Part nostalgia-bomb, part note-taking and part FAQ, what started in GameTrailers as a video game blog is now on Blogger. This blog is a look back at video games, both popular and obscure, from the video game industry's infancy all the way to the previous console generation.
This one is straightforward - you just keep moving north, shooting down all the bad guys in your way, and jumping over all the gaps so you don't fall into the water - but it's not easy. You only have two minutes to get through this level, and if you don't get to the goal in time, it's game over.
Watch the enemy health gauge closely, try not to take a lot of damage, and run away from any enemies that end up behind you. There is a flamethrower that you can get, but you're better off sticking to the machine gun, as you'll need to be able to move around quickly as you're jumping. Also, keep your health high. This is tough, but it's not impossible.
This time, you're in the air ducts. Keep a look out for enemies and be ready to shoot them down when you see them, but watch your surroundings too, as pieces of the ducts will fall down as you move. If the floor changes as you move, jump forward.
If enemies fire at you when you approach them, they are about to come down from the top of the screen. Let them come down before firing.
There are some machine guns and a first-aid kit near the end of the level; be sure to get them.
You'll then face your second boss. Avoid his projectiles as the boss moves up and down, and when the boss moves back to fire a rocket, be ready to move to the bottom and jump away when the rocket comes down. As this battle rages on, you'll have less and less floor to work with, which can be rather nasty. The boss will alternate between a three-way shot and homing rockets, and while the former will be able to avoid at first, it will get hectic when you have less space to move around in. As for the homing rockets, you can always shoot those down.
If you and the boss die at the same time, you win. Thankfully, your health will be refilled on the next stage.
Interestingly, if you jump straight up at the very top, you can grab one of two machine guns in case you're low on ammo.
After beating this boss, you'll see a cutscene of John McClane going down an elevator shaft with a rope and a lighter.
Once again, you're in another maze, but at least this one is easier to get out of. You'll want to head your way northward in the first section. The exit will be blocked by a security guard wearing all red, so be careful for that, the rest of the enemies who may get some lucky shots on you due to their positions, as well as the many pits that you'll have to jump over. As you can see, this game is starting to get harder.
Thankfully, the second section is strictly horizontal. Once again, be careful where you are going so you don't grab a gun that you don't need, and advance slowly so you can take out the enemies with little trouble. If you need health, go into the lone door that you see on the way to the end. You'll find a first aid kit as well as two grenade launchers and two machine guns.
You're now in the office space of Nakatomi Plaza, but the people here are anything but friendly. At least there are a few open doors where you can get some power-ups, including a first aid kit.
Don't walk on the broken glass; you'll take damage if you step into it.
There are some devices on the walls that will shoot out a red laser. Shoot the device down to get rid of that damaging laser.
The guard in all red has a five-way shot. Shoot him before he shoots you!
The second section has you going straight to the right. Move past the doors that endlessly spawn bad guys, and if you see an open door, go into it for much needed beer for health. You'll eventually reach the door at the end, which takes you up two more floors.
Be very careful of where you go as you travel through this dark passage, as enemies will come from anywhere. You'll want to take as little damage as possible as you go through this area. Also, you'll want to get the grenade launcher here and preserve your ammo while getting as much ammo as you can.
Just when you think you're done, you'll be facing your first boss: a guy with a baton who will walk across a ceiling and try to smack you with his extending baton while also throwing a five-way knife shot. Jump when you shoot as he strikes with the baton from the sides and center, as this is the only time when he is vulnerable - and stay on the ground when he throws the knife, jumping only when necessary so you can more easily avoid them. The grenade launcher is the easiest weapon to use against this boss, as the explosion will hurt him if the grenade itself does not quite reach him.
When you beat this guy, you'll see a cutscene of John McClane riding on the top of an elevator on his way further up the tower.
You're now in Nakatomi Plaza, but now you'll have to go through a maze to get further in while dodging enemy bullets.
At the first branching path, you'll want to take the left door. The pits are instant death if you fall into them, so make sure you don't walk into them. Also, if you jump and shoot, you can also violate the laws of perspective with your gunfire. At the end, enter the left door.
At the second branching path, take the right door. There is a door halfway through where you can find another flamethrower off the enemies. At the end, take the left door.
The third vertical section has three branching paths. The first two loop in on each other, but the third one has the two doors as usual. You'll want to take the right door. Near the end, you can find a first aid kit in case you don't have any body armor. Past that door, don't enter the first door you see; instead, go all the way to the end and enter the door there.
John McClane will tell you if you ended up back at the beginning if you took a wrong turn, so you'll want to avoid that. If you end up in any yellow hallways as opposed to the green ones, you've taken a wrong turn somewhere, and you're going to end up back at the beginning no matter what. You'll also want to keep in mind that the game only scrolls one way, and if you go too far in one direction, you won't be able to backtrack like you'll want to. Thankfully, the path is doable through trial and error, and the paths stay the same every time you play.
The second stage is a waterlogged maze leading to a lower entrance into Nakatomi Plaza. There are multiple routes through the maze, and as long as you don't run into every single dead end around here, you'll have plenty of time to get into the building.
The guys with the long blond hair will shoot at you with grenade launchers. Even though the explosions from their shots are not as big as when you shoot one.
One of the dead ends has body armor, and you'll need to shoot down a gray-shirt guard to get it. Make sure you get it.
The exit is guarded by three enemies at once. Once you take them all out, you're done here.
