View source for Arch Rivals

{{Short description|1989 video game}}
{{other uses of|arch rival|Rival (disambiguation)}}
{{more citations needed|date=June 2012}}
{{Infobox video game
|title = Arch Rivals
|image = Archrival box.jpg
|caption = NES cover art
|developer = [[Midway Games|Midway]]<br>[[Rare (company)|Rare]] (NES)<br>[[Arc Developments]] (Game Gear, Genesis)
|publisher = Midway <br> [[Acclaim Entertainment]]{{efn|Released under the [[Flying Edge]] brand name on Sega systems.}}
|designer = Jeff Nauman and [[Brian Colin]]
|programmer = Jeff Nauman
|artist = [[Brian Colin]]
|composer = [[Dan Forden]]<br>[[David Wise (composer)|David Wise]] (NES)<br>[[Mark Cooksey]] (Game Gear, Genesis)
|release = '''1989:''' Arcade<br>'''November 1990:''' NES<ref name="NintendoList">{{cite web |url=https://www.nintendo.com/consumer/downloads/nes_games.pdf |publisher=Nintendo of America |access-date=August 9, 2015 |title=NES Games |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140611225644/http://www.nintendo.com/consumer/downloads/nes_games.pdf |archive-date=June 11, 2014 }}</ref><br>''' 1992:''' Genesis, Game Gear
|genre = [[Sports video game|Sports]] ([[List of basketball video games|basketball]])
|modes = [[Single-player video game|Single-player]], [[Multiplayer video game|multiplayer]]
|arcade system = 
|platforms = [[Arcade video game|Arcade]], [[Nintendo Entertainment System|NES]], [[Sega Mega Drive|Mega Drive/Genesis]], [[Game Gear]]
}}

'''''Arch Rivals''''' is a [[basketball]] video game released by [[Midway Games|Midway]] for [[arcade video game|arcades]] in 1989. Billed by Midway as "A Basket Brawl", the game features two-on-two full court basketball games in which players are encouraged to punch opposing players and steal the ball from them. ''Arch Rivals'' was the second [[List of basketball video games|basketball video game]] released by Midway, sixteen years after ''[[TV Basketball]]'' (1974).<ref name="Ali">{{cite book |last1=Ali |first1=Reyan |title=NBA Jam |date=22 October 2019 |publisher=[[Boss Fight Books]] |isbn=978-1-940535-20-3 |pages=18–9, 34–5 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9zC-DwAAQBAJ&pg=PA18}}</ref> Home versions of the game were released for the [[Nintendo Entertainment System]], [[Sega Genesis|Genesis/Mega Drive]], and [[Game Gear]].

''Arch Rivals'' allows players to select from a variety of fictional teams (although arcade operators can change the team names to reflect real ones) and players. One playable character, "Tyrone" was also featured in the animated ''[[The Power Team (TV series)|The Power Team]]'' segments of the television series ''[[Video Power]]''.<ref name=SS>{{cite news|title=NEW VIDEO SHOW BLENDS LIVE ACTION AND ANIMATED CAST|publisher=Sun Sentinel - Fort Lauderdale|date=June 17, 1990}}</ref> In turn, the game has been considered a forerunner to Midway's popular arcade basketball game, ''[[NBA Jam (1993 video game)|NBA Jam]]''.<ref name=AllGame>{{cite web|title=Arch Rivals - Review|url=http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=9514&tab=review|last=Weiss|first=Brett Alan|accessdate=June 25, 2012|publisher=All Game}}</ref>

[[Emulator|Emulated]] versions of the game are included in the compilations ''[[Midway Arcade Treasures 2]]'', ''[[Midway Arcade Treasures Deluxe Edition]]'', and ''[[Midway Arcade Origins]]''.

==Gameplay==
[[Image:ArchRivalsScreen.png|thumb|200px|left|Arcade screenshot]]
Games generally follow standard basketball rules; a full game consists of four quarters, with four minutes each. Each team has two players, and the objective of the game is to outscore the opponent until the final buzzer sounds. A player can call for his teammate to pass him the ball or to shoot it in this [[battle royal]]e.<ref name=KLOV>{{cite web|title=Arch Rivals|url=http://www.arcade-museum.com/game_detail.php?game_id=6905|accessdate=January 18, 2013|publisher=Killer List of Video Games}}</ref>

If the game results in a tie after four quarters, multiple [[sudden death (sport)|sudden death]] [[overtime (sports)|overtime]] periods are added, in which case whoever scores the next basket will win the game. Every overtime period is one minute. If, however, no score occurs after overtime the procedure repeats.

