“I want to state that Night Trap will never appear on a Nintendo system” – Howard Lincoln, former chairman of Nintendo of America, 1993.
Here we are 25 years later, and Night Trap has been released on the Nintendo Switch. Filmed back in 1987, this iconic FMV title was originally released in 1993 and banned in the USA due to its “ultra violent” content. It’s pretty much the reason games now have age ratings.
The story takes place during a teenage girls’ house party. As a member of the Special Control Attack Team, you must protect the girls and members of your team using cameras and traps hidden throughout the house. Seems odd putting teenage girls lives at risk for entertainment, but this was the 90s.
The gameplay is similar to Five Nights At Freddy’s. Players switch between eight cameras, and have to press a button at the right moment to trap intruders. Different-coloured access codes also need to be selected, which change throughout the game. If vital characters are killed or you miss too many intruders, game over.
Night Trap‘s biggest drawback was always its gameplay. Having to memorise every trap on the timeline was boring, and a tough sell to newcomers. This edition solves that by adding the option to see moving thumbnail views of each room. This adds an element of skill in watching multiple rooms at once, and although still challenging, it finally makes Night Trap an enjoyable experience.
As well as the normal game there is a new Survival mode, but it’s just a poor attempt to add some longevity to the game. The package also includes “Dangerous Games”, a good but badly-produced documentary from 1995, and an interesting interview with Night Trap‘s co-creator. A lack of pause, rewind and fast forward in these are a bit disappointing though.
Night Trap is more a fun B-movie than videogame. The acting is beautifully awful, the dialogue hilariously terrible, and with the optional gamplay change, it’s the game it should have been 25 years ago. It’s a piece of history that’s never looked and played better.
NIGHT TRAP 25TH ANNIVERSARY / DEVELOPER: SCREAMING VILLAINS / PUBLISHER: LIMITED RUN GAMES / PLATFORM: NINTENDO SWITCH (REVIEWED), PC, PLAYSTATION 4, XBOX ONE / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW
