# Electro Man > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Electro_Man > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Electro_Man.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electro_Man > Source revision: 1352969548 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Short description|1992 video game}} {{Redirect|Electroman|the album by Benny Benassi|Electroman (album)}} {{Infobox video game | title = Electro Man | image = Electro Man Coverart.png | developer = X LanD Computer Games | publisher = {{Video game release|POL|X LanD Computer Games|NA|[Epic MegaGames](/source/Epic_MegaGames)}} | platforms = [MS-DOS](/source/MS-DOS) | released = {{Video game release|POL|February 21, 1992|NA|1993}} | genre = [Platform](/source/Platform_game) | modes = [Single-player](/source/Single-player_video_game) | designer = {{Unbulleted list|Maciej Miąsik|Janusz Pelc}} | composer = Daniel Kleczyński }} '''''Electro Man''''', originally distributed in [Poland](/source/Poland) under the title '''''Electro Body''''', is an [MS-DOS](/source/MS-DOS) [platform game](/source/platform_game) developed by the Polish company X LanD Computer Games. It was originally released in Poland by xLand in [1992](/source/1992_in_video_gaming),{{Cite book | author = P. Konrad Budziszewski | editor = Mark J. P. Wolf | title = Video Games Around the World | publisher = The MIT Press | year = 2015 | chapter = Poland | page = 410 | isbn = 978-0-262-52716-3 | chapter-url = https://books.google.com/books?id=pZb5CAAAQBAJ&dq=Electro+Man&pg=PA410}} and later published by [Epic MegaGames](/source/Epic_MegaGames) in the [United States](/source/United_States) in [1993](/source/1993_in_video_gaming); apart from the changed title, the ''Electro Man'' release contains some changes, such as upgraded graphics. Though initially offered under a [shareware](/source/shareware) license, the game was released as [freeware](/source/freeware) by the developer on June 25, 2006,{{Cite web | author = Maciej Miąsik | title = Moje gry dla każdego | date = June 25, 2006 | website = Miasik.net | url = http://www.miasik.net/archive/2006/06/moje-gry-dla-kazdego/ | accessdate = 2015-09-10 | language = pl}} under the [Creative Commons](/source/Creative_Commons) [Attribution-ShareAlike 2.5 license](/source/Creative_Commons_license).[https://www.classicdosgames.com/game/Electro_Man.html Classic DOS Games - Electro Man PC page] The player controls a cyborg named "Jacek", who must get through all the areas of a space base while destroying enemies. ''Electro Body'' was successful in Poland. It is considered to be the first truly "professional" Polish computer game released on the PC platform{{r|bajty}} and has been described as a "cult" game.{{Cite web | author = Jerzy Łabuda | title = Gry to coś więcej niż biznes | date = June 26, 2012 | website = [Forbes](/source/Forbes).pl | url = http://www.forbes.pl/styl-zycia/artykul/Technologie/gry-to-cos-wiecej-niz-biznes,30329,3 | accessdate = 2015-08-05 | language = pl | archive-date = 2015-11-25 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20151125233613/http://www.forbes.pl/styl-zycia/artykul/Technologie/gry-to-cos-wiecej-niz-biznes,30329,3 | url-status = dead}} In 2014, a limited collector's edition of the game was released for its 22nd anniversary by IQ Publishing; this edition came with a [soundtrack](/source/soundtrack) and a numbered certificate.{{r|gamezilla2012}}{{Cite web | author = Paweł Kamiński | title = Chcecie postawić Electro Body na półce? Jest okazja | date = October 24, 2014 | website = Polygamia.pl | url = http://polygamia.pl/Polygamia/1,107162,16860712,Chcecie_postawic_Electro_Body_na_polce__Jest_okazja.html | accessdate = 2015-09-22 | language = pl | archive-date = 2015-09-23 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150923060033/http://polygamia.pl/Polygamia/1,107162,16860712,Chcecie_postawic_Electro_Body_na_polce__Jest_okazja.html | url-status = dead}} ''Electro Man'' was re-released on [GOG.com](/source/GOG.com) on 30 April 2026.