{{Short description|1994 video game}} {{Infobox video game |title = Zone Hunter |image = Zone Hunter title screen.jpg |caption = Attract title screen |developer = Taito, Virtuality Group |publisher = Taito, Virtuality Group |designer = Andy Smith |programmer = Jason Woodward<br />Tarique Naseem |artist = Mark Hardisty |composer = Mike Adams |platforms = Arcade |released = {{vgrelease|WW|1994}} |genre = First-person shooter, rail shooter |modes = Single-player, multiplayer |arcade system = 2000SU<ref name="ah">{{cite web|url=https://www.arcade-history.com/?n=zone-hunter&page=detail&id=12512|title=Zone Hunter|website=arcade-history.com|access-date=September 11, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180728035812/https://www.arcade-history.com/?n=zone-hunter&page=detail&id=12512|archive-date=July 28, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> }} {{nihongo foot|'''''Zone Hunter'''''|ゾーン ハンター|''Zōn Hantā''|lead=yes|group=lower-alpha}} is a virtual reality first-person rail shooter video game developed and published in conjunction by Taito and Virtuality Group in 1994 for arcades, though the former is not credited in-game.<ref name="ZH1">{{cite web|last1=Pedrazzini|first1=Fabrizio|last2=Williams|first2=Kevin|url=http://faberp.tripod.com/zh.htm|title=TAITO - VIRTUALITY - ''ZONE HUNTER'' - (VIRTUAL REALITY GAME)|publisher=The Strange (and Rare) Videogame Pics Page|access-date=August 16, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110630045236/http://faberp.tripod.com/zh.htm|archive-date=June 30, 2011|url-status=live}}</ref>
==Gameplay== ''Zone Hunter'' is a first-person shooter, and was one of the first VR arcade games.<ref name="NGzh"/>
==Development and release== ''Zone Hunter'' was co-developed by the UK-based virtual reality company Virtuality Group and the Japanese arcade specialist Taito. It was the first title in Virtuality's second generation (2000 series) of products introduced in 1994.<ref>{{cite magazine | author=McFerran, Damien | date=June 2007 | title=The Rise and Fall of Virtuality | url=https://archive.org/details/retro-gamer-raspberry-pi-buenos-aires/Retro%20Gamer%20038/page/77/mode/1up | magazine=Retro Gamer | issn=1742-3155 | issue=38 | publisher=ImaginePublishing | page=77}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine | author=The Whizz | date=May 1994 | title=The Cutting Edge: Taking You into the Technology of Tomorrow | url=https://archive.org/details/GamePro_Issue_058_May_1994/page/n19/mode/1up | magazine=GamePro | publisher=IDG | issue=58 | issn=1042-8658 | page=18}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine | author=''EGM'' staff | date=May 1995 | title=Arcade Action: The Ever Expanding World of... VR | url=https://archive.org/details/egm-2-volume-1-issue-11-may-1995/page/82/mode/1up | magazine=EGM2 | publisher=Sendai Publishing | issue=11 | issn=1058-918X | page=82}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine | author=''Play Meter'' staff | date=October 1995 | title=Games at a Glance | url=https://archive.org/details/play-meter-volume-21-number-11-october-1995/Play%20Meter%20-%20Volume%2021%2C%20Number%2011%20-%20October%201995%20%28Compressed%29/page/95/mode/1up | magazine=Play Meter | publisher=Skybird Publishing | volume=21 | issue=11 | issn=1529-8736 | page=95}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine | author=''Play Meter'' staff | date=May 1995 | title=ACME '95 | url=https://archive.org/details/play-meter-volume-21-number-6-may-1995/Play%20Meter%20-%20Volume%2021%2C%20Number%206%20-%20May%201995%20%28Compressed%29/page/126/mode/1up | magazine=Play Meter | publisher=Skybird Publishing | volume=21 | issue=6 | issn=1529-8736 | page=126}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine | author=''Hyper'' staff | date=October 1994 | title=News: Hot New Game Technology Alert! | url=https://archive.org/details/hyper-009/page/12/mode/1up | magazine=Hyper | publisher=nextmedia | issue=9 | issn=1320-7458 | page=12}}</ref> It was produced at the same time as Sega's virtual reality Model 1 arcade game ''TecWar'',{{efn|Also known as ElectronicBrain.<ref name="ZH2"/>}} which was also a joint effort with Virtuality.