Home Alone (video game) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Home Alone |
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NES box art
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| Developer(s) | Bethesda Softworks (NES) Sega of America (GEN, GG) Imagineering Inc. (GB, SNES) Probe Entertainment (SMS) Manley & Associates (Amiga, DOS) |
| Publisher(s) | THQ Altron (PAL & Japanese versions of Nintendo-platforms) Sega (GEN, GG, SMS) Capstone Software (Amiga, DOS) |
| Director(s) | Ivan Manley (Amiga, DOS) |
| Designer(s) | Paul Coletta & Randy Linden (NES) Alex DeMeo & Barry Marx (GB, SNES) Dave Albert & Ivan Manley (Amiga, DOS) |
| Programmer(s) | Randy Linden & Paul Coletta (NES) Alex DeMeo, Garry Kitchen, David Lubar (SNES) David Lubar (GB) George Stults, John McKinnie, Jim McManus (Amiga, DOS) |
| Artist(s) | Nancy Freeman, Bob Hires (NES) Mike Sullivan (SNES, GB) Jonathan Sposato(Amiga, DOS) |
| Composer(s) | Rolf Weber & Cliff Falls (Genesis) George Sanger(NES) Mark Van Hecke(GB, SNES) Tom McMail(Amiga, DOS) Matt Furniss(Sega Master System) |
| Series | Home Alone |
| Platform(s) | Nintendo Entertainment System, Super Nintendo Entertainment System, Sega Genesis, Master System, Game Gear, Game Boy, Amiga, MS-DOS |
| Release date(s) | NES
Sega platforms
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| Genre(s) | Action |
| Mode(s) | Single-player |
Home Alone is the name for several video games based on the popular movie of the same name. In these games, you play as Kevin McCallister, a clever kid who is accidentally left alone at home during Christmas. His mission? To protect his house from two clumsy burglars, Harry and Marv, also known as the "Wet Bandits." These games were released on many different game consoles and computers, like the NES, SNES, Sega Genesis, and Game Boy.
Contents
What's the Game About?
Even though there are many different versions of the Home Alone game, they all share the same exciting story and main goal. Just like in the movie, Kevin McCallister's family goes on a Christmas trip to Paris, but they accidentally leave him behind! Now, Kevin has to stop the "Wet Bandits" from breaking into his house. He uses everyday household items to set up funny and clever traps to keep the burglars away.
Different Ways to Play: Game Versions
Each version of the Home Alone game offers a unique way to play, but they all focus on Kevin's adventure against the Wet Bandits.
Super NES Version
In the Super NES game, your main goal is to move all the valuable items from the McCallister house into a safe room in the basement. You need to avoid the Wet Bandits while doing this. Once all items are safely in the basement, Kevin must go through the basement. There, he faces rats, bats, spiders, and even ghosts! Finally, he has to defeat a boss to reach the safe room and lock up all the family's treasures.
Computer Version
The Home Alone game for personal computers gives you a short time, about 5 minutes, to set up traps. You must place these traps before the Wet Bandits arrive. After this time, you can't set any more traps. Each trap can only be used once and causes a small amount of damage.
Harry and Marv enter the house from different spots. If Kevin touches either of them, the game ends right away, and you lose. If you hurt a bandit ten times, they will be stopped for good. Your goal is to stop both burglars. Be careful not to trigger your own traps, as they will disappear!
NES Version
In the NES version, you need to avoid being caught by Harry and Marv for 20 minutes. During this time, Kevin can set different traps using items found around the house. Each trap has a different strength, making the bandits unconscious for longer. Kevin can also hide in certain spots, but only for a short time. If he tries to hide too often in a row, it's game over!
Sega Platforms (Genesis and Game Gear)
The Genesis and Game Gear versions have a slightly different story. Kevin still battles the Wet Bandits, but he also has to protect several houses in his neighborhood. He needs to keep them safe for 20 minutes (or 40 minutes on harder levels) until the police arrive.
Kevin can travel between houses on a sled. When the bandits try to rob a house, Kevin enters in a 2D platformer style. He fights them off using different weapons to fill up a "Pain Meter." When the meter is full, he saves that house, and the bandits leave. If Kevin fails, the house gets "flooded" (Marv leaves the water running), and Kevin can't go back in. If all houses are flooded, the game ends.
Kevin starts with a simple BB gun. He can also combine items to make new weapons with different types of ammo, like glue or snow. These weapons have different firing styles, such as a rifle, bazooka, launcher, or mortar. You can take apart weapons to use different ammo types. If Kevin gets caught, he's tied up, but he can wiggle free to keep defending the house. You can also set traps inside houses before the bandits arrive to help fill the Pain Meter faster.
Master System Version
In the Master System game, Kevin explores 30 levels across 6 different types of houses. He needs to avoid Harry and Marv while collecting valuable items like rings and pots. These items must be put into a safe before time runs out. Each house also has a dog or a cat. Dogs will attack the bandits, making them drop valuables, but they can also make Kevin drop items if they reach him. Cats will knock objects onto lower levels. In bonus levels, there are no bandits or pets. Kevin also has a pump weapon, like in the movie, and can find ammo to shoot enemies. This makes them drop a valuable and fall down for a few seconds.
Game Boy Version
The Game Boy version is similar to the SNES and NES games. You need to avoid the Wet Bandits. Kevin collects various items and drops them down a laundry chute into a safe. Sometimes, Kevin can use the items the bandits want to steal against them, like dropping a paint can on their heads. He can also set traps, just like in the movie.
There are four levels, each in a different part of the house, and each with a different type of item to collect. The first level is about jewelry, the second toys, the third electronics, and the fourth expensive pets. After collecting enough items, you go to the basement. There, you must defeat a boss before reaching the safe. The bosses include a giant spider, a giant rat, a giant ghost, and finally, Harry and Marv themselves. After securing the fourth safe, Kevin also has to face the furnace, just like in the movie when he conquers his fear of it.
Release Information
The Bethesda Softworks version of the game was released in 1991.
See also
