Arachnophobia (video game)

## *Arachnophobia*

***Arachnophobia*** is a 1991 video game based on the 1990 film of the same name. It was developed by BlueSky Software and published by Disney Software for the MS-DOS, Commodore 64, Amstrad CPC, and Amiga platforms. The game is only loosely based on the eponymous film and follows exterminator Delbert McClintock as he clears spider infestations in small California towns. Packaged with the game was a playing manual styled *Know Your Eight-Legged Enemy: The Authoritative Guide on Spider Eradication*.

## Plot

An extremely venomous spider has been accidentally imported from the Amazon rainforest to California, where it mates with a number of spider Queens, creating a new cross-breed of tiny, venomous spiders that can kill people in one bite. The plague of spiders is spreading and claiming lives at a frightening rate. Exterminator Delbert McClintock takes the liberty of going through California to clear seven towns of their infestations. After the successful cleansing, the United Nations commissions Delbert to destroy the spiders in their native habitat.

## Gameplay

The player has to kill all spiders in the towns of Canaima, Webster, Dudley, Elias, Buggley, Infes Station and Arachton. The game starts in the town screen, where the player has to navigate the exterminator van to an actively infested location.

Once the location is reached, the gameplay switches to platform mode, where the player controls Delbert. Delbert is armed with a limited amount of Toxi-Max and a few "Bug Bombs." The spray gun can be aimed high, low and straight and a single well-aimed hit can instantly kill a spider. Delbert can change his spray gun to fire flames too, at the cost of more ammo. Bombs kill multiple spiders in a single room and do more damage to bosses than spray. If the player runs out of ammunition, Delbert must return to his van for a recharge, but an unfinished level will restart.

In addition to killing spiders, Delbert also has to destroy the egg sac, which continuously spawns spiders when he gets close to it. If Delbert makes contact with a spider, he takes damage, which can be healed by retrieving a first aid kit. If Delbert takes four bites he dies and the game ends.

As the player progresses through the game, the locations get harder, with civilians in need of rescue, spiders on the ceiling, spiders that hide and ambush, and spiders that jump and move unpredictably. There are also tough queen spiders to defeat. When all seven towns are completed, Delbert flies to the final level in South America where he must destroy a few alpha spiders, which completes the game.

## Appearances

**Characters**
* Delbert McClintock

* President of the United States (first appearance)

**Locations**
* North America
	+ United States
		- California

* California locations
	+ Greater Canaima Area (first appearance)
		- Arachton (first appearance)
		- Buggley (first appearance)
		- Canaima
		- Dudley (first appearance)
		- Elias (first appearance)
		- Infes Station (first appearance)
		- Webster (first appearance)

* South America

	+ Amazon basin

		- Amazon rainforest

**Organizations**
* Bugs-B-Gone

	+ Spider Infestation Control team (first appearance)

**Species**
* Human

* Venezuelan spider

* Canaima spider

**Equipment and Technology**
* Insecticide Spray Gun

* Insecticide
	+ Toxi-Max (first identified as Toxi-Max)

* Bug Bomb (first appearance)

* Bugometer (first appearance)

* Aerosol Flamethrower (first identified as Aerosol Flamethrower)

* Bugs-B-Gone truck

* Regulation Issue Boot (first identified as Regulation Issue Boot)

* McClintock Uniform (first identified as McClintock uniform)

**Miscellanea**
* General (caste)

* Queen (caste)

* Drone

* Egg sac

* Pest control

* Fumigation

* Arachnid Abatement Technician (first appearance)

## External links

* *Arachnophobia* video game on Wikipedia
* Arachnophobia at MobyGames
* Arachnophobia profile on IGN