Berzerk vs Frenzy - What R The Differences?

ComputerSpace

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Hello all,

Now that I have my new to me Berzerk game I'm kind of wondering what the differences are between Berzerk and Frenzy? I've never played Frenzy - or even seen one for that matter (OK, I might've seen one at CAX this last time but could not play it).

I've heard about a multi-game board that plays both games... is that still available somewhere?

T.I.A.
Tom
 
I have a machine that has both complete boardsets and plays both games with a switch. I have no idea how it was built but it does work.

Berzerk was a better game in my opinion.

Apparently at one time a KLOV'r made and sold a board to play both games but I don't believe he's still selling them at this time.
 
I have a machine that has both complete boardsets and plays both games with a switch. I have no idea how it was built but it does work.

Berzerk was a better game in my opinion.

Apparently at one time a KLOV'r made and sold a board to play both games but I don't believe he's still selling them at this time.

You don't need two complete boardsets (although it's nice to have spares). The only thing different about Frenzy i the main ZPU board.

Mark Spaeth (HudsonArcade) has developed a wonderful replacement board for the ZPU board that plays both Berzerk and Frenzy. The board is called ZZPU.

Alas only a handful seem to have materialized....
 
You don't need two complete boardsets (although it's nice to have spares). The only thing different about Frenzy i the main ZPU board.

Mark Spaeth (HudsonArcade) has developed a wonderful replacement board for the ZPU board that plays both Berzerk and Frenzy. The board is called ZZPU.

Alas only a handful seem to have materialized....

If you did not have two complete boardsets how would you switch between the games other than physically removing one board to replace it with another?
 
IMG_8390.jpg
 
yes, I can do that. I'll do it over the weekend.

There is a home made board in there with come chips on it which is connected to some of the wiring harness and there is some hacking in the wiring harness between the boardsets.

It's definitely both complete boardsets in there.

The dates on the work tags were from 1996.
 
As to gameplay differences, Frenzy has more enemies (skeletons, robots) and alot more of them on the screen, you can kill Evil Otto with a couple shots (which makes him come back faster each time), you can shoot holes in the walls (either to shoot the enemies, or make a hole for yourself), the walls are no longer deadly to touch, there's ricochet walls, where bullets will bounce off them (which can make you shoot yourself if you're not careful), it has different speech, and it's also marathonable, as I believe you get a free man every X points (selectable) unless you set it to "none" :D The robots also seem smarter, as they won't just crash into each other, but you can still take out more than 1 if they're next to each other and you shoot one. The explosion will kill the one next to it (and you too, if you're too close)
 
IMO, Frenzy is a better game, though Berzerk is a better theme, or maybe more nostalgic. I wish they would have used some of the Frenzy features in Berzerk... being able to kill Evil Otto is cool, and shooting through walls, banking off walls, smarter enemies, etc. are really cool. But I dunno... the colors, the enemies (I mean... the Berzerk robots are MUCH cooler than skeletons), etc. make me play both, rather than just Frenzy.

DogP
 
Now that I have my new to me Berzerk game I'm kind of wondering what the differences are between Berzerk and Frenzy? I've never played Frenzy

Just my opinion, but Frenzy is a much better game. After a few levels, Berserk is unplayable. Otto is just too fast. Lot more variety on Frenzy and with practice, it is a game you can get better at and play longer.
 
Sorry to revive this old thread, but are the two machines based on the same cabinet design as they look very similar. If I bought a Frenzy cab and converted it to Berzerk would it look like an original Berzerk one?
 
Sorry to revive this old thread, but are the two machines based on the same cabinet design as they look very similar. If I bought a Frenzy cab and converted it to Berzerk would it look like an original Berzerk one?
I reckon they're exactly the same besides colors
 
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