Vigilante Summary
Vigilante, noun. It is defined as “a member of a volunteer committee organized to suppress and punish crime summarily (as when the processes of law are viewed as inadequate),” according to the Webster Dictionary.
Which is a good way to describe this game. Vigilante is a 1988 beat ’em up in the same vein as Final Fight or Streets of Rage. Developed by Irem, this side-scrolling game sees the player take control of a lone warrior on the streets of New York. Where they’ll engage with the local gang members with nothing but their fists and wits. Beyond that, it is your standard to beat them up. The main objective for each level is the same, get to the right-hand side of the stage, and defeat anyone in your way! Usually with extreme violence.
Unlike most other 2D games at this time, Vigilante only has one available weapon pick up, a nunchuck. To make matters worse, there are no health pick-ups either. But there is one upside! You have an unlimited number of continues. This is the Dark Souls of beat ’em ups.
Upon release, the game saw a positive reception. It was the second most played arcade cabinet on its release month and was cited by many reviewers to be a well-made game. It was also ported to other platforms, such as the Commodore 64 (no relation to the N64), the Sega Master System, and more.
Vigilante Premise
Taking place in downtown New York City, you play as a lone vigilante. A martial arts master with no name. He became a vigilante to fight against the Skinhead or the rogues, depending on the translation, gang. The leader of which is known as the Giant Devil. hey normally stayed on their turf, but now, they’ve started to advance on yours. To make matters worse, he has a female hostage, a woman by the name of Madonna. As such, it is up to the Vigilante to stride the streets of New York, fight back against the Skinhead gang, and save Madonna.
All in a day’s work!
Vigilante Main Characters
- The player character. Not much is known about him, save that he is a master of martial arts.
- The Skinhead/Rogue Gang. A ruthless and violent gang composed of various types of enemies. They used to stick their neck of the woods, but now they’re trying to take over yours.
- Giant Devil. The one who controls the Skinhead gang. True to his name, he is quite tall! So much so that he towers over most of the other characters.
- Madonna. A young girl was taken hostage by the gang, as a way of controlling their “turf.” Perhaps she is the mayor’s daughter? Perhaps she is the protagonist’s girlfriend. It doesn’t really matter, what does matter is that the Giant Devil has kidnapped her, and you have to save her.
Vigilante Titles of Video Games in the Series
While this is a stand-alone game, it is considered a spiritual successor to Kung Fu Master.
- Kung Fu Master (1984).
- Vigilante (1988).
Vigilante Cheat Codes
Since there are no cheat codes for this game (and remember, cheat codes are usually made purposefully by the developers themselves), let’s cover a few tips and tricks!
- You only have one thing you can use. Unlike other 2D side-scrolling beat ’em ups, such as Final Fight or Streets of Rage. You can’t pick up anything you might see on the ground. Save, of course, one thing.
- Nunchucks are your friend! To that end, as a lone martial arts master, the infamous nunchuck is here to be used to whack your enemies on the head. It’s the only weapon you can use, so make good use of it! While being the only weapon can be disappointing for some, the nunchucks in this game are very powerful. Much more so than your various punches or kicks. With this in mind, best to use them against bosses.
- You can be killed, but you cannot die. So, a fun fact about this game. You have infinite continues. Meaning, that even if your enemies get the best of you, you will return. Usually with full health. So, with this in mind, don’t worry too much
Vigilante Cheat Code FAQs
Alright, let’s cover some FAQs!
- How many stages are there? Five!
- How long does it take to beat? Not that long, about 30 minutes.
- Is this game related to Vilginate 8? Nope!
And that’s all for now folks! Remember to check out the rest of CheatCC for even more gaming news, cheat codes, and reviews!
The image featured at the top of this post is ©Irem.