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Home Alone
Press start, and keep the change, ya filthy animal!
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PRESS START
An Introduction To Today’s Game
With Christmas less than a week away, I thought it would be good to check out some Christmas-themed games to get myself in the holiday mood. And what better way than taking on the Wet Bandits and trying to save Christmas?
For younger readers, Home Alone was a monster hit when it first released. During an era when games were cheaper to make, you could bet any Hollywood blockbuster would eventually get a game adaptation. And for the love of holiday Christmas cookies, did this game receive a fair share of ports. The cool thing was that the games were made by different developers, so each version played pretty differently.
Some of those other versions... are just not good. I have no problem saying that. But the Genesis version was the best of the bunch, and there's surprisingly a lot to like here.
So, my filthy animals, let's pause the annual showing of Die Hard and It's a Wonderful Life and check out Kevin McCallister's heroic turn against Harry and Marv.
BEHIND THE PIXELS
Let’s Dive Into The Game
Home Alone is an action game with light strategy elements, released by Sega in 1992. Think of it as an early ancestor to tower defense games, except you're the tower, you can move, and you're armed with pepper rifles.
The setup mirrors the film's climax. Harry and Marv, the Wet Bandits, are prowling your neighborhood in their van, ready to loot and flood five different houses. You play as Kevin McCallister, and your job is to protect every house until the police arrive. On beginner difficulty, you have 20 minutes. Expert mode doubles that to 40 minutes and randomizes the bandits' routes, keeping you on your toes.
The spider makes a cameo of course.
The game splits into two phases. First, you're sledding through the neighborhood in a top-down view, dodging tree stumps and ice patches while tracking the van. You can run over Snowmen to grab new tools and weapons and gear up a bit before the next phase.
When the bandits enter a house, you race inside and the perspective switches to a 2D side-scroller. Now you're running through rooms, fighting Harry and Marv to fill up a Pain Meter. Fill it completely before they empty the Loot Meter, and that house is saved. Fail, and it's flooded.
Carefully place your traps before entering a house.
Combat revolves around weapon crafting, which is genuinely creative for 1992. You start with a basic BB gun, but scattered throughout each house are components.
Combine a crossbow, balloons, and pepper to make a pepper rifle. Swap the pepper for glue, you've got a glue rifle. Use a rubber band instead of a crossbow, now it's a glue mortar.
There are dozens of combinations, each with different pain levels and stun durations. Snow bazookas, rope launchers, flashbulb shotguns. Some weapons hit harder, others immobilize longer.
An overworld connects the 5 houses you need to defend.
You can also set traps before the bandits arrive, though they're more for bonus points than actual defense. The real challenge is resource management. Each house has different layouts and item placements.
You need to memorize routes, decide which weapons to craft, and plan your sledding path efficiently. The graphics are serviceable, the music sets the mood, but the gameplay mechanics carry this one.
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WHERE TO PLAY
The original copy or emulation will be your best bet for tracking this down.
Original Copies of the Game (All prices in USD)
Loose: $18
Complete: $35
New/Sealed: $88
GAME INFORMATION
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Cover Art
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RETRO HARDWARE
Reading about retro games is great, but playing them is the real goal. This new Retro Hardware section is about easy, affordable ways to get those classics running without the headache.
Miyoo Mini Flip V2
Say hi to the Miyoo Mini Flip V2. This little beauty has taken so much of my free time since I picked it up earlier this year. Slightly bigger than the original GameBoy Advance SP, this has become my favorite device to take with me when I brave the outdoors and leave my protective man cave. (Scary!)
It comes pre-installed with thousands of games, easily playing everything up to the PS1, with some N64, DS, Dreamcast and PSP thrown in. Everything that came out before those, it plays perfectly, including a massive Arcade library.
I’m now an affiliate of MECHDIY, who excel in bringing childhood memories back through high quality retro devices. Click the picture below to receive a discount for the Miyoo Mini Flip V2.
Some links in this section are affiliate links. If you buy through MECHDIY, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
GAME OVER
Why You Should Play This
Home Alone won't blow your mind, but it earns respect for trying something different. The weapon crafting system has surprising depth, and the two-phase gameplay keeps things varied. Managing five houses while racing against a clock creates genuine tension.
The controls feel clunky by modern standards. Kevin moves slowly, jumping has noticeable delay, and climbing stairs can frustrate. The graphics are plain even for 1992, and the bandits look more like blobs than Pesci and Stern. But the strategic layer holds up. Deciding which house needs defending, which weapons to craft, and how to optimize your sledding route still feels rewarding.
It’s short, sort of charming and definitely nails the feel of the chaotic ending of the film. Definitely worth a play while you’re waiting to open presents.
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