Area 51 (1995 video game)



A 1995 arcade light gun game, Area 51 puts the player in the role of a member of an elite military unit called the Strategic Tactical Advanced Alien Response (STAAR). Their mission is to enter the titular base, shoot through a small army of zombified military and science personnel and prevent an alien race known as the Kronn from taking over the facility by triggering a nuclear device, destroying it and everything inside of it.

It was followed by Area 51: Site 4 in 1998, which improved the graphics and replaced the linear stage progression with a set of unconnected "field exercise" missions, effectively making the game both a figurative and literal Mission Pack Sequel.

Not to be confused with the first person shooter of the same name released in 2005.


 * All There in the Manual:
 * Activating Kronn Mode reveals the Kronn here are renegades, and you're going to stop them, human interference or not.
 * The Attract Mode reveals S.T.A.A.R. has taken down several alien attempts at invasion, ranging from minor incidents to puppet governments.
 * Area 51: Well duh.
 * Developers Room: One of the secret room features several Buddha statues. Shooting off their heads reveals the faces of the development staff.
 * Die Chair Die
 * Enemy Civil War/Enemy Mine: The Kronn Hunter mode, which has you playing as one of the aliens sent to deal with the "rebels" in Area 51.
 * Exploding Barrels: Occasionally reveals power ups, always adds to your score.
 * Full Motion Video
 * Fun With Acronyms: S.T.A.A.R. Team.
 * Friendly Fireproof: Subverted. As seen in the page picture, fellow STAAR officers will often step into your line of fire, and if you hit them by mistake, a health penalty is incurred (though doing this right in the beginning unlocks Kronn Hunter mode).
 * Government Agency of Fiction: See above.
 * Guide Dang It: You probably wouldn't figure out where or how to get into the game's numerous secret rooms without being told.
 * Have a Nice Death: The "Game Over" screen has one of the STAAR member (presumably your character) rising from death and turning into a Kronn alien then jumping toward the screen. Oddly you get this even if you win the game.
 * Hostage Spirit Link: To an annoying degree; often times one of your fellow STAAR members will step or jump directly into your line of fire, obscuring a not-insignificant portion of the screen while still allowing enemies to shoot through him and hit you.
 * Light Gun Game
 * Missing Episode: Buddhists really didn't take "Shake Your Buddha" well, so it was removed from later editions of the game.
 * Rail Shooter
 * Rewarding Vandalism
 * Shoot the Bullet: Early in the game an enemy helicopter starts firing missiles that the player has to shoot down similar to the barrels below, averted the rest of the time as you can't see the bullets at all.
 * Throw a Barrel At It: Utilized at certain points; enemy mooks will throw exploding barrels at you that you need to shoot out of the air before they hit you.
 * What Happened to The Mouse?: The jeep driver who picks you up in the second level suddenly disappears from said jeep when you try to climb up a ladder. You watch the empty jeep plow into some gas tanks.