An Ode to Enemy Insects

[Barry the Nomad]

While playing Game Room last night, I came to realize how many friggin games use insects as enemies. Let's take the already and soon to be released Game Room games as examples: Centipede, Millipede, Spider Fighter, Black Widow, Buzz Bombers, Crackpot, Pitfall, Haunted House, H.E.R.O. and Night Stalker

All that in only 1.5 months!

Even SEGA's own Sonic series has a love for insect enemies. The first act of Sonic 1 features robotic ladybugs and wasps with more insects appeared as the game and series went on.

But what of Mario? While fatty didn't jump on too many insects, he DID feature the next two biggest enemy categories: reptiles and plants/fungi. Mario battled mushrooms and reptiles just as Space Harrier shot them out of the sky. Even Sonic jumped on shrooms in Mushroom Hill zone and (surprise) fought even more robotic insects in that same zone.

Point I'm getting at? Just pointing out how many times insects, plants and reptiles are used as video game fodder. Also, mushrooms = SEGA DNA, hence Mario = SEGA DNA. I have sales figures to back this up.

So, any other notable enemy insects?

[crackdude]

:D

[Sega Uranus]

Things people usually find unappealing or gross are usually good for enemy designs. This is not just for videogames, but they are usually chosen for sprites or models because they are usually relatively easier to make than say, a realistic-looking human.

[crackdude]

One cannot forget that in Yars' Revenge, the hero is an insect.

Really far out concept for the time me thinks.

[fluffymoochicken]

Things people usually find unappealing or gross are usually good for enemy designs. This is not just for videogames, but they are usually chosen for sprites or models because they are usually relatively easier to make than say, a realistic-looking human.

Hmm... I could see how that would be true for 3D models, since we're more critical of flaws in human faces because we recognize them so easily. Not many of us have ever closely studied the anatomy of insects, though.

[Sega Uranus]

Yeah, not only that, but animations for insects and lizards are usually more robotic and static. If something moves too fast or twitches, even experts would rarely notice it.

All of this is are big reasons why we do not see as many warm-blooded enemies in games, I think.

[MadeManG74]

Seeing as God Hand is fresh in my mind, there is a really tough Giant Fly boss in that game.