meter measures the temperature/ammo of your gun. When the meter is empty the gun cannot be used until it is full again. Major Schaefer's and the Predators' guns cool while not being used, but Linn can only reload when her clip/meter has been emptied. Super magazines can be found on occasion. These special magazines maximize your gun's cooling, or in Linn's case give you unlimited ammo for a little while. You are given one super magazine every time you continue. Back Attacks: If an enemy hits you from behind while you're attacking other enemies, you'll automatically counterattack the other enemy. Each character has his/her own back attacks. Special Attacks: Like every other beat'em up, each character is AVP has a special attack that hits all the enemies near him/her. This attack drains a bit of health each time it hits an enemy or enemies. (See heroes for each character's special attack) The special attack is activated by pressing jump and attack or gun at the same time. IV - H E R O E S ---------------------------------------------------------------- Marines ---------------------------------------------------------------- The Colonel Marines are an elite military group that must defend the earth from the alien menace. Major D. Schaefer ================= Major Dutch Schaefer is a cyborg created to battle the alien menace. After he lost his right arm in the second alien war, he had it replaced by a smartgun. While he is slow and nowhere near as skilled as the other characters, he is extremely powerful and has a deadly arsenal of moves. Gun: Smartgun Arm Weapon: None (can swing pipe) Special: Super Spinfist Moves: Charging Punch -- jump, attack Jumping Uppercut -- down, up+attack Piledriver -- grab, jump, attack Charge -- jump Metal First Barrage -- grab, attack repeatedly Ground Slam -- grab, attack+direction Smartgun Air Assault -- down, up+attack, attack/gun+direction Lt. Linn Kurosawa ================= Lieutenant of the 13th Division of the Colonial Marine Corps, Linn is a cyborg endowed with superior strength and agility. She is highly skilled in the martial arts and is especially proficient with the samurai sword. What she lacks in power she more than makes up for in speed and skill. Gun: Standard issue pistol Weapon: Samurai Sword Special: Samurai Sword Spin Rising Kick -- down, up+attack Energy Blast -- charge attack for about 2 seconds, release Air Throw -- jump, press attack when enemy is close Sword Slash -- toward, toward Off-enemy kick -- jump, attack, attack(after hit) --------------------------------------------------------------- Predators --------------------------------------------------------------- The Predators are a tribe of hunters from another planet. Their existence is mysterious to mankind, but it is known that they travel the galaxy searching for game to hunt. They value honor and the thrill of the hunt. Using their advanced technology, they search for the ultimate prey. Warrior ======= The Predator Warrior is a sage veteran of the hunt and an honorable warrior. He is not very powerful, but is quite speedy and very skillful. Weapon: Predator Spear Special: Spear Twirl Moves: Slide -- down-towards+attack Piledriving slam -- grab, jump, attack Flying kick -- jump, down+attack Punch Barrage -- grab, attack repeatedly Dashing Punch -- grab, attack Air Combo -- jump, attack, attack repeatedly(after hit) Hunter ====== The Predator Hunter is an up young hunter. He wants to learn from the best and hopes to someday become a great hunter. The hunter is powerful and relatively speedy, but lacks skill. Weapon: Razor Staff Special: Multi Razor Disc Attack Moves: Punch Barrage -- grab, attack repeatedly Air Barrage -- jump, down+attack, attack Rising Uppercut -- down, up+attack Air Slam -- grab, jump, attack Slide -- down-towards+attack Dashing Punch -- grab, attack Sweep -- jump, attack V - V I L L A I N S ----------------------------------------------------------------- Aliens ----------------------------------------------------------------- These mysterious creatures from another planet DO NOT come in peace. That's why it's your job to make sure they go in pieces. They deceptively smart, acid-blooded creatures have only two directives: colonize and kill. Legend has it took just one of these things to wipe out an entire spaceship crew. Nevertheless, efforts have been made to try to research these aliens to see what benefit, medicinal or otherwise they may provide to humanity. -------- Servants -------- These aliens are cannon fodder to the Colonial Marines. Not very tough to beat, but exceedingly vicious and dangerous in numbers. Their ranks include the crawling arachnoids and the vicious hunters. Beware, some of them squirt caustic acid blood. -------- Crysalis -------- A huge, dangerous alien with a tough shell for skin. Beware his rolling attack and neutralize this threat with some good combos. ------------ Chestbusters ------------ These little things grow and live off of host bodies. Once their host body is no longer suitable, they burst through the chest cavity and are a threat to all around them. While small and weak, they are fast and become an annoyance. They also have limited control over their host bodies, so be careful. ----------- Facehuggers ----------- Despite their name, these things are not cuddly little creatures that you want to hug. These things spurt out of pods and try to jump and stick to your face, perhaps to lay an egg on you. Fast and more annoying than the chestbusters. ----------- Royal Guard ----------- These huge aliens are born warriors and are bound to protect the queen. They tend to squirt acid blood at their opponents. ----- Queen ----- Big and mean, this momma's got a chip on her shoulder. She's as good at breaking as she is at breeding and she's looking to break anyone who would harm her children. What surprises does she have in store for those that oppose her reign? ----------------------------------------------------------------- Troops ----------------------------------------------------------------- These hired guns of the military also fight off the alien menace. But whose side are they really on? --------- The Ranks --------- The troops, from privates to sergeants are easy to dispatch. Most carry knives, smartguns and pulseguns, so be careful. ------------------- Yellow Power Loader ------------------- The power loader may be slow, but its operator can use its great strength to his advantage. The loader has one major attack - the spinning claw charge. While easy to avoid, it deals major damage if the operator can connect with it. Remember - one of these things helped kill an alien once. ------------------ Green Power Loader ------------------ This power loader can't take as many hits as its yellow counterpart, but it does have one extra attack: the flamethrower. ? The mysterious leader of these hired mercenaries is short, round fellow. What does he intend to do with the aliens? VI - M I S C E L L A N Y -> See the "Coming Soon" Capcom screen in the intro? Nice touch. -> Also in the intro - the "Street Fighter" big screen. -> Linn Kurosawa looks oddly like Cammy for Super Street Fighter II. Linn is cuter though. :) -> Notice how when Major Schaefer faces from right to left, the cyber arm switches arms? Ah, the limitations of good 'ol 2D sprites. VII - K U D O S Kudos go too... -> Dave for Final Burn. Yeah, I know that everyone else is sucking up to him, no doubt looking for more CPS2 support and he's received everything from death threats to marriage proposals, but I'd just like to say thanks for helping bring back to some old memories. The worst part will having to delete those roms -- what roms? -> Capcom for making such great beat'em ups. Sure, they've gone to making an absurd amount of sequels to their crazy crossover series, and that lousy SF Alpha series, but they're still a source of quality games. Maybe I'll get to play Power Stone one of these days. -> Everybody who worked hard to get those CPS2 roms decrypted. Now I don't pretend to know anything about arcade boards, but I know that some hard work went into that.