Chase H.Q.

Chase H.Q. was the driving game for people who got bored just racing. Getting to the finish wasn't enough: you had to catch the bad guy and ram him again and again until he gave up, siren wailing and headquarters on the radio hurrying you along. A lot of folks still remember the line that kicked off every chase.

It's not playable in our arcade yet, but it's on the UsuArcade wish list, and your votes can bring it in sooner.

History

Taito released it in 1988, riding the wave of the buddy cop movies of the day. You play a pair of cops in a special unit who get the getaway car's details over the radio from headquarters.

The flashiest cabinet was a sit-down with wheel, pedals and gear shifter, and the idea of hunting down and ramming one specific car inspired plenty of later games. It was followed by Special Criminal Investigation.

How to play

Each stage has two parts. First, catch up to the criminal's car before time runs out, weaving through traffic and picking the right way at forks in the road. Then ram it over and over to fill its damage meter and force it to stop, on a second timer.

You get a limited number of turbo boosts per stage, a huge burst of speed that's perfect for closing the gap or hitting harder. The shifter toggles between low and high gear, and knowing when to shift makes all the difference coming out of corners.

Fun facts

• It's not about winning a race; it's about stopping the bad guy with your bumper.
• You only get a handful of turbos per stage.
• Its sequel was called Special Criminal Investigation.

In the arcade

Chase H.Q. is on the wish list: coming soon to UsuArcade. Vote with the “I Want to Play It” button to move it up the line of games to add.

Meanwhile, the lobby already has other driving classics to burn some rubber: Out Run for the top-down cruise and Hang-On for the two-wheel crowd, all with spectators, chat and arcade high scores.

FAQ