{{Cite web |date=2026-04-30 |title=Polish Promo is here, with new games joining the GOG Preservation Program! |url=https://www.gog.com/en/news/polish_promo_is_here_with_new_games_joining_the_gog_preservation_program |access-date=2026-04-30 |website=GOG.com |language=en-US}} == Gameplay == thumb|left|150px|The first room of the game, in the 1992 ''Electro Body'' version (top) and the 1993 ''Electro Man'' (bottom). The plot of ''Electro Man'' takes place in the future. Jacek's family is killed by [aliens](/source/extraterrestrial_life) in an attack on a human-populated space base. Eager for revenge, he returns to the conquered base as a cyborg equipped with advanced weaponry in order to reclaim the facility from the invaders.{{r|sgk}} On each of the [level](/source/Level_(video_games))s, the player must find three [electronic chip](/source/Integrated_circuit)s and use them to activate a large teleporter pad which serves as the exit. The base is full of dangers, such as security robots or automatic gun turrets. The protagonist dies instantly when shot, returning to the last touched [checkpoint](/source/Saved_game). There are also numerous small teleporters, which transport the protagonist between various areas in the level.{{r|pcmagazine}} Jacek is armed with a gun which can be upgraded by collecting special batteries. A special meter on the right-hand side of the screen shows the current firepower of the gun. There is a limited number of shots of each power level available — once these run out, the firepower of the gun falls down by one level. At higher firepower levels the gun's [rate of fire](/source/rate_of_fire) drops down, forcing the player to wait for the gun to cool down before firing again; the temperature of the gun is indicated by another meter on the left-hand side. Touching a checkpoint causes the gun's power level to drop down back to zero.{{r|sgk}}{{r|pcworldkomputer}} The original ''Electro Body'' release contains a [copy protection](/source/copy_protection) measure, forcing the player to find the right letter in the manual in order to continue from one level to the next.{{r|pcmagazine}} This security measure was removed in the ''Electro Man'' version.{{r|nietylko}} == Development == According to the memories of Maciej Miąsik, the game was created on the initiative of Marek Kubowicz, the founder of xLand, who made a proposal to Miąsik and Janusz Pelc to develop the first game for his company. The development took nine months.{{Cite web | author = Maciej Miąsik | title = 20 lat Electro Body | date = February 21, 2012 | website = Miasik.net | url = http://www.miasik.net/archive/2012/02/20-lat-electro-body/ | accessdate = 2015-09-10 | language = pl}} Together, Pelc and Miąsik designed and programmed the game, and created the graphics. The protagonist was given a face-covering helmet, as drawing a convincing face proved too difficult.{{r|nietylko}} The game's title was inspired by the [electronic body music](/source/electronic_body_music) genre, which was also used by the composer, Daniel Kleczyński, as inspiration for the soundtrack.{{Cite web | author = Maciej Miąsik | title = Moje gry – muzyka | date = February 20, 2009 | website = Miasik.net | url = http://www.miasik.net/archive/2009/02/moje-gry-muzyka/ | accessdate = 2015-09-10 | language = pl}} ''Electro Body'' was released in professional packaging, comparable to games released by Western publishers. The box contained an instruction manual, reference card with controls and a [cassette tape](/source/cassette_tape) containing the game soundtrack, thus allowing even players without sound cards to enjoy the music.{{r|bajty}}{{r|sgk}}{{r|pcworldkomputer}} Creating the boxes at the time was not a simple task for the developers; the boxes were [shrink-wrapped](/source/shrink_wrap) by hand, with the help of a kitchen [heat sealer](/source/heat_sealer) and a [sandwich toaster](/source/pie_iron). The back of the box was decorated with [screenshot](/source/screenshot)s made with a photo camera. Advertising material created for the game included posters and radio advertisements.{{r|nietylko}}{{r|bajty}} ''Electro Body'' was noted for its low system requirements. The game supported every video card on the Polish market, including the [Hercules Graphics Card](/source/Hercules_Graphics_Card), [CGA](/source/Color_Graphics_Adapter), [EGA](/source/Enhanced_Graphics_Adapter) and [VGA](/source/Video_Graphics_Array) cards; it also supported numerous audio devices, including the [PC speaker](/source/PC_speaker), [Covox Speech Thing](/source/Covox_Speech_Thing) or the [Sound Blaster](/source/Sound_Blaster).