Target Renegade
Game Comparison

Target Renegade is a walking beat ’em up game published by Imagine Software. Some versions like the NES one are scrolling, whilst some other versions are flip screen.

Some of those versions were released by Ocean Software in the late 80’s under the “Imagine” label. The NES version being published by Taito (not confusing at all).

Target Renegade features five levels, the NES and C64 versions do not have two player co-operative mode.

On most formats, the game caters for one or two players and concerns itself with the adventures of a streetfighter. A pair of identical streetfighters known only as “Renegade”, who seek revenge against a local crime kingpin named “Mr. Big” for murdering his or their brother Matt.

Certainly, other versions have said Matt was not murdered, but instead held hostage by Mr. Big and the player needs to free him. So, the player character varies, depending on the format, but is usually represented as topless apart from a leather vest and wearing jeans. Early stages show the player outdoors and after defeating a boss character, reaching a pay phone to report on his progress.

Regardless of the format, the cover of the game and the title screen (as seen on the adjacent image) portrays a topless street fighter performing a flying kick through a window. In keeping with video game box art and advertising of the era, the character shown in this illustration bears little relation to any character in the game itself. The actual picture is based on Martial Arts Legend Joe Lewis from the cover of his book The World’s Greatest Fighter Teaches You How To Master Bruce Lee’s Fighting System, but has been adjusted so as to fit in with the character of Renegade.