Stuff You Should Know Selects: Night Trap: The Video Game Failure that Changed the Industry
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May 17, 2025 Dive into the intriguing saga of 'Night Trap,' a video game that flopped yet transformed the industry. Discover its unique blend of technology and live-action storytelling, along with its impact on video game ratings. Learn about the bizarre shift from ninjas to vampires amidst corporate fears of violence. Uncover the controversy it sparked regarding video game violence and regulation, as well as the quirky legacy that still influences the gaming landscape today. It's a wild ride through gaming history!
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Unique Multi-View Gameplay Challenge
- Night Trap's gameplay involved toggling between multiple rooms via security cameras to catch unfolding events.
- Missing critical actions in other rooms leads to losing, making story coherence difficult.
Violence Sanitized for Non-Reproducibility
- Hasbro forced Night Trap creators to sanitize violence, replacing fast ninjas with slow-moving 'augers'.
- The 'trocar' tool used to draw blood was less reproducible and thus deemed acceptable by Hasbro.
Dana Plato's Role and Tragic Life
- Dana Plato, known for Different Strokes, was cast as Kelly, the undercover agent in Night Trap.
- Plato's tragic life ended in suicide; she brought notable recognition to the game.