{{r|bajty}} A special release of the game came with a Covox device included in the box.{{r|topsecret}} Hoping to get the game picked up by a Western distributor, the developers sent a copy of the game on floppy disk by mail to the American company [Epic MegaGames](/source/Epic_MegaGames). Epic expressed interest, and xLand representatives met in [Rotterdam](/source/Rotterdam) with [Mark Rein](/source/Mark_Rein_(software_executive)); the negotiations were successful, and the game was released in the United States under the title ''Electro Man''. This release was a modified version of the original; the changes included removal of copy protection measures, and removing support for all video modes other than VGA.{{r|nietylko}} xLand planned to develop a [sequel](/source/sequel), under the title ''Electro Body 2''. Planned features of this "military 2D platform game" included [3D rendered](/source/3D_rendering) [sprite](/source/Sprite_(computer_graphics))s, as well as a new [game engine](/source/game_engine) allowing for nine separate planes of [scrolling](/source/scrolling) and special effects. The game never saw the light of day.{{r|nietylko}}{{Cite web | author = Michał Galiński | title = Wywiad z Maciejem Miąsikiem | website = Galu.info | url = http://www.galu.info/artykuly-5-maciej-miasik-wywiad.html | accessdate = 2015-09-13 | language = pl}} == Reception == {{Video game reviews |rev1 = ''[Top Secret](/source/Top_Secret_(magazine))'' |rev1Score = 3/5{{r|topsecret}} |rev2 = ''[PC Player](/source/PC_Player_(German_magazine))'' |rev2Score = 46/100{{r|pcplayer}} |rev3 = ''[PC Joker](/source/PC_Joker)'' |rev3Score = 28%{{r|pcjoker}} }} ''Electro Body'' met with critical acclaim in Poland. The reviewer in ''[Top Secret](/source/Top_Secret_(magazine))'' praised its graphics and music.{{r|topsecret}} ''[PC World Komputer](/source/PC_World)'' praised the "packaging that no western company would be ashamed of" and described the graphics as "excellent".{{r|pcworldkomputer}} Jacek Maciejewski of ''[PC Magazine](/source/PC_Magazine) Po Polsku'' considered ''Electro Body'' to be a game "of a quite high quality", but criticized the copy protection, which he found annoying.{{r|pcmagazine}} The reviewer of ''[Świat Gier Komputerowych](/source/%C5%9Awiat_Gier_Komputerowych)'' stated that the game "speaks well" of the Polish art of programming.{{r|sgk}} The game received more mixed reviews in Germany. ''[PC Games](/source/PC_Games)'' praised its graphics and compared it favorably to games by [Apogee Software](/source/3D_Realms).{{Cite journal | title = Electro Body | journal = [PC Games](/source/PC_Games) | issue = 6/93 | pages = 79 | url = https://archive.org/stream/pcgamesmagazine-1993-06/PCGames_06_1993#page/n75/mode/2up | language = de}} In contrast, the review in ''[PC Player](/source/PC_Player_(German_magazine))'' panned the game, criticizing its controls and lack of [scrolling](/source/scrolling), and complaining about some actions requiring "millimeter-perfect" positioning of the player character.{{r|pcplayer}} The review in ''[PC Joker](/source/PC_Joker)'' stated that the graphics and animation was "poor" and "downright laughable", and described the controls as awkward.{{r|pcjoker}} The game was reviewed in 1994 in the ''[Dragon](/source/Dragon_(magazine))'' magazine by [Sandy Petersen](/source/Sandy_Petersen), as part of the ''Epic Puzzle Pack'' (a compilation which also included ''[Robbo](/source/The_Adventures_of_Robbo)'' and ''[Heartlight](/source/Heartlight_(game))''). Petersen gave the compilation 3 out of 5 stars.{{r|Dragon206}} Years after its release, ''Electro Body'' was retrospectively considered an important step in the history of Polish computer games. An article on the website GameZilla.pl described it as "the first serious twitch of Polish game developers".{{r|gamezilla2012}} Bartłomiej Kluska, a journalist specializing in the history of Polish games, considered it the first serious Polish production for the PC platform and commended its graphics and "attention to detail".