Dynamite Cop!
Alternate Titles - Dynamite Deka 2 (Japan)
Developer - SEGA AM1 (later known as Wow Entertainment)
Publisher - SEGA
Producer - Rikiya Nakagawa
Director - Makoto Uchida
Lead Game Designer - Makoto Uchida
Concept Artist - Tony De Zuniga
Composer - Howard Drossin
Genre - Beat ‘Em Up (1-2 Players)
Dreamcast Release Dates - November 3, 1999 (North America); May 27, 1999 (Japan); October 14, 1999 (Europe)
Additional Releases - SEGA Model 2 Arcade Cabinet (1998)
Current Average Price - $125
Dynamite Cop (known in Japan as Dynamite Deka 2) is a beat ‘em up game originally released in arcades in 1998 as a sequel to 1996’s Dynamite Deka (which was released outside of Japan as Die Hard Arcade for the SEGA Saturn). Dynamite Cop was ported to the Dreamcast in 1999 and released worldwide, this time without the licensing of the Die Hard film franchise.
Dyanmite Cop is most loved today for its combination of technical excellence and irreverent tone. It plays well, with excellent graphics and smooth frame-rate, and it never takes itself even the slightest bit seriously. This latter fact is what makes the game so endlessly replayable, and its laughable scenarios and off-beat style make it a joy to watch (and stream).
Premise and Story
The premise of Dynamite Cop! is as simple as it is ludicrous - the President of the United States’ daughter is being held hostage by pirates on an ocean-liner (along with 2,000 other poor souls), and it’s up to the player to save her. I could (and would happily) paraphrase the plot here in my own luxurious prose. But why do that, when the game’s manual does such an incredible job? Yeah, let’s just post a shot of that for your consumption.
And now that we’re up to speed…
Gameplay
The game is played by one or two players, who choose their character from a trio of action heroes. Bruno Delinger returns from the first game. He’s the stereotypical 1990s tough guy who’s having a bad day (though his pet monkey does offer moral support). Jean Ivy is the classic 1990s action babe. And Eddie Brown is the fast-punching, hard-kicking third member of the squad.
The player chooses their approach to the cruise ship at the beginning of the game, and this choice dictates the path through which the player will progress through the game, as well as which enemies they will encounter and in which order. The game is made up of stages in which the player fights through waves of (often ridiculous) enemies, with bosses and Quick Time Events sprinkled generously throughout. The final showdown with the leader of the pirates, Wolf Hongo, takes place aboard the ship or at the pirates’ secret island lair, depending on the path the player has chosen.
The joy of Dynamite Cop, beyond the solid mechanics of the gameplay, is the outlandish presentation of enemies and the weapons we can use to dispatch them. The pirates are ridiculous - some are dressed as crabs, sharks, or turtles, while others are more like pirate caricatures. There are even a full kitchen’s worth of chef-based enemies - one is from France, another from China, and the sushi chef from Japan is a former sumo wrestler. Oh, and did I mention that one of the boss enemies is a Kraken?
To defeat these myriad enemies we naturally use our fists and feet. But, as the game’s instruction manual so nicely instructs, this is not a PR mission and any weapons found along the way should be used extensively. These include french baguettes (that’s “bread” to the uncultured among you), hairspray, a giant tuna fish, brooms, mops, a microphone stand, mannequins, a black pepper shaker, grenades, anti-ship missiles, a bushel of apples, a basket of coins, toilet plungers, urinals, a bow and arrow… the list goes on.
Quick Review and Legacy
Today, the typical commentary around the Dynamite Cop experience usually boils down to “Oh my gosh, you can use a fish as a weapon!” And that’s a valid take. The game is truly ridiculous in all the best ways. But the real treat of Dynamite Cop isn’t the silliness (though the silliness is indeed a treat). The real treat is that it’s just a solid, well-made videogame.
The combat is tight and the controls are responsive. Attacks land with weight. It never feels cheap or overly difficult, yet the game does retain a degree of challenge which is refreshing. The game commits itself fully to the silliness of its story, and it brings us along on its laughable premise.
Load times are short. The soundtrack is excellent. The graphics are great. The bonus contend is plentiful; the game’s gallery mode contains over 100 illustrations and production/concept art by DC Comics artist Tony De Zuniga and there’s a full comic penned by the same. There’s a survival mode, and the classic SEGA game Tranquilizer Gun is included (for some reason).
Simply put, Dynamite Cop is a very good and very special game - hilarious, fun to look at and to listen to, and infinitely replayable. It’s a perfect example of what makes the Dreamcast so great.
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