The difference between ''Arch Rivals'' and other basketball titles is the ability to freely punch an opposing player without penalty and steal the ball away. The referee will only call [[shot clock]] violations. Also unique to the game are various on-court hazards such as soda cans and candy wrappers thrown onto the floor. If a ballhandler steps on those, he falls onto the floor allowing his opponent to steal the ball from him. Players could also fall over the referee in the same way as the objects on the floor, as well as steal the ball with a maneuver called the "flying leap" where the player would jump forwards at the opposition ball carrier. If the maneuver missed, the player would roll along the floor. If successful, the player would tackle the opposition holding the ball. In the Arcade version the "flying leap" would pull the opposition's shorts down, revealing the opponent's underwear.<ref name=KLOV />

There are eight playable characters, each with a unique characteristic.<ref name=KLOV /> The teams in ''Arch Rivals'' are selected at random, with Player 1 playing as the home team and Player 2 (or the computer) as the away team. The teams in the arcade version are [[Chicago, Illinois|Chicago]], [[Los Angeles, California|Los Angeles]], [[New York, New York|New York]], [[Denver, Colorado|Denver]], Natural High and Brawl State.

Also, the arcade operator can customize the team names and colors through the game's "Hometown Heroes" feature.<ref name=SU>{{cite magazine|title=Arch Rivals - Bally/Midway|magazine=Sinclair User|date=November 1989|pages=75}}</ref>

==Ports==
The four home [[porting|ports]] of the game have lower-quality graphics than the arcade version, due to being released on 8 and 16-bit systems. The NES version of the game contains a glitch where a 3-point dunk can be achieved. The Sega Genesis version received poorer reception due to a glitch where almost 95% of shots taken from anywhere on the court would result in a basket. A [[Master System]] port was scheduled for release in 1992 alongside the Genesis version, but was cancelled.<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Flying In...|magazine=Sega Force|issue=5|publisher=Sendai Publishing|date=May 1992|page=7}}</ref>

It was also included on ''[[Midway Arcade Treasures 2]]'' for the [[PlayStation 2]], [[Xbox (console)|Xbox]], and [[GameCube]];  ''[[Midway Arcade Treasures Deluxe Edition]]'' for [[Microsoft Windows]]; and ''[[Midway Arcade Origins]]'' for [[PlayStation 3]] and [[Xbox 360]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/11/14/midway-arcade-origins-review|title = Midway Arcade Origins Review - IGN|date=14 November 2012}}</ref>

==Reception==
''[[Sinclair User]]'' and ''[[Computer and Video Games]]'' published positive reviews of ''Arch Rivals'', while commenting that the game was best suited to fans of the sport.<ref name=SU /><ref name=CVG>{{cite magazine|title=Archrivals|magazine=Computer and Video Games|date=October 1989|page=111}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Double Dribble (video game)|''Double Dribble'' (1986 video game)]]
* [[NBA Jam (1993 video game)|''NBA Jam'' (1993 video game)]]
* ''[[Basketbrawl]]''
* ''[[Pigskin 621 A.D.]]''

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

{{notelist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.arcade-history.com/index.php?page=detail&id=98 ''Arch Rivals''] at ''Arcade-History''
* {{MobyGames|id=/arch-rivals}}

{{Midway sports games}}
{{Rare}}

[[Category:1989 video games]]
[[Category:Arcade video games]]
[[Category:Basketball video games]]
[[Category:Cancelled Master System games]]
[[Category:Fantasy sports video games]]
[[Category:Game Gear games]]
[[Category:Midway video games]]
[[Category:NBA video games]]
[[Category:Nintendo Entertainment System games]]
[[Category:Sega Genesis games]]
[[Category:Video games scored by Dan Forden]]
[[Category:Video games scored by David Wise]]
[[Category:Video games scored by Mark Cooksey]]
[[Category:Video games developed in the United States]]
[[Category:Multiplayer and single-player video games]]
[[Category:Arc Developments games]]