The Ignition Factor

The player-controlled character fights a fire.

The Ignition Factor is a 2D adventure where the player controls a firefighter through emergency situations in differing locations. Each level consists of multiple rooms, areas, or building floors where players can possibly explore, extinguish fires, and rescue people. Most levels dictate a specific number of people that must be saved within a set time limit for the mission to be considered a success. Fire spreads throughout an area automatically, and the player can be injured when touching a patch of fire on screen. The player can also be harmed by falling through holes in the floor.

The player has various tools of firefighting at their disposal. Before a level begins, the player may choose the primary and secondary equipment with which they wish to begin the level. Only one of each type of equipment can be equipped at once.[2] Primary equipment consists of an oxygen mask and tank and three types of fire extinguishers that correspond to the different types of fires that can be encountered in the game; regular, chemical, and electrical. These fires and their extinguishers are red-orange, green, and blue, respectively. As these are used, a counter goes from 99 to 0. The counter of the regular extinguisher rapidly increases back to 99 after a brief period of inactivity, while the oxygen tank and mask and the other extinguishers can only go back to 99 after being resupplied by allies in the level. Secondary equipment consists of a firefighter's axe, a rope for crossing gaps, a metal pole to reveal holes by checking for weak places in the floor, plastic explosives to blow through debris and certain wall sections, and CO₂ bombs to extinguish large areas of fire. Only five plastic explosives and CO₂ bombs can be carried at one time and can be replenished by an ally on the map.

After its American debut in 1995,[8][9] The Ignition Factor has received varying levels of critical response. Electronic Gaming Monthly's four reviewers gave it their "Game of the Month" award, commenting that the game is an excellent test of the player's wits, the graphics are impressive, and the numerous ways to solve each problem ensures that every playthrough is unique.[3] GamePro gave it a far more mixed review, criticizing that the graphics are average, the voice is annoying, and the controls are very touchy. They nonetheless concluded that "The Ignition Factor is a relatively fun strategy game."[10] Next Generation was still more critical, faulting the game chiefly for its lack of originality: "At first glance, the fire-fighting angle promises a new game play experience, but the title is a repackaged version of older games like Capcom's Commando and Sega's Alien Syndrome. ... The action is good, but stages are repetitive, and mostly just rearrange the placement of hostages without adding any significantly new gameplay."[5]

Next Generation reviewed the game a second time, rating it three stars out of five, and stated that "The game is fast and furious, but it's over fairly quick, too. A few more levels might have put this over the edge."[6] Flux magazine praised the nonviolent gameplay writing: "Ignition Factor is a helluva lot of fun for a game that doesn’t involve any killing or space travel."[11]

• The Firemen - SNES game where the player controls Pete, the fire fighter

• Fire Fighting at Jaleco (in Japanese)