<ref name="ZH2">{{cite web|last1=Pedrazzini|first1=Fabrizio|last2=Williams|first2=Kevin|url=http://faberp.tripod.com/tw.htm|title=SEGA - ''TECWAR'' aka ''ELECTRONICBRAIN'' - (VIRTUAL REALITY GAME)|publisher=The Strange (and Rare) Videogame Pics Page|access-date=August 16, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110630045235/http://faberp.tripod.com/tw.htm|archive-date=June 30, 2011|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Edge">{{cite magazine | author=''Edge'' staff | date=December 1994 | title=News: Coin-ops stay one step ahead | url=https://archive.org/details/edge-015-december-1994/EDGE%20015%20-%20December%201994/page/12/mode/1up | magazine=Edge | publisher=Future plc | issue=15 | issn=1350-1593 | page=12}}</ref> Taito conceived ''Zone Hunter'' and worked alongside Virtuality as a deal to bring the game into Japanese arcade markets under their banner.<ref name="ZH1"/> Due to low sales in the region, Taito terminated the deal between them and Virtuality, with the latter opening their own office in Japan afterwards.<ref name="ZH1"/>
A port for the Atari Jaguar was announced and planned to be released alongside the Jaguar VR headset peripheral at launch.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://host.fptoday.com:80/melek/Jaguar/jag-95.htm|title=ATARI AND VIRTUALITY PREVIEW FIRST VIRTUAL REALITY GAME SYSTEM FOR THE CONSUMER MARKET AT E3|website=Nine Lives|date=May 16, 1995|access-date=August 16, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180718083834/http://host.fptoday.com/melek/Jaguar/jag-95.htm|archive-date=July 18, 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|last1=François|first1=Tommy|last2=Msika|first2=David|url=http://www.abandonware-magazines.org/affiche_mag.php?mag=101&num=2883&album=oui|title=Reportage - E3 - Atari - Le Virtuel, Ça Marche|trans-title=Report - E3 - Atari - Virtual, It Works|magazine=CD Consoles|issue=8|publisher=Pressimage|date=June 1995|pages=42–3|access-date=August 16, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180619035732/http://www.abandonware-magazines.org/affiche_mag.php?mag=101&num=2883&album=oui|archive-date=June 19, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine | author=''GameFan'' staff | date=July 1995 | title=E3: Jaguar CD | url=https://archive.org/details/GamefanVolume3Issue07July1995ALT/page/n38/mode/1up | magazine=GameFan | publisher=DieHard Gamers Club | volume=3 | issue=7 | issn=1092-7212 | page=37}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine | author=''Game Players'' staff | date=August 1995 | title=Front Page: Jaguar Bites Back With VR Headset | url=https://archive.org/details/Game_Players_Issue_55_August_1995/page/n15/mode/1up | magazine=Game Players | publisher=Imagine Media | issue=55 | issn=1087-2779 | page=16}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine | author=''Game Informer'' staff | date=July 1995 | title=Home Virtual Reality May Become a Real Reality for Jag Owners by End of Year | url=https://archive.org/details/game-informer-issue-27-july-1995/page/n62/mode/1up | magazine=Game Informer | publisher=Sunrise Publications | issue=27 | issn=1067-6392 | page=61}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine | author=''Cash Box International'' staff | date=September 1995 | title=What's Happening In Consumer Games | url=https://archive.org/details/cash-box-international-magazine-september-1995/Cash%20Box%20International%20Magazine%20-%20September%201995/page/47/mode/1up | magazine=Cash Box International | publisher=Printrod | page=47}}</ref> A demo was created for demonstration purposes.<ref>{{cite video|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vAHUXDTX2TQ|work=YouTube|date=June 21, 2007|author=NAVGTR|title=E3 1995 (2min 22sec)|access-date=August 16, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151205230914/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vAHUXDTX2TQ|archive-date=December 5, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Vendel|first=Curt|url=http://www.atarimuseum.com/videogames/consoles/jaguar/jagfiles/jag64-payments.PDF|title=Payment Schedule for Jaguar games to Developers|website=atarimuseum.com|date=August 26, 1995|access-date=August 16, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141211091716/http://www.atarimuseum.com/videogames/consoles/jaguar/jagfiles/jag64-payments.PDF|archive-date=December 11, 