Virtua Cop is a 1994 video game created by Sega for arcade machines. It was designed for the Sega Model 2 system and later released on the Sega Saturn in 1995 and on Windows as Virtua Squad in 1996. The Saturn version supported the Virtua Gun and Saturn mouse, and added a new "Training Mode" with a randomly generated shooting gallery.

The game used 3D graphics with special effects called texture mapping. Sega promoted it as the first game to use this technology with 3D shapes. Enemies in the game reacted differently based on where they were shot. It was among the first games to let players shoot through glass. The name "Virtua Cop" comes from its 3D style, which was also used in earlier games like Virtua Racing and Virtua Fighter.

At first, some people doubted whether 3D graphics would work well in a genre that used realistic images of real people (like Lethal Enforcers). However, Virtua Cop became a hit and was praised for improving the genre with 3D graphics, a camera system, realistic animations, and the ability to target specific body parts with real consequences. It influenced later games, such as Time Crisis (1995) and The House of the Dead (1996), which also used 3D graphics instead of realistic images. It also inspired the first-person shooter GoldenEye 007 (1997).

Virtua Cop was followed by two sequels: Virtua Cop 2 and Virtua Cop 3. In 2002, a version of the game bundled with Virtua Cop 2 was released on the PlayStation 2 in Japan and Europe as Virtua Cop: Elite Edition (called Virtua Cop Rebirth in Japan). This version included extra content and support for Namco’s G-Con 2 lightgun. In 2004, a version for the Nokia N-Gage was planned but canceled before release due to quality concerns. Only a few test units of the N-Gage version were made.

Gameplay

Players take on the role of police officers—either Michael Hardy or his partner, James Cools. The game is played from the player's viewpoint, and players use a light gun (or a joypad in the Sega Saturn version) to shoot criminals and move through levels. At the start of the game, players have a clip with six bullets that can be reloaded and a set number of lives. If the player is hit by enemies, they lose a life. Special items can be collected to give the player a powerful weapon or an extra life. Civilians appear during the game, and players must avoid harming them. If a civilian is hit, the player loses a life. The special weapon is lost if the player takes damage, but it remains if a civilian is hit. Players can earn extra points by making "justice shots" (shooting an enemy's hand to take their weapon without killing them) or "bullseyes" (hitting the exact middle of a target circle).

Story

A detective working in the player's department discovers an illegal operation involving the transport of guns and traces it to a powerful crime group called E.V.I.L. Inc. The detective gathers a large amount of evidence and prepares to stop the group, but is found out and killed. Some of the evidence is sent back to headquarters, where a special team is assigned to investigate. Police officers Michael "Rage" Hardy and James "Smarty" Cools must confront the group led by Joe Fang and his followers, Kong, the King, and the Boss.

Development

Katsunori Itai and Akihito Hiroyoshi were the main developers of the game Virtua Cop, with Yu Suzuki acting as the supervisor. The game’s aiming guides and camera zooming feature were inspired by an advertisement for Pokka Kilimanjaro coffee. Kenneth Ibrahim, who provided the voice for the navigator in Sega Rally Championship, also voiced the civilians in Virtua Cop.

A group from Sega AM2 started working on the Saturn version of the game in April 1995. Along with the Saturn version of Virtua Fighter 2, it was among the first games to use the Sega Graphics Library operating system. Takashi Isono, the director of the Saturn port, stated, “We want to keep the same quality as the arcade version. If three people agree on changes, we make them.” The Saturn version includes a video showing Michael and James driving on a dockyard before facing Kong. Designer Kazufumi Ohashi originally created an animation of Kong flipping the bird, but Isono rejected it, so Ohashi worked on the training mode instead.

In June, the team showed a playable demo of the Saturn version’s first level at the Tokyo Toy Show. They then began working on the third level, as it was the most challenging to convert because of the complex 3D structures in the office building’s walls and ceiling.

In other games

• The game Sega Superstars Tennis includes a small game called Virtua Squad, which is based on Virtua Cop.
• The main gun, named Guardian, can be used in Ghost Squad. However, this gun is only available to players who use the IC Card or Evolution versions of the game.
• Tiger Electronics created a version of Virtua Cop for the R-Zone.

Reception

In Japan, Game Machine listed Virtua Cop as the second most successful upright/cockpit arcade cabinet in October 1994. In North America, RePlay reported Virtua Cop as the fifth most popular arcade game in April 1995. It later became the highest-grossing dedicated arcade game of 1995 in Japan and one of the top ten best-selling arcade video games of the year in the United States.

