Los Angeles

Lore & Background

In the 1991 game Duke Nukem, Los Angeles is the setting for the first of three episodes. The game is set in the year 1997, and the city has been devastated by an invasion of Techbots, the army of the mad scientist Dr. Proton. Duke Nukem must fight through ten levels in this episode, with the final level requiring him to find and defeat Dr. Proton. The game's plot describes Dr. Proton as determined to take over the world, and Duke is the only one who can stop him. The first episode establishes the stakes and the setting before Duke chases Dr. Proton to his secret moonbase in the second episode and then through time in the third.

In Their Own Story

The year is 1997. Dr. Proton, a mad scientist, has unleashed his army of Techbots upon the world. Los Angeles is the first city to fall, its streets and buildings now crawling with mechanical enemies. Duke Nukem, the only hero willing to take on the task, fights through ten levels of the devastated city. The final level of the episode has no exit; instead, Duke must find and defeat Dr. Proton to complete the episode. The game's shareware release made this first episode widely available, introducing players to the character and the setting.

Reader's Guide

In the first episode of Duke Nukem (1991), Los Angeles is the setting for ten levels of 2D, multidirectional scrolling platform action. The main objective in each level is to get to the exit while destroying enemies and collecting points. Players can shoot many objects onscreen, including boxes, obstacles, and blocks. Collectibles include health power-ups, gun power-ups, and inventory items with special abilities. At the end of every level except the last, the player can earn up to seven 10,000-point bonuses for achievements such as destroying all cameras. The final level of the episode requires finding and defeating Dr. Proton instead of reaching an exit.

Did You Know?

• The game Duke Nukem was originally titled Heavy Metal, but producer Scott Miller hated that name and chose to name it after the lead character.
• The game's name was briefly changed to Duke Nukum to avoid trademark issues with a character from the Captain Planet and the Planeteers animated series.
• Apogee Software received a legal letter from Duke University alleging trademark violation, but successfully fought back and agreed to use the full Duke Nukem name in all marketing materials.
• The game's first episode was distributed as shareware, which helped it reach a wide audience.
• Scott Miller estimates that the game eventually sold between 60,000 and 70,000 copies.