{{Cite web|author=Bartłomiej Kluska |title=Historia polskich gier w 15 obrazkach |date=June 1, 2010 |website=Polygamia.pl |url=http://polygamia.pl/Polygamia/51,96455,7957852.html?i=4 |accessdate=2015-09-13 |language=pl |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20151125222825/http://polygamia.pl/Polygamia/51,96455,7957852.html?i=4 |archivedate=2015-11-25}} In 2014 the Polish [indie game](/source/indie_game) website 1ndie World held a competition named "The Jam", with the objective of creating a game inspired by ''Electro Body''. The winning game would receive a professional advertising campaign sponsored by the website [Gry-Online](/source/Gry-Online), among other prizes.{{Cite web | title = The Jam – weź udział w konkursie na grę inspirowaną Electro Body i rozpocznij karierę dewelopera | date = June 27, 2014 | website = [Gry-Online](/source/Gry-Online) | url = http://www.gry-online.pl/S013.asp?ID=86166 | accessdate = 2015-08-30 | language = pl}} The competition winner was the game ''Ego Protocol''.{{Cite web | author = Jakub Mirowski | title = Czas indyków – najciekawsze gry niezależne z Digital Dragons 2015 | date = May 28, 2015 | website = [Gry-Online](/source/Gry-Online) | url = http://www.gry-online.pl/S018.asp?ID=1170&STR=5 | accessdate = 2015-08-30 | language = pl}} ==References== {{Reflist|30em|refs= {{Cite book | last = Kosman | first = Marcin | title = Nie tylko Wiedźmin: Historia polskich gier komputerowych | publisher = Wydawnictwo Open Beta | location = Warszawa | year = 2015 | isbn = 978-83-941625-0-4 | pages = 81–84 | language = pl}} {{Cite book | last1 = Kluska | first1 = Bartłomiej | last2 = Rozwadowski | first2 = Mariusz | title = Bajty polskie | publisher = Wydawnictwo Orka | location = Łódź | year = 2011 | edition = 1st | isbn = 978-83-927229-1-5 | pages = 152–153 | language = pl}} {{Cite journal | title = Electro Body | journal = [Świat Gier Komputerowych](/source/%C5%9Awiat_Gier_Komputerowych) | issue = 11–12/1993 | author = Piotr Orcholski | pages = 54–55 | issn = 1230-4271 | url = https://archive.org/stream/SwiatGierKomputerowych11121993/Swiat%20Gier%20Komputerowych%2011%2012%201993#page/n55/mode/2up | language = pl}} {{Cite journal | title = Electro Body i Heartlight PC | journal = [PC Magazine Po Polsku](/source/PC_Magazine) | date = September 1993 | author = Jacek Maciejewski | pages = 110 | issn = 1230-4271 | language = pl}} {{Cite journal | title = Elektryczny człowiek | journal = PC World Komputer | issue = 7/1992 | author = A.P. | pages = 59 | issn = 0860-2514 | language = pl}} {{Cite magazine | title = Electro Body | magazine = [Top Secret](/source/Top_Secret_(magazine)) | date = July–August 1992 | issue = 11 (4/92) | author = Piotr Liszewski | issn = 0867-8480 | url = http://www.topsecretfan.com/numery/top-secret-11-4/electro-body/ | language = pl}} {{Cite journal | title = Electro Body | journal = [PC Player](/source/PC_Player_(German_magazine)) | date = August 1993 | issue = 8/93 | pages = 83 | url = https://archive.org/stream/PC-Player-German-Magazine-1993-08/PC-Player-1993-08#page/n73/mode/2up | language = de}} {{Cite journal | title = Electro Body | journal = [PC Joker](/source/PC_Joker) | date = November 1993 | pages = 58–60 | url = http://www.kultboy.com/index.php?site=t&id=7145 | language = de}} {{Cite web | author = Bartłomiej Siejak | title = Electro Body ma już 20 lat | date = February 21, 2012 | website = GameZilla.pl | url = http://gamezilla.komputerswiat.pl/newsy/2012/08/electro-body-ma-juz-20-lat | accessdate = 2015-08-12 | language = pl}} {{cite journal | title = Eye of the Monitor | author = Petersen, Sandy | author-link = Sandy Petersen | journal = Dragon | issue = 206 | date = June 1994 | pages = 57–60}}}} ==External links== * {{moby game|id=/electroman}} * [https://www.classicdosgames.com/game/Electro_Man.html The CC-BY-SA 2.5 version published by the author] Category:1992 video games Category:1993 video games Category:Platformers Category:Creative Commons-licensed video games Category:DOS games Category:DOS-only games Category:Formerly proprietary software Category:Freeware games Category:Shareware games Category:Single-player video games Category:Video games about cyborgs Category:Video games developed in Poland --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Electro Man](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electro_Man) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electro_Man?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.