Critics generally gave Virtua Cop positive reviews. Tim Davis of Electronic Gaming Monthly praised the game’s polygon graphics, the zooming camera that moves freely, the automatic targeting system that helps players find enemies, and the weapon power-ups. Computer and Video Games called it a "classy title" and highlighted its 3D graphics, "excellent" animation, weapon power-ups, and gameplay in both single-player and multiplayer modes. Games World magazine described it as "excellent fun," comparing it favorably to Operation Wolf (1987), Lethal Enforcers (1992), and the film Reservoir Dogs (1992). Dave Perry noted that the 3D targets, similar to those in Virtua Fighter, made it a more challenging and satisfying shooter.

At first, some people doubted the use of 3D polygons in a genre that previously used realistic digitized sprites, such as Konami’s Lethal Enforcers. Next Generation initially gave Virtua Cop a mixed review in 1994, saying Sega was "recklessly applying new technology to games that don’t need it," but added that the game could be a winner if players could explore environments freely. Later, Next Generation revised their opinion, praising the use of 3D technology to allow targeting specific body parts with realistic consequences, which improved the game’s detail and realism compared to other light-gun games.

In 1996, Next Generation listed the Virtua Cop series (which included Virtua Cop and the arcade version of Virtua Cop 2) at number 82 on their "Top 100 Games of All Time," praising the skill and realism of the enemies’ reactions to being shot in different areas.

When the Saturn version of the game was released, it sold over 300,000 copies in its first week in Japan. By the end of 1995, Japanese sales reached 455,396 units, and total sales reached 482,362 units by the end of 1996. In the United States, it sold more than 500,000 bundled copies by December 1996, with total sales in Japan and the United States reaching over 982,362 copies.

Critics praised the Saturn version of Virtua Cop. Next Generation gave it a positive review, noting the accuracy of the port but not awarding it the full five stars given to other arcade ports on the Saturn, such as Virtua Fighter 2 and Sega Rally Championship. They felt the game was too short for a home console release. Game Informer reviewers scored the Saturn version 8.5, 8.25, and 7.5 out of 10, calling it one of the best in its genre but noting it lacked longevity for a console game.

Sega Saturn Magazine’s Rad Automatic said the Saturn version had more depth than expected but remained fun and easy to play. He praised the joypad control, the authentic arcade feel when using two Virtua Guns, and the realism compared to other light-gun games. Electronic Gaming Monthly reviewers called the Saturn version a flawless conversion of the arcade game but noted some felt it was too short and lacked replay value. GamePro’s Scary Larry praised the realistic and stylish graphics and Virtua Gun action but also said the game was too short and lacked replay value. Maximum argued the game was compelling enough to be played repeatedly despite its lack of replay value, calling the Saturn version nearly identical to the arcade original.

Game Players awarded the Saturn version of Virtua Cop the "Best Shooter" of 1995, calling it "beyond entertaining — it’s therapeutic." In 1996, GamesMaster ranked the Saturn version 4th on their "The GamesMaster Saturn Top 10."

Time Soete of GameSpot said the PC version of Virtua Cop felt jerkier and less intense than the Saturn version without a light gun, but noted the mouse control was smooth and retained enough fun from the arcade and Saturn versions to appeal to newcomers. Next Generation similarly criticized the PC version, saying it ran slower on most PCs than in the arcade or on Saturn and lost much of its appeal without a light gun. They concluded the game felt out of place on PC.

Legacy

Virtua Cop had a big impact on both light gun shooters and first-person shooters. When it was released in 1994, the game introduced something new to the shooter genre by using 3D polygons. Some popular light gun rail shooters influenced by Virtua Cop include the Time Crisis series, The House of the Dead series, various Resident Evil spin-offs, and Dead Space: Extraction.

Virtua Cop was also the main influence on the important first-person shooter GoldenEye 007. The game was originally planned to be an on-rails light gun shooter similar to Virtua Cop, but it became an off-rails first-person shooter instead. According to creator Martin Hollis: "We created creative gameplay in part because we included features from Virtua Cop in a FPS: A gun that holds only 7 bullets and a reload button, animations that change based on the player's position, characters that should not be harmed, and an aiming mode. When you press R in GoldenEye, the game switches to a mode similar to Virtua Cop. More importantly, following Virtua Cop's example, the game had lots of action. There was much to do, with very few pauses."