Play Total Carnage (beta1) Online

Total Carnage came out for the Super Nintendo in 1992, a port of Midway's arcade game. It landed right in the middle of the SNES's life, when developers were getting a solid handle on the hardware for fast paced action. This was part of that wave of top down run and gun shooters trying to capture the feel of the arcade at home.

You control a lone commando, moving through screen after screen of enemy-infested terrain. Your main goal is straightforward: survive the onslaught and take down the villain, General Akhboob. The core loop involves clearing each area of all enemies before you can proceed, while a timer counts down, adding constant pressure. You are almost always surrounded, so you rely on a rapid firing machine gun and occasional power ups like spread shots to even the odds. The game is notoriously difficult, throwing huge numbers of soldiers, tanks, and other hazards at you with little respite. It feels like a frantic, chaotic scramble where you are constantly on the move, just trying to stay alive for a few more seconds.