History VideoGame / SmashTV

Originally developed by Creator/WilliamsElectronics and released to arcades in 1990, it turned up on several home computer systems and consoles before making the jump to UsefulNotes/XboxLiveArcade - the first version that allowed co-op online play.

Not to be confused with the ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros'' series, the ''Series/{{Smash}}'' television show, [[Series/FridayNightLights Smash Williams]], or [[ShootTheTelevision the act of smashing your TV]].

* BaldOfEvil: Mutoid Man.
* BigBad: [[spoiler:The host. Known as Jasper Powell in the Sega Force novel.]]

* EverythingTryingToKillYou: And ''how!''
* ExcusePlot: Seriously, did you read that stuff up there?

* ShoutOut: ''Franchise/RoboCop'' (where the host says "I'll buy THAT for a dollar!"), the Platform/{{Atari2600}} (the 2600-inch [=TVs=] you can win), and several more.

* SnakePeople: Loads of them abound in the third stage.
* SpamAttack: The grenade launcher.

* SpreadShot: The 3-Way Shot.

* ShoutOut: ''Franchise/RoboCop'' (where the host says "I'll buy THAT for a dollar!"), the UsefulNotes/{{Atari2600}} (the 2600-inch [=TVs=] you can win), and several more.

%%* BaldOfEvil: Mutoid Man.
%%* BigBad: [[spoiler:The host. Known as Jasper Powell in the Sega Force novel.]]

%%* EverythingTryingToKillYou: And ''how!''

%%* SpreadShot: The 3-Way Shot.

[[TwentyMinutesIntoTheFuture In the far flung future of 1999]], violence is the biggest draw in entertainment. The [[GameShow game show]] has become the dominant force in television. The most spectacular, gruesome, and rewarding show, topping the ratings, is ''Smash TV''. Contestants are armed and sent into a closed arena, where they fight for cash, glory, and unforgettable prizes including (but not limited to) [[UndesirablePrize brand new toasters]], more [[Franks2000InchTV 2,600" televisions]] than you ever thought possible, and [[ConsolationPrize a year's supply of good meat]]. And if you do well enough, and find enough keys... you may just get into the Pleasure Dome.

Yep, that's the plot in a nutshell. The game is basically a graphical update of designers Creator/EugeneJarvis' and Creator/LarryDeMar's earlier ''VideoGame/{{Robotron 2084}}'', while also borrowing heavily from ''Film/TheRunningMan'' (it can be considered a SpiritualSuccessor to both).

It also received a novelization from the Creator/{{Sega}} magazine ''Sega Force''

%%* BigBad: [[spoiler: The host. Known as Jasper Powell in the Sega Force novel.]]

* DeathByAdaptation: In the game, it is possible for both contestants to survive the entire show. [[spoiler: In the Sega Force novel, Ashley dies giving his life to save Jim]].

--> '''"EAT MY EYEBALLS"'''

* {{Foreshadowing}}: In the novel, as Ashley and Jim get into the studio, Jim notices when Jasper Powell emerges from the ground that there was a cable behind his leg that connects into the floor. [[spoiler: It turns out to be a smaller body double of Jasper who was a giant cyborg with tank threads in place of legs.]]

* PaletteSwap: Some of the Mooks, and the final boss - [[spoiler: [[RecurringBoss The Host]]]] - is a head swap of the first. Additionally, all the gift-wrapped prize boxes come in red, yellow, and green.

** "I'd buy that for a dollar!" is a ShoutOut to ''Franchise/RoboCop'' (which is in turn a ShoutOut to C.M. Kornbluth's story ''The Marching Morons'', which had the recurring catchphrase "Would you buy it for a quarter?").

