The game's protagonists are the Vigilantes, a group of residents from the Southwest who band together to preserve law and order in the light of chaos gripping the country. After hearing reports of destruction by Sid Burn's gang, the Coyotes, a man named Convoy, a kind-hearted trucker, forms a group of his own, the Vigilantes, to combat the Coyotes and to stop the tyranny of OMAR. so that OMAR can establish an oil monopoly in the country. The game is set in an alternate 1975, Sid Burn is hired by OMAR to dispose of all competing oil companies in the U.S.
The game cartridge features a rumble feature.
Unlike the console versions, obstacles and buildings cannot be blown up in the GBC version. The game features digitized audio and voiceovers, as well as a two-player mode made possible with the use of a Game Link Cable. The player can choose from five different weapons, as well as a unique weapon assigned to each character. The game features three difficulty levels. The game's main story mode, Road Trip, takes the player through each level. The game also features five game modes, each one essentially identical, with only minor changes. The Game Boy Color (GBC) version features five levels, each one from the console versions: Casino City, Hoover Dam, Oil Fields, Ski Resort, and Valley Farms. The Pack also enables a hidden 640x480 mode, available via password. A 480x360 hi-res mode is available from the pause menu if the Nintendo 64 Expansion Pack is installed. one, and deathmatch) to take advantage of the system's four control ports, and a two-player Story Mode. The Nintendo 64 version includes a story mode for Y The Alien and a fantasy stage called Super Dreamland 64, as well as three multiplayer modes (two vs. The PlayStation version also offers players the option to play standard music CDs during a match. Certain objectives in Story Mode must be completed to help unlock the game's secret characters and stages. There are special icons scattered across the playing field wrenches repair damage and yellow zigzag lines temporarily jam the opponent's homing-based weapons. These attacks may be performed during normal play or to eliminate nearly-destroyed cars in a method called "Totaling." In line with the fighting-game style element, players can also score up to six combo hits called Whammies. Three types of special attacks can be made using each of the five standard weapons, at a bigger cost in ammunition, by performing fighting game-style movements and button presses on the control pad.
Every vehicle is equipped with a machine gun by default, but players can add up to three out of five available weapons - mines, auto-cannons, rocket pods, mortars, and homing missiles, plus a special weapon unique to the vehicle. Each stage has interactive features, such as ballistic missiles and launching Aurora planes for the Area 51 level. Players combat over a number of stages located over the western United States, whether in Story or Arcade Mode. Most weapons, from bull's eye rockets to roadkill mines, include secondary and tertiary functions activated by performing secret combos.Gameplay Console versions No matter which mode is selected, players will find an assortment of weapon pick-ups scattered throughout each stage. "Brawl" is a deathmatch supporting up to four combatants, "Team" lets friends form two-man squads, and "Smear" pits one player against three. Larger groups can engage in Brawl, Team, and Smear game types. The former has the duo battling a group of computer-controlled rivals, while the latter offers the same missions found in the solo version. Two players can participate in a one-on-one Versus Mode, or they can team up for the Cooperative and Quest Modes. Vigilante 8 also includes a robust number of options for two, three, and four players. Single players can follow each character's separate storyline in the Quest Mode, set up deathmatches in the Arcade Mode, or try to outlast waves of enemies in the Survival Mode. What sets Vigilante 8 apart are the 11 destructible environments, ranging from a ski lodge to the Mushroom Kingdom-inspired "Super Dreamland 64," and the '70s-style characters, outfits, and vehicle types. The content is otherwise the same, with players choosing between 12 members of two rival gangs in an attempt to eliminate the opposition in vehicular combat. Originally released on PlayStation, Vigilante 8 screeches onto Nintendo 64 with a few notable enhancements, including a new arena, Expansion Pak support for high-res visuals, and four-player simultaneous action in three distinct modes.