Quick question: When you think of the rock band Aerosmith, what’s the first thing that comes to mind? Any average person will tell you one of their songs, or lead singer Steven Tyler, or some scene from the movie Armageddon. But no joke, when I think Aerosmith, I still think of the video game Revolution X
Released in arcades back in 1994 (and then for some reason ported to consoles shortly after), Revolution X is an on-rails light gun game featuring the band Aerosmith as central characters during a rock-themed revolution. That’s how one might officially describe it, but if we’re being honest, Revolution X is that surprisingly fun arcade game that blared Aerosmith songs.
Recognizable from other arcade shooters solely on sound cues, Revolution X would constantly blare the band’s songs during attract modes. If you found yourself in an arcade and heard “Eat the Rich” playing, you could assume a Revolution X cabinet was nearby. Honestly though the music in the game is pretty great, thanks to Aerosmith being a great band. And in the arcades you were hearing some decent songs while you played the game.
Speaking of the game, it’s your typical shooter: You’ve got a big gun (Two if you want a co-op partner), unlimited ammo, tons of bad guys to kill, and … CDs? Rather than shooting grenades or some other more powerful shot, you collect and shoot compact discs at enemies to deal extra damage. It’s kind of silly, but mechanically works just fine. There are several stages to shoot through, each featuring new tunes from the band, as well as some sound bytes from Steven Tyler himself.
This game is an absolute classic for so many reasons. The gameplay is standard, but it is turned up thanks to the ridiculousness of the plot. Also, the band members themselves are actually in the game, tied to the plot, and will help you as the player move the storyline forward. It’s wild.
Revolution X is absolutely worth your time. If you haven’t played this one yet in arcades, you owe it to yourself to experience this 90s era masterpiece.
