Something that never ceases to surprise me when it comes to coin-op history is how many games took inspiration from Cabal. The idea of a target shooter where player's control an on-screen reticule to shoot bad guys and dodge incoming bullets wasn't exactly new, but TAD Corp's game certainly popularised the format.
Enter Riot, another Cabal clone released in 1992, and while it might appear otherwise unremarkable, it does things a little differently. What makes Riot particularly interesting is the fact enemies not only appear in the background, but also the foreground, requiring the player to hit a button to change their aim to swap between the two play-fields. The cover system works in similar fashion, with some items providing cover from enemies which pop up closest to the camera, whereas other objects provide protection from enemies in the background. The result is a game which can get pretty frantic very quickly, and you shouldn't be surprised when you get overwhelmed; the key to success comes from learning where and when enemies appear and getting into position early to deal with them.
So the game has some neat ideas and is technically proficient, but the execution and pacing is, perhaps unsurprisingly for a coin-op, too punitive for its own good. Sure, arcade operators want players to keep dropping coins to continue playing, but this ends up being one of those titles where my interest would definitely wane after the first credit.
Developer: NMK
Publisher: NMK
Year of Release: 1992
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