Video Game Vault
"Zombies Ate My Neighbors" (1994)

Who doesn’t love zombies? It’s strange to think that 15 years ago, when LucasArts unleashed “Zombies Ate My Neighbors” on an unsuspecting public, the novelty of a zombie-themed video game had not yet been fully tapped into. Maybe the game was simply ahead of its time; it soon faded into obscurity, held in high esteem only by those fortunate few who managed to happen upon it. Since then, it’s become a cult classic, much like the B-horror movies it so fondly recalls. All across the country, there are people whose jaws will drop, whose eyes will glaze over and whose thumbs will instinctually lock into position at the mere mention of its name. “Zombies” may be obscure, but it left its mark on those who played it.

Zeke and Julie are two hip teenagers trapped in suburbia — literally. The evil Dr. Tongue has let a bevy of monsters loose on the neighborhood, and it’s up to this kick-ass duo to save the day. Zeke has spiky blonde hair and wears 3-D glasses; Julie is a tomboy with a baseball cap. Both are well equipped with an arsenal of household objects — squirt guns, pop cans, tomatoes, dishes, weed whackers and, er, bazookas — that prove to be surprisingly effective against the armies of the undead. The goal: Save the neighbors! Babies, cheerleaders, dogs, soldiers and girls on trampolines are all entrees on the night’s menu, and as they navigate over 50 levels, players must rescue the oblivious townspeople before they’re eaten.

The gameplay is simple and addictive. From a bird’s eye view, players lead Zeke or Julie across terrain ranging from such mundane places as suburban backyards and shopping malls to more exotic locales like pyramids and castles (it’s never explained how Zeke and Julie actually get there). The graphics are colorful and amusingly cartoonish. The music is perfectly suited to the game’s campy nature. Everything, in fact, is perfectly attuned to ensure an absolutely surreal, invigorating experience.

Every level is given its own title and feels like its own little horror movie. From the “Body Snatchers”-inspired level “Weird Kids on the Block,” in which poisonous pod plants spawn deadly doppelgangers of Zeke and Julie, to the insane “Mars Needs Cheerleaders,” in which players must rescue all of the high school’s cheerleaders while dodging football players and Martians — “Zombies” is like a kaleidoscope of drive-in-style attractions. The fun of the game is not so much in the gameplay itself as the sheer spectacle of the whole thing.

Playing spot-the-monster is especially fun. Besides zombies, players must also dodge werewolves, killer dolls, chainsaw-wielding maniacs, mummies, sandworms and giant babies. Yes, giant babies. And just when you think you’ve seen it all, something else pops up to take you by surprise.

So I may be going out on a limb here, but “Zombies Ate My Neighbors” could very well be the greatest B-movie-inspired zombie-shooter game ever. I know that’s an audacious statement. But these zombies devour the competition.