Chase H.Q.

~ CHASE H.Q. ~

Taito

HuCard

1992

Back in seventh grade, my buddies were really into the Chase H.Q. arcade game. I wasn't too interested in it and didn't bother to give it a chance. I also failed to purchase the TurboChip rendition when it was released and was never in any particular hurry to obtain it, as it seemed to take a lot of heat in reviews. Now that I own it, I wish I had acted sooner, and I wonder what the heck is wrong with the people who pan it.

Maybe they don't like the gameplay. At first, the controls do seem quite loose, practically the opposite of those in Turbo racing brother Victory Run. VR's controls are so stiff that you can hardly get your vehicle to do anything at all, while Chase's speed demon is prone to slipping and sliding every which way. But making wise use of your brakes and turbo boosts can mean all the difference, and once you're in the zone, the action feels great and the game actually becomes super easy... while remaining a lot of fun.

I mean, I don't get how anyone couldn't have fun chasing after criminals, with sirens blaring all the while, and ramming into their vehicles, which begin to flame up as pieces go flying off. No, it's not the deepest or most sophisticated game concept in the world, but I can't help but get a kick out of it. In fact, Chase H.Q. is at its best when it keeps things simple: little things that it incorporates in apparent attempts at depth, such as gear shifting and forking roads, come off as frivolous and unnecessary.

Get briefed on the fleeing fugitives and then hit the road to track 'em down.

Not that you'll have much of a chance to admire them while you're playing, but the backdrops look pretty nice. Unfortunately, there aren't many of them, and you'll notice that later stages reuse ones from earlier.

Once you catch up to the criminals, you'll be granted plenty of extra time to finish the job. Their car will start to flame up as you pummel it with your own.

Try to pound on the crooks' vehicles from the side rather than from behind. You'll have a much better chance of scoring multiple hits each time you move in.

Such despicable villains! The big house awaits them.

This is the "bad ending" screen. You'll need to go back and practice more...

...if you want to access the sixth stage and hunt down the real head villain.