Area 51 (1995 video game)

Area 51 is a 1995 light gun shooter video game developed by Mesa Logic and published by Time Warner Interactive under its Atari Games label for arcades. The game involves the player taking part in a Strategic Tactical Advanced Alien Response (STAAR) military incursion to prevent aliens known as the Kronn, as well as alien-created zombies, from taking over the Area 51 military facility.

Produced as a last-ditch effort to reverse Atari's struggling fortunes, Area 51 largely underwhelmed critics, who compared it unfavorably to contemporary light gun shooters such as Virtua Cop 2, but was well-liked by players and became a major hit. The game was ported to the PlayStation, Sega Saturn and Windows. Atari further capitalized on its success with Maximum Force, which used the same arcade board and similar graphics techniques and gameplay, and a direct sequel, Area 51: Site 4.