Chase HQ (チェイスH.Q., “Chase Headquarters”) is a vehicular combat racing game, originally released as an arcade video game by Taito in 1988. It is sometimes seen as a spiritual successor to Taito’s earlier Full Throttle. The player assumes the role of a police officer named Tony Gibson, member of the “Chase Special Investigation Department”. Along with his partner, Raymond Broady, he must stop fleeing criminals in high-speed pursuits in a black Porsche 928.
Chase H.Q. was ported to many home computers by Ocean Software in 1989, including versions for the ZX Spectrum, Amstrad CPC, Commodore 64, MSX, Amiga and Atari ST. Taito produced versions for the Family Computer (1989), Game Boy (1990), Master System (1990), TurboGrafx-16 (1990), Game Gear (1991), and Saturn (1996). It was released for PlayStation 2 in Japan in 2007 as part of Taito Memories II Volume 2.
The game was a commercial success, becoming Japan’s highest-grossing dedicated arcade game of 1989 while also becoming a hit overseas for arcades and home systems. The game was also well received by critics. It was followed by three arcade-based sequels: Special Criminal Investigation (1989), Super Chase: Criminal Termination (1992) and Chase H.Q. 2 (2007). Two spin-offs were also released: Crime City (1989) and Quiz H.Q. (1990).
Gameplay – Chase HQ
At the start of each level the player is informed who they are pursuing, a great distance away: They must apprehend the criminal before their time limit expires.[21] The criminal’s car is constantly moving away, so if the player repeatedly crashes or drives too slowly, the criminal will escape. At some points during the game the road splits, and the correct turn must be taken, otherwise it will take longer to catch the criminal. When their vehicle is reached, the time limit is extended; the vehicle must be rammed a number of times until the criminal is forced to stop, then is arrested.
The game includes five levels.[21] Both the initial time limit to reach the criminal and the time extension to ram the criminal are 60, 65, or 70 seconds.
Reception – Chase HQ
| hideContemporary reception | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Review scores | ||||
| Publication | Scores | |||
| Arcade | Computer | Console | Handheld | |
| ACE | Positive[23] | 840 (AMI)[24] 868 (ZX)[24] | 928 (PCE)[25] | |
| Computer + Video Games | Positive[1] | 93% (AMI) 93% (ST) 97% (ZX)[26] 36% (C64) 97% (CPC)[27] | 86% (SMS)[28][29] | 31% (GB)[11] 90% (GG)[13] |
| Crash | 95% (ZX)[30] | |||
| Famitsu | 24/40 (Famicom)[6] 18/40 (SMD)[17] 30/40 (PCE)[8] | 23/40 (GG)[14] | ||
| Génération 4 | 92% (AMI) 92% (ST)[31] | 85% (PCE)[32] | ||
| Joystick | 92% (AMI) 92% (CPC) 90% (ST)[33] | 89% (PCE)[34] 93% (SMS)[35] | 83% (GG)[36] | |
| Sinclair User | 9/10[37] | 96% (ZX)[38] | ||
| The Games Machine | 840/1000 (AMI) 868/1000 (ZX)[39] | |||
| Tilt |  (SMS)[40] | |||
| Your Sinclair | 94% (ZX)[41] | |||
| Commodore User | 9/10[42] | 70% (AMI)[43] | ||
| Awards | ||||
| Publication | Awards | |||
| Gamest Awards | Hit Game of the Year (10th)[44] | |||
| Golden Joystick Awards | Best 8-Bit Coin-Op Conversion, Best 8-Bit Soundtrack[45] | |||
| Your Sinclair | Readers’ Top Game of All Time,[46] Megagame | |||
| Computer and Video Games | C+VG Hit | |||
| Crash | Crash Smash | |||
| Sinclair User | SU Classic | |||
Commercial
Upon release in arcades, Game Machine listed Chase H.Q. on their 15 November 1988 issue as being the second most-successful upright arcade cabinet of the month in Japan.[47] It went on to become Japan’s highest-grossing dedicated arcade game of 1989.[48] In the United Kingdom, it was a hit in the arcades,[38] becoming the top coin-on arcade game at one point.[27]
The home computer conversions topped the UK sales chart in Christmas 1989.[49] The ZX Spectrum version of the game was later number 2 on the UK sales charts in early 1990, behind Rainbow Islands.[50]
Chase HQ Marquee
Chase HQ Soundtracks
1. This is Chase HQ
2. Countdown
3. Idaho
4. Round Start
5. Los Angeles