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://oldgamemags.ukprintarchive.com/Multi-format%20Publications/Computer%20&%20Video%20Games/CVG%20(1995-09)%20166%20(EMAP).pdf/#page/12|title=CVG News - Connected - A Zone In The Dark|magazine=Computer and Video Games|issue=166|publisher=Future Publishing|date=September 1995|page=12|access-date=January 5, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180816125946/http://oldgamemags.ukprintarchive.com/Multi-format%20Publications/Computer%20%26%20Video%20Games/CVG%20%281995-09%29%20166%20%28EMAP%29.pdf/#page/12#page/12|archive-date=August 16, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> However, neither the port nor the peripheral were ever released due to problems between Virtuality and Atari Corporation in their deal.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://archive.org/stream/HiTechMagazine/HiTech%2006#page/n87/mode/2up|title=Reportaje - La Realidad Virtual entrará en los hogares de la mano de Atari|magazine=Hobby Hi-Tech|issue=6|publisher=Axel Springer SE|date=September 1995|pages=88–9|lang=es}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Thompson|first=Clint|title=Jaguar VR - INTERACTIVE VIRTUAL REALITY MULTIMEDIA SYSTEM|url=http://jagcube.atari.org/jaguarvr.html|website=JagCube|publisher=Atari.org|access-date=August 16, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180409174210/http://jagcube.atari.org/jaguarvr.html|archive-date=April 9, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>
==Reception== {{Video game reviews |CVG = 82/100<ref name="CVGzh">{{cite magazine|url=https://archive.org/details/computer-and-video-games-magazine/Computer%20and%20Video%20Games%20165/page/n73/mode/1up|title=CVG Arcades - Video Drome: ''Zone Hunter''|magazine=Computer and Video Games|issue=165|publisher=EMAP|date=August 1995|page=74|issn=0261-3697|author=''CVG'' staff}}</ref> |NGen = {{Rating|2|5}}<ref name="NGzh">{{cite magazine|url=https://archive.org/stream/nextgen-issue-010/Next_Generation_Issue_010_October_1995#page/n131/mode/1up|title=Finals - Arcade - ''Zone Hunter''|magazine=Next Generation|issue=10|publisher=Imagine Media|date=October 1995|page=130|author=''Next Generation'' staff|issn=1078-9693}}</ref> | rev1 = ''Sega Pro'' | rev1Score = 8/10<ref name="SegaPro">{{cite magazine | author=''Sega Pro'' staff | date=October 1994 | title=Tried and Tested: ''Zone Hunter'' | url=https://archive.org/details/sega-pro-37/page/n8/mode/1up | magazine=Sega Pro | publisher=Paragon Publishing | issn=0964-2641 | issue=37 | page=9}}</ref> }} ''Next Generation'' said that the game was neither as fun or playable as ''Doom'', nor as "good looking" as ''Virtua Cop''.<ref name="NGzh"/> Reviewing the game at Sega World, ''Sega Pro'' rated the game eight out of ten and concluded that "Virtuality's hard work and R&D is finally paying off" despite it not having "the final stroke of realism to put you in a ''Lawnmower Man''-esque situation."<ref name="SegaPro"/> Brian Osserman of ''Intelligent Gamer'' commented, "The game is fun, but it is highly questionable whether it is worth $5 a shot."<ref>{{cite magazine | author=Osserman, Brian | date=June 1996 | title=Virtual Reality Gaming | url=https://archive.org/details/intelligent-gamer-issue-01-june-1996/page/n36/mode/1up | magazine=Intelligent Gamer | publisher=Decker Publishing | issn=1088-6737 | issue=1 | page=37}}</ref> <!--see article talk page for more reviews and sources!-->
== Notes == {{notelist}}
== References == {{reflist}}
== External links == * {{Official webpage|https://web.archive.org/web/20230423230118/http://www.arcadianvr.com/SU_2000_SOFTWARE_ZONE_HUNTER.htm}} * [https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/arcade/583753-zone-hunter ''Zone Hunter''] at GameFAQs * [http://www.mobygames.com/game/zone-hunter ''Zone Hunter''] at MobyGames
{{Portal bar|1990s|Japan|United Kingdom|Video games}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Zone Hunter}} Category:1994 video games Category:Arcade video games Category:Arcade-only video games Category:Cancelled Atari Jaguar games Category:First-person shooters Category:Multiplayer and single-player video games Category:Rail shooters Category:Taito arcade games Category:Video games developed in the United Kingdom Category:Video games set in the 21st century Category:Virtual reality games Category:Virtuality games