N2O: Nitrous Oxide

N2O: Nitrous Oxide
Developer(s)	Gremlin Interactive[1]
Publisher(s)	Fox Interactive[2]
Designer(s)	Antony Crowther[1]
Platform(s)	PlayStation, PlayStation Network
Release date(s)	PlayStation NA June 30, 1998[3] EU September, 1998[4] PlayStation Network EU January 10, 2008 NA June 1, 2010
Genre(s)	Tube shooter
Mode(s)	Single-player
Media/distribution	CD-ROM

N₂O: Nitrous Oxide (or N2O) is a tunnel shooter (similar to the 1980 hit Tempest) notably featuring a soundtrack composed by the popular American electronic music duo, The Crystal Method. The soundtrack was heavily used to promote the game, and the audio tracks from the game are in Red Book audio format so that the game CD can be played on a non-console Compact Disc player.^[5]

Plot

• From the instruction manual:

“

Introduction Somewhere deep in the future our Galaxy is at war. On the nearby planet of Neptune, forces of evil have initiated their new plans to invade the Earth. By accelerating sub-atomic particles around a tubular shaped circuit known as The Torus, they are developing a race of Super Warriors. Together with advanced genetic engineering, this central birthing canal is capable of producing an army of lethal genetically mutated insects. Nitrous Oxide, a pollutant by-product emitted inside The Torus, provides a high octane fuel for your Tunnel Runner, but unfortunately it also provides the perfect breeding environment for the secretly incubating species. Your Mission: Set a course for Neptune. Fly your Tunnel Runner into the Nitrous Oxide filled tubes. Destroy the Super Warriors and genetic mutations before they are strong enough to invade Earth. Come home for milk and cookies.

”

Gameplay

N₂O: Nitrous Oxide takes the form of a tube shooter in which the player shoots insects while collecting "E" coins, mushroom shields, and other psychedelically-themed weapon power-ups. As more and more insects are shot the game increases speed. N₂O: Nitrous Oxide has been noted for its aesthetics and for having smoothly seamless but fast-paced gameplay. It has been suggested that the game is similar in presentation to a Crystal Method concert and that the game is best played at high volume and in total darkness to maximize the "intense and dynamic" effects of data flashers and strobes.^[2] The superior audio capacities of televisions (especially those attached to home theater systems) over typical computer systems has been suggested as one of the advantages to restricting the game to the console market and not releasing it as a PC game.^[2]

Soundtrack

The Crystal Method supplies the music with tracks from their debut album, Vegas:

1. Trip Like I Do
2. Busy Child
3. Vapor Trail
4. Keep Hope Alive
5. Now Is The Time - Industrial Cloud Mix
6. Cherry Twist
7. Busy Child - Uberzone Mix
8. Comin' Back - Front BC's Comin' Twice Remix
9. She's My Pusher
10. Keep Hope Alive - AK1200 Mix

See also

• The Crystal Method

References

1. ^ ^{a b} N2O Nitrous Oxide. MobyGames. Retrieved 9 December 2008.
2. ^ ^{a b c} Herz, J.C. N2O: At Its Best at High Volume in the Dark. New York Times. 6 August 1998.
3. ^ N2O: Nitrous Oxide. GameSpot. Retrieved 9 December 2008.
4. ^ Perry, Douglass. "N2O: Nitrous Oxide". IGN. http://psx.ign.com/articles/152/152328p1.html. Retrieved 2008-12-09. 
5. ^ Gerstmann, Jeff. N2O: Nitrous Oxide Review. GameSpot. 17 July 1998.

External links

• N2O: Nitrous Oxide at MobyGames