Chiller is a light gun arcade game released in 1986 by Exidy. An unlicensed port was released for the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1990 by American Game Cartridges in the US, and in Australia by HES (Home Entertainment Suppliers), with the option of using either the standard controller or the NES Zapper.
In the game, the player takes on the role of an unseen torturer who must maim, mutilate, and murder restrained non-player characters in a variety of dungeon settings.
Gameplay
thumb|left|The torture chamber of Chiller
The gameplay consists of shooting as many targets (“monsters”) as indicated by the Monster Meter at the top of the screen before the timer at the bottom runs out. The game features four main levels: the torture chamber, the rack room, the haunted house hallway, and the graveyard. After completing the final level, the game loops back to the first level with a higher target requirement, and each target awards more points. The game only ends when the player fails to reach the target goal within the time limit.
Each level contains a series of secret targets, which are shown in the middle of the screen before entering the level. If all secret targets in a level are found, the player can earn a bonus score by winning at the slot machine.<!--
For each screen, shooting all available targets gives the player a bonus shooting round. The game features a Ghost counter on-screen scoring system named the "Ectoplasmic Tabulator". It has very similar gameplay to Crossbow and other related Exidy 440 board system games. -->
Reception
The game sold poorly in the United States because arcade owners refused to purchase it; Exidy successfully marketed it to developing nations. Modern reviewers often criticize the game for its senseless violence and encouraging the torture and murder of apparently innocent people, as opposed to the gamer fighting enemies capable of defending themselves.