* {{Bowdlerization}}: The SNES port removed some of the blood and gibs: the generic enemies armed with clubs still disintegrate into PinkMist when shot and bosses lose their limbs and become visibly bloodied when shot enough, but normal enemies aren't blown to pieces when shot with heavier weaponry and the twin snakes now explode normally when killed instead of spurting blood. More subtly, the host doesn't peek at the women's breasts either. Additionally, the contestants will simply keel over dead as a result of actions that would commonly gib them in the arcade version. Ironically, the phrase "Now decapitate Evil M.C.!" goes unedited in the SNES port.

%%* BigBad: [[spoiler: The host.]]

** Even after decapitating Mutoid Man [[spoiler:and the Evil M.C.]] a second time, touching its tank during its death animation, even if stationary, turns the contestants into PinkMist. Might be a justified design choice considering the base of the boss is undergoing a ChainReactionDestruction.

* BaldOfEvil: Mutoid Man.
* BigBad: [[spoiler: The host.]]
* BloodSport

* {{Bowdlerization}}: The SNES port removed some of the blood and gibs: the generic enemies armed with clubs still disintegrate into PinkMist when shot and bosses lose their limbs and become visibly bloodied when shot enough, but normal enemies aren't blown to pieces when shot with heavier weaponry and the twin snakes now explode normally when killed instead of spurting blood. More subtly, the host doesn't peek at the women's breasts either. Additionally, the contestants will simply keel over dead as a result of actions that would commonly gib them in the arcade version.
** Ironically, the phrase "Now decapitate Evil M.C.!" goes unedited in the SNES port.

* EverythingTryingToKillYou: And ''how!''

* EyeScream: Some of the player's death animations will show eyeballs flying among the LudicrousGibs.
** Also, as stated above, the Evil M.C. weaponizes this trope by shooting his own eyeballs at you.

* KaizoTrap: Even after decapitating Mutoid Man [[spoiler:and the Evil M.C.]] a second time, touching its tank during its death animation, even if stationary, turns the contestants into PinkMist. Might be a justified design choice considering the base of the boss is undergoing a ChainReactionDestruction.
** Also, after killing the FinalBoss, you still have to avoid landmines (there are [[SchmuckBait several waves of bonus prizes to tempt you]]) and then make it to the exit (an unkillable homing drone shows up after a few seconds to chase you out, same as any other level).
* ALadyOnEachArm: The host is always seen with two bikini clad models. (Win the game or earn a high enough score, and one of them appears - alone - in the credits, then with ''your'' character.)

** '''[[LampshadeHanging NO WAY!!!]]'''
* LudicrousGibs: Most enemies - and you - explode in large pools of blood and disembodied limbs.

* MercyInvincibility: A free forcefield power-up, see RammingAlwaysWorks below.
** Higher difficulty settings make this wear off almost immediately.
* {{Mooks}}: Most enemies, actually.
* MoreDakka

* ShootEmUp

* SpreadShot: The 3-Way Shot.

* UndesirablePrize: Oddly subverted in the first studio; the contestants seem to be more excited over winning ''toasters'' than any of the other prizes--including brand new cars--offered therein.

Not to be confused with the ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros'' series, the ''Series/{{Smash}}'' television show, or [[Series/FridayNightLights Smash Williams]].

* ActionBomb: Mr. Shrapnel.

* AttackDrone: It also copies whatever gun power up you're using, for twice the [[BuffySpeak gunnage]].

%%* BareYourMidriff

%%* FanService

* FlipScreenScrolling

* NitroBoost

* PowerUp: Standard shoot-em-up fare.

* ShoutOut: ''Franchise/RoboCop'', the UsefulNotes/{{Atari2600}}, and several more.

* SmartBomb: "''BINGO!''"

%%* {{Stripperiffic}}

* UnwinnableByDesign: Initially. See NoEnding above.

* ImmuneToBullets: Many bosses can only be defeated by special weapons. Your regular bullets just bounce off them!

* OneHitPointWonder: You'd be surprised what you can squeeze past, though.

Not to be confused with the ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros'' series, the ''Series/Smash'' television show, or [[Series/FridayNightLights Smash Williams]].